The way people communicate is most definitely changing. With the continuing advancements being made in the field of technology, society is moving further and further away from verbal communication. We are living in an increasingly visual world. People have moved from reading and writing to television, film, and the Internet.

Future leaders in the modern world of work will need to be exceptional visual communicators. They will need to be able to interpret many different visual mediums along with being competent and comfortable in using television, film, and the Internet to get their message across successfully.

The individuals who are most skilled in these areas will be the ones who help to develop and expand our understanding of and ability in art, design, and communication. For these reasons and many others, the graphic arts program focuses on understanding and creating clear, effective, and exciting visual forms of communication.

At Mount Marty College, this program combines the arts and emerging technologies into a fresh course of study while maintaining a strong foundation in the liberal arts. Every project requires students to communicate more effectively and grow personally. It has been said that every work of art is actually a self-portrait, and there is a need to understand oneself in order to create effective visual communications. As such, students are helped along a path of personal growth.

The Graphic Arts program follows the standards and guidelines of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and is specially designed to educate students about the varying means of visual communication. The focus of this program is on communication as the purpose of art and design. Students who have the ability to understand communication, especially in this innovative visual form, will pave the way to develop new and more interesting forms of art, design, and communiqué. Along the path to this understanding, students will learn many valuable and employable technical skills that will help to make them marketable in the world of work.

A unique quality of Mount Marty's program is the heavy focus on quality studio work compared to other programs. Students take studio courses in design, art, video, and new media. This broad approach allows students to explore many different mediums and become proficient in a variety of fields. The integration of these skills allows students a greater understanding of communication and how to create new and exciting forms of communication.

Students receive quality, hands-on experience with technology and design in a variety of mediums. This program offers students a historical and contemporary study of art, design, and media. By tying all three together, it becomes clear what is on the cutting edge of each group and allows students to see how closely related they truly are. This program is technologically advanced and innovative, which means that it will take our students to the next level of cutting-edge technology.

In keeping with our commitment to provide current technology to all our students, every full-time Mount Marty College student is issued a laptop computer. The use of laptops is integral in all instruction, but especially in the graphic arts program. Students have access to up-to-date software for graphic design such as Illustrator, PhotoShop, AfterFX, Director, Dreamweaver, Flash, and Sound Forge. On our wireless campus, students have the world at their fingertips.