Misc

Objectives of the Program of Instruction
The objective of the Design program is to credibly prepare the student for design practice; and secondly, a broader long-term goal is for continued personal and creative growth.

The curriculum of the program introduces the reality of problematic issues that might be encountered in projects the designer might confront daily, yet with a stated focus on process and the multi-disciplinary environment in which design will be practiced for the future. The Design Program of Portfolio Center regards the priority of innovative form in design as essential to any dialogue; however, the paradigm for the program is grounded by the hierarchy that the student will handle strategic analysis and create solutions for the complexity of communications problems which involve system related issues and community-level problems.

This is accomplished in concentration and learning and by emphasizing instruction foremost on professional services, i.e., inclusive of conceptual aspects of design and intellectual processes; and secondly, on traditional mechanics for design education, stressing general skill levels, i.e., intuitive, manual and craft, as a means of communicative reference— and from this giving meaning to issues leading to the opportunity that the designer will become an intermediary between information and understanding.

Employment opportunities are expansive and include creative positions within industry settings such as, corporate design and brand identity firms; corporate communications firms; graphic design firms; information design and media architectural firms; urban planning and conservation firms; packaging design firms; publication design firms; environmental and exhibit design firms; advertising agency/design groups; and corporate identity design firms.

Entrance Requirements for Graphic Design Students
Prospective applicants applying to the Design Program of Portfolio Center must submit any examples of creative work that reflect a “personal” aesthetic style and dimension. These samples can be visual or literary, and they could include current everyday work. Appropriate submissions include, but are not limited to: graphic designs, ads, drawings, paintings, fiction or poetry, sculpture, photography, architecture, or electronic design. The applicant must submit a written statement of their intent and reason for study. Students are requested to demonstrate creative potential. Relevant prior life/work experience or academic credentials are also considered as criteria for placement within the program. All applicants must have a minimum of a high school diploma/G.E.D.

International and foreign students who do not speak English as a first language must either pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or demonstrate their English language verbal skills in a conversation with an admissions officer.

Immediate decision option
You may visit the school and meet with the admissions counselors and financial aid counselors, complete your application; and, meet with the Chairperson of the Design Program. The intention of that meeting is your personal interview.

During the interview, the Chair of the Program will discuss the overview of career decisions and the specific requirements of the Design Program of Portfolio Center. This comprehensive interview gives the student an opportunity to consider how well our Design Program parallels their individual interests and educational goals. During this interview the student will present a portfolio. At this time special consideration is given to intention of desire, emotive quality, and the students potential to subscribe to the potential mastery of the curriculum and the course of instruction within the Design Program.

The student will be notified at the conclusion of the interview, provided all components of the application process are completed, of an admissions decision.

Inclusive decision option
If in the event the candidate cannot attend a personal visit to the school, the student select can have the same advantage as the candidate who can. You may submit your application and portfolio by delivery to the admissions office. The admissions office will present it to the Chairperson of the Design Program, or the President of Portfolio Center. At this time an admission counselor will arrange in lieu of a personal interview, a telephone conference with the Chair of the Design Program.

If all applications and materials have been submitted and the interview has occurred, the Admissions Office will notify the student in writing approximately two weeks following of the admissions decisions; and, at that time an Admissions Officer will confirm your reservation.

Students are strongly encouraged to have a college, university, or associate liberal arts degree prior to applying for or enrolling in the Design Program. This is not a prerequisite to acceptance into the Design Program. All applicants must have a minimum of a high school diploma/G.E.D.

Instructional Methods Used in the Graphic Design Program
Portfolio Center provides competencies that are essential to professional success in many ways:

1. A professional designer in practice teaches every class.
2. Student assignments are realistic as the work takes place in an environment not unlike that of a design firm or design consultancy. This integrates the student immediately into a relationship that will characterize their future professional life. The assignments are often given with the same specifications that the instructor faces on the job.
3. Students use the same equipment that is used in the profession. Portfolio Center makes every attempt to teach students with the same materials and equipment that are current in the business.
4. Emphasis is placed on presentation of work, and on professional business practices.
5. Students are encouraged to join professional organizations that relate to design, such as the American Institute of Graphic Arts (A.I.G.A.). The Type Directors Club, American Center for Design, The Design Management Institute.
6. Portfolio Center student work is entered into and awarded in major competitions throughout the profession, and student work is published in major professional periodicals and books.

Facilities and Equipment Used for the Program
Portfolio Center facilities consist of a two-story brick building. The first floor consists of classroom areas, a large open studio, 3 computer labs, a library and administrative offices. Classrooms are well lighted and equipped with folding chairs and tables, depending on the needs of the class. The bottom floor houses the photography facilities, Student Services (where student artwork is laminated), a classroom, a large work area, a conference area, and administrative offices.

Interior walls are of sheetrock. All the walls in the school are white for exhibition purposes and to maximize light efficiency. The large open studio on the first floor can be partitioned with accordion sound-proof room dividers allowing it to function as four individual classrooms when needed, as an open studio for student work space or as a hall for lectures and seminars. The walls of this space as well as the halls and other classrooms are covered with ongoing exhibits of the best student work from the previous quarter. The exhibition serves as an excellent resource for on the spot teaching reference as well as a record for visitors and prospective students of the quality of student work.

Portfolio Center has an extensive Power Macintosh computer lab consisting of a 45 color Macintosh computer network, all equipped with industry standard removable storage drives, 6 black and white laser printers and 5 color scanners for flat art and film. The computers have over 1,000 type faces installed and are updated as educational licenses become available for the most current versions of programs used within the industry, including Quark Express, Photoshop, Freehand, Illustrator, Lightwave, Microsoft Word and Macro Media Director. Because some students have IBM computers at home, the computers at Portfolio Center have system software that allows the MAC computers to read IBM compatible material. In addition, high-speed T.1 data provide all Mac workstations with e-mail and web access.

Class Hours
Portfolio Center students attend 5 classes per week. Each class is 4.5 hours in length, and may be held from either 8:00AM to 12:30PM, 1:00PM to 5:30PM, or 6:00PM to 10:30PM. Class schedules vary depending on program and quarter level. The Seminar series are held on Thursday mornings (all students must attend). Class schedules vary from quarter to quarter, depending on instructor availability.

Subject Descriptions
Please see attached Design course descriptions preceding this comment section, as well as the Design section of the school catalog.