Visual Communication (AAS)
Associate Of Applied Science (AAS)
LSC-CyFair
Apply for an upcoming Start Date
Visual Communication (AAS) is an Associate Of Applied Science (AAS) program offered by Lone Star College in Cypress, TX. The program takes 60 credit hours to complete, with a total tuition of $6,660.
Program Overview
- The goal of the Visual Communication program is to create a stimulating learning environment for students where they can pursue their specific interest within six areas of professional study: graphic design, multimedia, web design, video and postproduction, motion graphics and 3-D animation.
- Program Highlights
- Courses emphasizing advertising design, publication design, interactive media and multimedia design prepare the students for professional practice within a designer/client relationship. These courses emphasize conceptual communication following the model of professional practice while seeking to explore innovative designs.
- Students earning a degree are introduced to graphic design as a means of visual communication, organization, and persuasion. As preparation for employment in a range of design disciplines, students gain an understanding of ideation, visual organization, typography, and production tools and technology, including their application and the creation, reproduction, and distribution of visual information. Students learn to design and/or create graphics to meet specific needs such as packaging, logos, displays, websites, publications, and various digital media and may work with sound, color, artwork, photography, software, and even animation to produce whatever the design project calls for.
- The Multimedia track and the Graphic Design track of the Visual Communication Program are recognized by the Texas Workforce Investment Council as having curriculum that aligns with the national industry defined and industry recognized skills standards.
- Credentials and Careers
- Certificates are available within areas of professional study within visual communication and are designed to provide a core understanding. A certificate may be beneficial for a working professional who wants to update or expand their knowledge and skills to benefit their employment in the industry. The requirements of each certificate will apply to the program’s AAS degree. Areas of professional study include: Graphic Design
- Multimedia
- Web Design
- Video and Postproduction
- Motion Graphics
- 3-D Animation
- Completion of the Associate of Applied Science in Visual Communication prepares the graduate for an entry-level position in design services, publishing, advertising, public relations, computer systems design and related services and other related areas.
- Transferability
- General education courses (Core) are designed for easy transfer to Texas public institutions and applicable to requirements at private and out of -state institutions.
- Technical coursework may be transferrable to other institutions.
- Please consult with a program advisor for more information about transferability.
Program Schedule
- Prerequisite: Completion of Level 2 Certificate within Visual Communications: 3D Animation, Graphic Design, Motion Graphics, Multimedia Designer, Video and Post Production, or Web Design, (48 Credit Hours)
- This award requires 60 credit hours in total; the course list below is the 12 credit hours specific to it.
- Lone Star College reports 1840-1888 contact hours for this award.
- Lone Star College publishes 6 curriculum paths to this award: 3D Animation Track, Graphic Design Track, Motion Graphics Track, Multimedia Designer Track, Video & Post Production Track, Web Design Track. Courses shared by every path are listed once; courses that belong to one path are labelled with it.
- Where the course list shows "Choose N credit hours", those courses are the options for one elective slot, not additional requirements.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Utilize industry specific production process toward a final output.
- Apply design principles to execute industry specific project objectives.
- Research the field of study to prepare for an entry-level position.
- Apply verbal and written communication to interpret client’s goals.
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
- Tuition shown is the in-district rate of $111.00 per credit hour for 60 credit hours.
- Out-of-district Texas residents pay $249.00 per credit hour ($14,940.00); international and out-of-state students pay $313.00 per credit hour ($18,780.00).
- Lab fees vary by course and liability insurance, uniforms and supplies vary by program, so Lone Star College publishes no all-in total for this award. Tuition above excludes them.
- Financial aid and payment plans are available to most students.
- Application fee: none. Lone Star College applications are free.
Program Notes
- Students who are classified as First Time in College (FTIC) will complete EDUC 1300 - Learning Framework: First Year Experience.
- Students who are not classified as First Time in College (FTIC) and have not yet demonstrated college-level readiness in reading and writing and/or math (depending on selected course), will complete EDUC 1300 - Learning Framework: First Year Experience.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fourth Semester | ||
| ENGL1301 | Composition & Rhetoric I | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Fourth Semester / Choose 3 credit hours | ||
| HIST1301 | United States History I | 3 |
| HIST1302 | United States History II | 3 |
| HIST2301 | Texas History | 3 |
| HIST2327 | Mexican American History I (to the United States-Mexico War Era) | 3 |
| HIST2328 | Mexican American History II (from the United States-Mexico War Era) | 3 |
| HIST2381 | African American History I | 3 |
| HIST2382 | African American History II | 3 |
| GOVT2305 | Federal Government | 3 |
| GOVT2306 | Texas Government | 3 |
| ANTH2301 | Physical Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH2351 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| CRIJ1301 | Intro To Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRIJ1307 | Crime In America | 3 |
| ECON2301 | Macro-economics | 3 |
| ECON2302 | Micro-economics | 3 |
| GEOG1301 | Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOG1303 | World Regional Geography | 3 |
| GOVT2304 | Introduction to Political Science | 3 |
| GOVT2311 | Mexican American and Latinx Politics | 3 |
| HIST2311 | Western Civilization I | 3 |
| HIST2312 | Western Civilization II | 3 |
| HIST2321 | World Civilizations I | 3 |
| HIST2322 | World Civilizations II | 3 |
| PSYC2301 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SOCI1301 | Principles of Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI1306 | Social Problems | 3 |
| MATH1314 | College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH1316 | Trigonometry | 3 |
| MATH1324 | Mathematics for Business & Social Science | 3 |
| MATH1325 | Calculus for Business & Social Sciences | 3 |
| MATH1332 | Mathematics for Liberal Arts | 3 |
| MATH1342 | Statistics | 3 |
| MATH1350 | Mathematics for Teachers I (Fundamentals of Mathematics I) | 3 |
| MATH1351 | Mathematics for Teachers II (Fundamentals of Mathematics II) | 3 |
| MATH2318 | Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MATH2412 | Precalculus | 4 |
| MATH2413 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH2414 | Calculus II | 4 |
| PHIL2303 | Introduction to Formal Logic | 3 |
| ARAB2311 | Intermediate Arabic I | 3 |
| ARAB2312 | Intermediate Arabic II | 3 |
| CHIN2311 | Intermediate Chinese I | 3 |
| CHIN2312 | Intermediate Chinese II | 3 |
| ENGL2322 | Survey of British Literature: Anglo-Saxon through the Eighteenth Century | 3 |
| ENGL2323 | Survey of British Literature: Romantic through the Present | 3 |
| ENGL2327 | Survey of American Literature: Exploration through the Civil War | 3 |
| ENGL2328 | Survey of American Literature: Civil War through the Present | 3 |
| ENGL2332 | Survey of World Literature - Ancient World through the 16th Century | 3 |
| ENGL2333 | Survey of World Literature- 17th Century through the Present | 3 |
| ENGL2341 | Forms of Literature | 3 |
| ENGL2351 | Mexican-American Literature | 3 |
| FREN2311 | Intermediate French I | 3 |
| FREN2312 | Intermediate French II | 3 |
| GERM2311 | Intermediate German I | 3 |
| GERM2312 | Intermediate German II | 3 |
| HUMA1301 | Early Global Cultures | 3 |
| HUMA1302 | Later Global Cultures | 3 |
| HUMA1305 | Introduction to Mexican-American Studies | 3 |
| HUMA1311 | Mexican-American Fine Arts Appreciation | 3 |
| HUMA2319 | Minority Cultures in the United States | 3 |
| ITAL2311 | Intermediate Italian I | 3 |
| ITAL2312 | Intermediate Italian II | 3 |
| JAPN2311 | Intermediate Japanese | 3 |
| JAPN2312 | Intermediate Japanese II | 3 |
| PHIL1301 | Introduction To Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL1304 | Introduction To World Religions | 3 |
| PHIL2306 | Introduction to Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL2307 | Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL2316 | Classical Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL2321 | Philosophy Of Religion | 3 |
| PORT2311 | Intermediate Portuguese I | 3 |
| PORT2312 | Intermediate Portuguese II | 3 |
| SGNL2301 | Interm American Sign Language I | 3 |
| SGNL2302 | Interm American Sign Language II | 3 |
| SPAN2311 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 |
| SPAN2312 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| SPAN2313 | Spanish for Native/Heritage Speakers I | 3 |
| SPAN2315 | Spanish for Native/Heritage Speakers II | 3 |
| ARTS1301 | Art Appreciation | 3 |
| ARTS1303 | Art History: Prehistory to Gothic | 3 |
| ARTS1304 | Art History: Renaissance to Modern | 3 |
| ARTS1311 | 2-D Design | 3 |
| ARTS1312 | 3-D Design | 3 |
| ARTS1316 | Drawing I | 3 |
| DANC2303 | Dance Appreciation | 3 |
| DRAM1310 | Theatre Appreciation | 3 |
| DRAM2366 | Film Appreciation | 3 |
| MUSI1303 | Fundamentals of Music | 3 |
| MUSI1306 | Appreciating Music | 3 |
| MUSI1307 | Music Literature | 3 |
| MUSI1310 | American Music | 3 |
| Subtotal | 276 | |
| Graphic Design Track - Fourth Semester / Choose 3 credit hours | ||
| TECA1354 | Child Growth & Development | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Motion Graphics Track - Fourth Semester / Choose 3 credit hours | ||
| TECA1354 | Child Growth & Development | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Multimedia Designer Track - Fourth Semester / Choose 3 credit hours | ||
| TECA1354 | Child Growth & Development | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Video & Post Production Track - Fourth Semester / Choose 3 credit hours | ||
| TECA1354 | Child Growth & Development | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Web Design Track - Fourth Semester / Choose 3 credit hours | ||
| TECA1354 | Child Growth & Development | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Program Total | 294 | |