Course Descriptions | Moorpark College Design

To see which of our graphic and multimedia design courses are being offered each semester, follow this link to the official Moorpark College Schedule of Classes

DES M100 (was GR M10)
DESIGN AND SOCIETY

DES M100H (was GR M10H)
HONORS: DESIGN AND SOCIETY

Examines the fundamentals of design including design theory, the language and history of design, and contemporary design practices. Emphasizes the basic principles and the human experience in design, including graphic design and advertising, industrial design, environmental design, and media arts. Honors work challenges students to be more analytical and creative through expanded assignments, real-world applications and enrichment opportunities. Course Credit Limitations: Credit will not be awarded for both the honors and regular versions of a course. Credit will be awarded only for the first course completed with a grade of "C" or better or "P". Moorpark College Honors Program requires a letter grade. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU; UC

DES M101 (was GR M11)
DESIGN HISTORY

DES M101H (was GR M11H)
HONORS: DESIGN HISTORY

Examines the major issues in twentieth century design and identifies possible future trends. Focuses on the period beginning with the Arts and Crafts Movement of the late nineteenth century and continuing through the modern and postmodern design movements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Explores relationships with history, culture, technology, art, and social values. Honors work challenges students to be more analytical and creative through expanded assignments, real-world applications and enrichment opportunities. Course Credit Limitations: Credit will not be awarded for both the honors and regular version of a course. Credit will be awarded only for the first course completed with a grade of "C" or better or "P". Moorpark College Honors Program requires a letter grade. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU; UC

DES M120 (was GR M23)
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHICS

Introduces visual technologies, concepts and principles of production used by designers and media artists. Explores software applications as they relate to current methods of design and media arts production. Emphasizes the development of fundamental computer skills and an understanding of the relationship between digital media and visual design. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M121 (was MM M10)
INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL MEDIA

Introduces the tools and techniques, as well as the concepts, and principles of design and production in Digital Media. Includes basic computer skills, digital image capture, image manipulation, illustration, layout, time-based media, 3D, web design, and emerging technologies. Investigates the historical and conceptual relationship between art, media, and technology. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU; UC

DES M125 (was GR M26)
DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION

Focuses on digital illustration, currently using Adobe Illustrator for illustration, design, and media arts. Explores appropriate techniques for drawing vector-based paths, perspective, color systems, rendering of light and shade, and Illustrator's typographic capabilities. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M126 (was GR M27)
IMAGE EDITING

Focuses on image editing, currently using Adobe Photoshop for photography, design, and media arts. Includes appropriate techniques for tonal and color adjustments, creating masks, non-destructive editing, adjustment layers, retouching, and compositing. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M127 (was GR M24)
DIGITAL LAYOUT

Focuses on producing single-page and multi-page documents, preparing documents for print, and creating press-ready output. Explores the page layout, font and color management, formatting type, working with paragraph styles, importing images, defining and applying color and graphic effects, creating PDFs and packaging files for printing. Introduces the printing processes, papers, bindings and proofing methods. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M130 (was GR M30)
DESIGN I

Provides a solid foundation in the use of the elements and principles of visual design, concept development, the creative design process, production, presentation techniques, and visual storytelling. Requires hands-on experience in visual problem solving through a variety of media. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M131 (was GR M31)
DESIGN II

Furthers basic design skills and develops conceptual and technical abilities to amplify content through form, image, typography, symbolism and experimentation. Requires hands-on experience in creative problem solving including the exploration of rhythm and balance, texture, figure/ground, visual hierarchy, color, time and motion, and other components, through a variety of media. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M132 (was GR M32)
DESIGN III

Provides an advanced level knowledge in the use of the elements of visual language and their relationship to experience, expression and communication. Emphasizes, through projects and exercises, the different aspects of analytical and inventive design thinking through concept development, design and composition using type and image, production and presentation skills. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M133 (was GR M34)
TYPOGRAPHY I

Introduces the fundamentals of typography, letterforms, typographic terminology, and methods. Explores type families, grid construction, typographic hierarchies, organizations, and selecting and combining type. Surveys the histories of some important typefaces and the conventions and best practices that govern how type is organized, composed, and set; and explores the expressive potential of typography. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU; UC

DES M134 (was GR M25)
TYPOGRAPHY II

Furthers and refines the basic typographic skills using scale, hierarchy, composition, and type choice in creating a variety of forms, including publications, posters, screen-based media, and environments. Emphasizes the clarity and legibility of the message; sequential page design and detailing; integration of type and image; hierarchies and scale relationships; display typography; typographic word-marks as identities. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M135
SOCIAL MEDIA DESIGN

Introduces the tools, techniques, and the strategies for visual communication across the social media channels. Explores the creation of solutions to clearly communicate visual messages online. Emphasizes creative problem solving and strategies as applied to social media design. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M136
ADVERTISING DESIGN

Provides an introduction to the fundamentals of advertising with emphasis on conceptual process and development, and basic advertising methodologies and techniques. Emphasizes the application of conceptual advertising principles and design. Examines the importance of research, copywriting and marketing knowledge in the development of advertising campaigns. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M137
BIOTECHNOLOGY MEDIA DESIGN

Emphasizes the fundamental digital media skills required to design and create professional media products for the BioTech field. Focuses on conceptual pathways related to interdisciplinary STEAM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math); experiments with mixed digital arts and media, including 3D modeling. Explores the importance of research, models, and props in the design and execution of the final product. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M140
CHARACTER DESIGN

Focuses on the creation of well-formed, believable, and memorable characters with interesting personalities. Includes visual communication through illustrating a character, starting with concept sketches, exploring shapes through iteration and refinement, and creating a basic 2D animation rig to bring it to life. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU; UC

DES M141
ANIMATION BASICS

Focuses on fundamental principles of animation, study of the basic theory and mechanics of the discipline and development of simple animation. Includes storyboarding, visual storytelling, character development and environments. Applies techniques such as stop-motion, onionskin, and follow-through using industry-standard software used for animation development. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU; UC

DES M142 (was MM M30)
MOTION GRAPHICS

Introduces motion graphics fundamentals, including compositing, visual effects, type in motion, and animation techniques. Includes concept development, storytelling, and aesthetics in creating motion graphics, including composition, color, motion, and timing. Produces animated sequences by using digital images, vector-based content, video, and audio. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M143 (was MM M40)
3D FUNDAMENTALS

Introduces the fundamental concepts and tools used in the creation of 3D digital animation, including modeling, texture mapping, lighting, animation, and rendering. Explores the creation of characters, environments, and animation through visual narrative and design strategies, as well as a working knowledge of the industry standard software. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU; UC

DES M150 (was MM M20)
WEB DESIGN

Introduces web design fundamentals, including the design process, target audience, site maps, information architecture, interface design, and usability. Includes web hosting, file management, FTP, optimizing images, color theory, web typography, HTML, CSS, and the basics of responsive web design. Using current industry standard technology develops the necessary skills for design and development of websites. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M151 (was MM M50)
UI/UX DESIGN

Introduces all stages of the UI/UX development process, from user research to defining a project’s strategy, scope, and information architecture, to developing sitemaps and wireframes. Emphasizes current best practices and conventions in UX design and applies them to create effective and compelling screen-based experiences, interface design and interaction design for websites or apps. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M190 (was GR M90)
DESIGN PORTFOLIO

Explores opportunities for employment in the design community, best practices for freelance design, and methods for overseeing the production of finished design artifacts. Emphasizes knowledge in all steps of design from concept and copyright to manufacturing, retail, and billing clients. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

DES M191
DESIGN BUSINESS PRACTICES

Focuses on the representation of objects through a variety of black and white media and techniques, emphasizing pictorial composition, depth perception, perspective and rendering. Includes presentations and discussions of historical and contemporary examples of a wide-range of drawing. Moorpark College Faculty has defined Drawing and Composition as a family of courses which includes ART M32, M34, and M35. A student may take a maximum of four courses from a family. (Formerly ART M12A.) Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU; UC

DES M80 (was GR M80)
INTERNSHIP IN DESIGN

Provides on-the-job learning to develop effective work habits, attitudes, and career awareness in paid or unpaid internships that are related to the discipline. Involves the development and documentation of learning objectives and the completion of an internship paper, presentation, or project. Includes both workplace supervisor and faculty adviser feedback and/or written evaluations. Course Credit Limitation: To take this course, contact the Career Transfer Center. Requires orientation sessions. Students receive one unit of credit for each 60 hours unpaid or 75 hours paid work. May enroll in up to 4 units a semester with a maximum of 16 total units of any type of work experience. Applies to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU

Note: For detailed information for each course, such as the type of production software used, contact the course instructor.