Communication department adds vis comm emphasis

Starting next semester, the Communication Department is introducing its new visual communication emphasis. 

The program’s goal is to help students develop the design skills to think critically in communicating a message well, and engage the target audience to visually solve problems in the communication world.

Jefferson Henson, associate professor of communication, developed the program. He defines visual communication as “the discipline that allows students to learn and grow in the visual skills to be able to critically analyze and understand visuals alongside having the ability to create them.” Classes offered for the program include Graphic Design, Photography and Introduction to Visual Communication.

The first step to doing visual communication well, Henson said, is to understand the message that needs to be communicated. 

“It goes from the way things are phrased to the type of blue that allows people to feel trusted and secure. Or if you are communicating for a bank, a grid system presents things as balanced and secure, and that’s how you want people to feel.” 

The program is designed particularly for those interested in pursuing graphic design, but also provides the foundational skills for other visual careers as in social media. The hope is to eventually transition the program into a graphic design degree.

As a society that engages with visuals all the time—where people make decisions in split seconds—Henson said it is important to utilize these practices to be intentional communicators.

“Because we are people who represent Christ, we have to learn how to harness this for the kingdom, for his purposes, and then be able to yield it in a way that is effective and powerful,” Henson said. “We want to cut through all of the media that we get constantly thrown at us. Using that as a platform, we can create really powerful media visuals that live in people's hearts and minds.”

For those interested, be sure to register for next semester’s class — C142 Introduction to Visual Communication.