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Berkeley Global
This exit seminar for the Professional Program in Graphic Design helps you develop a professional graphic design portfolio to present to future clients as a freelancer and for employment in the profession. You will have the opportunity to showcase your unique style and strengths, improve your limitations and knowledge gaps by accelerating your design projects during this course for stronger outcomes.
You’ll research best fits in today’s design marketplace and create a self-branding package: logo, résumé, cover letter, reference sheet, business card, thank you card and its envelope, a promo video (scroll down to see Amanda Hinton’s creation) and an optional giveaway piece. The above mentioned pieces help you showcase who you are as a designer/person and the type of skills and strengths you possess to better position yourself for a new job, a freelance career or promotion. Guest speakers, alumni and industry professionals will share their stories, experiences and advice. We will pair you with industry professionals during the portfolio review, they’ll give you feedback about your projects and how to make them stronger and better. The main goal of this course is to improve the overall outcomes of your current projects, by tweaking, redesigning some of those existing projects and by adding new pieces if needed. Essentially you are putting together all graphic design skills you learned through our courses: Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Visual Design, Web Design and Typography. By the end of the class, you would have a comprehensive graphic design portfolio website with at least 6 projects of multiple components that show your print and digital capabilities, you will be ready to apply for jobs while in the course, or right after finishing it.
Take a look at these amazing portfolio websites by Gita Adoni, Yuya Sano and Danielle McWaters, who decided to open her own freelance graphic design business called designsake studio before graduation. The three of them are former students of our graphic design program.
Course Outline
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Course Objectives
University of California, Berkeley, Extension designs the best possible online learning experience for you with an unrivaled Graphic and Web Design Portfolio syllabus to prepare you with the skills needed and a quality portfolio to become a confident design professional.
- Refine a signature style through critical editing of your portfolio
- Expand projects that were originated in other courses, by creating new pieces related to those initial ideas and concepts
- Design new projects if there’s a lack of project quality and quantity
- Organize artwork in an online portfolio website
- Participate during project’s critique
- Provide feedback and collaborate with other students for group improvement
- Learn new outlets to showcase portfolio pieces online
- Analyze, prioritize and sequence project tasks
- Generate a résumé that reflects your most marketable skills and qualities
- Recognize and adhere to copyright laws governing the use of emerging technology
- Produce a self-branding package: letterhead, envelope (label), résumé, reference page, thank you card + envelope (label) and business card
- Communicate effectively with prospective employers and industry professionals
- Generate a cover letter that helps you land a job interview
- Discuss the relative effectiveness of various media for different communication purposes
- Use technology to conduct career-related research
- Evaluate personal and professional skills and interests relative to their application in possible career paths and projects
What You'll Learn
Class time will be divided between lectures, discussions, demonstrations, guest speakers/designers, and critiques of the work done out of class. In addition, editing techniques appropriate for a graphic design portfolio class will be covered.
- Portfolio presentation
- Logo grid exercises
- Self-critique/group critique
- Type studies
- Project redesign
- Designing new pieces
- Job search strategies
- Interview skills
- Networking
- Write project descriptions
- Branding strategies
- Usage of templates
- Web requirements
- Website set up
- Print specifications
- Video presentation
- Hands-on exercises
- Portfolio editing through industry professionals
- Public speaking skills
- Awareness of body language
- Improve all software skills (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and After Effects)
How You'll Learn
We are online! All of the design classes are conducted remotely including: video classes, mentor-led learning and peer-to-peer support through our student online platform called Canvas.
- Lectures
- Reading assignments
- Small-group activities
- Homework assignments
- Critiques
- Studio activities
- Videos
- Podcasts
- Social media channels
Is This Course Right for You?
Students registered for the Professional Program in graphic design or those interested in putting together a portfolio for personal goals. Our experienced instructor provides practical information in graphic design, job search, and portfolio do’s and don’ts, as well as monitors your development along with peer-to-peer support on our student online platform
Other classes to be considered: Animation Design and Video Production, Illustrating Children’s Books, Essentials of User Experience (UX )Design
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Summer enrollment opens on March 20!