Visual Storytelling

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Visual Storytelling Minor

Interdisciplinary minor

The Visual Storytelling Minor is an interdisciplinary minor offered by the departments of English Studies and Visual and Performing Arts. The minor integrates art, storytelling and technology, introducing students to the field of creative visual storytelling utilizing interdisciplinary methodologies. It weaves design, illustration and narrative analysis, providing students with a solid foundation in graphic design and narration-plus cinematic, digital and traditional illustration techniques-as well as various approaches to storytelling for creative visual presentation.

The minor offers students the opportunity to concentrate in this focused area to satisfy an interest in the printed book and its film, or digital adaptations; to prepare for further academic, or professional study in visual storytelling and visual culture; or to work as cartoonists, graphic novelists, art directors in Advertising or Corporate Communication, Art or English teachers, or film and comics critics.

The minor requires the completion of a minimum of 18 credits, with a minimum of five (5) courses chosen from the list below and distributed so that at least two (2) are English courses and at least two (2) are FAA courses.

Minor Requirements

ENG 2100 - History of Film Credits: 4
ENG 2770 - Literature and Film Credits: 4
ENG 3880 - Michael Jackson: Reading the King of Pop as Cultural Text Credits: 4
ENG 3900 - Creative Writing: Fiction Credits: 4
FAA 2220 - Cartooning and Illustration Credits: 4
FAA 2830 - Introduction to Typography and Graphic Design Credits: 4
FAA 2840 - Image Making and Meaning Credits: 4
FAA 2850 - Movie Making Credits: 4
FAA 3840 - 2D Animation Credits: 4

Educational Objectives of the Minor

Understand the drawing process, including sketching the human figure;
Use computer tools and applications for design and imaging;
Understand sequencing and demonstrate the ability to critically analyze stories in terms of their verbal and visual properties;
Understand the difference of sequential imaging for film, print, and digital dissemination;
Understand film theory and demonstrate the ability to critically analyze film transformations of graphic novels;
Know the history and elements of Film;
Know the genres and conventions of graphic storytelling;
Write or illustrate a story in various formats.