B.A. (Hon) Communication Design

Course Overview

The BA (Honours / Honours with Research) in Communication Design is a four-year, studio-intensive undergraduate programme that integrates design thinking, visual craft, communication strategy, and technology-enabled making. Grounded in NEP 2020 principles and aligned with Outcome-Based Education (OBE), the programme prepares graduates to conceive, prototype, test, and deliver comprehensive communication systems across print, digital, interactive, motion, and immersive media. Positioned among the best BA Communication Design courses in India, the programme reflects the academic depth and industry relevance increasingly sought by students exploring alternatives to traditional BDes Communication Design pathways or a Bachelor of Communication Design degree.

The curriculum progresses from strong foundations in visual language, typography, layout, image-making, and storytelling to advanced specialisations in branding systems, UI/UX design, information design, motion graphics, and immersive communication. Learners engage with contemporary workflows, including AI-assisted design, generative ideation, interaction design, and data-driven storytelling, enabling adaptability across evolving creative industries. Offered within a dynamic academic ecosystem, the programme aligns with the expectations of top BA Communication Design colleges in India, including those recognised as the best BA Communication Design colleges in Bangalore and the top BA Communication Design courses in Bangalore.

The programme culminates in a capstone graduation project, a professionally curated portfolio, and an industry or entrepreneurship interface, with an optional research dissertation pathway under the Honours with Research track. This structure supports both professional practice and academic progression, reinforcing the programme’s relevance for learners seeking rigorous, future-ready education from institutions recognised among the best colleges for BA Communication Design.

Duration of Study

4 Years (8 semesters)

No. of Credits

160 Credits (20 credits per semester)

Eligibility

  • A student who has passed Level 4 / Class 12 schooling (either through formal schooling or through the open school system) or its equivalent shall be eligible for admission to BA programmes.
  • However, students who have not studied the requisite courses from the discipline related to the respective programmes will have to undertake the prescribed bridge course(s).

Course Highlights

  • Visual Communication Fundamentals The programme builds strong foundations in visual language, typography, grid systems, composition, colour theory, semiotics, and narrative craft. These core competencies form the academic and practical base expected of programmes offered by the best colleges for BA Communication Design, ensuring graduates develop clarity, coherence, and cultural sensitivity in visual communication.
  • Design Process and Methods Learners are trained in structured design thinking approaches, including life-centred design, user and audience research, ideation, prototyping, testing, iteration, and evaluation. This research-informed methodology reflects the academic standards associated with the best BA Communication Design colleges in Bangalore, where analytical rigour and human-centred design practices are central to professional education.
  • Branding and Identity Systems The curriculum develops capabilities in visual identity creation, brand strategy, communication systems, and the application of brand guidelines across media. Graduates learn to design scalable and consistent brand ecosystems aligned with contemporary industry expectations.
  • Digital and Interaction Design Learners gain proficiency in UI/UX fundamentals, interaction patterns, information architecture, accessibility principles, responsive design, and prototyping. This domain prepares students for digitally mediated communication contexts while supporting adaptability across evolving platforms and technologies.
  • Motion and Immersive Communication The programme introduces motion graphics, title design, video-based storytelling, and the fundamentals of extended reality and immersive media workflows. These competencies enable graduates to communicate meaning and narrative across time-based and experiential media formats.
  • Information and Data-Driven Storytelling Learners engage with information design, visualisation, editorial design, wayfinding systems, and public communication. Emphasis is placed on clarity, ethics, and impact, enabling graduates to translate complex information into accessible and responsible visual narratives.
  • Professional Practice and Production The curriculum integrates design management, professional documentation, print and digital production processes, quality protocols, client communication, and presentation skills. This ensures graduates are prepared to operate effectively within professional and organisational environments.
  • Entrepreneurship and the Creative Economy Learners are introduced to freelancing models, studio practice, pricing strategies, intellectual property fundamentals, portfolio positioning, brand building, and venture readiness. This domain supports sustainable career pathways within the creative economy, a hallmark of programmes positioned among the best colleges for BA Communication Design.

Curriculum Structure

Semester 1

  1. Design Fundamentals 
  2. Fundamentals of Communication Design
  3. History of Art, Design and Visual Culture
  4. Studio 1: Visual Exploration and Making
  5. Rhetoric and Composition 1 / Kannada 1 / Hindi 1 / Sanskrit 1 / Malayalam 1 / English 1
  6. Mind Management and Human Values 1

Semester 2

  1. Typography 1: Letterforms and Type Systems
  2. Digital Design Tools and Workflows
  3. Image-Making: Illustration and Photography Basics
  4. Studio 2: Typography and Layout
  5. Rhetoric and Composition 2 / Kannada 2 / Hindi 2 / Sanskrit 2 / Malayalam 2 / English 2
  6. Mind Management and Human Values 2

Semester 3

  1. Branding Fundamentals and Identity Design
  2. Editorial Design and Visual Storytelling
  3. Design Research Methods 1
  4. Communication Semiotics and Visual Meaning
  5. Studio 3: Identity and Editorial Systems
  6. Environmental Science

Semester 4

  1. Information Design and Data Visualisation 1
  2. Packaging Design and Production
  3. Design for Society: Public Good Communication
  4. Studio 4: Systems, Information and Impact
  5. Indian Constitution
  6. Open Elective 1

Semester 5

  1. UI/UX Design Fundamentals
  2. Interaction Design and Prototyping
  3. Motion Graphics Fundamentals
  4. Design Research Methods 2: Testing and Evaluation
  5. Studio 5: Digital Product and Campaign Systems
  6. Open Elective 2

Semester 6

  1. Design Management and Professional Documentation
  2. Open Elective 3
  3. Open Elective 4
  4. Graduation Project Proposal and Pre-Production Studio
  5. Internship

Semester 7

  1. Advanced Communication Design Studio
  2. Critical Theories in Design, Media and Culture
  3. Seminar in Design Futures and Emerging Media
  4. Research / Dissertation 1 (for Honours with Research) or Advanced Portfolio Studio 1

Semester 8

  1. Advanced Portfolio and Exhibition Design
  2. Research / Dissertation 2 (for Honours with Research) or Capstone Documentation
  3. Professional Practice and Industry Interface / Entrepreneurship Project

Career Enhancement Programmes

  • Life-Centred Communication Design Philosophy: Design decisions are grounded in human needs and the wellbeing of communities, ecosystems and future generations—ensuring ethical, inclusive and responsible communication.
  • Studio-Led Portfolio and Jury Culture: Every semester includes studio outputs with external juries to develop professional rigour, critique literacy, and market-ready portfolios.
  • AI and Contemporary Design Workflows: Learners build fluency in AI-assisted ideation, rapid prototyping, generative exploration, and responsible use of emerging tools—without compromising fundamentals.
  • Industry Integration and Live Briefs: Live projects with agencies, brands, NGOs, startups and media houses build readiness for real-world constraints, timelines, feedback loops and deliverables.
  • Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Projects are designed to collaborate with peers across media arts, creative technology, film, animation, and product/UX domains—mirroring contemporary creative ecosystems.
  • Entrepreneurship Pathway: A structured progression from freelance readiness to micro-studio / startup launch through mentorship, business modules, and an entrepreneurship capstone.

Programme Educational Objectives (PEOs)

  • Creative Practice: Deliver original, culturally aware communication design outcomes across media and platforms.
  • Technical Mastery: Demonstrate robust skills in contemporary tools, digital production, and responsible AI workflows.
  • Industry Readiness: Apply studio rigour, quality standards, professional practice and client-facing capability.
  • Entrepreneurship and Leadership: Build sustainable freelance/studio pathways and lead creative teams/projects.
  • Research and Lifelong Learning: Engage with evolving design methods, research, ethics, and emerging media.

Programme Outcomes (POs)

  • Apply design principles to create effective visual communication
  • Use typography, layout, colour and composition to build coherent communication systems
  • Conduct user research and translate insights into design decisions
  • Prototype, test and iterate communication solutions across print, digital and interactive media
  • Demonstrate digital fluency in design tools and production workflows
  • Create brand identity systems and apply them consistently across contexts
  • Design accessible, inclusive, and ethical communication solutions
  • Develop information design and data storytelling outputs with clarity and integrity
  • Communicate concepts professionally through documentation, presentations, and critique
  • Collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary teams and manage projects
  • Demonstrate professional readiness through internships, portfolios, and industry engagement
  • Pursue entrepreneurship or employment pathways with business and practice readiness

Career Outcomes

Graduates of the BA (Honours / Honours with Research) in Communication Design are well-prepared for diverse and evolving professional pathways, including:

  • Core Communication and Visual Design Practice
    Graduates shape coherent visual and narrative systems that enable brands, institutions, and communities to communicate with clarity and impact. They design across print and digital contexts, developing identities, editorial systems, campaigns, and visual narratives that align form with purpose—capabilities typically fostered within programmes offered by the best colleges for BA Communication Design. In professional practice, graduates contribute as Graphic Designers, Communication Designers, Brand Identity Designers, Editorial Designers, Packaging Designers, Advertising Art and Visual Designers, and Content and Campaign Designers, demonstrating conceptual thinking, visual rigour, and a strong sense of ethical and responsible communication.
  • Digital, Interaction and Emerging Media Pathways
    Graduates design user-centred experiences across interactive, motion, and screen-based environments. They analyse user needs, prototype interfaces, and craft dynamic visual narratives for digital platforms, integrating usability, accessibility, and emerging technologies. This pathway supports early-career roles such as UI/UX Designer (Junior), Interaction Designer (Junior), Motion Graphics Designer (Junior), Visual Storyteller, and Creative Technologist (Associate), while enabling long-term growth as digital tools, AI-assisted workflows, and immersive media practices continue to evolve.
  • Research, Strategy and Design Intelligence
    Graduates engage with research-led design practice by investigating audiences, behaviours, and communication systems to inform evidence-based design decisions. They translate research insights into strategic visual outcomes, support testing and evaluation processes, and contribute to design intelligence within studios, organisations, and academic environments. Graduates pursuing this pathway may function as Design Research Assistants or progress towards advanced study, academic research, and strategic roles that connect design, data, and societal context.
  • Industry, Applied Communication and Social Impact Practice
    Graduates apply communication design within industry, public institutions, NGOs, and media organisations, addressing real-world challenges through information design, campaign systems, and public-facing communication. They design for accessibility, sustainability, and ethical engagement, contributing to projects that support education, governance, health, culture, and social development. Their professional readiness enables them to collaborate across disciplines, manage applied design projects, and uphold responsible standards in complex organisational settings.
  • Entrepreneurial, Independent and Creative Leadership Pathways
    Graduates build independent careers within the creative economy by establishing freelance practices, design studios, and entrepreneurial ventures. They develop capabilities in client engagement, portfolio positioning, intellectual property awareness, and studio management, translating creative expertise into sustainable professional models. Graduates may emerge as Design Entrepreneurs or Studio Founders, leading teams, launching design-led ventures, and shaping new modes of creative practice in response to evolving market and societal needs.
    Collectively, these career pathways reflect a programme that prepares graduates not only for identifiable roles upon graduation but also for lifelong adaptability, ethical leadership, and sustained relevance within an evolving global communication and design ecosystem.

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