Fall 2025 - IAT 102 E100
Graphic Design (3)
Class Number: 3353
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Sep 3 – Dec 2, 2025: Wed, 4:30–7:20 p.m.
Surrey -
Exam Times + Location:
Dec 15, 2025
Mon, 7:00–10:00 p.m.
Surrey
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Instructor:
Andrew Hawryshkewich
andrew_h@sfu.ca
Office: Room 2816
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
Introduction to fundamental design principles for visual communication. Organized as a continual interplay of theory and practice, students will examine historical, philosophical, perceptual and semiotic approaches to understanding graphic design, and will explore principles of form, such as structure and composition, hierarchy, form, color, space, scale, typography, and legibility and readability through hands-on projects. Traditional time-based and interactive media forms will be compared and contrasted.
COURSE DETAILS:
This section of IAT-102 is for concurrent studies students only. Regular SFU students will be unable to join this course.
This course lays the foundation for upper-level design courses together with Spatial Design (IAT 233) and Information Design (IAT 235). Through these courses, you will acquire the design foundations necessary for all other design classes.
COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:
- Be able to communicate visually through sketching and iteration.
- Be able to solve visual design problems by choosing, organizing and manipulating formal visual elements such as form, type, composition, colour.
- Utilize principles of visual design to communicate clear messages across digital and non-digital forms.
- Interpret the multiple potential meanings of visual designs by taking into account cultural, affective, symbolic and historical contexts.
- Understand how the different kinds and constraints of media (digital and non-digital) affect how visual designs are understood.
- Be able to observe, identify, communicate, explain and critique considerations of visual design using appropriate methods and terminology.
Grading
- Sketching exercises 10%
- Group projects 40%
- Individual projects 45%
- Quizzes 5%
NOTES:
This course uses the SIAT standard grading scale for final letter grades:
| Letter grade | Percentage range |
|---|---|
| A+ | 95% to 100% |
| A | 90% to 95% |
| A- | 85% to 90% |
| B+ | 80% to 85% |
| B | 75% to 80% |
| B- | 70% to 75% |
| C+ | 65% to 70% |
| C | 60% to 65% |
| C- | 55% to 60% |
| D | 50% to 55% |
| F | 0% to 50% |
Materials
MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:
For this term you will need access to:
- A laptop or tablet
- A sketchbook and writing utensils
REQUIRED READING:
Readings will be available digitally through Canvas.
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.
To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit:
- SFU’s Academic Integrity Policy: S10-01 Policy
- SFU’s Academic Integrity website, which includes helpful videos and tips in plain language: Academic Integrity at SFU
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.