Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2026 - PUB 231 OL01

Graphic Design Fundamentals (3)

Class Number: 4184

Delivery Method: Online

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Online

  • Prerequisites:

    PUB 131 or equivalent. IAT 102 is recommended.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

The theory and practice of graphic design with a focus on the development of design skills including concept generation, design, layout, and production. Students who have taken PUB 230 may not take PUB 231 for credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

Lectures & Lab: both asynchronous
Office Hours: Days & time TBD (students will have the option to meet in-person at the Unnamed PubLab at Harbour Center or on Zoom)

For students interested in designing and producing their own publications, such as zines, chapbooks, and other independent print projects, this online course treats publication design as a creative, experimental practice. You won’t just study design & publishing; you’ll encounter it “in the wild” (from store branding and posters plastered on construction sites to graffiti and mural art), observing and documenting what you find to share with classmates and integrate into your own work.

In this course, we examine and apply design principles and typography to textual and visual storytelling. Through readings, feedback, and hands-on projects, you’ll build your design vocabulary and learn to make deliberate choices about structure, sequence, and form. We’ll also explore the technical dimensions of publication design (like printing technology, material choices, physical constraints, and finishes) and its impact on reaching audience.

Although this is an online class, students in the Lower Mainland can access the Unnamed PubLab to experiment, create and produce their projects.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

• Articulate and use the different elements and principles of design

• Communicate effectively using design and typographic terminology

• Ability to apply the design process to find creative visual solutions

• Understand how to select appropriate typefaces and images for specific projects and audiences

• Develop final design solutions from initial sketches, roughs, and mock-ups

Grading

  • See requirements breakdown 100%

NOTES:

The design assignments (cover, infographic, interior and final publication) are all components of a larger overarching project: the creation of a printed and bound publication. Each element develops a different aspect of the same theme. The final outcome is a cohesive booklet or chapbook.

Students are required to complete each project, discussions and quizzes, watch recorded lectures, and to keep up with the assigned readings. Students are expected to sketch and use InDesign of Affinity to create, design, lay out, typeset, and produce mock-ups for a range of publishing projects, and prepare production specifications. As this is not a software course, an intermediate knowledge of the iMac and its operating system, and Adobe Creative Suite or Affinity products is mandatory.

Please note that the details of this Summer 2026 online course are subject to change.

REQUIREMENTS:

  • Cover • 15%
  • Infographic • 20%
  • Interior • 20%
  • Booklet • 20%
  • Discussions (best 3 out of 5) • 9%
  • Quizzes (best 5 out of 6) • 10%
  • Peer-reviews • 6%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Reading assignments will come from handouts on Canvas (PDFs and website links).


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: 


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.