B.Des. Communication Design

It provides students a pathway to confidently enter the creative, open-ended, exploratory and experimental environment of design education at IIAD. They acquire a broad spectrum of design skills and build their design vocabulary. After successfully completing the Foundation year, students seamlessly progress to the specialisation of Communication Design.

The first year of Communication Design entails a journey of ‘unpacking the self’. By exploring the self, one is able to define their position in the larger context to become an effective communication designer. As students learn new methods of visualisation, they are also encouraged to communicate through words, visual imagery and symbols to develop a unique narrative and voice. Through contemporary debates around gender, diversity, inclusivity, culture and environment, the Communication Design course asks the students to look outward and to find their unique voice and the role they play as designers in the larger context of the world. Along with developing their hand skills, students also learn digital tools such as Adobe Creative Suite and more to help them translate their ideas into outcomes. By the end of the year, the student would have developed skills to bring their ideas alive across different platforms such as print, digital, audio-visual as well as spatial.

At the end of this year, the students’ first industry interface will be facilitated with an 8-week Learn On-Site internship, which will focus on multidisciplinary learning experiences. Communication Design students can opt to work in various avenues of communication design, such as print and publication, visual communication, branding and advertising, to name a few.

The second year pushes the boundaries of communication design and prepares the student for the challenges of constantly evolving technology. They will learn both traditional and contemporary skills, tools and techniques, and apply them across complex media applications and practices. From creating their own publication to multimedia narratives, they explore meaningful ways in different mediums to reach out to the target audience. Through digital interactive platforms they will weave together images, music, narrative and voice to give modern expression to characters, situations and experiences.

The 16-week Learn On-Site internship is a long-term industry exposure envisaged as the gateway to the students’ professional debut. They get opportunities to work in industry environments and understand the dynamics of organisational set-up. The student will work in set-ups such as design studios, advertising agencies, production houses and publication houses, among others, both within India and internationally. In the past, students have secured internships in several leading design studios, including Ogilvy & Mather, JWD, Quicksand, Denstu, Studio Fry, Quicksand, Om Books, Roli Books, Oyorooms, Katha publications, Double Barrel Production House, and Reliance, among many others.

Starting their journey with, ‘unpacking’ to now’repacking’ the self, the students come a full circle. In the final year of the communication design course, they will establish a unique and industry-relvant practice while building their networking and entrepreneurial skills. Working on socially relevant design projects leads them to evolve into ethical and purposeful design professionals committed to “designing for a better future.

With the exposure to diverse areas within this versatile discipline and on-site work experience, they gain a chance to focus on an area of interest and strengthen their design abilities within the chosen area. The Major Design Project is an amalgamation of the students’ chosen medium of specialisation and subject area of interest. Communication Design students work on projects in sectors ranging from social to business to entertainment, aggregating a diverse portfolio for themselves. They undertake a project set in business realities, which can be self-initiated or industry-sponsored. The students take independent design decisions while being closely mentored by faculty and industry experts.

Their projects culminate in a creative outcome such as typographic design, social design, campaign, editorial design, spatial experience and many more, bringing a sense of accomplishment to their transformative design education.