Visual Communication Syllabus & Subjects 2023: Semester-wise List, Top Colleges Syllabus PDF

Updated on Dec 23, 2024 05:08 IST

Introduction to Visual Communication

Visual communication is the use of visual components such as signs, drawing, typography, graphic design, industrial design, illustration, advertising, animation, and electronic resources to transmit ideas and information. Visual communication (Viscom) has massive potential in and around India. You can easily avail yourself of new work opportunities in this industry by opting for this course and upskilling yourself. The Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication (BSc Viscom) is a three-year-long, full-time undergraduate degree programme that provides a thorough understanding of a variety of subjects, including animation, drawing, multimedia, web design, graphic design, film, writing, advertising, video editing, video production, and photography.

Syllabus – Important Facts for Visual Communication

  • BSc Visual Communication is a six-semester course: BSc in Visual Communication is a three-year bachelor's degree programme that includes coursework in animation, multimedia, drawing, graphic design, writing, web design, advertising, film and video production, video editing, and photography, among other areas.

  • Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Visual Communication: The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Visual Communications programme focuses on disseminating information to key audiences using a variety of mediums, including the internet, television, visual media, and print publication.

  • Scope in India: Design consultants, multimedia and web design organisations, book and magazine publishers, advertising and publicity agents, and in-house designers with large enterprises and state and semi-state bodies are all options for Visual Communication graduates.

  • Visual Communication Syllabus in IITs: The most reputed university in India for Visual Communication, the Indian Institute of Technology, offers many core courses in Viscom. Some are listed below:

  • Visual Design

  • Topography

  • Photo Communication

  • Art, Design and Society

  • Media Investigation and Communication Methods

  • General examination pattern: Generally, students are evaluated based on practicals, assignments, small projects, mid-semester examinations, and end semester examinations.

Typical Core Subjects for Visual Communication

Subject title

Subject details

English

English is the primary window into the modern world; knowing it is required if one wishes to advance in life. Graphic design, formerly known as visual communication design, is a creative process that blends the visual arts and technology to communicate ideas.

Introduction to Visual Communication

The fundamental principles of visual communication as they apply to the graphic design profession are covered in this course. Students learn about the various aspects of graphic design while honing their abilities in industry-standard tools and techniques.

Photography

Photography conveys messages to viewers without using words. Thus it is a part of visual communication. Every message conveyed by the image educates the viewers' thoughts.

Communication and Media

In looking at how humans communicate with one another, communications studies integrate components of social sciences and humanities. The discipline is vast, and students can study linguistics, mass media, rhetoric, technology, semiotics, and interpretation, among other topics.

Film Appreciation

The course is designed to help learners enjoy cinema by helping them comprehend its unique vocabulary, narrative intricacy, and how films govern and stimulate our ideas and feelings.

Integrated Marketing Communication

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is a planning process that ensures that all product or brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product or service are relevant and consistent across time.

Public Relations

Public relations are a strategic communication process that helps corporations and their audiences form mutually beneficial partnerships. The process of coordinating communication between an organisation and its public is also known as public relations.

Audio/Visual Production

Aspects of digital audio-video creation for multimedia development are covered in this course. Audio Production, Video (pre-production), Video (production), Video (post-production), and Practical assignment are the five modules.

Script Writing

The practice of developing stories for the screenplay medium is known as script writing (or screenwriting). Scriptwriting is recording the characters' movements, expressions, actions, and dialogues in a screenplay format. Creating a novel, a poem, or an essay is a very different experience from writing a script.

Media Law & Ethics

It encompasses concerns, such as impartiality, objectivity, balance, prejudice, privacy, and the public interest in news coverage.

Digital Editing

Transferring film and audio into computer forms that may be edited in a digital editor is known as digital editing. Scenes are clipped, edited, and rearranged to create a seamless and consistent tale.

Marketing

Marketing is a broad subject that combines creativity and analytical skills to figure out what makes a customer tick and how to contact them. Marketing is primarily about promoting the worth of something to someone, even if it isn't solely about selling.

Web Design

It teaches students how to use various strategies, tools, and computer languages to develop and maintain web pages.

3D Animation

Computer-generated objects that seem in three dimensions are animated in 3D animation. They can be rotated and moved the same way as real objects can. 3D animation is at the heart of games and virtual reality, but it can also be used to add flair to presentation graphics.

Typical Elective Subjects for Visual Communication

Subject title

Subject details

Photojournalism

Photojournalism is the visual presentation of news stories rather than just the written word using the medium of photography. Photographs may frequently convey a narrative more clearly, with more emotion and power, than words can.

Film Studies

Film studies is a field of study that examines many theoretical, historical, and critical perspectives on cinema as an art form and media. It is frequently compared to television studies and is occasionally subsumed inside media studies.

Event Management

Management Processes, Business Communication, Organisational Behaviour, Event Management Planning, Public Relations, Soft Skills for Business, Event Hospitality, Law & Permissions, and Event Resource Management are among the primary disciplines covered in Event Management programs.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that allows people to explore and operate in a three-dimensional (3D) world to learn practical knowledge. The goal of this study was to see how effective VR is at teaching medical anatomy in general.

Art & Aesthetics

The visual arts are commonly referred to as art, and a piece of work is appraised based on the aesthetics it creates. Aesthetics is a booming industry in Beauty and Wellness and is a vital aspect of Cosmetology.

Detailed Syllabus for Visual Communication

The syllabus of a bachelor's course in Visual Communication usually varies from one university to the other. However, the main subjects in this course remain more or less similar. Following is a general overview of the core and elective subjects taught during a bachelor's degree in Visual Communication:

 

Semester

Core/Elective

Subject title

Subject Details

1&2

Introduction to Visual Communication

Communication Skills

Introduction to Visual Communication

Communication Skills

Visual communication encompasses a wide range of disciplines, including illustration, typography, and photography. We'll look at each one separately and discover how to combine them for maximum impact.

3

Media Culture and Society

Media Culture and Society

The Media Culture and Society programme allows you to investigate the societal implications and uses of established and developing media in the context of rapidly digitalising societies, expanding cultural diversity, and media saturation.

4

Media Orientation

Media Orientation

The attitude of communication professionals toward mass media is referred to as "media orientation." On the individual level of communication professionals, it can be used as an indicator of the status of mediatisation within organisations.

5

Advertising

Film Direction

Advertising

Film Direction

Most advertising focuses on using sponsored channels to promote a company's products, services, or brand. Traditional advertising, retail advertising, online advertising, mobile advertising, and other strategies are all utilised in advertising.

Filmmaking places equal emphasis on theoretical understanding and practical training. Candidates receive hands-on training in all aspects of filmmaking, including photography, sound recording, lighting, editing, production control, and so on, while pursuing the course.

6

Elements of Film

Elective: Animation (OR) E-Learning

Elements of Film

Elective: Animation (OR) E-Learning

Majors in film, video, and photographic arts involve themselves in the filmmaking process. They acquire pre-production skills such as storyboarding and budgeting, production skills such as camera operation and acting direction, and post-production editing.

You can develop and improve your creative skills by enrolling in an animation or computer animation degree programme. You'll study various topics, including basic animation principles, the production process, character and background design, storyboarding, and modelling while learning from industry professionals.

Specialisations offered in Visual Communication

Visual Communication courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels can be utilised to specialise in subfields within the field. The following are some well-known areas of specialisation:

Specialisation

Subjects

Details

Photography/Videography

  • Photography, its origin, and history

  • Applications of Portrait Photography

  • Basics of Digital Photography

  • Glamour and Fashion Photography and its basics

  • Sports Photography

  • Applications of Digital Photography

  • Photographing Fine-art

  • Social documentary and Photojournalism

  • Cinematography

  • Filmmaking

  • Digital Camera Functionality

  • Video Marketing

  • Video Creation

  • YouTube Audience Growth

  • YouTube Marketing

  • Colour Grading

Students who take photography courses learn to use various camera parts, work with light while shooting images, and take candid shots. Studio lighting, portrait photography, and portfolio design are some other topics covered in the programme.

Graphic Design

  • Computer Studies

  • Generic Skills

  • Typographic Design

  • Basic Information

  • Graphics Principle and Method of Design Introduction to Multimedia

  • Colour Theory for Computers

  • Principles of Management

  • Sound Principles

During your time in graphic design school, you will learn the fundamentals of design. You'll also learn about colour theory, typography, and many other components used to create eye-catching artwork.

Animation, Multimedia, and Game Art

  • 3D Game Design

  • Character Designing

  • Game Design Documents

  • Sound Design

  • Hand-Held Devices

  • Particles & Effects

  • Rigging & Animation for Games

  • Game Interface Designing

  • Sound for Games

  • FX For Games

Game art and animation blend art and technology, letting artists use their creativity to design and animate settings, characters, textures, props, and collision objects in 2D and 3D environments.

Web Design

  • Basics of Web Designing

  • Web Technologies

  • Multimedia and its Applications

  • Introduction to Web Design & Applications

  • Mathematical Structure for Computer Science

  • Computer Graphics

  • HTML

  • CSS

Web design is the process of creating websites and pages that reflect a company's brand and information while also providing a user-friendly experience. Appearance and design are crucial factors when developing a website, a mobile app, or updating material on a website.

Design Management

  • Financial management

  • Strategic management

  • Organisational behaviour

  • Production and operation management

  • Principles of design management

  • Legal aspects of business

  • Lifestyle space design management

  • Fashion retailing and visual merchandising

Architecture, information technology, advertising, art, and even medicine are examples of this field. This course teaches students not only the essential marketing principles, project accounting, and organisational behaviour of a general management degree but also user-centred design concepts.

Advertising and Merchandising

  • Introduction to Advertising

  • Communication Theory and Research Marketing

  • Principles of Public Relations

  • Production Techniques and Methods

  • Media Planning

  • Creativity and Campaign Planning

  • Oral and Visual Communication

  • Marketing Strategies

When advertising was first established as a subject, it was seen as a serious and popular sector in the marketing field. The Advertising course covers the fundamentals of advertising marketing, including concepts, design, marketing, communication, strategies, and planning.

Film Production and Editing

  • Shadows

  • Special effects enhancement

  • Film style

  • Data modification

  • Sound pitch

  • Photo development

Students can take courses in film editing to learn how to edit video footage for commercials, documentaries, television shows, and films. Most programmes involve tuition in scripting, sound, acting, directing, production, post-production, and editing.

Books and Authors Related to Visual Communication

As Visual Communication is a highly versatile field with many specialisations, students follow a wide range of books during their graduation or post-graduation. Listed below are some books that are highly referred to:

Subject

Book title

Author

Description

Graphic Design

Graphic Design: The New Basics

Ellen Lupton

This revised edition adds sixteen pages of new student and professional work covering topics like working with grids and designing with colour and replaces sixty-four pages of the original publication with new content, including new chapters on visualising data, typography, modes of representation, and Gestalt principles.

Design

Creative Workshop: 80 Challenges to Sharpen Your Design Skills

David Sherwin

This book deals with creating a typeface in an hour, building a paper robot in an afternoon, making websites, and other interactive experiences are just a few of the exercises offered. Each assignment offers intriguing visual solutions from other designers and backstories to aid your ability to develop.

Overall

The Non-Designer’s Design Book

Robin Williams

Robin has taught hundreds of thousands of people how to make their drawings seem professional using four surprisingly easy principles. The Non-Design Designer's Book, now in its fourth edition, has been revised to include a new chapter on typography foundations, more quizzes and exercises to train your Designer Eye, updated projects to try, and fresh visual and typographic examples to encourage your creativity.

Visual Design

Visual Design: Ninety-five things you need to know

Jim Krause

Visual Design presents 95 basic design ideas with succinct text and a dash of visual wit, speaking design to designers through design. Jim Krause, the author of the bestselling Index series on design basics, teaches a wide range of design subjects (both conceptually and compositionally connected) in a one-topic-per-spread style using a combination of Helvetica and Dingbats. Krause explains how each of the 95 axioms of good design is relevant and applicable across all forms of visuals: print, Web, and fine arts using comedy, practical recommendations, and inspiring visual examples.

Topography

Lessons in Typography

Jim Krause

Lessons in Typography will teach you the fundamentals of identifying, selecting, and applying typefaces, as well as how to apply what you've learned through a series of activities meant to hone and expand your typographic skills.

Entrance Exams for Visual Communication

There are many colleges and educational establishments that provide Visual Communication courses to students. To get admitted to these programmes, applicants must first pass an entrance exam. The following is a list of some of those admission tests.

The difficulty level of CEED, IIMC Delhi, NIFT, and IGNOU OPENMAT is moderately difficult. The difficulty level of the NID and IITM entrance exams has been moderate to difficult over the last five years. To pass these entrance exams, you must study subjects like English, GK, Current Affairs, Quantitative Ability, Analytic Ability, and Communication Ability. Almost all of the examinations are conducted in the format of Multiple Choice Questions.

Syllabus for Distance Program in Visual Communication

Distance learning is a modern method of education that allows students to study in their own time and space without having to physically attend school, college, or university. Distance Learning BA Visual Communication Admission to this programme requires a 10+2 certificate. The syllabus of distance education programs in Visual Communication is noticeably similar to the regular programs. The evaluation format (30% for internal assessment and 70% for the end semester examination) is nearly the same as the regular courses.

The top colleges for distance education are MGU Kottayam, St. Thomas College Thrissur, GITAM Hyderabad, and Majlis Arts and Science College Puramannur.

Top Colleges for Visual Communication

Based on the curriculum, choices of electives offered, and in-house placement opportunities, these are the top colleges for Visual Communication in India.

SI. No.

College/University/Institution

Syllabus Links

1

SRM Chennai

Download Here

2

IIFA multimedia Bangalore

To be uploaded soon

3

Hindustan College of Arts and Sciences, Coimbatore

To be uploaded soon

4

IIMC, Delhi

To be uploaded soon

5

NID, Gujrat

To be uploaded soon

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the scope of Visual Communication?

A. After completing a course in visual communication, students can find work in media, print and production, journalism, photography, advertising, film, film and content production, freelancing, and more.

Q. What are the subjects in Visual Communication?

A.  A BSc in Visual Communication is a three-year bachelor's degree programme that includes coursework in animation, multimedia, drawing, web design, graphic design, writing, film and video production, video editing, advertising, and photography, among other areas.

Q. Is Visual Communication a good course?

A.  Visual communication has a lot of potential in both India and other countries. it is a comparatively new course in India. Hence, you can explore your options. You can find new work opportunities in this industry by taking this course and honing your skills.

Q. What Kinds of Visual Communication Design Jobs Are Available?

A.  Graphic designers work in a variety of fields, from newspapers to public relations, to produce visual goods for print and digital.
  • Art/Design Director

  • Communications Manager

  • Design Education

  • Web/App Designer

  • Advertising

  • Video Editor

  • Photojournalist

  • Art/Design Director

  • Communications Manager.

Q. What is the salary of visual communication?

A.  In India, the maximum annual income for a Visual Communication Designer is INR 16,45,426 per annum. In India, the lowest annual compensation for a Visual Communication Designer is INR 2,17,877 per annum.

Q. Which is better: B.Sc. Visual Communication or BA Visual Communication?

A.  Set design, script writing, photography, and other skills will be covered in the B.Sc course. As a result, we may infer that B.Sc. is superior to BA since it provides a deeper grasp of abilities as well as their application.

Q. What is the eligibility for visual communication?

A.  The minimum eligibility for taking a Visual Communication course is that a candidate should have (10+2) from a recognised board with a minimum aggregate score of 50%.

Q. Is visual communication hard?

A.  Since it involves a language that is only partially understood and requires mysterious and sophisticated brain processes, visual communication is a difficult task.

Q. What are the five types of visual communication?

A.  The use of visual components to express information or ideas is known as visual communication. Animated GIFs, movies, pictures, infographics, pie charts, and slide deck presentations are five types of visual communication.

Q. What are important subjects in Visual Communication?

A.  Important subjects include:
  • Visual language

  • Video communication

  • Photography

  • Typography

  • Animation, CAD and 3D Modelling

  • Visual Design

  • Communication Theory

  • Art and Design

Q. What group should I take in class 11th for visual communication?

A.  For improved placement possibilities in Viscom, choose any group, ideally science/computers/Electronics, as their core services revolve around the same.

Q. Is maths a requirement for Viscom?

A.  Electronics Media is one of the primary disciplines at the 10+2 level. Visual Communication is a three-year-long full-time undergraduate programme. Physics, Chemistry, Maths, and English must be your main subjects in high school, with a minimum aggregate percentage of 50%.

Q. Is science a requirement for Viscom?

A.  A Higher Secondary Certificate from a recognised board is required of all students. In addition, candidates must have finished a 10+2 programme in Science with Electronic Media as a required subject.

Q. Is it possible for a commerce student to study Visual Communication?

A.  Yes, a commerce student can apply for Visual Communication. However, they must have a high grade to be able to apply for the individual entrance exams for colleges that teach Visual Communication.

 

Popular Exams

Following are the top exams for Visual Communication. Students interested in pursuing a career on Visual Communication, generally take these important exams.You can also download the exam guide to get more insights.

Jun '24

CT SET 2024 Counselling Start

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JMI Entrance Exam 2025 Application Correction Win...

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21 Feb ' 25

SAT Registration Deadline for March Test

25 Feb ' 25

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Popular Visual Communication UG Courses

Following are the most popular Visual Communication UG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these UG Courses by clicking the links below.

UG Courses

Popular Visual Communication PG Courses

Following are the most popular Visual Communication PG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these PG Courses by clicking the links below.

PG Courses

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Answered a month ago

As of now, Gujarat University does not offer a B.Des. in Visual Communication program in online mode. Their B.Des. programs are currently offered only in a full-time, on-campus format.

However, you may want to check the university's official website or contact their admissions office directly for the

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SUJITH S

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Answered a month ago

Whistling Woods International Institute of Film, Communication and Creative Arts have not declared the exact dates as of now.

The exams are supposed to be conducted around May 2025. The entrance test is conducted for admission into various courses such as B.Sc- Filmmaking, MA- Filmmaking, MA- Screenw

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SACHIN SINGH

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Answered 2 months ago

Ecole Intuit Lab Delhi UG in Visual Communication & Digital Design programme is available as a 4 year programme with 20 seats. The College offers this course in full-time mode with the eligibility criteria of merit and aptitude test. The total fees of the course is INR 27.35 Lakh, which includes tui

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