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About This Program
The global reach of both small and large organizations has created an ever-expanding need for graphic designers who visually differentiate organizations from one another. Learn the basic fundamentals of graphic design, animation, image manipulation, image enhancement, image storage, and website design with the undergraduate visual communications certificate from American Public University (APU).
In your online visual communication classes, you’ll learn how to design, develop, and deploy moving text and graphics to create dynamic and interactive digital experiences for an organization’s customers to enjoy. This certificate is ideal for enhancing your knowledge of visual communications without committing to a degree program.
What You Will Do
- Learn the purpose and usage of smart objects, layers, and vectors in editing; the differences between raster and vector images; and how to hide, link, and set layer styles
- Use Adobe Photoshop to edit and restore digital images and enhance images by manipulating sharpness, color, contrast, hue, brightness, and resolution
- Study effective design principles and concepts for organizing information, performing site design, and determining navigation structure
- Become familiar with web page design principles, the use of style sheets, Adobe Flash, and the use of tweens, anchors, guides, and onion skins to develop web animations
- Understand the differences between various image file formats on the web, including GIF, JPG, PNG, and SVG
Program at a Glance
Program Requirements Printable Catalog Version
Must take all courses for this section.
Course ID: 2613
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
02/22/22 - 07/29/22 | 08/01/22 - 09/25/22 | Summer 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
04/26/22 - 09/30/22 | 10/03/22 - 11/27/22 | Fall 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
05/21/22 - 11/04/22 | 11/07/22 - 01/01/23 | Fall 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
06/28/22 - 12/02/22 | 12/05/22 - 01/29/23 | Fall 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4533
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
02/22/22 - 07/29/22 | 08/01/22 - 09/25/22 | Summer 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
05/21/22 - 11/04/22 | 11/07/22 - 01/01/23 | Fall 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 2620
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
05/21/22 - 11/04/22 | 11/07/22 - 01/01/23 | Fall 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 2617
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
02/22/22 - 07/29/22 | 08/01/22 - 09/25/22 | Summer 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
04/26/22 - 09/30/22 | 10/03/22 - 11/27/22 | Fall 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
05/21/22 - 11/04/22 | 11/07/22 - 01/01/23 | Fall 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
06/28/22 - 12/02/22 | 12/05/22 - 01/29/23 | Fall 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4830
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
02/22/22 - 07/29/22 | 08/01/22 - 09/25/22 | Summer 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
03/29/22 - 09/02/22 | 09/05/22 - 10/30/22 | Summer 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
04/26/22 - 09/30/22 | 10/03/22 - 11/27/22 | Fall 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
05/21/22 - 11/04/22 | 11/07/22 - 01/01/23 | Fall 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
06/28/22 - 12/02/22 | 12/05/22 - 01/29/23 | Fall 2022 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4866
Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
---|---|---|---|
01/25/22 - 07/01/22 | 07/04/22 - 08/28/22 | Summer 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
04/26/22 - 09/30/22 | 10/03/22 - 11/27/22 | Fall 2022 Session B | 8 Week session |
05/21/22 - 11/04/22 | 11/07/22 - 01/01/23 | Fall 2022 Session I | 8 Week session |
Admission Requirements
- All APU undergraduate programs require a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent (i.e., GED).
- Please read all undergraduate admission requirements before applying to this program and be prepared to submit the required documentation.
- There is no fee to complete the APU admission application. View steps to apply.
Materials Cost
Software and/or lab equipment required for some courses in this program must be purchased at the student’s expense, and are not included in the university book grant.
Technology fee: $65 per course | $0 for active-duty military, National Guard members, and Reservists.
Need Help?
Selecting the right program to meet your educational goals is a key step in ensuring a successful outcome. If you are unsure of which program to choose, or need more information, please contact an APU admissions representative at 877-755-2787 or info@apus.edu.
Consumer Information
Department of Education and State Disclosures
For information on costs, median debt, state licensure requirements and more, view the gainful employment disclosures and the program disclosures for Maryland residents.
*Cost Per Credit Hour
To minimize out-of-pocket costs, U.S. active-duty servicemembers, their spouse/dependents, National Guard members, and Reservists receive a tuition grant that caps undergraduate, master's degree, and graduate certificate tuition at $250/credit hour. In addition, a university book grant provides no-cost textbooks and ebooks for all undergraduates and military-tuition-grant-eligible master’s-level students.
See all military student benefits.