History of the Program

Design’s Beginnings at Loyola

Design education at Loyola developed from broader art and communication disciplines, evolving alongside media and visual communication studies offered by the university over several decades. While design was not part of the earliest curriculum, communication‑related programs, including visual communications and related coursework, expanded throughout the late twentieth century. Loyola’s design program is distinctive in its integration of both analog and digital processes, drawing inspiration from the vibrant culture of New Orleans.

Emergence of the Design Degree

Following the establishment of the Department of Design in 2014, Loyola’s design faculty began revising the existing BA degree in Graphic Design, previously housed within the Department of Art and Design. As part of its efforts to expand the program’s course offerings and introduce more specialized design studies, the Department of Design developed a new Bachelor of Design degree program, featuring concentrations in Graphic Design and Interaction Design, which launched in 2018. These developments reflected the university’s response to changes in visual media and digital design needs, transitioning from traditional art and design courses to a professional design degree program.

Organizational Changes and Establishment of the Bachelor of Design

Loyola’s Department of Design is housed within the School of Communication and Design. A part of the College of Music and Media, this school was formed in 2019 through the reorganization of Loyola’s communications, film, and design units. In recent years, this school has reshaped curriculum structures to reflect contemporary creative industries. Today, Loyola’s Bachelor of Design is an established undergraduate major. The program emphasizes Jesuit values and aims to train creative, critical thinkers who can apply design to real‑world problems, including motion, print, and interactive contexts. The program includes concentrations in Graphic Design and Interactive Design, each structured around a shared design core in the first two years, followed by specialization in upper‑level studio and portfolio‑focused work.

Summary of Key Milestones

Pre‑2017: Bachelor of Arts in Design was offered in the Department of Art and Design.
 
2017–2018: Introduction and expansion of focused design curricula into a Bachelor of Design program announced for Fall 2018.
 
2020s: Bachelor of Design with graphic and interactive concentrations housed in the School of Communication and Design.