COMM 107 - Typography I

3 Credits: 3

Course Description
This course introduces students to the art, history, and function of typography as a core element of visual communications. Students will explore type anatomy, classification, hierarchy, legibility, and expressive form through digital projects. Emphasis is placed on understanding type as a visual language for clear communication and creative expression.

Objectives
The student will be able to:

A.  Identify typographic anatomy and classification systems.

B.  Analyze type usage in contemporary and historical design contexts.

C.  Combine expressive and functional type for a variety of design layouts.

D.  Apply principles of legibility when selecting fonts for particular uses.

E.  Integrate the guidelines of readablity when formatting layouts.

F.  Implement the standards of hierarchy in layouts.

G. Format type in professional layout software.

H. Demonstrate technical skill in typographic compositions.

I. Create typography-focused layouts through structured projects for portfolios.

Content
A.  Introduction to typography: type history and evolution

B.  Anatomy of type:  letterform components, serif vs. sans serif vs. display faces

C.  Type families, type categories, type sub-categories

D.  Typographic measurement and hierarchy

E.  Legibility and readability

F.  Expressive typography, using type as an image

G.  Typography in context: appropriate use of text in different media

H.  Typography and technology: using professional software for text formatting and manipulation

Student Evaluation
Evaluation will be based upon tests, reading assignments, and creative projects.