Pittsburgh, PA - On February 12, 2010, the Illinois Board of Higher Education approved a new Bachelor of Science degree in Graphic Communications at Illinois State University. Illinois State University is a research partner with the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation and has a long tradition of printing education, beginning as a teacher-training program in the 1940s, and, since the 1960s, supporting the industry.

Students have previously majored in either Industrial Technology or Technology Education, with only a concentration of courses in Graphic Communications. This new stand-alone degree program represents a major commitment by the State of Illinois to support the graphic communications industry.

The program is housed in the Nelson Smith Building on the ISU campus, which encompasses 5,000 square feet of laboratory and classroom space including a digital media lab and print media lab for digital printing, flexography, lithography, and screen printing equipment. Students in the Graphic Communications program choose one of three concentrations: (1) Print Media Management, (2) Web Media Management, and (3) Packaging Graphics. Each concentration enables students to apply creative problem solving while learning about technology and management practices related to the production and distribution of graphic media in its many forms.

As with most state universities, ISU has very limited resources for program development and is searching for industry partners who are willing to assist with equipment acquisition, software support, materials support, scholarships, and internships. Dr. Dan Wilson is the program coordinator and author of several Printing Industries Press books, including PrintScape: a Crash Course in Graphic Communications.