B.S. degree in Graphic Communications at Pittsburg State University in Kansas Accredited by the Accrediting Council for Collegiate Graphic Communications

Monday, July 08, 2024

Press release from the issuing company

The B.S. degree in Graphic Communications at Pittsburg State University in Kansas https://www.pittstate.edu/twl/programs/graphic-communications/index.html) has been awarded accreditation by the Accrediting Council for Collegiate Graphic Communications (http://www.ACCGC.org). This dynamic and progressive degree program is one of just 18 bachelor’s degree programs in the United States (and the only program in its four-state region) that provides students with hands-on instruction in print production and management, including emphasis areas in Graphic Design, Photography and Videography, Print Media and Packaging Design, and UX/UI and Web Design.

A visiting team of expert peers verified that the program met the rigorous ACCGC standards required for high quality collegiate programs. This includes strong leadership, an active industry advisory board, a system of quality improvement through measurement of benchmarks, an up-to-date curriculum, and outstanding teaching in the classroom.

Dan Wilson, Managing Director for ACCGC noted, “ACCGC accreditation provides transparency into the inner workings of graphic communications degree programs . . . websites or reputation can make any program look good, but accreditation assures everyone that the program meets the highest standards.”

Discussion

By Patrick Henry on Jul 09, 2024

It's discouraging to learn that Pittsburg State's degree program in graphic communications is one of just 18 of its kind in the entire country. Discouraging, but not shocking – academic training in graphic communications has been disappearing for years. I know this from personal experience, because I used to teach for two g.c. degree programs that were cancelled by their universitites owing to lack of support from on high. It's time for a revival of graphic communications as a scholarly pursuit!

By HARVEY LEVENSON on Jul 17, 2024

My sentiments exactly for many years. However, for "...revival of graphic communications as a scholarly pursuit!" all of use in academia and industry must start talking about graphic communication in a scholarly way, not using descriptions and terms of the industry as it was 50 years ago or longer. It is no longer a trade, craft, vocation, shop, and so on. Yet we still often hear and see these descriptors in talks industry publications. More of an emphasis on STEM and communication would be a good start in recruiting students to study the field and to change the thinking of school administrators on all academic levels.

By Patrick Henry on Jul 19, 2024

Harvey, thanks for your comment. You're correct: the mismatch between academic definitions of "graphic communications" and the things it actually consists of grows wider all the time. Nowhere is there more confusion about this than in the U.S. Department of Education, where the use of outdated terminology is turning people away from degree programs and career paths in the field. I'm working on a story about how this came to be and how one industry organization is trying to clarify the situation. Please stay tuned!