Online Course Schedule for Spring 2023

Business Communications

Successful communication skills have become a critical management tool to thrive and survive in today's increasingly complex and fast-moving business climate. This hands-on, practical course teaches students to analyze, develop, and effectively communicate via all forms of business writing, presenting, visual storytelling, leadership, client management, and negotiating. This course covers the challenges of communicating across global organizations as well as the role that listening and emotional intelligence play in creating effective communication strategies.

Note: Successful communication skills have become a critical management tool to thrive and survive in today's increasingly complex and fast-moving business climate. This hands-on, practical course teaches students to analyze, develop, and effectively communicate via all forms of business writing, presenting, visual storytelling, leadership, client management, and negotiating. This course covers the challenges of communicating across global organizations as well as the role that listening and emotional intelligence play in creating effective communication strategies. Note: This class requires the following pre-requisites: MPDC 500 Ethical Design, MPDC 520 Visual Comms.

Capstone

MPDC Capstone

Note: During this final course, you will apply the comprehensive skills that you have built throughout your study of the concept and practice of design management and communications (DMC). Multiple forms of assessments—including an ethical issue paper, capstone project milestone deliverables (scope of work, research plan, creative strategy outline), and final design deliverables and pitch—track and evaluate each student's level of competency in learning outcomes from the DMC program. You will also be required to meet regularly with your Capstone Advisor and the full class. These meetings will be graded as class participation. The capstone experience is intended to ensure you have the strategic skills and confidence necessary to be a leader in DMC and provide a unique networking and career-enhancing opportunity. *Must be in the MPDC program and core course requires a 'B' or better.

Design Leadership

Design, as both a concept and a practice, has the ability to affect change within business and throughout society. Design Leadership focuses on approaches to problem-solving that are human-centered and guided by the underlying principles of design–a solution that is built within a given set of parameters–and of leadership–the stake one puts in the ground for a design solution. In this course, students will learn to build a design leadership practice by digging into the multiple dimensions of design leadership including empathy mapping, ethnographic research, and case studies of applied solutions to a set of “wicked design problems”. Upon completion, students will be able to lead cross-functional teams working on solutions for the wicked problems faced by brands, businesses, and social issues. This is a foundation course.

Note: This is a foundational course of the DMC program.

Design Management & Strategy

This course introduces students to design management concepts. Students learn to work at the intersection between visual design and business strategy. The course covers an overview of business fundamentals; students learn how to successfully manage a team and visual projects within visual communications and design industry, advertising and marketing, creative processes and business models, client relations and management, and business development and evaluation.

Note: Foundation course requirement for the DMC program. A minimum grade of "B" is required to pass.

Design Portfolio

If there is one thing you need to succeed in any creative field -- it's a way to showcase your talent and talk about your body work (aka an amazing portfolio). In this hands on course, students will learn how to build and/or refine a portfolio and will leave the course with tailored personal portfolio and the skills required to continue building it throughout the program. This course will also enhance personal branding skills as well as touching on job searching and career development. This course is taught by an experienced integrated marketing and creative professional with copy and creative direction experience in financial services, automotive, publishing, travel, and telcom on both the corporate and agency side.

Design Thinking

Design thinking is a creative way to problem solve. Through a series of design challenges, this course prepares students to lead teams in envisioning new ideas by using both creative and strategic skills and developing innovative solutions to real-world design issues.

Dig. Analytics & Measurement

This course examines the processes for gathering, interpreting, and presenting compelling digital data. Students will learn to use digital public opinion polling, specialized reports, social media platforms, digital analysis tools, and news aggregators to explain market research, audience trends, and social conversations. Students will also create data visualization tools to streamline data presentation into succinct, engaging formats.

Ethical Design

Visual communications and design professionals face ethical challenges that impact both personal and organizational integrity. In recognition of the overarching importance of sound ethical judgment in these fields, Georgetown MPS students start their program with a required core course in applied ethics. Students will gain a solid foundation in ethics and relate what they learn to their own professional situation through class discussions, case studies, and guest lectures conducted by industry experts. Looking at ethics through a professional lens, students are asked to explore their own values and are challenged to codify and commit to their own code of ethics in relation to a broad range of professional codes of conduct and best practices. Foundational concepts in ethics are woven throughout the program’s other courses and revisited throughout a student’s tenure in the program.

Note: Core course, requires a B or better.

In Search of the Big Idea

Integrated Design Strategy

Visual design has become a key function in any organization that offers products, services, and experiences. Students will learn how to understand organizational branding and business strategy, how to identify issues and challenges, and in turn, offer successful products, services, and experiences. Students will also learn to align design strategies with an organization’s strategy and how to integrate design functions into the organization’s overall innovation and growth.

Project Management & Budgeting

This course teaches students to manage all phases of a communication project and provides practical information on managing project scope, teams, schedule, resources, and contracts. Students learn how to translate a communication project plan into a budget. Concepts, such as the definition of a project, the nature of the project team, and the role and function of the project manager, are presented. Students gain experience with spreadsheets, Gantt charts, and S curves, and apply techniques and tools to a project simulation of their own, from initiation to close. Guest lecturers offer insights on real-world management issues and costs (e.g., with respect to professional staff, opinion research, and advertising). Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: 1. Understand the Project Life Cycle and the language of project management and budgeting; 2. Define the scope of a project and effectively manage changes in scope; 3. Establish and track schedules; 4. Form, lead, and serve on effective communication project teams; 5. Develop accurate, comprehensive budgets; 6. Negotiate and manage contracts; 7. Evaluate and achieve project success; and 8. Apply techniques and tools to a communication project simulation. This course is hosted by the PRCC Program and is cross listed with MPPR-837 and MPMC-620.

Note: This course teaches students to manage all phases of a communication project and provides practical information on managing project scope, teams, schedule, resources, and contracts. Students learn how to translate a communication project plan into a budget. Concepts, such as the definition of a project, the nature of the project team, and the role and function of the project manager, are presented. Students gain experience with spreadsheets, Gantt charts, and S curves, and apply techniques and tools to a project simulation of their own, from initiation to close. Guest lecturers offer insights on real-world management issues and costs (e.g., with respect to professional staff, opinion research, and advertising). Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: 1. Understand the Project Life Cycle and the language of project management and budgeting; 2. Define the scope of a project and effectively manage changes in scope; 3. Establish and track schedules; 4. Form, lead, and serve on effective communication project teams; 5. Develop accurate, comprehensive budgets; 6. Negotiate and manage contracts; 7. Evaluate and achieve project success; and 8. Apply techniques and tools to a communication project simulation. Note: This class requires the following pre-requisites: MPDC 500 Ethical Design, MPDC 520 Visual Comms, MPDC 550 Design Management Comms and MPDC 620 Design Leadership.

Strategic Leadership in IMC

Why are some organizations innovative and forward-thinking while others continually struggle to find a competitive advantage? In one word, the answer is leadership. Leaders determine if an organization is able to be flexible, responsive and innovative in the face of change. Yet, the majority of leaders unknowingly reward behaviors that curtail strategic thinking rather than nurture it. They confuse innovation with the creation of new products and technologies. And they miss the opportunity to create a competitive advantage in areas from fundraising and programming to marketing and communications. In this course, we will learn which leadership practices create a culture that overcomes obstacles and promotes creative problem solving. Through hands on, interactive exercises, students will develop the creativity and critical thinking skills to develop high-performing teams, construct industry-leading ideas and, ultimately, generate an enduring competitive advantage.

The Brand Concept

What is a brand? What is the definition of a great brand? Why do some brands survive generation after generation while others fail after a short shelf life? This course will explore the core principles of branding. You will learn how brands compete in an environment full of choices for consumers, and the tactics they employ to be best in class. Using a consumer-centric approach, you will learn how to think critically and creatively about measuring, sustaining, building, and defending brands in today’s competitive environment.

The Creative Brief

User Experience

Today, visuals need to engage customers by offering an exceptional experience that people can identify with, purchase, and enjoy. This course provides an overview of user experience (UX) design, the role of research in a design process, and UX design approaches, including archetypes, storyboards, customer journey maps, and empathy maps.

Visual Communications

In today’s digital world, it has become necessary for communicators to use visual tools to communicate ideas effectively. In this course, students learn how to research, apply and critique typography, color strategies, digital imaging, design principles, and visual trends. Students should have working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suites and other relevant computer programs prior to taking this course.

Note: In today’s digital world, it has become necessary for communicators to use visual tools to communicate ideas effectively. In this course, students learn how to research, apply and critique typography, color strategies, digital imaging, design principles, and visual trends. Students should have a working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suites and other relevant computer programs prior to taking this course. Note: Foundation course requirement for the DMC program.