A Comparative Study of Graphic Design Curriculum of Undergraduate Program in Iran and Selected Art Universities in the World

Curriculum is an essential component of any educational system and there is significant correlation between efficient curriculum and able graduates. Using comparative method, this paper investigates and analyzes undergraduate graphic design curriculum in Iran and ten art universities in the world. Recent developments in the field of graphic design have offered new approaches for the education of graphic design. Thus, reviewing and updating of graphic design curriculum is unavoidable. The main question of this study is how much current undergraduate graphic design curriculum in Iran corresponds to other universities’ curricula. The aim of this study is to find out the similarities and differences in the undergraduate curricula of graphic design in Iran and the under-study universities in order to state the factors which should be considered in their revisions, if the revisions are necessary. Regarding the objective, this paper is applied-developmental and its method is descriptive-analytical-comparative with qualitative and quantitative approach. Its data is gathered via library source and by referring to books, articles, Ministry of Science’s curriculum and the sites of under-study universities. The results of this research and statistical analysis show that the revising of current undergraduate graphic design curriculum in Iran is essential because due to dedicating more than half of the curriculum to non- professional courses the expertise view is not so strong in the graphic design courses and, consequently, this curriculum has not sufficient coherence for training able graphic designers. In revising current curriculum three basic factors should be considered: 1) avoiding non-professional courses in the field of graphic design and focusing on teaching professional courses, 2) focusing on the theory of graphic design and related issues, and 3) paying attention to new technologies in graphic design production and cyberspace graphics.