Overview
The BA (Honors) Communication & Design (CND) Program is a place for you to exercise your imagination in a collaborative, supportive, and innovative space, and bring about real change in the process.
You will have the ability to work with like-minded creatives as they produce world-class work that will have the potential to spark conversation and action, all while achieving a profound appreciation for the films, designs, and other cultural artefacts that have changed the way we see the world.
Beyond preparing you for the future, the intellectual and creative freedom offered by the program and the university at large will foster within you an unquenchable desire to create, to question, to dream, and to harness the tremendous power of culture and art to bring about real change in the world.
Since the fields of communication and design contain within them a multitude of varied disciplines, students can expect to be able to choose from a wide variety of specializations, learning several practical skills and receiving rigorous training in design and media theory in the process.
Two Primary Concentrations
Design
As a student with Design as your primary concentration you will find yourself developing skills in graphic design, user experience design, human-centered design, systems thinking, and designing interventions for social change. Along with practical skills, students will develop strong theoretical and research foundations in design studies, particularly at the intersection of technology and design, focusing on the political and ethical implications of new technology on our daily lives, and on how design can contribute to this discourse by provoking reflection and imagination.
Communication
As a student of the Communication primary concentration, you will develop a mastery of the production process from the conception of an idea to post-production, both in new and traditional media. This includes working with fictional as well as non-fictional narratives, the latter taking center stage in courses on documentary filmmaking and journalism. Along with these skills, you will receive training in media studies and film theory, with a contextualized focus on aesthetics and analysis of cultural production.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students who graduate with a degree in Communication & Design will be able to:
- PRACTICE – Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of practice-based approaches to developing appropriate and innovative representations and interventions.
- RESEARCH – Deploy diverse research and methodological skills and tools to understand complex social and technological milieux.
- INTERDISCIPLINARITY – Display a capacity to think beyond disciplinary epistemes and work collaboratively and empathetically with other peers.
- THEORY IN CONTEXT – Deepen their awareness and sensitivity to the complex and long-term systemic, ethical and political implications of their work – particularly in their immediate context – through exposure to theory.
- PROCESS AND SKILL – Develop their own unique artistic voices and processes via rigorous engagement with a variety of mediums.
Exceptional communication skills in audio-visual and written formats.
Requirements for the Major
A major in BA (Honors) Communication & Design requires completion of 39 courses and a minimum of 129 credit-hours of coursework for students with a primary concentration in Design and a minimum of 131 credit-hours of coursework for students with a primary concentration in Communication, with a minimum CGPA of 2.33, as shown in the table below:
| Requirements | Course Category | Number of Courses to Complete |
| Habib Liberal Core | University Core | 10 |
| CND Core (08 courses) |
Materials and Practices | 1 |
| Ideation and Processes | 1 | |
| Performing Narrative | 1 | |
| Introduction to Design and Media | 1 | |
| Forms of inquiry | 1 | |
| Transdisciplinary Practicum | 1 | |
| Capstone I | 1 | |
| Capstone II | 1 | |
| Primary Concentration (8 courses) 1 |
1. Communication | 8 |
| Production Fundamentals I | 1 | |
| Production Fundamentals II | 1 | |
| Communication and Culture | 1 | |
| Elements of Aesthetics I | 1 | |
| Elements of Aesthetics II | 1 | |
| New Media and Journalism | 1 | |
| Digital Media & Post-Production | 1 | |
| Contextualizing Media | 1 | |
| 2. Design | 8 | |
| Designing for Interactions | 1 | |
| Design, Technology and Society | 1 | |
| Designing For and with People | 1 | |
| Research in Design | 1 | |
| Systemic Design | 1 | |
| Design and Social Change | 1 | |
| Design Fictions and Provocations | 1 | |
| Design Politics and Ethics | 1 | |
| Secondary Concentration (4 courses)2 |
Lower-Level Electives | 3 |
| Upper-Level Electives | 1 | |
| CND Core – Summer (2 courses) |
Directed Study/Directed Practicum 3 (Year 2) |
1 |
| Summer Internship/Summer Research Project 4 (Year 3) |
1 | |
| Free Electives | Free Electives | 7 |
| Over All | 39 | |
1 The Primary Concentration is to be done in either of the two areas; 1) Communication, or 2) Design.
2 Depending on the Secondary Concentration, students will be required to complete 3 lower-level electives and 1 upper-level elective course in the respective Concentration.
3 Directed Study/Directed Practicum (1 Credit-hour) – 4-week apprenticeship with an industry professional or an individual media project. OR a 4-week research assistantship with a Habib professor.
4 Summer Internship/Summer Research Project (2 CRH) – an 8-week internship with an approved industry organization or professional with a tangible plan and goal. OR an 8-week research project under the supervision of a CND professor (or approved external practitioner/ academic).
4-Year Academic Journey
The students of CND Major are required to complete both a Primary, and a Secondary Concentration in Design and Communication. Those undertaking Primary Concentration in Design are required to complete Secondary Concentration in Communcation and vice versa. Each CND Major requires a minimum of 39 courses with 129 credit-hours for Primary Concentration in Design and 131 credit-hours for Primary Concentration in Communication, over their 4-year journey (8 semesters). A set of recommended courses (semester-wise) fall under the following course categories:
Category 1 – Habib Liberal Core (HLC), also known as the University Core, is a common curriculum designed for all Habib University students as a mandatory requirement. A total of 10 courses are included in the HLC/University Core.
Category 2 – CND Program Core entails a set of mandatory courses for the CND Majors. A total of 8 courses are included in the CND Program Core.
Category 3 – Primary Concentration Core. Each student has to complete a total of 08 Primary Concentration courses comprising of 04 lower-level and 04 upper-level Concentration courses.
Category 4 – Secondary Concentration Elective. Each student has to complete a minimum of 04 Secondary Concentration Elective courses (12 credit-hours) comprising of at least 01 upper-level Concentration Elective course.
Category 5 – Directed Study/Directed Practicum (1 credit-hour) to be taken during summer of 2nd year.
Category 6 – Summer Internship/Summer Research Project (2 credit-hours) to be taken during summer of 3rd year.
Category 7 – Free Electives. Each student has to complete at least 07 Free Elective courses.
| Courses to complete | Credit hours | Course Category | Comments |
| First Semester (4 courses) | |||
| CORE 101 – Rhetoric and Communication | 3 | University Core (1 of 10) | |
| A course in Formal Reasoning Form of Thought (CS 101- Algorithmic Problem Solving/CORE 111 – Logical Problem Solving) |
4 | University Core (2 of 10) | |
| CND 101 – Materials & Practices | 4 | CND Program Core (1 of 8) | |
| CND 102 – Ideation & Processes | 4 | CND Program Core (2 of 8) | |
| Second Semester (5 courses) | |||
| CORE 102 – What is Modernity | 4 | University Core (3 of 10) | |
| A course in Quantitative Reasoning Form of Thought | 3 | University Core (4 of 10) | |
| CND 103 – Intro to Design & Media | 4-1 | CND Program Core (3 of 8) | |
| CND 104 – Performing Narrative | 3 | CND Program Core (4 of 8) | |
| CND 105 – Forms of Inquiry | 2 | CND Program Core (5 of 8) | |
| Third Semester (5 courses) | |||
| CORE 201 – PAMSA | 4 | University Core (5 of 10) | |
| CORE 121 – Jehan-e-Urdu | 4 | University Core (6 of 10) | |
| DES 201 – Designing For Interactions | 4-1 | Design Core (1 of 8) | For Primary Concentration in Design |
| DES 202 – Design, Technology & Society | 2 | Design Core (2 of 8) | |
| COM 201 – Production Fundamentals I | 4-1 | Comm Core (1 of 8) | For Primary Concentration in Communication |
| COM 202 – Communication & Culture | 2 | Comm Core (2 of 8) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (1 of 7) | |
| Fourth Semester (5 courses) | |||
| CORE 202 – Hikmah I | 4 | University Core (7 of 10) | |
| CORE 200 – Scientific Methods | 3 | University Core (8 of 10) | |
| DES 203 – Designing For and With People | 4-1 | Design Core (3 of 8) | For Primary Concentration in Design |
| DES 204 – Research in Design | 2 | Design Core (4 of 8) | |
| COM 203 – Production Fundamentals II | 4-1 | Comm Core (3 of 8) | For Primary Concentration in Communication |
| COM 204 – Elements of Aesthetics I | 3 | Comm Core (4 of 8) | |
| Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective(1 of 3) | |
| Summer (Year 2) | |||
| CND CORE – Directed Study/Directed Practicum | 1 | Summer Requirement (1 of 2) | A 4 -week apprenticeship with an industry professional or an individual media project. OR A 4 -week research assistantship with a Habib University professor. |
| Fifth Semester (5 courses) | |||
| A course in Philosophical Form of Thought | 3 | University Core (9 of 10) | |
| DES 301 – Systemic Design | 4-1 | Design Core (5 of 8) | Students with Primary Concentration in Design |
| DES 302 – Design & Social Change | 2 | Design Core (6 of 8) | |
| COM 301 – New Media & Journalism | 4-1 | Comm Core (5 of 8) | Students with Primary Concentration in Communication |
| COM 302 – Elements of Aesthetics II | 3 | Comm Core (6 of 8) | |
| Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective (2 of 3) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (2 of 7) | |
| Sixth Semester (5 courses) | |||
| A course in Creative Practice Form of Thought | 4 | University Core (10 of 10) | |
| DES 303 – Design Fictions & Provocations | 4-1 | Design Core (7 of 8) | Students with Primary Concentration in Design |
| DES 304 – Design Politics & Ethics | 2 | Design Core (8 of 8) | |
| COM 303 – Digital Media & Post Production | 4-1 | Comm Core (7 of 8) | Students with Primary Concentration in Communication |
| COM 304 – Contextualizing Media | 2 | Comm Core (8 of 8) | |
| Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective (3 of 3) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (3 of 7) | |
| Summer (Year 3) | |||
| CND CORE – Summer Internship/Summer Research Project | 2 | Summer Requirement (2 of 2) | An 8 -week internship with an approved industry organization or professional with a tangible plan and goal. OR An 8-week research project under the supervision of a CND professor (or approved external practitioner/academic). |
| Seventh Semester (4 courses) | |||
| CND 401 – Capstone I | 4 | CND Program Core (6 of 8) | |
| CND 402 – Transdiciplinary Practicum | 3 | CND Program Core (7 of 8) | |
| Upper-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Upper-Level Secondary Concentration Elective (1 of 1) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (4 of 7) | |
| Eighth Semester (4 courses) | |||
| CND 403 – Capstone II | 4 | CND Program Core (8 of 8) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (5 of 7) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (6 of 7) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (7 of 7) | |
Note –
*All electives are minimum 2 credit-hour each . These electives are to be taken so that over-all credit-hour requirement of 129 (DES) or 131 (COM) is met.
Click to view the 4-year grid (semester-wise) for Primary Concentration in Design
Click to view the 4-year grid (semester-wise) for Primary Concentration in Communication
4-year grid (semester-wise) for Primary Concentration in Design
| Courses to complete | Credit hours | Course Category | Comments |
| First Semester (4 courses) | |||
| CORE 101 – Rhetoric and Communication | 3 | University Core (1 of 10) | |
| A course in Formal Reasoning Form of Thought (CS 101- Algorithmic Problem Solving/CORE 111 – Logical Problem Solving) |
4 | University Core (2 of 10) | |
| CND 101 – Materials & Practices | 4 | CND Program Core (1 of 8) | |
| CND 102 – Ideation & Processes | 4 | CND Program Core (2 of 8) | |
| Second Semester (5 courses) | |||
| CORE 102 – What is Modernity | 4 | University Core (3 of 10) | |
| A course in Quantitative Reasoning Form of Thought | 3 | University Core (4 of 10) | |
| CND 103 – Intro to Design & Media | 4-1 | CND Program Core (3 of 8) | |
| CND 104 – Performing Narrative | 3 | CND Program Core (4 of 8) | |
| CND 105 – Forms of Inquiry | 2 | CND Program Core (5 of 8) | |
| Third Semester (5 courses) | |||
| CORE 201 – PAMSA | 4 | University Core (5 of 10) | |
| CORE 121 – Jehan-e-Urdu | 4 | University Core (6 of 10) | |
| DES 201 – Designing For Interactions | 4-1 | Design Core (1 of 8) | |
| DES 202 – Design, Technology & Society | 2 | Design Core (2 of 8) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (1 of 7) | |
| Fourth Semester (5 courses) | |||
| CORE 202 – Hikmah I | 4 | University Core (7 of 10) | |
| CORE 200 – Scientific Methods | 3 | University Core (8 of 10) | |
| DES 203 – Designing For and With People | 4-1 | Design Core (3 of 8) | |
| DES 204 – Research in Design | 2 | Design Core (4 of 8) | |
| COM Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective (1 of 3) | |
| Summer (Year 2) | |||
| CND CORE – Directed Study/Directed Practicum | 1 | Summer Requirement (1 of 2) | A 4 -week apprenticeship with an industry professional or an individual media project. OR A 4 -week research assistantship with a Habib University professor. |
| Fifth Semester (5 courses) | |||
| A course in Philosophical Form of Thought | 3 | University Core (9 of 10) | |
| DES 301 – Systemic Design | 4-1 | Design Core (5 of 8) | |
| DES 302 – Design & Social Change | 2 | Design Core (6 of 8) | |
| COM Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective (2 of 3) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (2 of 7) | |
| Sixth Semester (5 courses) | |||
| A course in Creative Practice Form of Thought | 4 | University Core (10 of 10) | |
| DES 303 – Design Fictions & Provocations | 4-1 | Design Core (7 of 8) | |
| DES 304 – Design Politics & Ethics | 2 | Design Core (8 of 8) | |
| COM Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective (3 of 3) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (3 of 7) | |
| Summer (Year 3) | |||
| CND CORE – Summer Internship/Summer Research Project | 2 | Summer Requirement (2 of 2) | An 8 -week internship with an approved industry organization or professional with a tangible plan and goal. OR An 8-week research project under the supervision of a CND professor (or approved external practitioner/academic). |
| Seventh Semester (4 courses) | |||
| CND 401 – Capstone I | 4 | CND Program Core (6 of 8) | |
| CND 402 – Transdiciplinary Practicum | 3 | CND Program Core (7 of 8) | |
| COM Upper-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Upper-Level Secondary Concentration Elective (1 of 1) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (4 of 7) | |
| Eighth Semester (4 courses) | |||
| CND 403 – Capstone II | 4 | CND Program Core (8 of 8) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (5 of 7) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (6 of 7) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (7 of 7) | |
Note –
*All electives are minimum 2 credit-hour each . These electives are to be taken so that over-all credit-hour requirement of 129 (DES) or 131 (COM) is met.
4-year grid (semester-wise) for Primary Concentration in Communication
| Courses to complete | Credit hours | Course Category | Comments |
| First Semester (4 courses) | |||
| CORE 101 – Rhetoric and Communication | 3 | University Core (1 of 10) | |
| A course in Formal Reasoning Form of Thought (CS 101- Algorithmic Problem Solving/CORE 111 – Logical Problem Solving) |
4 | University Core (2 of 10) | |
| CND 101 – Materials & Practices | 4 | CND Program Core (1 of 8) | |
| CND 102 – Ideation & Processes | 4 | CND Program Core (2 of 8) | |
| Second Semester (5 courses) | |||
| CORE 102 – What is Modernity | 4 | University Core (3 of 10) | |
| A course in Quantitative Reasoning Form of Thought | 3 | University Core (4 of 10) | |
| CND 103 – Intro to Design & Media | 4-1 | CND Program Core (3 of 8) | |
| CND 104 – Performing Narrative | 3 | CND Program Core (4 of 8) | |
| CND 105 – Forms of Inquiry | 2 | CND Program Core (5 of 8) | |
| Third Semester (5 courses) | |||
| CORE 201 – PAMSA | 4 | University Core (5 of 10) | |
| CORE 121 – Jehan-e-Urdu | 4 | University Core (6 of 10) | |
| COM 201 – Production Fundamentals I | 4-1 | Comm Core (1 of 8) | |
| COM 202 – Communication & Culture | 2 | Comm Core (2 of 8) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (1 of 7) | |
| Fourth Semester (5 courses) | |||
| CORE 202 – Hikmah I | 4 | University Core (7 of 10) | |
| CORE 200 – Scientific Methods | 3 | University Core (8 of 10) | |
| COM 203 – Production Fundamentals II | 4-1 | Comm Core (3 of 8) | |
| COM 204 – Elements of Aesthetics I | 3 | Comm Core (4 of 8) | |
| DES Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective (1 of 3) | |
| Summer (Year 2) | |||
| CND CORE – Directed Study/Directed Practicum | 1 | Summer Requirement (1 of 2) | A 4 -week apprenticeship with an industry professional or an individual media project. OR A 4 -week research assistantship with a Habib University professor. |
| Fifth Semester (5 courses) | |||
| A course in Philosophical Form of Thought | 3 | University Core (9 of 10) | |
| COM 301 – New Media & Journalism | 4-1 | Comm Core (5 of 8) | |
| COM 302 – Elements of Aesthetics II | 3 | Comm Core (6 of 8) | |
| DES Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective (2 of 3) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (2 of 7) | |
| Sixth Semester (5 courses) | |||
| A course in Creative Practice Form of Thought | 4 | University Core (10 of 10) | |
| COM 303 – Digital Media & Post Production | 4-1 | Comm Core (7 of 8) | |
| COM 304 – Contextualizing Media | 2 | Comm Core (8 of 8) | |
| DES Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Lower-Level Secondary Concentration Elective (3 of 3) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (3 of 7) | |
| Summer (Year 3) | |||
| CND CORE – Summer Internship/Summer Research Project | 2 | Summer Requirement (2 of 2) | An 8 -week internship with an approved industry organization or professional with a tangible plan and goal. OR An 8-week research project under the supervision of a CND professor (or approved external practitioner/academic). |
| Seventh Semester (4 courses) | |||
| CND 401 – Capstone I | 4 | CND Program Core (6 of 8) | |
| CND 402 – Transdiciplinary Practicum | 3 | CND Program Core (7 of 8) | |
| DES Upper-Level Secondary Concentration Elective* | 3 | Upper-Level Secondary Concentration Elective (1 of 1) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (4 of 7) | |
| Eighth Semester (4 courses) | |||
| CND 403 – Capstone II | 4 | CND Program Core (8 of 8) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (5 of 7) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (6 of 7) | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (7 of 7) | |
Note –
*All electives are minimum 2 credit-hour each . These electives are to be taken so that over-all credit-hour requirement of 129 (DES) or 131 (COM) is met.
Career Prospects
As a graduate of the CND Program, you will have multiple paths available to you. The program caters both to students who would like to enter the job market upon graduation, as well as those who are looking to continue on to graduate programs in several disciplines:
- Art and design
- Creative writing
- Design innovation and brand management
- Film
- Journalism
- Literature
- New media
- Marketing and entrepreneurship
Upon entering the job market, you will be uniquely positioned to choose from a variety of career options:
- Community development and outreach
- Event and project management
- Graphic design
- Independent consultancy
- Marketing
- Media and communication sector – press, television, or web-based media
- Public relations
- Service designers
- Urban planners
- UX/UI designers
