Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts majors covered on this page include:
Platform & Operating System
The need for mobility is imperative in Graphic Design, therefore Graphic Design majors are required to own and bring their own laptops to all Graphic Design classes. Netbooks, tablets, and eReaders will not work for Graphic Design students as their primary computing devices. While these devices can handle class notetaking and email, they do not meet the specifications for creating multimedia-rich content, nor do they have the storage capacity to work on large media projects.
Graphic Design majors can function in either a Mac or Windows environment. Either platform is acceptable. Mac is preferred within this major. The two dominant software suites (Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Cloud), operate mostly the same regardless of the operating system.
Computer Specifications
Graphic Design recommends that students maintain computers less than two years old and have a warranty. We highly recommend purchasing the computer through the Illinois State University’s TechZone Sales Center because not only do they cater to the student population, the center has access to academic discounts. In addition, the TechZone’s Service Center is authorized to service/repair Apple, Dell, HP and Lenovo computers. The TechZone Sales Center has many models of laptops on display. Prior to purchasing one, we suggest trying out the demo models in-store to see what design best fits your needs.
A Graphic Design student will find that a computer meeting the following specs meets the needs of their major:
- Current generation Intel, AMD, or Apple processor
- 16GB Memory
- 500+GB SSD
- A 3 or 4 year warranty with Accidental Damage coverage
- Cloud-based backup (Such as OneDrive)
For laptops, pick a display size that best fits your needs. 13-inch laptops seem to be the right size for portability and tend to be popular for that reason. Larger screens, though less mobile, provide more visual space for a more efficient workflow. Choose size based on how you balance mobility and usability. For storage, an SSD (solid state drive) will give the laptop a robust and speedy storage.
Additionally, students interested in pursuing animation or video work might consider increasing their storage size, above the minimum specifications (e.g. 1TB).
Models sold at TechZone that meet these requirements are found at the end of this page. More advanced models can be found by selecting home at the top of the screen.
TechZone recommends a primary computing device with a full-featured Windows or Mac operating System. Chromebooks, iPads, and some entry-level Windows devices are not sufficient for all needs across the University but can be used as secondary devices.
Software Recommendation
The university provides the Microsoft Office365 suite of software, in both online and locally installable versions, plus the equally paramount Adobe Creative Suite, at no extra cost. The result is that potential employers know our graduates will have experience with these two industry-leading platforms.
Office365 is a service, available to all faculty, staff and students at Illinois State University. It allows you to:
- Access your email and files from anywhere, on any device
- Store your files in the University-connected OneDrive cloud, for anywhere-access to your stuff
- Download the latest version of Microsoft Office for installation on your laptop or desktop computer
- Install the Microsoft Office App on your mobile devices
- Access Microsoft Office Online (a simplified version of Microsoft Office) even on systems that do not have Microsoft Office installed.
Need assistance installing Microsoft Office? Visit TechZone Service Center in the Bone Student Center for in person assistance or watch either of the following videos: Windows or MacOS
Adobe Creative Cloud is available to students, request access at Adobe at ISU
Additional software may occasionally be required for specific Graphic Design classes. If so, students will be notified ahead of time before signing up for such a class and will be required to purchase the software if they enroll in such a class. The Graphic Design major will not require any software purchases for a class that are more expensive than the average textbook costs for classes.
Additional Information
All ISU students will have access to Microsoft Office 365 through Illinois State University. This includes the Microsoft Office basics (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), as well as Outlook calendaring and email. The Illinois State University campus leverages the benefits of Microsoft Office 365 with OneDrive cloud storage. At the time of this writing, all ISU students have 1TB of storage, making OneDrive an excellent utility for backing up files, sharing files with others, and retaining files needed while being mobile. For larger projects, such as video and music creation, CTK students will use their external hard drive. Students should consult with their undergraduate advisor, graduate advisor, or faculty members if they have any questions.
In addition to storage, fast internet connectivity at home is highly recommended. Because of large media file sharing on collaborative projects as well as backing up data, fast connectivity will make a big impact on a project’s workflow and efficiency.
