The graphic design program at UTC recognizes the fact that graphic design as an academic pursuit is tied inexorably to its professional practice and to the terms of that practice. However, we also believe that concerns having to do with vocational expertise should not come at the expense of an introduction to broader more theoretical applications of design. As much as graphic design can be defined by a constantly evolving set of readily definable skills, it also exists as an invaluable tool for analytical a problem-solving in response to any impetus. It is the nature of graphic design, as it’s practiced commercially, to have a direct impact on commercial culture and on culture at large by shaping the form and the contexts for our relationships with one another. At UTC, students are given the pragmatic skills to practice design effectively, but they are also introduced to the broader contexts within which design operates and is defined.