Restructuring Chinese post secondary graphic design curricula to create greater compatibility with design careers in China today

This thesis provides an overview of the origins in the 20th century of post secondary Design education in China, and then analyzes the reasons for its development and changes throughout that century. It then considers the present condition of Design in global universe, and analyzes the current status of Chinese post secondary Graphic Design in order to find the answer to the problem of how post secondary Graphic Design curricula can be reconstructed in China to ensure compatibility with 21st century global design requirements. Before 1949, Chinese post secondary Design education, following the western model, did not separate itself from art education. Between 1949 and 1979, Chinese post secondary Design education was identified as an Arts and Crafts or Decoration program, and taught in art schools. After the Cultural Revolution (1966--1976), the college entrance examination was reopened and Design Education programs began to develop in comprehensive universities. In 1997 with the expansion of Chinese higher education enrollment, Graphic Design developed programs offering Bachelor of Arts degrees in an increasingly large number of comprehensive universities. With the requirements of the present larger global market economy, Chinese enterprises have an urgent need to have available more talented graduates in order to produce the distinctive innovations and the required competitiveness necessary to ensure that the Chinese can produce both the distinctive innovations and the necessary competitiveness in design. Following interviews with Graphic Design major students and teachers in China, the results of this study analyze the current Chinese Graphic Curricula and teaching methodologies, compares the Chinese comprehensive universities' Graphic Design education with the U.S.'s comprehensive universities' Graphic design education, and offers recommendations that will make Chinese post secondary Graphic Design education meet the needs of 21st century students preparing to compete in the global design universe, by equipping them with the abilities appropriate for their future careers.