A detailed schedule for the course sessions will be presented on the first day of class and will also be available on the course Virtual Campus. There, students will find the teaching materials that the instructors consider appropriate, together with the information needed to follow the course properly. If the teaching format has to be changed for reasons of force majeure, in accordance with the decisions of the competent authorities, the teaching staff will inform students of any changes to the course schedule and teaching methods.

The in-person part of the course combines lectures, seminars, applied practical sessions and tutorials.

Lectures: sessions devoted to the presentation of the main concepts of advertising graphic design, visual communication, typography, colour, composition, visual identity and the creative processes involved in producing advertising pieces.

Seminars: individual or group work sessions focused on case analysis, the resolution of graphic design problems and the conceptual development of the assignments.

Practical sessions: specific exercises and activities designed to apply the course contents, especially ideation, visual composition, typographic hierarchy, the use of colour, layout and the production of advertising graphic pieces.

Tutorials: monitoring and review of the work developed throughout the process, from the initial conceptualization to the final submission of the pieces.

The course content will be sensitive to issues related to gender perspective and the use of inclusive language.

This course follows a continuous assessment system and does not provide for a single-assessment system.

Continuous assessment consists of the following activities:

A. Graphic analysis of visual brands (5%).

B. Visual advertising graphic piece (15%).

C. Textual/typographic advertising graphic piece (15%).

D. Visual Identity Manual, VIM (20%).

E. Applications of the Visual Identity Manual, VIM (25%).

F. Written test on graphic theorization (20%).

To pass the course, students must obtain a minimum mark of 5 in each assessment activity.

Reassessment process

Students will be entitled to reassessment if they have been assessed on a set of activities accounting for at least two-thirds of the total course grade.

Failed activities may be reassessed according to the instructions established by the teaching staff. The written test on graphic theorization may only be reassessed if the student took it in the ordinary assessment period.

Not assessable

Students will be awarded a “not assessable” grade if they have not submitted assessment activities accounting for at least two-thirds of the total course grade.

Second enrolment

Students taking the course for a second time may choose to take a synthesis assessment. The content and characteristics of this assessment will be communicated at the beginning of the course to students who choose this option.

The final course grade will correspond to the grade obtained in the synthesis assessment.

Plagiarism, irregularities and use of AI

Any irregularity in an assessment activity, including academic fraud, plagiarism or improper use of AI, unless such use has been expressly authorized in the course guide, that may lead to a significant change in the grade will result in a mark of 0 for that assessment activity. If the course guide establishes that a minimum mark in that assessment activity is required to pass the course, or if several irregularities occur in assessment activities within the same course, the final course grade will be 0. In addition, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any student who commits such irregularities.

In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted only when indicated by the teaching staff, for example to generate an image or to analyse a text from the bibliography. Students must clearly identify which parts have been generated using this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these tools have influenced both the process and the final outcome of the activity. Failure to disclose the use of AI in an assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total penalty in the activity grade, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.

Any student suspected of submitting work generated by AI, produced by other people or copied; including unattributed AI-generated content; or falling outside the permitted uses may be asked to provide preliminary work or other materials demonstrating that the work is original and the result of their own authorship. They may also be asked to explain or justify their work separately. The teaching staff may also use AI-detection systems or carry out any verification procedures they deem appropriate. If irregularities are detected after review, the work may be awarded a mark of zero and the student may be subject to further disciplinary measures.