Visual Studies Degree (BBA) at LIM College

On Campus

Develop a resume and a portfolio.

Are you a creative and visual learner? Enjoy working in a hands-on setting or with digital technology? Visual Studies majors explore the power of the image and its critical role in fashion and various creative industries. In addition to courses in core business principles, you’ll study visual communication, digital design, visual merchandising, and digital photography, where, through studio experience, you’ll develop visual, creative, and technology skills.

Download the Visual Studies Fact Sheet

LIM College’s bachelor of business administration degree in Visual Studies is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

A Closer Look

Story

Alumni Q&A: Finding a World of Creative Possibilities

Joshua Danforth is Walmart’s Senior Director of Visual Merchandising

July 13, 2023
Joshua Danforth

Story

Bringing Bloomingdale’s Windows to Life

As a Visual Support Production Supervisor at Bloomingdale’s, Gina helps make their amazing window displays come to life. Gina says that everything she learned at LIM, including internships at Betsey Johnson and Madison Square Garden, led her to the exciting career she has today.

June 14, 2023
Gina Mercatili

News

Course Spotlight: Student-Run Concept Shop — Visual Experience

Immersive Hands-On Learning in Visual Design.

June 8, 2023

Courses & Curriculum

Total credits: 121/122

LIM College Core: 10 Credits

FASH 1110 - Introduction to the Fashion Business credit(s): 3
LIMS 1000 - First Year Experience credit(s): 1 or LIMS 1020 - College Success for Online Students credit(s): 1
TECH 1310 - Business Spreadsheets credit(s): 3
MRKT 1550 - Marketing credit(s): 3

General Education Requirements: 21 Credits

COMM 1400 - Communicating Across Cultures credit(s): 3
COMM 2010 - Critical Thinking: Reading, Writing and Research credit(s): 3
COMM 2025 - Digital Culture in Business and Life credit(s): 3
ENGL 1100 - English Composition credit(s): 3 or ENGL 1095 - English Composition with Essentials credit(s): 3 and ENGL 0795 - Essentials of Composition credit(s): 2* or ENGL 1060 - English Composition for International Students credit(s): 3 or ENGL 1055 - English Composition for International Students with Essentials credit(s): 3 and ENGL 0755 - Essentials of Composition for International Students credits(s): 2*
ENGL 3110 - Global Themes for Writing credit(s): 3
MATH 1300 - Introduction to Statistics credit(s): 3 or MATH 1295 - Introduction to Statistics with Essentials credit(s): 3 and MATH 0595 - Essentials of Introduction to Statistics credit(s): 2*
MATH 2760 - Applied Data Analysis credit(s): 3
* Institutional credits - do not count toward total credit requirement

Career Education & Internship Requirements: 13 Credits

CARE 1300 - Internship Prep: Designing Your Career credit(s): 2
CARE 1620 - Internship 1 credit(s): 2
CARE 2620 - Internship 2 credit(s): 2
CARE 4800 - Senior Co-op Prep: Launching Your Career credit(s): 1
CARE 4820 - Senior Co-op credit(s): 6

Business Core Requirements: 15 Credits

ACCT 2700 - Accounting credit(s): 3
BUSN 3310 - Business Law credit(s): 3
ECON 2100 - Economics credit(s): 3
FNCE 3410 - Finance credit(s): 3
MNGT 2310 - Management credit(s): 3

Visual Studies Major Requirements: 33 Credits

ARTS 2215 - History of Art credit(s): 3
VIST 1010 - Visual Communication credit(s): 3
VIST 1510 - Color and Design credit(s): 3
VIST 2601 - Digital Design I credit(s): 3
VIST 2710 - Design Eras and Visual Style credit(s): 3
VIST 4960 - Visual Studies Senior Capstone (6cr) credit(s): 6
Visual Studies Choices Credit(s): 12

General Electives: 21 Credits

General Electives are any courses numbered 1000 or higher (except CARE 1890 - Micro-Internship (Optional)) which are not specifically required for the student’s degree program.

Liberal Arts & Sciences Electives: 9 Credits

Liberal Arts Electives are any non-remedial courses offered by the Arts & Sciences Department and Interdisciplinary Studies Department with the following prefixes: ARTS, COMM, ECON, ENGL, HIST, INTD*, LANG, MATH, NTSC, PHIL, POLS, PSYC, and SOCI, and courses offered by the not specifically required for a major and vary depending upon major course requirements.

* INTD 1321, INTD 2163, INTD 2511, INTD 3341

You'll gain priceless experience-and make important connections-through required internships. Here are just a few places where LIM students have interned.

Bottega Veneta
HGTV Magazine
John Varvatos Enterprises
Macys, Inc. Max Mara USA
Nike, Inc.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Tory Burch

LIM College offers the following minors for each major, which are intended to provide an additional focused area of study:

Fashion Media Minor:

Fashion Media

Fashion Merchandising Minors:

Beauty
Event Planning
Fashion Merchandising
Fashion Styling
Retail Buying And Planning (For Non-Fashion Merchandising Majors)
Retail Buying And Planning (For Fashion Merchandising Majors)
Sustainability

Interdisciplinary Studies Minors:

Entrepreneurship
Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion

Liberal Arts Minors:

The Arts: History and Performance
English
Global Studies
Society And Culture

Marketing, Management, And Finance Minors:

Digital Business
International Business
Management
Marketing

Visual Studies Minors:

Digital Design And Photography
Interior And Residential Concepts
Photo Styling And Set Design
Visual Studies
Visuals For Social Media

Craft your Visual Studies major to focus on the area you’re most interested in, including:

Art/Creative Direction
Social Media -Digital Design
Styling and Events
Exhibition/Installation Design and Set Design
Visual Merchandising/Display
Interior Concepts and 3D Design

Opportunities at LIM

Careers in Visual Studies

With a Visual Studies degree, you can pursue a career in a wide range of areas, including visual merchandising and display, set design and photo styling, exhibition design and installation, and art and creative direction. Some job titles of recent Visual Studies grads include 3D Design Coordinator, Visual Content Editor, and Visual Merchandising & Experiential Designer.

Explore Careers in Visual Studies

Internship Experiences

You'll gain priceless experience — and make important connections — through required internships. Visual Studies majors have done internships in everything from visual production and display to interior styling and social media at companies such as Fendi, Valentino, Alexander Wang, and 3.1 Phillip Lim.

Browse Internship Opportunities

Clubs & Organizations

There’s more to college than attending class. Enhance your experience (and your resume) with co-curricular and extracurricular activities. Make the most of your time and get involved.

See how you can get involved

Study Abroad

Explore a different culture and expand your world view. Choose a short-term travel program or semester abroad to add an invaluable experience to your education.

View all Study Abroad Programs

Visual Studies Full-Time Faculty

Laurel Lueders

Visual Studies
Laurel.Lueders@limcollege.edu
Chair / Associate Professor

Grailing King

Visual Studies
grking@limcollege.edu
Senior Lecturer

Leonora Loeb

Visual Studies
Leonora.Loeb@limcollege.edu
Lecturer

Monica Rakocy

Visual Studies
monica.rakocy@limcollege.edu
Adjunct Faculty

Michael Meyer

Visual Studies
Michael.Meyer@limcollege.edu
Adjunct Faculty

Kristin Lilley

woman standing in front of wall of balloons

Visual Studies
Adjunct Faculty

Dimitri Koumbis

Visual Studies
dimitri.koumbis@limcollege.edu
Adjunct Faculty

Leif Huron

Visual Studies
leif.huron@limcollege.edu
Adjunct Faculty

Katie Hawkins

Visual Studies
katie.hawkins@limcollege.edu
Adjunct Faculty

Susan Graham

Visual Studies
susan.graham@limcollege.edu
Adjunct Faculty

Esmaili Golnaz

Visual Studies
Adjunct Faculty

Interested in taking the next step?

Apply to LIM

Visit Us

We offer a variety of on-campus and virtual visit options to help you get a real feel for our College, our community, and all we have to offer.

On-Campus or Virtual

Invest in Your Success

Our 2022-2023 tuition and fees were 22% lower than the national average for private 4-year nonprofit institutions.

View Tuition & Costs

Visual Studies, BBA

The power of the image