Date
12-4-2025
Department
School of Communication and the Arts
Degree
Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design (MFA)
Chair
Sarah Jackson
Keywords
Graphic, Design, Education, Curriculum, Faith-Integration, Communication
Disciplines
Art and Design
Recommended Citation
Lemette, Rosealine, "Design with a Purpose: An Introductory Faith-Integrated Graphic Design Textbook for Christian Higher Education" (2025). Masters Theses. 1395.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1395
Abstract
This thesis project addresses the absence of faith-informed graphic design curriculum available to Christian higher education programs creating a curricular gap that limits students’ ability to draw meaningful connections between their profession and Christian identity. The proposed solution in this project is an introductory graphic design textbook that combines foundational design theory, historical context, and hands-on skill building from a Christian worldview. This educational resource will guide students and faculty to view their profession as a divine calling, engaging in the creative process as an act of worship while developing an ethical and spiritually grounded design process. The comprehensive literature review includes research that explores successful institutional models of faith integration as well as a visual analysis of currently published design curricula resources. The faith integration models from Azusa Pacific, Simpson University, and Liberty University show effective pedagogical strategies in online and in person formats. The visual analysis provides a comparative review of three widely used textbooks in media programs such as Graphic Design for Everyone, Stand Out, and The Non-Designers Design Book. The conclusion of the case studies and visual analysis reveal that all institutions, both new and well established, demonstrate well developed faith integration-frameworks but lack the specialized instructional materials to support faculty in facilitating consistent and effective faith-based activities in graphic design classrooms. The proposed visual solution fills this gap by offering a modernized visual curriculum resource that is pedagogically rigorous and spiritually formative. The adoption of this textbook resource by higher education graphic design programs has the potential to enhance student engagement, vocational clarity, and creative development while influencing curricular standards across Christian higher education.
