Calendar
COURSE WEEK ::
Calendar Notes:
- Reading assignments listed are to be completed before the next class week.
Week 01 | Business Plans
Tuesday :: 04.01.2025
| Welcome | Course Introduction & Welcome Review of Course Syllabus and Calendar |
| Discussion | Introduction to Business Plans |
| Project | Business Plan Development |
| Reading | Design is a Job Introductions and Chapter 1 |
| Resources | Project: Business Plan Group Project |
Thursday :: 04.03.2025
| Discussion | The Pros and Cons of Freelancing |
| Reading | Design is a Job Chapters 2 & 3 |
| Resources | Class Notes: The Pros and Cons of Freelancing |
Week 02 | Freelancing / Entering the Job Market
Tuesday :: 04.08.2025
| Discussion | The Pros and Cons of Freelancing continued Understanding Start-up Costs |
| Group Exercise | Calculating Start-up Costs |
| Resources | Class Notes: Business Start-up Costs Exericse: 01 Calculating Start-up Costs |
Thursday :: 04.10.2025
| Discussion | Entering the Job Market: Where to work, positions, & what employers are looking for. Writting Résumés & Cover Letters |
| Worksheet | Questions to help prepare for your job search |
| Writing Exercise | Introduction to Writing Exercises Job Research & Application Packet |
| Reading | Design is a Job Chapters 8 & 9 |
| Resources | Class Notes: Entering the Job Market Worksheet: Questions to Help Prepare for Your Job Search Exercise: 02 Job Research & Application Packet |
Week 03 | Business Plans / Self Promotion
Tuesday :: 04.15.2025
| Due | Business Plan Development Project Calculating Start-up Costs Exercise |
| Discussion | Business Plan Development Project |
| Project | Agency Pitch Presentation Group Project |
| Resources | Project: Agency Pitch Presentation |
Thursday :: 04.17.2025
| Discussion | How to Get Work |
| Video | What Clients Don’t Know (and Why It’s Your Fault) Mike Monteiro |
| Resources | Class Notes: How to Get Work |
Week 04 | Self Promotion
Tuesday :: 04.22.2025
| Due | Job Research & Application Packet Exercise |
| Lab Exercise | Wiki Wiki Marketing Plan Challenge |
| Resources | Exercise: 03 Wiki Wiki Marketing Challenge |
Thursday :: 04.24.2025 | Downtown Salem Field Trip
| Field Trip | Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry (CCBI); with Angie Oven, CCBI Business Advisor Co.W Studio — Salem co-working space; with Chelsea Nodine The Refinery — Shared design studio space; with owner Vin Thomas |
Week 05 | Presentations
Tuesday :: 04.29.2025
| Discussion | Giving Presentations |
| Group Lab | In-class time to work on Group Agency Pitch Presentations |
| Resources | Class Notes: Giving Presentations |
Thursday :: 05.01.2025
| Due | Group Agency Pitch Presentations |
| Presentations | Group Agency Pitch Presentations |
Week 06 | Setting Billing Rates
Tuesday :: 05.06.2025 No In-Person class
| Midterm Exam | Online midterm exam over all course discussions, projects, readings, & exercises (due by 11:30AM) |
| Reading | Design is a Job Chapters 4 & 5 |
Thursday :: 05.08.2025
| Discussion | Estimated Start-up Costs Pricing: Knowing what to charge. |
| Group Exercise | Determining Hourly Rates |
| Reading | Pricing Design Chapters 1 & 2 The Art of Creating Accurate Estimates (A List Apart) |
| Podcast | How to Price Design Services (Presentable with Dan Mall) |
| Resources | Class Notes: Knowing What to Charge Exercise: 04 Determining Hourly Rates |
Week 07 | Estimating
Tuesday :: 05.13.2025
| Discussion | Estimating: Preparing Estimates & Writing Project Proposals. Understanding Value-Based Pricing |
| Project | Project Proposal & Estimate |
| Reading | Design is a Job Chapter 7 Pricing Design Chapters 4 & 5 |
| Resources | Class Notes: Project Estimation & Proposal Writing Project: Project Proposal & Estimate |
Thursday :: 05.15.2025
| Discussion | More on Estimating: Presenting estimates to clients. |
Week 08 | Time Tracking
Tuesday :: 05.20.2025
| Due | Job Research & Application Packet Exercise Revisions |
| Discussion | Project Timelines & Time/Expense Tracking |
| Exercise | Project Time & Expense Tracking |
| Reading | Design is a Job Chapter 6 |
| Resources | Class Notes: Project Timelines & Time/Expense Tracking Exercise: 05 Project Time & Expense Tracking |
Thursday :: 05.22.2025 No In-Person class / VC 284 Field Trip
Week 09 | Invoicing & Customer Service
Tuesday :: 05.27.2025
| Discussion | Invoicing: Billing the client for your work. Customer Service: Managing Clients & Co-workers |
| Exercise | Invoice Writing |
| Reading | Design is a Job Appendicies |
| Resources | Class Notes: Invoicing & Billing Class Notes: Managing Clients & Coworkers Exercise: 06 Invoice Writing |
Thursday :: 05.29.2025
| Due | Project Proposal & Estimate Project |
| Guest Speaker | Jim Chi, Principal at Cascade Management Consulting, and with Oregon Sports Angels |
Week 10 | Portfolio Week
Tuesday :: 06.03.2025 No In-Person class
| Due | Project Time & Expense Tracking Exercise (5:00 PM) Invoice Writing Exercise (5:00 PM) |
| Exam | Distribution of take-home Final Exam |
Thursday :: 06.05.2025 | Portfolio 2025
| Portfolio Show | 3:30 PM – 7:00 PM in Building 2 Student Center |
Week 11 | Finals Week
Tuesday :: 06.10.2025 @ 10:00 – 11:50 AM
| Due | Final Exam @ 10:00 AM |
| Discussion | Debrief & Reflect on Business of Graphic Arts & Portfolio Show |