Sequential Art

The Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Sequential Art develops knowledge and skills in the area of sequential art, including but not limited to comics, graphic novels, anime, children's books, self-publishing, digital illustration, and storyboarding for digital media. Students will develop diverse narratives that reflect cultural, historical, and social diversity. The program provides the student with an understanding of writing for sequential art, illustration techniques, and digital media tools for illustration, layout and publication. This certificate prepares students for employment and upgrades the skills of persons employed in occupations such as illustrator, comic book artist, storyboarder, cartoonist, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, production artist, game designer, and comic book writer. An Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Illustration and Sequential Art is also available.

Details

Field of Interest
Visual and Performing Arts
Academic Plan Code
5177
Total credits required
40
Catalog Year
2026 - 2027
What You'll Learn
  1. Create sequential art to project specifications, demonstrating professionalism in research, planning, production, and presentation.
  2. Apply critical thinking skills, the creative process, and historical and visual literacy to solve visual, technical, and conceptual problems.
  3. Analyze sequential art to evaluate its effectiveness.
  4. Apply industry standard tools and research to develop effective narratives, images and workflows.
  5. Demonstrate collaborative practices.
  6. Communicate sequential art that recognizes cultural and individual differences.
  7. Create a collection of works
Career Statistics

Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this certificate. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Art Directors
$79,070
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
$66,570
Commercial and Industrial Designers
$105,580
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
$45,590
Graphic Designers
$56,090
Special Effects Artists and Animators
$56,690

There are additional career opportunities associated with this certificate that do not have occupational data available for Arizona at this time. These occupations are listed below:

  • Artists and Related Workers, All Other

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AVC100 Introduction to Digital Arts 1
AVC177 Digital Photographic Imaging I Critical course Gateway course 3
ART111 Drawing I AHM 3
ART113 or
AVC114		 Color or Digital Color 3
AVC169 2D Media Design 3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ART116 Life Drawing I 3
AVC289 Computer Illustration 3
CRW172 or
CRW176 or
CRW190		 Introduction to Comic Book Writing or Writing Narrative for Video Games or Introduction to Screenwriting 3
AVC178 Digital Arts Studies Critical course 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AVC119 Penciling for Sequential Art 3
AVC120 Inking for Sequential Art 3
AVC219 Coloring, Toning and Lettering for Sequential Art 3
AVC220 Publishing for the Comic Industry 3
AVC221 Comics Creation 3

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AVC100 Introduction to Digital Arts 1
AVC177 Digital Photographic Imaging I Critical course Gateway course 3
ART111 Drawing I AHM 3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ART113 or
AVC114		 Color or Digital Color 3
AVC169 2D Media Design 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ART116 Life Drawing I 3
AVC178 Digital Arts Studies Critical course 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AVC289 Computer Illustration 3
CRW172 or
CRW176 or
CRW190		 Introduction to Comic Book Writing or Writing Narrative for Video Games or Introduction to Screenwriting 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AVC119 Penciling for Sequential Art 3
AVC120 Inking for Sequential Art 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AVC219 Coloring, Toning and Lettering for Sequential Art 3
AVC220 Publishing for the Comic Industry 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AVC221 Comics Creation 3

Courses Not Currently Offered

Chandler-Gilbert Community College does not currently offer these courses. These courses may be offered by other Maricopa Community Colleges as indicated below. Select the link to view current availability and whether courses are offered in person, online, or in a hybrid format. Tuition rates are the same across Maricopa Community Colleges, but course fees may vary.

Courses listed in this pathway map that are not currently offered at Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Course Number Course Name Offering Colleges
AVC114 Digital Color Scottsdale
CRW190 Introduction to Screenwriting Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Rio Salado
Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

  • AHM = Arts and Humanities
Official Curriculum Documentation
View catalog page
Catalog page: https://cgc.catalog.maricopa.edu/programs/5177-CGC08
Disclaimer

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.

Previous catalog years for Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Sequential Art