We talked with Öykü Can, a student of the Communication and Design Department at Istanbul Gelişim University's Faculty of Fine Arts, to delve into her educational journey, internship experiences, and her pursuit of a double major in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design.
Istanbul Gelişim University, with its youthful and dynamic faculty, continues to offer a wide range of educational opportunities to its students. The Faculty of Fine Arts, in particular, welcomes students with artistic and design talents, assisting them in broadening their horizons. Among the students who have benefited from this faculty's offerings is Öykü Can, who stands out not only for her education in Communication and Design but also for her experience in pursuing a double major in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design.
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Hello Öykü, could you briefly tell us about yourself? How did you decide to pursue a double major in the Communication and Design Department and Interior Architecture and Environmental Design?
Hello, I'm Öykü Can, currently studying in the Communication and Design Department while also pursuing a double major in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design. I'm 22 years old and live in Istanbul. In my social life, I enjoy staying active, exploring new places, drawing, and making new friends. I learned about the double major program in my first year and wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. Due to my interest in drawing and creating new things, my sole choice was Interior Architecture and Environmental Design.
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Could you tell us about your education in the Communication and Design Department? What are you learning in this department, and how do you get the opportunity to reflect your interests?
The Communication and Design Department is actually quite comprehensive. We receive excellent education in areas such as internet journalism, social media management, scriptwriting/text writing in communication, and art education, video editing, animation, multimedia in the design realm. This department helps us learn how to use various programs. It enables us to both enhance our communication skills and develop our creative thinking to generate new projects.
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Could you provide information about your experience with the double major in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design? What is it like to study in two different fields?
To be honest, the double major process can be a bit intense. This is because we are taking courses from both departments simultaneously. However, after arranging the course schedule and learning to manage everything on time, it becomes enjoyable. Despite appearing as two different disciplines, there are many common courses, and we use the programs we learned in the Communication and Design Department extensively in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design. This allows us to create joint designs, which I find very enjoyable.
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Could you share your internship experiences with us? In which areas have you done internships, and how have these experiences influenced your career goals?
This summer, I interned in the field of Communication and Design. I worked on Social Media Content Production. During these activities, I used many programs I learned in school, and I even improved my skills further. I became more comfortable using these programs. Before my internship, my future goals were not very clear. However, after the internship, my interest in the design field became even clearer.
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As a student bridging two different disciplines, can you talk about how you've established a connection between design and communication?
There are common courses between the two departments. The programs I learned in the Communication and Design Department served as a bridge for me to engage in my double major in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design. Initiating something in these programs, pushing the boundaries of my imagination, creating new things, and harmonizing them with colors are exactly what I wanted to do.
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What projects have you worked on at the intersection of design and communication? What important lessons did these projects teach you?
Typography designs, poster/advertisement designs, magazine/book cover designs, product introduction brochure designs, sound designs, video editing/animation designs, as well as projects in communication like internet journalism, scriptwriting have been my focus. All the projects I've done have been significant steps for my future projects.
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As a student who combines two different fields, how do you see your double major in interior architecture benefiting your future career?
I believe that the double major in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design is a significant step for me. I learned to use Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Audition, Adobe XD, AutoCAD, SketchUp, and many other programs, which greatly contributes to my career plans.
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What advice would you give to students who are considering or are studying design and communication?
The Communication and Design Department is an enjoyable field, in my opinion. If you enjoy creating new things, pushing the boundaries of your imagination, and spending long hours in front of a computer, then you should definitely consider this field.
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Could you talk about your future goals? What are your plans after graduation?
When I merge the knowledge I gained in the Communication and Design Department with my studies in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, these two fields become a single entity for me. This is why my first goal is to pursue a master's degree. After completing my master's degree, I want to advance in the field of interior architecture.
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As a student who bridges two different areas, could you explain how you use communication skills to enhance your creative design processes?
Studying two departments means constantly working on projects. Preparing our projects for presentation, presenting them in class or in front of juries, receiving feedback from our instructors, and communicating with our peers for collaborative projects are all crucial for both of these departments.
We thank our student Öykü Can and wish her continued success.
