Core Courses

In addition to design courses within the program, M.F.A. design students may choose a university elective course outside of the Department of Art and Design each semester. These outside electives enable designers to engage more deeply with potential topics in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, which will serve as springboards for their creative work.

In the first year, students focus on and develop their individual research interest through studio work, as well as readings, writing, and discussion. They begin to identify potential collaborators throughout the university for creative collaborations. In the second year, design courses address the development, production, display, and publication of the student's thesis work.