M.F.A. in Design Courses

Thesis Studio I
Explore principles and techniques of design across disciplines through project work in a studio setting. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional studio hours to be arranged. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser.

Core Course in Design
Introduction to design process, research, and methodologies. Three lecture hours a week for one semester, with additional laboratory hours to be arranged. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, and consent of instructor and the graduate adviser.

Design Pedagogy and Instruction*
Covers theory and research related to the pedagogy of design. Explores creation of design learning experiences. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser.

Design Documentation and Storytelling
Covers portfolio creation and other tools related to documenting and communicating design work. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional studio hours to be arranged. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of the graduate adviser, and consent of instructor.

Design Perspectives
Explore design approaches, subfields, practices, and media through workshops, projects or lectures led by industry professionals, visiting instructors, and/or University faculty and graduate students. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of the graduate adviser, and consent of instructor.

The Art of Critique*
Explore methods, frameworks, and practice in giving and receiving feedback in a design studio setting. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of the graduate adviser, and consent of instructor.

Thesis Studio II (Review 1)
Build upon principles and techniques of design across disciplines through project work in a studio setting. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional studio hours to be arranged. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser; Design 385C or 685C.

Topics in Visual Design Studio
Studio-based exploration of techniques and concepts specific to visual design. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional studio hours to be arranged. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser.

Material Explorations
Consider materials in design applications. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser.

Topics in Interaction Design Studio
Studio-based exploration of techniques and concepts specific to interaction design. For each semester hour of credit earned, the equivalent of one lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional studio hours to be arranged. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser.

Topics in Industrial Design Studio
Studio-based examination of techniques and concepts specific to industrial design. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional studio hours to be arranged. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser.

Design Criticism*
Thinking, writing and talking about design. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; consent of the graduate adviser; consent of instructor.

Supervised Teaching in Design*
Training and teaching under the close supervision of the course instructor for one semester; group meetings with the instructor, individual consultations, and reports throughout the teaching period. For each semester hour of credit earned, the equivalent of one lecture hour a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in design and graduate standing and appointment as a teaching assistant.

Thesis Studio III
Culminate previous knowledge of principles and techniques of design across disciplines through project work in a studio setting. For each semester hour of credit earned, the equivalent of one lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional studio hours to be arranged. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser; Design 385E or 685E.

Introduction to Design Thinking
Restricted to graduate students in design. A preliminary foundation in the emerging practice of human-centered design, the methodology driving design thinking as a way of achieving innovation across sectors. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of the graduate adviser.

Introduction to Campus Resources
Introduction to design-related resources on campus including the Library, materials lab, fabrication lab, and publication studio. One lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional studio hours to be arranged. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser.

Fieldwork in Design*
Students conduct fieldwork as part of a collaborative research team and/or under the direction of a project supervisor. Three lecture hours a week for one semester, with additional laboratory hours to be arranged. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, and consent of instructor and the graduate adviser.

Thesis Studio IV (Review 2)
Introduction to vocabulary, principles, strategies, techniques and conventions foundational to design in a studio format. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional studio hours to be arranged. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser.

Topics in Service Design Studio*
Studio-based exploration of techniques and concepts specific to service design. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional studio hours to be arranged. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser.

Service and Systems Design

Topics in Advanced Design
Examine design practices in all areas, and their relationship to research. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional studio hours to be arranged. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and consent of the graduate adviser.

Design in Context
Explore the social, political, historical, legal and economic contexts of design. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; consent of the graduate adviser; consent of instructor.

Master’s Report / Exhibition
The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in design and consent of instructor or the graduate adviser.