Herron School of Art and Design
Graduate
Degree Programs
MFA in Visual Communication Design
YEAR ONE course work- 30 credits
- Focus on people-centered design research for positive change and innovation (with particular emphasis on understanding people and contexts)
- Focus on design analysis for innovation (with particular emphasis on identifying problems, understanding patterns and insights, and framing challenges)
- Focus on design synthesis for innovation (with particular emphasis on generating and exploring ideas and conceiving plans)
- Focus on design optimization for innovation (with particular emphasis on prototyping,testing, iterating and creating solutions)
FALL SEMESTER
1st 8 weeks
HER-V 501
Introduction to Design Thinking 1.5
HER-V 502
Introduction to Human Factors in Design 1.5
HER-V 510
Collaborative Action Research in Design 1 3
HER-V 511
Design Methods: People-Centered Design Research 1.5
2nd 8 weeks:
HER-V 520
Collaborative Action Research in Design 2 6
HER-V 521
Methods for Design Analysis 1.5
Total credits for semester 15
SPRING SEMESTER
1st 8 weeks:
HER-V 530
Collaborative Action Research in Design 3 3
HER-V 531
Methods for Design Synthesis 1.5
2nd 8 weeks:
HER-V 540
Collaborative Action Research in Design 4 6
HER-V 541
Methods for Design Evaluation 1.5
Interdisciplinary elective 3
Total credits for semester 15
YEAR TWO course work- 30 credits
-
Focus on mastery of design facilitation as a distinctive capacity for driving and leading participatory, people-centred design
-
Focus on professional development for transitioning from graduate school to new professional contexts
-
Focus on defining, developing, and defending an applied action research thesis project
FALL SEMESTER
1st 8 weeks:
HER-V 601
Leadership in Design Practice 1.5
HER-V 650
Collaborative Action Research in Design 5 1.5
2nd 8 weeks:
HER-V 602
Leadership in Design Education 1.5
HER-V 660
Collaborative Action Research in Design 61.5
ALL Semester:
HER-V 690
Thesis Writing 1 3
HER-V 691
Thesis Studio 1 3
Interdisciplinary Elective 3
Total credits for semester 15
SPRING SEMESTER
1st 8 weeks:
HER-V 670
Collaborative Action Research in Design 7 1.5
2nd 8 weeks:
HER-V 680
Collaborative Action Research in Design 8 1.5
ALL Semester:
HER-V 692
Thesis Writing 2 6
HER-V 693
Thesis Studio 2 6
Total credits for semester 15
Update: March 2016
