Curriculum
Degree Requirements: 12-15 courses, 36-46 credits maximum
Candidates for the master’s degree must complete a course of study consisting of 36-46 credits. Applicants possessing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design can typically complete their master's degree with 36 credits of graduate study (700-level or higher).
Leveling Courses
Candidates who have not completed an undergraduate program of study substantially equivalent to the BFA in Graphic Design are required to complete leveling courses. The graduate program director evaluates the unique background of each student at the time of acceptance into the graduate program to determine the number and type of leveling courses that are required. Students may be required to complete up to 10 credits of leveling courses; most applicants will be able to waive some number of these based on professional background and prior academic experience. An additional 36 credits of graduate-level coursework is then required to earn the MAGD degree. Graduate students completing the leveling courses must maintain a 3.0 GPA in order to remain in good standing in the program.
Graphic Design Leveling Courses (3 courses, 10 credits)
Students complete or waive the following courses:
Graphic Design Core Requirements (8 courses, 24 credits)
Graphic Design Electives (4 courses, 12 credits)
Choose four courses from those listed below or, with approval from the MAGD Program Director, select graduate electives in other disciplines:
Note: The letter "S" preceding a course number indicates a studio course, for which studio fee is assessed.
Thesis
The master’s program culminates in a final thesis project, an independent inquiry based on an original idea associated with a student’s chosen area of concentration. Graphic Design Thesis Research (ADG-S840), Thesis Studio (ADG-S842), and Thesis Documentation (ADG-S844) are the core courses in the master’s program curriculum sequence. Successful completion of Thesis Research is a prerequisite for enrollment in Thesis Studio and successful completion of Thesis Studio is likewise a prerequisite for enrollment in Thesis Documentation.
Portfolio Review and Thesis Exhibition
End-of-semester Portfolio Reviews are required of all master’s and pre-master’s students, as is participation in the Graduate Student Thesis Exhibition. Please note that degrees will not be awarded until all of these requirements have been successfully completed.