MFA Design Program

The MFA Design Program is a five-term 56-unit studio-based program that is designed to support the development of a personal contemporary practice that is both unique and sustainable. Students work closely with USC Roski's internationally acclaimed design faculty, as well as an expanded community of leading professional designers, artists, historians, critics, curators, and culture makers who participate in regular Visiting Designer/Designer-in-Residence Forums. The scope of the program will provide graduate design students with a critical examination of the issues, theories, and ideas that are relevant to contemporary design and studio practice in design, with a focus on the following objectives:

Increase your ability to analyze graphic design (along with architecture, fashion, art, and other cultural production) including describing them with appropriate vocabulary, examining their formal elements, and engaging in research to understand their contexts (both contemporary and historical);

Expand the knowledge about the creative process, as exemplified by the study of specific works in design history, with a focus on understanding various creative methodologies. These methodologies become apparent in the historical projects, yet they can be applied in any contemporary, creative pursuit.

Deepen the understanding of how political, cultural, and social conditions affect the practice of all aspects of design. Students will have the opportunity to see how various practitioners in the field create work that speaks to specific audiences using innovative graphic forms (through both images, typography, technology, and media).

Enrich the discernment of design by understanding the theoretical, historical, and aesthetic decisions behind a range of work.

Increase the understanding of the field of design (including architecture, fashion, art, and other cultural production) in order to enhance your ability to create work and establish a practice that is engaged with the world at large.