Master of Fine Arts in Design

About the MFA

The MFA in Design is a deliberately interdisciplinary program, in contrast to our highly specialized undergraduate degrees. Graduate students choose a focus area, and explore emerging design issues often beyond the reach of any one design discpline. Our program covers every major offered at the BFA level, but we have particular strengths in emerging media areas including interactive design, game design, transmedia storytelling, and user experience design. The program typically takes 3 years of postgraduate study. Coursework is primarily of an applied nature, with the program culminating in a thesis project, and related exhibition, presentation, or other public dissemination. Master of Fine Arts programs typically focus on the fine or applied arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts administration. The Master of Fine Arts differs from the Master of Arts in that the MFA, while still an academic program, centers on professional creative practice in the particular field, whereas programs leading to the MA usually center on the scholarly, academic, or critical study of the field. Additionally, in the United States, an MFA is recognized as a terminal degree for practitioners—meaning that it is considered the highest degree in its field, qualifying an individual to become a professor at the university level in these disciplines.

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GRADUATE PROGRAM IN GAME DESIGN AMONG PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, 2023

TOP 25 SINCE 2016

# 9 IN THE NATION INDUSTRIAL DESIGN College Values Online

# 1 IN WISCONSIN ANIMATION Animation Career Review

# 1 IN WISCONSIN GRAPHIC DESIGN Animation Career Review

# 8 IN MIDWEST GAME DESIGN Animation Career Review

Student Hue Vang works on his award-winning thesis project, “Sun of the Children.”

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