The Graduate Media Design Program offers a 2- or 3-year Master of Fine Arts curriculum that empowers ambitious designers from a variety of backgrounds to be design leaders and researchers in emerging fields. We offer two tracks: Media Design Projects (MDP) and Media Design Matters (MDM).

In the Media Design Projects track, students work in a studio context, using design to pose questions through applied and speculative projects that experiment with emerging communication technologies and cultural practices.

In the Media Design Matters track, students work in a real-world context where social issues, media infrastructure, and communication technology intersect. The track is run in collaboration with Designmatters, Art Center’s social impact department.

Download the curriculum pdf to see the course distribution, course descriptions, and degree requirements.

For either track, students can apply for either a 2-year or 3-year course of study. The 2-year path is for experienced designers; the 3-year path is for burgeoning designers who have limited experience working with a broad range of communication media. Students in the 3-year path enroll in the Development Year first.

See the Applicant Profile page for more information about the degree paths.

MEDIA DESIGN PROJECTS TRACK ^^^

Media Design Projects (MDP) students take courses in the concept year that begin in the Fall term with core concepts in media design and move into more open-ended topic-based studios in the Spring. In the Summer X-Term, students choose one of three options: Art Center Lite – undergraduate course concentration; Externship – an exceptional off-campus internship; Collaborative Research Project – working as a research associate on a Media Design summer research project. In their thesis year, students work on independent research projects guided by an interdisciplinary team of thesis advisors.

Each year, one MDP student is awarded a post-graduate fellowship, sponsored by the Milken Family Foundation, to continue working as a researcher over the summer after graduation.

MEDIA DESIGN MATTERS TRACK ^^^

The Media Design Matters (MDM) track is unusual in that it begins in May of each year, runs for 4 consecutive terms and is completed in 15 months.
The first term is dedicated to critical methods in design, technology, and social justice. In the Fall and Spring terms, the MDM Projects allow students to learn through project-based work in the field. Each year's context involves a community, a partner institution, and a communication issue. Students use critical design research methods to engage with the community in the Fall and co-create interventions and field test their designs in the Spring while developing their own interests for their thesis. In their final thesis term, students further develop their own independent work guided by an interdisciplinary team of thesis advisors.

Each year, we hope to award a post-graduate fellowship to support a team or an individual to continue working in the MDM Projects context.

DEVELOPMENT YEAR ^^^

Students on the 3-year path begin with the development year — two terms of coursework comprised of Grad Media Design core courses and select Graphic Design Department courses that build skills and knowledge in communication and interaction design.

MDM track students begin MDM courses in the Summer immediately following completion of the development year.

MDP track students wait one term to begin MDP courses in the Fall.