Semester Requirements
Stan Rickel, Graduate Director
(585) 475-4745, srrfaa@rit.edu
Program overview
The master of fine arts degree in industrial and interior design is for career enhancement or redirection. The educational experience is project-oriented, requiring research into design methods and technologies. Cross-disciplinary collaboratives provide an experiential dimension.
The first year of study includes seminar courses in design history, issues, research, theory, and methods, which are common to all graduate students in the School of Design. In addition, studio courses involve extensive design work with respect to environmental issues, the meaning of artifacts, and critical analysis. Extensive course work using three-dimensional software for product modeling and animation fills out the program.
In the second year students conduct research and develop a thesis project, which is presented in a graduate thesis exhibition or presentation, and is documented in a written thesis report.
Curriculum
Industrial design, MFA degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| IDDE-701 | Design Laboratory I | 6 |
| IDDE-703 | Function of Form | 3 |
| IDDE-705 | 2D Ideation and Visualization | 3 |
| VCDE-701 | Design History Seminar | 3 |
| IDDE-702 | Design Laboratory II | 6 |
| IDDE-704 | Form of Function | 3 |
| IDDE-706 | Integrated Design Visualization | 3 |
| Open Grad Elective | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| IDDE-790 | Thesis: Research and Planning | 6 |
| VCDE-711 | Design Theory and Methods Seminar | 3 |
| CIAS Design Elective | 3 | |
| IDDE-890 | Thesis: Implementation and Evaluation | 6 |
| CIAS Design Elective | 3 | |
| Open Grad Elective | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 60 | |
![[arrow]](/global/images/collapsed.gif)
Click to view program requirements in the Quarter Calendar
Quarter Curriculum - For Reference Only
Effective fall 2013, RIT will convert its academic calendar from quarters to semesters. The following content has been made available as reference only. Currently matriculated students who began their academic programs in quarters should consult their academic adviser for guidance and course selection.
Program overview
The master of fine arts degree in industrial and interior design is for career enhancement or redirection. The educational experience is project-oriented, requiring research into design methods and technologies. Cross-disciplinary collaboratives provide an experiential dimension.
The first year of study includes seminar courses in design history, issues, research, theory, and methods, which are common to all graduate students in the School of Design. In addition, studio courses involve extensive design work with respect to environmental issues, the meaning of artifacts, and critical analysis. Extensive course work using three-dimensional software for product modeling and animation fills out the program.
In the second year students conduct research and develop a thesis project, which is presented in a graduate thesis exhibition or presentation, and is documented in a written thesis report.
Curriculum
Semester conversion
Effective fall 2013, RIT will convert its academic calendar from quarters to semesters. Each program and its associated courses have been sent to the New York State Department of Education for approval of the semester plan. For reference, the following charts illustrate the typical course sequence for this program in both quarters and semesters. Students should consult their graduate program adviser with questions regarding planning and course selection.
Program title change
Effective fall 2013, the program in industrial and interior design will be renamed industrial design. This change will not affect currently matriculated students.
Industrial and interior design, MFA degree, typical course sequence (quarters)
| Course | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| 2035-711 | Advanced Computer Modeling I | 3 |
| 2035-721 | Advanced Computer Modeling II | 3 |
| 2035-731 | Advanced Computer Modeling III | 3 |
| 2035-736 | Industrial Design Problems I | 6 |
| 2035-737 | Industrial Design Problems II | 6 |
| 2035-738 | Industrial Design Problems III | 6 |
| 2035-716 | Industrial Design Presentation | 3 |
| 2010-713 | Design History Seminar | 3 |
| 2035-732 | Interaction Design | 3 |
| 2010-711 | Design Theory and Methods Seminar | 3 |
| 2010-726 | Design Issues Seminar | 3 |
| 2035-840 | Thesis Research I | 3 |
| Elective/Minor | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Special Topics: Thesis Research II | 3 | |
| 2035-890 | Thesis | 14 |
| Electives/Minor | 21 | |
| Liberal Arts | 4 | |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 90 | |
Industrial design, MFA degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| IDDE-701 | Design Laboratory I | 6 |
| IDDE-703 | Function of Form | 3 |
| IDDE-705 | 2D Ideation and Visualization | 3 |
| VCDE-701 | Design History Seminar | 3 |
| IDDE-702 | Design Laboratory II | 6 |
| IDDE-704 | Form of Function | 3 |
| IDDE-706 | Integrated Design Visualization | 3 |
| Open Grad Elective | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| IDDE-790 | Thesis: Research and Planning | 6 |
| VCDE-711 | Design Theory and Methods Seminar | 3 |
| CIAS Design Elective | 3 | |
| IDDE-890 | Thesis: Implementation and Evaluation | 6 |
| CIAS Design Elective | 3 | |
| Open Grad Elective | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 60 | |