Semester Requirements
Chris Jackson, Graduate Program Director
(585) 475-5823, cbjpgd@rit.edu
http://cias.rit.edu/schools/design/graduate-visual-communication-design
Program overview
The changing landscape of people’s everyday interactions has blurred the lines between respected design fields giving designers new responsibilities to shape experiences. Designers must increase their knowledge in all areas of design, including print media, human-computer interaction design, motion graphics, and 3D digital graphics.
The MFA in visual communication design provides a learning environment for advancement in innovative research, user-centered design, and professional practice focusing on the creative potentials of visual communication through a full spectrum of media. The program offers three options--communication design, interaction design, or motion and 3D digital design--for student to advance their design knowledge and technical skills.
The cross-disciplinary nature of this program offers a greater potential to foster innovation and creativity in visual communication design. The program reflects the current views and changes occurring in the professional design field. The skill sets required of graphic, interactive, and digital design have now crossed over and are interrelated.
Curriculum
Visual communication design (communication design option), MFA degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| VCDE-708 | Typography | 3 |
| VCDE-707 | Web and UI Design | 3 |
| VCDE-709 | Digital Design in Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-706 | 3D Modeling and Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-701 | Design History Seminar | 3 |
| VCDE-717 | Design Systems | 3 |
| VCDE-723 | Interaction Design | 3 |
| VCDE-718 | Project Design and Implementation | 3 |
| VCDE-711 | Design Theory and Methods Seminar | 3 |
| Open Elective | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| VCDE-790 | Thesis Research and Planning | 3 |
| VCDE-742 | Information Design | 3 |
| VCDE-741 | Environmental Graphic Design | 3 |
| VCDE-732 | Branding and Identity Design | 3 |
| VCDE-890 | Thesis Implementation and Evaluation | 6 |
| VCDE-746 | Professional Practices | 3 |
| Open Elective | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 60 | |
Visual communication design (interaction design option), MFA degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| VCDE-708 | Typography | 3 |
| VCDE-707 | Web and UI Design | 3 |
| VCDE-709 | Digital Design in Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-706 | 3D Modeling and Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-701 | Design History Seminar | 3 |
| VCDE-723 | Interaction Design | 3 |
| IGME-601 | Programming for Designers | 3 |
| VCDE-718 | Project Design and Implementation | 3 |
| VCDE-711 | Design Theory and Methods Seminar | 3 |
| Open Elective | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| VCDE-790 | Thesis Research and Planning | 3 |
| VCDE-733 | Digital Video and Audio | 3 |
| VCDE-742 | Information Design | 3 |
| VCDE-741 | Environmental Graphic Design | 3 |
| VCDE-890 | Thesis Implementation and Evaluation | 6 |
| VCDE-746 | Professional Practices | 3 |
| Open Elective | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 60 | |
Visual communication design (motion and 3D digital design option), MFA degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| VCDE-708 | Typography | 3 |
| VCDE-707 | Web and UI Design | 3 |
| VCDE-709 | Digital Design in Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-706 | 3D Modeling and Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-701 | Design History Seminar | 3 |
| VCDE-728 | Motion Graphics | 3 |
| VCDE-716 | 3D Particles and Dynamics | 3 |
| VCDE-718 | Project Design and Implementation | 3 |
| VCDE-711 | Design Theory and Methods Seminar | 3 |
| Open Elective | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| VCDE-790 | Thesis Research and Planning | 3 |
| VCDE-731 | 3D Visual Design | 3 |
| VCDE-733 | Digital Video and Audio | 3 |
| VCDE-741 | Environmental Graphic Design | 3 |
| VCDE-890 | Thesis Implementation and Evaluation | 6 |
| VCDE-746 | Professional Practices | 3 |
| Open Elective | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 60 | |
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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
This internationally recognized program offers concentrations in interactive design for Web, DVD, and mobile devices; three-dimensional digital graphics; motion graphics; game art and design; and information visualization. The curriculum combines knowledge of design theory, methodology, and aesthetics with skills in two- and three-dimensional computer graphics, interactive techniques, and interface design. Students utilize cutting-edge technology to produce a vast array of dynamic work for the screen (computer, broadcast, mobile).
The program focuses on practical and experimental approaches to the expression of unique visions. Students create interactive websites, applications for mobile devices (tangible interfaces and iPhone), opening title credits for movies and television broadcast, interactive graphic novels, immersive three-dimensional environments, and computer games realized from their imaginations. Resources in the Digital Studio are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include three-dimensional digitizers, physical computer interfaces, motion capture systems, three-dimensional printers, monitor tablets, and a wide variety of software applications.
As part of the entrance requirements, applicants must demonstrate an understanding of basic design principles and visual computer skills. Software skills must include Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. A portfolio of the applicant’s best work is submitted in the form of a CD-ROM or DVD (in Macintosh or Windows platforms). A portfolio of 15-20 examples must demonstrate a good sense of design, typography, and illustration in a stand-alone format, and/or video, or a combination of these. Images saved in PDF format are preferred. Use the QuickTime movie format (.mov) for videos. Flash SWF files and HTML websites are accepted and encouraged.
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.
New program
Effective fall 2013, the MFA programs in computer graphics design and graphic design will merge to form one program in visual communication design. This change will not affect currently matriculated students.
Computer graphics design, MFA degree, typical course sequence (quarters)
| Course | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| 2014-701 | Survey of Computer Graphics | 2 |
| 2010-713 | Design History Seminar | 3 |
| 4085-715 | Programming for Designers | 4 |
| 2014-798 | Production Pipeline | 4 |
| Major Studio Courses | 24 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Liberal Arts | 6-8 | |
| Second Year | ||
| 2014-831 | Thesis Planning | 2 |
| 2014-890 | Research and Thesis | 12 |
| Major Studio Courses | 12 | |
| Electives | 9-12 | |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 90 | |
Visual communication design (communication design option), MFA degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| VCDE-708 | Typography | 3 |
| VCDE-707 | Web and UI Design | 3 |
| VCDE-709 | Digital Design in Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-706 | 3D Modeling and Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-701 | Design History Seminar | 3 |
| VCDE-717 | Design Systems | 3 |
| VCDE-723 | Interaction Design | 3 |
| VCDE-718 | Project Design and Implementation | 3 |
| VCDE-711 | Design Theory and Methods Seminar | 3 |
| Open Elective | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| VCDE-790 | Thesis Research and Planning | 3 |
| VCDE-742 | Information Design | 3 |
| VCDE-741 | Environmental Graphic Design | 3 |
| VCDE-732 | Branding and Identity Design | 3 |
| VCDE-890 | Thesis Implementation and Evaluation | 6 |
| VCDE-746 | Professional Practices | 3 |
| Open Elective | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 60 | |
Visual communication design (interaction design option), MFA degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| VCDE-708 | Typography | 3 |
| VCDE-707 | Web and UI Design | 3 |
| VCDE-709 | Digital Design in Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-706 | 3D Modeling and Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-701 | Design History Seminar | 3 |
| VCDE-723 | Interaction Design | 3 |
| IGME-601 | Programming for Designers | 3 |
| VCDE-718 | Project Design and Implementation | 3 |
| VCDE-711 | Design Theory and Methods Seminar | 3 |
| Open Elective | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| VCDE-790 | Thesis Research and Planning | 3 |
| VCDE-733 | Digital Video and Audio | 3 |
| VCDE-742 | Information Design | 3 |
| VCDE-741 | Environmental Graphic Design | 3 |
| VCDE-890 | Thesis Implementation and Evaluation | 6 |
| VCDE-746 | Professional Practices | 3 |
| Open Elective | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 60 | |
Visual communication design (motion and 3D digital design option), MFA degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| VCDE-708 | Typography | 3 |
| VCDE-707 | Web and UI Design | 3 |
| VCDE-709 | Digital Design in Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-706 | 3D Modeling and Motion | 3 |
| VCDE-701 | Design History Seminar | 3 |
| VCDE-728 | Motion Graphics | 3 |
| VCDE-716 | 3D Particles and Dynamics | 3 |
| VCDE-718 | Project Design and Implementation | 3 |
| VCDE-711 | Design Theory and Methods Seminar | 3 |
| Open Elective | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| VCDE-790 | Thesis Research and Planning | 3 |
| VCDE-731 | 3D Visual Design | 3 |
| VCDE-733 | Digital Video and Audio | 3 |
| VCDE-741 | Environmental Graphic Design | 3 |
| VCDE-890 | Thesis Implementation and Evaluation | 6 |
| VCDE-746 | Professional Practices | 3 |
| Open Elective | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 60 | |