This open elective course will introduce students to the furniture design studio and to wood as creative material. The content of the course will focus on the introduction of tools and techniques in woodworking and the creative design process. Students will learn basic skills and safety procedures for using hand tools and machine tools. **Fee: There is a materials fee required for this course and an additional course fee applied via SFS bill. See course notes for course fee information.**

This is a course required for majors and open to non-majors at RIT, covering beginning woodworking techniques, and the design process as it relates to the material. Topics include the use of select hand tools, woodworking power tools, the basic properties of wood as a material, and the fundamental processes of wood fabrication. The course includes prescribed projects based on in-class contact hours. In this course students will develop the fundamentals of working with wood. **Fee: There is a materials fee required for this course and an additional course fee applied via student account. **

This is the second of a two-semester sequential class covering intermediate techniques and aesthetics of woodworking. Topics covered include the design process, advanced hand and power tool joinery, intermediate machine processes, veneering, drawer, door and solid wood carcase design and construction and CAD/CAM/CNC technology. **Fee: There is a lab fee required for this course**

The Furniture Design Internship will provide students with the option to work in the furniture design or furniture manufacturing field. Students may apply for internships to businesses based on the availability of positions and business job needs. Students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Internship Permission Form to enroll.

This is an advanced-level guided course on developing techniques and aesthetics of woodworking. Course content could include the following: design process, advanced woodworking techniques, conceptually driven design and construction, and CAD/CAM/CNC. Students will work on development of an individual creative project proposal and development of skills to complete unique finished projects. Course may be repeated. **Fee: A materials fee is required for this course, and an additional course fee applied via student account**

This is a sequential class covering advanced techniques and aesthetics of woodworking. Topics covered include the design process, advanced woodworking processes, professional presentations, conceptually driven design and construction, and the creation of a capstone body of work. **Fee: A materials fee is required for this course**

This course will provide students with fundamental techniques necessary to design and fabricate refined hand carved vessels and other wooden objects. Participants in this course will gain an understanding of the inherent properties of wood, identifying assets and limitations of the material as they design and build. Students will develop skills to formalize individual design ideas for presentation, planning and construction. Topics will include lumber selection, the safe and proper use of machinery and portable power tools, the care and use of gouges, spokeshaves, and other sharp-edged hand tools, as well as sanding and wood finishing, and will support the focus on craftsmanship, technical knowledge and design development. **Fee: There is a materials fee required for this course and an additional course fee applied via SFS bill. See course notes for course fee information. **

Furniture Design Independent Study will provide students with the ability to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. Students, with the assistance of a faculty adviser will propose a course of study. Furniture Design students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Form to enroll.

Furniture Design Graduate Studio covers the advanced aesthetics and techniques of woodworking and culminating in the master’s thesis. This program is structured on the basis of the individual student’s needs, interests and background preparation as they may be determined through faculty counseling. There will be a strengthening of woodworking techniques, design fundamentals and encouragement of personal expression. The student will be encouraged to evaluate new techniques, materials and concepts. This repeatable course leads to the master’s thesis, proposed by the student and approved by the faculty. Lab fee is required.

This course will provide students with fundamental techniques necessary to design and fabricate refined hand carved vessels and other wooden objects. Participants in this course will gain an understanding of the inherent properties of wood, identifying assets and limitations of the material as they design and build. Students will develop skills to formalize individual design ideas for presentation, planning and construction. Topics will include lumber selection, the safe and proper use of machinery and portable power tools, the care and use of gouges, spokeshaves and other sharp-edged hand tools, as well as sanding and wood finishing. Demonstrations, presentations, discussions, critiques, as well as individual meetings with students, will support the focus on craftsmanship, technical knowledge and design development. **Fee: There is a materials fee required for this course and an additional course fee applied via student account. See course notes for course fee information**

The Furniture Design Internship will provide students with the option to work in the furniture design or furniture manufacturing field. Students may apply for internships to businesses based on the availability of positions and business job needs. Students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Internship Permission Form to enroll. Registration with co-op and placement office also required.

Furniture Design Independent Study will provide students with the ability to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. Students, with the assistance of a faculty adviser will propose a course of study. Furniture Design students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Form to enroll.**NOTE: Student must have a minimum 3.0 GPA **

Cooperative Education will provide Furniture Design students with hands-on experience in their field, directly related to a student’s major with an established studio or related business. Students will need to apply for co-ops, and interview as part of the selection process, based on available positions posted by the Co-op and Career Services Office, or found through the students’ own research. In programs where co-op is a degree requirement, students must obtain permission of their program or graduate director prior to enrollment. Co-ops are typically paid work experience, and can be part-time (150-479 total hours within the term), or full-time (480+ hours within the term). Co-ops may be one or two consecutive terms - fall, spring, or summer – with department permission.

This course will provide students with the opportunity to visit with professional working artists from various disciplines in the arts and design. Through in-person and virtual studio visits students will engage in live discussions relating to each artist’s studio practice. Topics discussed will include the development of creative inspiration and source materials, work methods, techniques and process for studio practice, and professional and business practice. Introductions and discussions with a range of creative artists and designers will lead to a broader understanding of creative problem solving, contemporary issues in art and design, and the development of a business acumen in art and design.

This course will engage students in aesthetic research through field trips to museums, galleries and other locations of significance to the art and design fields. Through in person examinations of art, architecture and design, students will gain an awareness of the historical and cultural context of a range of significant creative work. Participants in this immersive course will be expected to gather visual references and source material in support of a personal aesthetic, design philosophy and studio practice. Location(s) of field trip excursions will be determined by the instructor.

This course will focus selected contemporary issues in the field of fine arts and crafts including specific artists, trends, practices, theory, or criticism. A topic course description will be published each term the course is offered. This course can be retaken but individual topics may not.

Creative flow, having an endless stream of ideas, alternatives, and choices for solutions, helps creative work evolve and reach more advanced levels. In this course students develop appropriate skills and strategies to generate ideas and develop them effectively into a cohesive body of work.

This is the first of two courses designed to advance a student towards completion of their thesis. Students will work independently on their approved proposal while meeting on a regular basis with their committee chair. Students are required to meet at least twice with their full committee during the semester.

For this final thesis course students continue working with their committee to evaluate work produced, and select the work to be exhibited. In addition, students will work with gallery coordinators and curators to install and exhibit their final body of work. Students are expected to defend their work to the committee through an oral defense and a written document.

The Studio Arts Continuation of Thesis course provides student additional semester(s) to complete their thesis research, project, and thesis document.