School of Design

Overview

The School of Design is ranked among the best, with Business Week naming it one of the top 10 design schools in the country. Effective design combined with creativity and professionalism are the school’s tenets. Using both technological and theoretical approaches to find solutions to design problems, students work with award-winning faculty who are creatives, critical thinkers, and innovative problem-solvers. Students have access to state-of-the art laboratories and computer facilities as well as the Cary Graphic Arts Collection and the entire archive of renowned designers Massimo and Lella Vignelli, housed in RIT’s Vignelli Center for Design Studies.


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6

Number of designs from the industrial design program’s Metaproject senior studio that are currently in production through various companies.

12

Our Fab Lab is equipped with 12 3D printers - in addition to laser cutters, CNC routing devices and other technology - to complete submitted projects by students, faculty, and staff.

20

Faculty are professional members or affiliates of more than 20 national, international, and local organizations.

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Undergraduate Programs

Innovative and creative design solutions that enrich the ways in which people live, work, and play is the emphasis of the school’s undergraduate programs. The school offers BFA programs in 3D digital design, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, and new media design.

3D design includes everything from computer graphics for gaming, virtual worlds, augmented reality, medical and scientific simulations, data visualizations, motion and broadcast graphics, architectural and engineering modeling, instructional multimedia, museum exhibits, and more.

Learn more about the 3D Digital Design BFA program 

The 3D visualization option gives you the flexibility to pursue a broad range of applications that use digital design as the platform for 3D content creation. The option emphasizes creation and simulation of environments and objects for virtual spaces for a growing number of real-world opportunities. This option is part of the in the 3D digital design BFA degree.

Learn more about the 3D Visualization Option - 3D Digital Design BFA program 

Spend up to a year exploring RIT’s design programs before you declare a major.

Learn more about the Design Exploration program 

The game arts option focuses on the creation of visual elements and assets for a wide range of game platforms. The option allows you to pursue creative interests in game arts, from designing virtual elements and lighting to animated characters and backgrounds. An innovative and adaptive curriculum prepares you for a career in the emergent fields associated with games culture while encouraging critical analysis of these fields through the dynamic general elective courses offered throughout RIT. This option is part of the 3D digital design BFA degree.

Learn more about the Game Arts Option - 3D Digital Design BFA program 

In this creative, innovative graphic design degree, you'll integrate design principles, methods, concepts, images, words, and ideas to convey distinct, visually compelling messages to a range of audiences.

Learn more about the Graphic Design BFA program 

From athletic wear and home goods to stereo systems and medical devices, in the industrial design degree you'll create and develop inventive products for both consumers and manufacturers.

Learn more about the Industrial Design BFA program 

The interior design degree establishes you as an expert in creating human-centered environments and understanding the relationship between people and their physical surroundings.

Learn more about the Interior Design BFA program 

At the intersection of visual communication, design strategy, and user experience design, this new media design degree produces innovative creators of next gen digital media.

Learn more about the New Media Design BFA program 

Graduate Programs

The School of Design offers two MFA programs and an MS program. The MFA in visual communication design focuses on all areas of design, including graphic design, user experience/interaction design, design studies, motion graphics, and 3D digital design. The MFA in industrial design includes seminar courses in design history and research and studio courses focusing on sustainability and design process. Meanwhile, the MS in integrative design establishes a variety of creative design thinking techniques in multiple areas.

A master's in industrial design that explores design theory, design history, and human-centered design as you create a range of consumer products.

Learn more about the Industrial Design MFA program 

A one-year integrative design degree that furthers your understanding of the design process and prepares you to work with creative development teams.

Learn more about the Integrative Design MS program 

In our visual communication design degree, you'll shape interactive experiences by integrating graphic design, user experience design, design studies, motion graphics, and 3D digital design into your work.

Learn more about the Visual Communication Design MFA program 

Student Resources

For internal College of Art and Design resources such as academic information, forms, FAQs and more, visit inside.cad.rit.edu. For information about academic advising, visit here.