Full-Time MFA Program
First Year | Fall
Design Shared Courses Transportation Design
Design Graduate Studio I:
Relational Space
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Design Graduate Studio I:
Relational Space

The design projects assigned in Design Graduate Studio I, II, III and IV share the same structure, but differ in their complexity and duration. Students are assigned formally structured design projects, requiring a substantive research phase (augmented by the Contextual Design Research class), a prototype or concept development phase, followed by a concept/design refinement phase, finishing with design presentation and reflection phases. Topics will be relevant to today's ever-changing cultural and technological societies.

Contextual Design Research I:
Consumer Values, Attitudes, Behavior
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Contextual Design Research I:
Consumer Values, Attitudse, Behavior

Contextual Design Research I and II introduce the methods, tools and techniques of research that are relevant to designing with people in mind for product, experience, space, or service. The methods and tools fall into the categories of “what people say,” “what people do” and “what people need.” Contextual Design Research I and II will be primarily lecture-based, but will also include a variety of hands-on learning activities that are applicable at all points along the design process. This course is structured around the graduate studio projects. Open to graduate students only.

Transportation Graduate Studio I:
Extended Range Electric Vehicle
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Transportation Graduate Studio I:
Extended Range Electric Vehicle

The design projects assigned in Transportation Design Graduate Studio I, II, III and IV share the same structure, but differ in their complexity and duration. Students are assigned formally structured design projects, requiring a substantive research phase (augmented by the Contextual Design Research class), a prototype or concept development phase, followed by a concept/design refinement phase, and finishing with design presentation and reflection phases. Topics will be relevant to today's ever-changing cultural and technological societies.

Interaction Design I:
The Differentiated Shopping Experience
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Interaction Design I:
The Differentiated Shopping Experience

Interaction Design I and II introduce the fundamental concepts, methods, and practices of interaction design. They investigate the intersection of content, interface and experience in the context of business solutions. Students work in teams to identify market opportunities and define relevant consumer or user behavior patterns. The courses focus on technological, behavioral and theoretical underpinnings of interaction design; the importance of market analysis, research, testing, and the use of storytelling techniques. Both courses are offered in a studio format. Students participate in group discussions, critiques and presentations. Open to graduate students only.

Graduate Seminar I:
Foundations of Global Thinking
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Graduate Seminar I:
Foundations of Global Thinking

This seminar provides a foundation for thinking about economic, political, cultural and aesthetic issues in a global context, especially as they might inform individual design practice, i.e., the student’s local action. The seminar begins by examining the process of exchange and in particular the way humans interact with one another through market transactions. Students then examine various ways of understanding globalization as an economic and cultural system. Subsequent classes focus on the mechanisms of the global market and the increasingly important role design has come to play. Of particular concern are the aesthetic and informational values built into production and consumption practices. This further entails consideration of questions of sustainability and ethics. Provisions are made to accommodate the exploration of individual and group interests as the semester progresses.

 Digital Visual Communications Design:
The Digital Narrative
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Digital Visual Communications Design:
The Digital Narrative

This course focuses on the process and creation of multi-faceted, multimedia narratives to express complex ideas, and designs for a full spectrum of audiences. It will cover the philosophy and practice of digital communication, narrative development through effective storytelling, a digital creation toolkit, workflow creation, implementation, timing, and process, as well as overview and exploration of the impact of social networks.
Elective
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Elective

Studio Electives I, II and III offer opportunities for graduate students to select studio courses from CCS’s wide-ranging undergraduate programs, either to pursue personal creative interests, gain studio experience related to an intended thesis direction or augment basic skills. Students will make their selection in consultation with their graduate advisor(s).

  Elective
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Elective

Studio Electives I, II and III offer opportunities for graduate students to select studio courses from CCS’s wide-ranging undergraduate programs, either to pursue personal creative interests, gain studio experience related to an intended thesis direction or augment basic skills. Students will make their selection in consultation with their graduate advisor(s).

First Year | Winter
Design Shared Courses Transportation Design
Design Graduate Studio II:
Brand Extension
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Design Graduate Studio II:
Brand Extension

The design projects assigned in Design Graduate Studio I, II, III and IV share the same structure, but differ in their complexity and duration. Students are assigned formally structured design projects, requiring a substantive research phase (augmented by the Contextual Design Research class), a prototype or concept development phase, followed by a concept/design refinement phase, finishing with design presentation and reflection phases. Topics will be relevant to today's ever-changing cultural and technological societies.

Contextual Design Research II:
Research Principles & Methods
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Contextual Design Research II:
Research Principles & Methods

Contextual Design Research I and II introduce the methods, tools and techniques of research that are relevant to designing with people in mind for product, experience, space, or service. The methods and tools fall into the categories of “what people say,” “what people do” and “what people need.” Contextual Design Research I and II will be primarily lecture-based, but will also include a variety of hands-on learning activities that are applicable at all points along the design process. This course is structured around the graduate studio projects. Open to graduate students only.

Transportation Design Graduate Studio II:
Extended Range Electric Vehicle
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Transportation Graduate Studio II:
Extended Range Electric Vehicle

The design projects assigned in Transportation Design Graduate Studio I, II, III and IV share the same structure, but differ in their complexity and duration. Students are assigned formally structured design projects, requiring a substantive research phase (augmented by the Contextual Design Research class), a prototype or concept development phase, followed by a concept/design refinement phase, and finishing with design presentation and reflection phases. Topics will be relevant to today's ever-changing cultural and technological societies.

Interaction Design II:
Interactive Design Dynamics
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Interaction Design II:
Interactive Design Dynamics

Interaction Design I and II introduce the fundamental concepts, methods, and practices of interaction design. They investigate the intersection of content, interface and experience in the context of business solutions. Students work in teams to identify market opportunities and define relevant consumer or user behavior patterns. The courses focus on technological, behavioral and theoretical underpinnings of interaction design; the importance of market analysis, research, testing, and the use of storytelling techniques. Both courses are offered in a studio format. Students participate in group discussions, critiques and presentations. Open to graduate students only.

Business Practice I:
Marketing as Strategy
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Business Practice I:
Marketing as Strategy

This course is designed around a framework that organizes and interrelates marketing topics into succinct modules. Using the new textbook, "Marketing: The Big Picture" by Christie Nordhielm, students will be required to apply the big picture framework to a live “mini” case that they choose and write themselves using a carefully designed template. Students will then take a leadership role in managing the discussion of these mini-cases. In this way, the class will maximize their relevance to current business practices and also acquaint the students with the ‘business case’ format. Students will also leverage a simulation tool, the Big Picture Simulation, to test their knowledge of the concepts learned in class.

 Digital Visual Communications II:
Communication Campaigns
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Digital Visual Communications II:
Communication Campaigns

As a continuation of Digital Visual Communication I, this course focuses on creating clear and compelling visual presentations that describe design ideas using digital tools. Students advance and refine their software skills in a number of rendering, editing and presentation programs, including Photoshop, Showcase, PowerPoint, SolidWorks, Alias, and Rhino, and apply them to the presentation of complex transportation design issues. Wherever possible, assignments will relate to the Transportation Design II class. In addition to learning visual communications as a means of conveying ideas to clients, students are taught to use digital tools as a means for experimentation, idea generation and problem solving.
Elective
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Elective

Studio Electives I, II and III offer opportunities for graduate students to select studio courses from CCS’s wide-ranging undergraduate programs, either to pursue personal creative interests, gain studio experience related to an intended thesis direction or augment basic skills. Students will make their selection in consultation with their graduate advisor(s).

  Elective
Close

Elective

Studio Electives I, II and III offer opportunities for graduate students to select studio courses from CCS’s wide-ranging undergraduate programs, either to pursue personal creative interests, gain studio experience related to an intended thesis direction or augment basic skills. Students will make their selection in consultation with their graduate advisor(s).

Second Year | Fall
Design Shared Courses Transportation Design
Design Graduate Studio III:
Phase 1
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Design Graduate Studio III:
Phase 1

The design projects assigned in Design Graduate Studio I, II, III and IV share the same structure, but differ in their complexity and duration. Students are assigned formally structured design projects, requiring a substantive research phase (augmented by the Contextual Design Research class), a prototype or concept development phase, followed by a concept/design refinement phase, finishing with design presentation and reflection phases. Topics will be relevant to today's ever-changing cultural and technological societies.

Graduate Seminar II
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Graduate Seminar II

Graduate Seminar II brings together the full cohort of CCS graduate students where they are exposed to key contemporary issues influencing the design professional. Students will attend lectures and workshops with visiting artists, designers and related industry and academic leaders. The Graduate Seminar serves to advance both the investigative and critical writing skills of students. Social context, sustainability, and ethics will be some of the themes addressed, possibly structured within a colloquial format. This seminar requires extensive reading, research and short, fast-paced assignments set in the various workshops. Students participate in individual and group presentations in the seminar. Open to graduate students only.

 Transportation Design Graduate Studio III
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Transportation Design Graduate Studio III

The design projects assigned in Transportation Design Graduate Studio I, II, III and IV share the same structure, but differ in their complexity and duration. Students are assigned formally structured design projects, requiring a substantive research phase (augmented by the Contextual Design Research class), a prototype or concept development phase, followed by a concept/design refinement phase, and finishing with design presentation and reflection phases. Topics will be relevant to today's ever-changing cultural and technological societies.

Design Graduate Thesis I
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Design Graduate Thesis I

The Design Graduate Thesis I and II curriculum is designed to help students synthesize external factors – such as technology, global and environmental issues and trends, including social change – and translate them into a form that is meaningful in a business setting to create relevant design solutions. “Relevant” in this context requires that students’ design solutions resonate with an identified market segment from all design and functional standpoints. Design Graduate Thesis I and II are studio courses where each student will be required to create a body of work that is the culmination of his/her graduate study experience. The Thesis will require that students follow a design development path that commences with an extensive and rigorous research phase. A business case and/or a creative brief will grow out of the research findings and will serve as the plan of work for the completion of the Thesis. Students will be expected to work through the subsequent phases of creating a high-quality creative deliverable(s), either digitally or hand-built as appropriate.

   Transportation Design Graduate Thesis I
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Transportation Design Graduate Thesis I

The Transportation Design Graduate Thesis I and II curriculum is designed to help students synthesize external factors - such as technology, global and environmental issues and trends, including social change – and translate them into a form that is meaningful in a business setting to create relevant design solutions. “Relevant” in this context requires that students’ design solutions resonate with an identified market segment, from all design and functional standpoints. The Transportation Design Graduate Thesis I and II are studio courses in which each student will be required to create a body of work that is the culmination of his/her graduate study experience. The Thesis will require that students follow a design development path that commences with an extensive and rigorous research phase. A business case and/or a creative brief will grow out of the research findings and will serve as the plan of work for the completion of the Thesis. Students will be expected to work through the subsequent phases of creating a high-quality creative deliverable(s), either digitally or hand built as appropriate.
Second Year | Winter
Design Shared Courses Transportation Design
Graduate Studio IV:
Phase 2
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Graduate Studio IV:
Phase 2

The design projects assigned in Design Graduate Studio I, II, III and IV share the same structure, but differ in their complexity and duration. Students are assigned formally structured design projects, requiring a substantive research phase (augmented by the Contextual Design Research class), a prototype or concept development phase, followed by a concept/design refinement phase, finishing with design presentation and reflection phases. Topics will be relevant to today's ever-changing cultural and technological societies.

Business Practices II
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Business Practices II

Business Practice II teaches business issues and the vocabulary of business related to product development management in a global context. Management matters specific to corporate settings and entrepreneurship will be explored. Written assignments include business plans and proposal writing. Development of verbal presentation skills is also a feature of this course sequence. Open to graduate students only.

Transportation Design Graduate Studio IV
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Transportation Design Graduate Studio IV

The design projects assigned in Transportation Design Graduate Studio I, II, III and IV share the same structure, but differ in their complexity and duration. Students are assigned formally structured design projects, requiring a substantive research phase (augmented by the Contextual Design Research class), a prototype or concept development phase, followed by a concept/design refinement phase, and finishing with design presentation and reflection phases. Topics will be relevant to today's ever-changing cultural and technological societies.

Design Graduate Thesis II
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Design Graduate Thesis II

The Design Graduate Thesis I and II curriculum is designed to help students synthesize external factors – such as technology, global and environmental issues and trends, including social change – and translate them into a form that is meaningful in a business setting to create relevant design solutions. “Relevant” in this context requires that students’ design solutions resonate with an identified market segment from all design and functional standpoints. Design Graduate Thesis I and II are studio courses where each student will be required to create a body of work that is the culmination of his/her graduate study experience. The Thesis will require that students follow a design development path that commences with an extensive and rigorous research phase. A business case and/or a creative brief will grow out of the research findings and will serve as the plan of work for the completion of the Thesis. Students will be expected to work through the subsequent phases of creating a high-quality creative deliverable(s), either digitally or hand-built as appropriate.

   Transportation Design Graduate Thesis II
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Transportation Design Graduate Thesis II

The Transportation Design Graduate Thesis I and II curriculum is designed to help students synthesize external factors - such as technology, global and environmental issues and trends, including social change – and translate them into a form that is meaningful in a business setting to create relevant design solutions. “Relevant” in this context requires that students’ design solutions resonate with an identified market segment, from all design and functional standpoints. The Transportation Design Graduate Thesis I and II are studio courses in which each student will be required to create a body of work that is the culmination of his/her graduate study experience. The Thesis will require that students follow a design development path that commences with an extensive and rigorous research phase. A business case and/or a creative brief will grow out of the research findings and will serve as the plan of work for the completion of the Thesis. Students will be expected to work through the subsequent phases of creating a high-quality creative deliverable(s), either digitally or hand built as appropriate.

 

MFA Design Curriculum

The graduate curriculum is best summed up by the place – Detroit. There is no other city where business and industry have so evidently been shaped by design; nor where design has so needed fluency in the language of factory floors and the bottom line.

Even then, the program distinguishes itself by requiring further study of liberal arts at the graduate level.

As ambitious as the curriculum is, it will be surpassed by the graduates themselves – designers whose goal is not to complete a program, but to engage the world.

Click to view the viewbook online

Download the 2011-2012 Graduate Catalog.

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College for Creative Studies MFA Program

in partnership with the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business