Program Goals and Objectives

The Master of Graphic Design program is a two-year, full-time course of advanced study in the field. The program places primary importance on the ability of students to be critical agents, to seek problems and to pose questions. Faculty evaluate graduate students on their ability to define individual investigations and to support their decision-making with an independent program of reading and research; an ability to critically evaluate and articulate discoveries; and an ability to synthesize ideas through the creation of design projects.

The main thrust of our graduate program is to provide a research dimension. Students contribute to the understanding of graphic design through investigations into its history, theory, criticism and methodology, as well as its practice. Graduate students come from a variety of academic and professional practice backgrounds. The department accepts students who have an undergraduate degree in graphic design or comparable professional practice experience, as well as those with degrees in other disciplines who see a connection between their previous study and graphic design.

Course of Study

The Department of Graphic Design offers a 48 credit-hour program of study leading to the degree, Master of Graphic Design. Because of the intensive nature of our program, part-time enrollment is not possible. Our innovative program is structured around three topical frameworks. These critical content frameworks examine different contexts for understanding and making graphic design:

• The cognitive interaction between audiences and graphic design artifacts.
• The cultural relationships among graphic designers and audiences, and
• The social role of digital media in new electronic information environments.

These topics are presented and discussed in seminar courses; projects are developed and produced in corresponding studios. Students are expected to respond to short faculty assignments, followed by more extensive individual projects that arise from seminar issues. In the final semester of study, candidates complete an extensive, semester-long research project undertaken with the advice and guidance of a three-member faculty committee.

Seminars include readings in cognitive and social psychology, anthropology, sociology, linguistics, social and cultural theory, and media studies. Students write about and discuss emerging research and critical frameworks in design. The co-requisite studio allows students to apply seminar information in faculty- and student-driven studio investigations.

A National Leader

The Master of Graphic Design is accredited as a terminal degree program by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. US News and World Report has ranked it among the top seven graphic design programs nationally and second among public universities. It is a two-year, full-time course of advanced study that places primary importance on the ability of students to be critical agents and to pose researchable questions.

For more information, please visit the Master of Graphic Design website

For information on applying for the Master of Graphic Design program, please visit the graduate admissions page of this website.

For additional information on Graduate programs available at NC State University, visit the Graduate School website at: http://www.ncsu.edu/grad.