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Master of Fine Arts in Graphic and Interactive Design

The Master of Fine Arts in Graphic and Interactive Design �������ٳ�� is a two-year, STEM-certified 60-credit program that offers an immersive, research-driven experience in design. This program combines advanced design practices with deep critical inquiry, encouraging students to push the boundaries of traditional and digital media to address contemporary design challenges. The curriculum emphasizes leadership, innovation��and the exploration of form and interaction, preparing graduates to influence the future of design through impactful, socially conscious work.��

Why study graphic and interactive design at Tyler?��

• Interdisciplinary curriculum: Tyler’s MFA program provides a balance of traditional and contemporary design approaches. Students explore a wide range of mediums, including image making, illustration, digital interfaces, motion design��and experimental typography. The curriculum emphasizes the intersection of form, visual storytelling, and interaction, encouraging students to explore how these elements can be combined in innovative ways. Learn more about the Graphic and Interactive Design MFA curriculum. ��
• Leadership, entrepreneurship and professional development: Students are encouraged to develop leadership skills, preparing them for diverse career paths in academia, industry, and entrepreneurial ventures. The program integrates professional practice courses, allowing students to gain business acumen and strategic thinking. These experiences, combined with mentorship from faculty, enable students to acquire teaching positions, lead creative projects, launch their own ventures��or enter top design studios.��
• Mentorship and real-world experience: Personalized mentorship from award-winning faculty helps students refine their visual voice and explore both practical and conceptual aspects of design. Real-world projects and collaborations with industry partners allow students to engage in hands-on problem-solving. Students are also encouraged to explore socially conscious design, addressing community needs and ethical challenges through their work.��
• State-of-the-art facilities: Tyler’s advanced design studios and 51����’s research resources support students’ exploration of both traditional and digital techniques. The Digital Fabrication Studio offers tools such as laser cutting and 3D printing, while 51����’s resources as a leading R1 research institution provide additional opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. Read about the innovative facilities and studios you will use as a student at Tyler.

Graduate Outcomes

Tyler MFA graduates leave the program equipped with the skills to lead in many settings. Alumni have become prominent leaders in design studios, started their own entrepreneurial ventures and taken on academic roles in top institutions. The program’s focus on leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation prepares graduates to make a meaningful impact on the design field.��

Philadelphia as a Design Hub

Philadelphia’s vibrant design community provides MFA students with a living laboratory for experimentation. The city offers extensive opportunities for internships, networking��and professional development, and its proximity to New York City and Washington, D.C., makes it an ideal location for design exploration.

Program Format & Curriculum����

Graduate students participate in a rigorous, interdisciplinary practice that often involves projects such as design authorship, design for the screen, experimental design, illustration, motion graphics, packaging, publication design, social design and UX/UI.  

In addition to core courses, students have considerable flexibility and choice when selecting art history, studio elective classes, either within Tyler’s graduate curriculum or across the university. Critique and critical discourse are foundational to the program of study.

Some of the courses you will complete as part of the Graphic and Interactive Design MFA include the following.����

• 3D Modeling for Design ��

• Design Activism ��

• Design Research Methods ��

• Design Theory��

• Informational Storytelling ��

• Lettering Design��

• Motion Design��

Learn more about the coursework for the Graphic and Interactive Design MFA.

MFA Thesis Exhibition

The Graphic and Interactive Design MFA program culminates in a thesis exhibition, where students showcase their research, design work��and refined expertise. This capstone experience allows students to synthesize everything they’ve learned, positioning them for leadership roles in design.��

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