Course General Description

In the Master of Arts program in Exhibition and Experience Design, you will learn to create environmental experiences that inform, entertain, and inspire. You will focus on the designers role and relationship to other members of the exhibition team while considering the exhibition experience from the perspectives of communication, design, and fabrication. This intensive three-semester program is designed for candidates with professional experience as well as for recent graduates. (Students can also choose to take courses on a part-time basis) Drawing on a range of disciplines including interior design, graphic design, industrial design, exhibit production, architecture, and lighting, you will explore the methods, techniques, and technologies needed to create exhibitions for a variety of venues, from museums to trade shows to public spaces. A faculty of exhibition experience designers, content developers, graphic and lighting designers, and design historians offer current industry expertise. Courses blend classroom study, guest lectures, site visits, and hands-on experience. You will learn to plan and design professional presentations, master a variety of design techniques and computer applications, and construct three-dimensional models. You will participate in a variety of Master Classes and Workshops in professional practices within the Exhibition and Experiential Design industry. You can also choose to obtain a certification in design project management and business development. Students execute multiple full-scale projects, working with professionals in actual venues through The Design Partnership. You will also complete an independent, interdisciplinary qualifying academic design project in your final semester. You will graduate prepared for a variety of careers with exhibition design and production firms, museums, corporations, and public venues.

School General Description

One of New York City’s premier public institutions, FIT is an internationally recognized college for design, fashion, art, communications, and business. We’re known for our rigorous, unique, and adaptable academic programming, experiential learning opportunities, academic and industry partnerships, and commitment to research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. While our pedagogical mission is to prepare our students for professional excellence in design and business, our broader ethos is to foster creativity, inspire leadership, impart a global perspective, and educate students to embrace inclusiveness, commit to sustainability, and engage with community. We encourage students, scholars, teachers, and industry colleagues to cross traditional boundaries of both geography and disciplines. Together we strive to develop innovative design and strategic business solutions that will upend the status quo, create personal and professional opportunity, and have a lasting and sustainable global impact.