Course General Description

As a profession, graphic design weds art and commerce, form and content, and aesthetics and function. It began in the late 19th century as a service-oriented field with a few visionary practitioners emerging in each generation who set the standards and styles and established its philosophical underpinnings. For more than a decade advances in media have created many new creative opportunities, changing the role of graphic designers by forcing them to go beyond simply framing ideas into content development. Although production skills are necessary, graphic designers are increasingly in demand to contribute original “design thinking” into such fields as branding, publishing, editorial, packaging and products. The floodgates were opened with the introduction of the digital tools; graphic design has been a component of a larger creative practice ever since. At this crossroads, designers were given the choice to become glorified production “artists,” framing and finessing others’ ideas, or building upon their expertise, develop concepts integral to the success of a client’s wares. The MFA Design / Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program was the first in the country to emphasize an entrepreneurial course of study that raises the level of design expertise and achievement.

School General Description

Welcome to New York City, SVA’s hometown, and the leader of today’s creative economy, with more than 14,000 creative businesses and nonprofits. According to the EY Global Talent in Global Cities 2015 study, New York attracts more creative talent than any other city in the world because it “enjoys a unique cultural scene, embedded in a cosmopolitan and forward-thinking urban environment.” There is no better place to study, practice and work as a creative professional. Critique is a vital and challenging part of the educational experience in a college of art and design. Participating in this practice requires students to be open and vulnerable while they present their work for discussion and questioning, and to trust the transformative powers of the process in service of the work. Through the frequent repetition of this act of openness, students and faculty share and strengthen their humanity, empathy and kinship and their work evolves.