Art and Design

The fully online Master of Arts in Design and Innovation (MDI) program aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary for success in the emerging creative economy. The mission of the program is to advance mid-career professionals to excel in three main areas: Design for Strategy and Systems, Design Experiences and Interactions, and Design Leadership and Impact. Students have the potential to advance in creative industry fields like marketing, branding, communication design, public relations, entertainment, product design, manufacturing, interactive software, and other fields that embrace creative design processes. The program will also allow students to explore how to leverage and lead creativity for inclusive local and global economies while integrating emerging technologies. MDI students culminate their journey with a comprehensive graduate project. Designed to be accessible to the fully employed student and the mid-career professional, the course load is 6 units in the first semester, 4 units in the second semester for each certificate, and culminating with a 3-unit graduate project in the final semester. The program follows a cohort-based structure with an integrated curriculum, ensuring that each course complements the next, and assignments are thoughtfully designed to connect both within individual courses and across the entire program.

A. Requirements for Admission to the Program

All successful applicants must meet the following requirements before they can enroll. Please note that in some cases the department requirements for admission are more stringent than the University requirements. The department will determine whether a student meets the additional requirements needed for admittance into the Master of Arts in Design and Innovation graduate program.

1. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college with a major in art, design, engineering, marketing, or communication with an overall GPA of 2.5 or above. Bachelor’s degrees with other majors will be considered with relevant work experience in other creative industries.
2. Samples of creative individual or collaborative work (2-3 projects).
3. One-page written statement by the applicant indicating career objectives.
4. Resume or curriculum vitae.
5. Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s potential for success in graduate studies.
6. Approval by the coordinator of the MDI program, who will review the application to determine if the student shows high promise of success in the program.

B. Classified and Conditionally Classified Status

Students pursuing a graduate degree must maintain a minimum 3.0 (“B”) GPA in the formal program and in the cumulative grade point average once admitted to the program. No grade below a “C” can be counted in the formal program. Any required course in which a grade of “C-” or below is earned must be repeated. (Note that up to 6 units of coursework are eligible for grade replacement, which students must request via the Course Repeat form.)

C. Program Requirements

Students must complete 30 units of approved coursework and 3 units in the cumulative experience. Specific required coursework consists of:

1. Required Courses (30 units)

a. Design Strategy and Systems Certificate

ART 562 Design Systems (3)
ART 564 Design Strategy (3)
ART 645 Design Strategy and Systems Practicum (4)

b. Design Experiences and Interactions Certificate

ART 566 Research for Designing Experiences and Interactions (3)
ART 567 Design for Inclusive Experiences and Interactions (3)
ART 646 Design for Experiences and Interactions Practicum (4)

c. Design Leadership and Impact Certificate

ART 568 Design Leadership for the Creative Economy (3)
ART 569 Design for Intra/Entrepreneurship (3)
ART 647 Design for Leadership and Impact Practicum (4)

Note: The three certificate programs are offered serially, over a 3-year cycle. Certificates may be completed in any order, but note that courses expire after 7 years. Students aspiring to earn the MDI must complete all coursework within the 7 years prior to their completion of ART 698DI.

2. Culminating Experience (3 units)

ART 698DI Graduate Project (3)

Total Units Required for the M.A. Degree: 33