Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
Master of Fine Arts in Visual Communication Design
Rochester Institute of Technology, USA
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
USD 41,424 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* $41,424 - $54,974 | based on credits taken
Key Summary
About: The Master of Fine Arts in Visual Communication Design at Rochester Institute of Technology covers graphic, interaction, motion, and 3D digital design. You’ll design user-centered experiences for screens, including mobile phones, automotive panels, medical devices, and wearables, combining communication theory, aesthetics, and design studies. RIT's inclusive community and cooperative education and paid work programs support practical learning and career development.
Career Outcomes: Graduates enter design, internet and software, electronic and computer hardware, advertising, PR, and marketing as UI/UX designer, user experience designer, UX and visual designer, consulting art director, designer/animator, type designer, UI/UX developer, including consulting, freelance, and entrepreneurship.
This visual communications degree offers a comprehensive opportunity to investigate the intersection of graphic, interaction, and motion design. You will focus on conceptualizing and creating a user-centered design wherever there is a screen or digital experience. This can include mobile phones, automotive instrument panels, medical devices, wearables, and more. This major reinforces the importance of user experience design by combining insight from all areas of design. Choose to focus your studies or combine course sequences from communication design, interaction design, motion design, and design studies. By combining historical, communication, and aesthetic theory, principles, and creativity, your work will anticipate design evolution and lead innovation.
The MFA in visual communication design focuses on all areas of design, including graphic design, user experience/interaction design, design studies, motion graphics, and 3D digital design. The changing landscape of people’s everyday interactions has blurred the lines between respected design fields, giving designers new responsibilities to shape experiences. The MFA program embraces this new technology through its curriculum, which addresses these merging skill sets.
The MFA in visual communication design provides a learning environment for advancement in innovative research, user-centered design, and professional practice focusing on the creative potentials of visual communication through a full spectrum of media. Students may advance their design knowledge and technical skills by choosing an option in communication design, interaction design, or motion and 3D digital design.
The cross-disciplinary nature of the program offers a greater potential to foster innovation and creativity in visual communication design. The program reflects the current views and changes occurring in the professional design field. The skill sets required of graphic, interactive, and digital design have now crossed over and are interrelated.
Visual communication design (communication design option), MFA degree, typical course sequence
First Year
- VCDE-701 Design History Seminar
- VCDE-706 3D Modeling and Motion
- VCDE-707 Web and UI Design
- VCDE-708 Typography
- VCDE-709 Digital Design in Motion
- VCDE-712 Design Studies Seminar
- VCDE-717 Design Systems
Choose one of the following:
- VCDE-718 Project Design and Implementation
- VCEE-722 Praxis I
- Professional Elective
- Free Elective
Second Year
- VCDE-742 Information Design
- VCDE-746 Professional Practices
- VCDE-790 Thesis Research and Planning
- VCDE-890 Thesis Implementation and Evaluation
- Professional Electives
- Free Electives
Visual communication design (interaction design option), MFA degree, typical course sequence
First Year
- VCDE-701 Design History Seminar
- VCDE-706 3D Modeling and Motion
- VCDE-707 Web and UI Design
- VCDE-708 Typography
- VCDE-709 Digital Design in Motion
- VCDE-712 Design Studies Seminar
- VCDE-723 Interaction Design
Choose one of the following:
- VCDE-718 Project Design and Implementation
- VCDE-722 Praxis I
- Professional Elective
- Free Elective
Second Year
- VCDE-736 UX Design Strategies
- VCDE-746 Professional Practices
- VCDE-790 Thesis Research and Planning
- VCDE-890 Thesis Implementation and Evaluation
- Professional Elective
- Free Electives
Visual communication design (motion and 3D digital design option), MFA degree, typical course sequence
First Year
- VCDE-701 Design History Seminar
- VCDE-706 3D Modeling and Motion
- VCDE-707 Web and UI Design
- VCDE-708 Typography
- VCDE-709 Digital Design in Motion
- VCDE-712 Design Studies Seminar
Choose one of the following:
- VCDE-718 Project Design and Implementation
- VCDE-722 Praxis I
- VCDE-728 Motion Graphics
- VCDE-731 3D Visual Design
- Professional Elective
Second Year
- VCDE-636 3D Motion Design
- VCDE-746 Professional Practices
- VCDE-790 Thesis Research and Planning
- VCDE-890 Thesis Implementation and Evaluation
- Professional Elective
- Free Electives
RIT awards more than $37 million in merit scholarships and assistantships to graduate students each year. Scholarship awards range from 10% - 40% of tuition. Awards are based on an applicant's academic excellence. Many things are considered when awarding scholarships - undergraduate grades, graduate placement test scores, and your research and work experience all factor in.
Graduate assistantships are offered to full-time matriculated graduate students to serve as teaching, research, or administrative assistants. Graduate Assistants receive wages (determined by the department making the appointment) in exchange for work performed. Many graduate assistants also receive tuition remission (i.e., tuition support) in addition to receiving wages for assistantship duties.
Graduate students can be awarded both scholarships and assistantships. These funding opportunities are the same for both US and international applicants.
Optional Co-Op
Cooperative education is paid work assignments with corporations and organizations around the U.S. and abroad. Co-op allows students to spend one or more semesters employed in a full-time, paid position related to their academic program before they graduate. Many students use co-op earnings to help finance their education.
Work-Study
Graduate students studying full-time may apply to work part-time on campus. RIT has more than 9,000 jobs available yearly, and students typically work 10 – 20 hours per week. International students studying on an F-1 or J-1 visa may work up to 20 hours per week on campus and 40 hours during break periods.
Industries
- Design
- Internet and Software
- Electronic and Computer Hardware
- Advertising, PR, and Marketing
Typical Job Titles
- Consulting Art Director and Visual Designer
- Designer/Animator
- Type Designer
- UI/UX Designer
- UI/UX Designer and Developer
- User Experience Designer
- UX and Visual Designer
Most of our programs offer "rolling" application review - there is no specific deadline for applications; applications will be accepted and reviewed throughout the year.