Design Degrees Online

Textile Creation
The instruction offered by teachers in this studio focuses on creating functional – applied and free – wall-mounted or spatial textiles. The syllabus of this study programme is extended by the students´ creation of clothing fabrics and clothes with accessories. Their work with other materials and their combination (paper, metal, artificial materials, natural elements) is considered to be an important factor of enrichment. It makes artistic procedures much richer and enables thus the learning of specific qualities of different materials and stimulates the creative principles of students’ work in the course of carrying out these tasks. The faculty of this studio considers the nurture of creativity in their students as its main pedagogical goal. Creativity should also enable students to find and use their own individual expression in the course of their study.

Course Title Course # Credits
Hoffberger School of Painting I PT 6550A 9-12
Hoffberger School of Painting II PT 6550A 9-12
Hoffberger School of Painting III PT 6550A 9-12
Hoffberger School of Painting IV PT 6551A 9-12
Graduate Liberal Arts Seminars 12

Total Credits for the MFA in Painting: 60

Course Descriptions
Hoffberger School of Painting I
PT 5550A 12 credits
App. Offered fall. An intensive studio experience for first-year students focusing on independent work with frequent visits and critiques by the program’s director, artists-in-residence, and visiting artists. Prerequisite: Hoffberger students only.

Hoffberger School of Painting II
PT 5551A 12 credits
App. Offered spring. A continuation of PT 5550 for first-year Hoffberger students. Prerequisite: Hoffberger students only.

Hoffberger School of Painting III
PT 6550A 12 credits
App. Offered fall. An intensive studio experience for second-year Hoffberger students. Work is reviewed by the director and visiting artists. Students prepare work for the thesis exhibition. Prerequisite: Hoffberger students only.

Hoffberger School of Painting IV

PT 6551A 12 credits
App. Offered spring. A continuation of PT 6550A. Prerequisite: Hoffberger students only.

Rinehart School of Sculpture’s goal is to train artists for the 21st century, including the art of the moment, and to make sure that each student understands the implications of his or her work. Rinehart’s 10 students work in many media, from performance and video to traditional metals and stone.

Students are assigned to individual studios surrounding a common work area, which includes a complete wood and metal shop. The studios open into the shared space so that ideas are exchanged and peer interaction and discourse occur naturally and frequently. In this secure environment, the creative process flourishes, and ideas take shape and become substance.

Weekly seminars include guests who reinforce our varied practices. There are reading seminars and writing workshops. Guests assist in career development, and equal attention is given to history and theory. Rinehart students learn to proceed independently and with authority as they approach professional status.

In order to complete the MFA, students are required to take 48 credits in studio and 12 credits in liberal arts seminars. A selection of seminars specifically designed for graduate students is offered each semester, but graduate students may also take undergraduate liberal arts courses for graduate credit with the instructor’s permission. Undergraduate studio classes may also be taken for graduate credit, but permission of the director is required.

The Master of Arts in Exhibition Design is a new program designed to take advantage of the extensive collections, museum professionals, and courses available within the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design. From the expansive permanent collection to the special exhibitions that take place each year—most recently, Modernism: Designing a New World 1914–1939, Treasures of European Decorative Arts and The European Landscape—our students work with the curators and designers who make these exciting exhibitions a reality.

Graduates of the program are equipped with a strong background in design and a firm grasp of art history, affording them many professional opportunities. Alumni of the design fields at the Corcoran are well prepared for employment in museums, cultural institutions, exhibition design firms, and interior design and architectural firms throughout the country.

The Master of Arts in Exhibition Design serves students with undergraduate degrees in Museum Studies, Art History, or Design by providing a two-year course of graduate study that challenges and motivates the student to develop advanced skills necessary to the profession. Students who possess bachelor degrees in other fields of study may pursue a prescribed series of prerequisites in order to enter the graduate degree program curriculum.

Communication Design Course

Here are some of the courses offered as part of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design:
Typography
Logos and Corporate Identity
Environmental Graphics
Web Process

Electives courses:
Exhibition/POP Design
Illustration Technology
Art Direction

Course Spotlight: Take a closer look at Typography I and Logos and Corporate Identity.

TYP202 Typography I
This class is an introduction to the concrete and conceptual aspects of typography as a visual medium. The course will deal with the technical requirements of typography as well as abstract compositional uses for typography, integrating hand skills and the computer as a way to render type. Historical and current forms of alphabetic communications will be explored, along with the relationship to modern image-based communications. Additionally, one hour of each class is focused on the history of type.

VSC301 Logos and Corporate Identity
Incorporating skills and knowledge gained in prerequisite visual communication skills courses, this course focuses on Logo Design and Corporate Identity. Students work on creating various logos, culminating in the selection of a business and creation of a final logo based on interviews with the business owner. The second half of the course focuses on creating an identity manual. Additionally, one hour of lecture per class will focus on the history of design.

Scholarships + Financial Aid

If at any point you have questions or concerns please contact the Financial Aid Office at 800.888.ARTS or 303.753.6046.
Priority Dates

Some financial aid funds are limited so you are encouraged to apply early as possible. Regardless of type all financial aid applications should be in our office before the following priority dates:
March 15 for fall term applicants
November 15 for spring term applicants
February 15 for summer term applicants
Quick Reference:
Apply for admission if you haven’t already.
Complete the FAFSA for State and Federal aid.
New students can apply for our Merit Scholarship and/or our Talent Scholarship. Existing students should keep an eye on their RMCAD email account.
Talk to the aid office about any available work-study openings, and apply for private grants and scholarships.
Types of Aid

About 80% of our student body utilizes some form of financial aid. There are four common types of financial aid: loans, grants, scholarships and work-study.

Grants are considered “gift aid” an do not have to be repaid. Grants are generally based on financial need.

Scholarships are like grants in that they do not need to be repaid. They are generally awarded based on merit or ability.

Work-study programs provide a limited number of paying part time jobs. Students work at the college or for a community service organization to help pay for educational expenses.

Student Loans are borrowed money that must be reapid, with interest. Typically a bank or the government, lends you money to pay for your education. You have to meet certain criteria to qualify for the loan.

Research and apply for as many grants and scholarships as you can. Loans are common, but be aware that there are consequences for not making payments on time. Accepting a loan should be taken seriously.

Almost all kinds of financial aid require you to pass your classes, and to work towards a degree within a fixed amount of time. If you fail too many classes, or complete too few classes each term you may have to return some or all of your financial aid money. Carefully read the terms that come with each loan, grant or scholarship.
Sources of Financial Aid

State and Federal Governments are the most common sources of financial aid. A single form is used to apply for all government aid: the the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Learn more about these on our FAFSA and Grants and Loans pages.

RMCAD offers a variety of scholarships for new and returning students. Students who recently graduated from high school and are attending college for the first time can apply for our Merit Scholarship. Continuing students will be notified of other available scholarships via their RMCAD student e-mail account. Learn more on the RMCAD Scholarship page.

Private Outside Assistance is one of the best sources of scholarships. Think about all the groups, clubs, businesses, churches and organizations in your community. Each of these is a potential source for scholarships. We’ve compiled an informal list of scholarship resources to get you started.

Bachelor of Science – Industrial Design – Campus :

As to the product design sector, the professionals graduating from the three-year degree course are defined design technicians, capable of developing all the aspects of integration between product design and technological and productive processes. These professionals usually find employment in the Technical and Research and Development Departments of companies, or with professional design and consulting firms.

The degree course is full time activity. It is characterized by many different didactical activities: Monodisciplinary Courses are characterized by theoretic contents communicated by means of ex cathedra lessons and verified throughout the year with tests and interviews. Integrative Courses cover more than one discipline or specific context, and are taught by two teachers who supplement one another. Experimental Workshops are taught in the workshops, where the students are given an opportunity to experiment and use the tools used in design professions. Design Studios involve both a number of internal teachers employed by the Faculty and several external professionals and feature design activities where the students work under the guidance of a team of teachers, each contributing with his or her expertise as related to the subject of the design. Design Seminars (workshop) are of a duration of one week during which the students develop a project under the guidance of an established and well-known professional or a company. Erasmus Program and the other international mobility projects enable the students to spend six months studying abroad, at qualified European and non-European design universities. Professional Apprenticeship enable the student to works with a company or design studio that collaborates with the Polytechnic, under the guidance of a tutor of the Faculty and a tutor appointed by the company.

The final graduation relates to the acquisition of 180 Credits. Students graduating from the Degree Course must possess a solid basic education in the design disciplines, that prepare them for an in-depth study of both the methods and the technical and operative instruments. They must, in particular, be sufficiently familiar with the formal and functional representation of the product (from manual drawing to technical drawing, from photography to the production of three-dimensional product models), the techniques of production of digital images, visual languages, the perceptive mechanisms that characterize individuals, the chromatic systems. They must moreover know methods of planning and designing of products, and all aspects concerning their distribution and marketing. A very important aspect of the education of a product designer consists of the acquisition of scientific and technical skills associated with the materials and techniques of transformation of the products in prototypes and subsequently in mass produced goods. A knowledge of manufacturing technologies and processes, of economic systems, business organizations and strategies is fundamental in this sense. Along with these sectors, the historical and critical disciplines associated with products and their evolution, semiotics and aesthetics, sociology and psychology play an equally important role.

Bachelor of Science – Furniture Design – Campus :

As to the product design sector, the professionals graduating from the three-year degree course are defined design technicians, capable of developing all the aspects of integration between product design and technological and productive processes. These professionals usually find employment in the Technical and Research and Development Departments of companies, or with professional design and consulting firms.

The degree course is full time activity. It is characterized by many different didactical activities: Monodisciplinary Courses are characterized by theoretic contents communicated by means of ex cathedra lessons and verified throughout the year with tests and interviews. Integrative Courses cover more than one discipline or specific context, and are taught by two teachers who supplement one another. Experimental Workshops are taught in the workshops, where the students are given an opportunity to experiment and use the tools used in design professions. Design Studios involve both a number of internal teachers employed by the Faculty and several external professionals and feature design activities where the students work under the guidance of a team of teachers, each contributing with his or her expertise as related to the subject of the design. Design Seminars (workshop) are of a duration of one week during which the students develop a project under the guidance of an established and well-known professional or a company. Erasmus Program and the other international mobility projects enable the students to spend six months studying abroad, at qualified European and non-European design universities. Professional Apprenticeship enable the student to works with a company or design studio that collaborates with the Polytechnic, under the guidance of a tutor of the Faculty and a tutor appointed by the company.

The final graduation relates to the acquisition of 180 Credits. Students graduating from the Degree Course imust possess a solid basic education in the design disciplines, that prepare them for an in-depth study of both the methods and the technical and operative instruments. They must, in particular, be sufficiently familiar with the formal and functional representation of the product (from manual drawing to technical drawing, from photography to the production of three-dimensional product models), the techniques of production of digital images, visual languages, the perceptive mechanisms that characterize individuals, the chromatic systems. They must moreover know methods of planning and designing of products, and all aspects concerning their distribution and marketing. A very important aspect of the education of a furniture designer consists of the acquisition of scientific and technical skills associated with the materials and techniques of transformation of the products in prototypes and subsequently in mass produced goods. A knowledge of manufacturing technologies and processes, of economic systems, business organizations and strategies is fundamental in this sense. Along with these sectors, the historical and critical disciplines associated with products and their evolution, semiotics and aesthetics, sociology and psychology play an equally important role.

Bachelor of Science – Fashion Design – Campus :

The graduates from the Degree Course in Industrial Fashion Design will find employment as design technicians with professional firms and companies in the fashion sector and the induced business associated with it (textiles, accessories, etc.).

The degree course is full time activity. It is characterized by many different didactical activities: Monodisciplinary Courses are characterized by theoretic contents communicated by means of ex cathedra lessons and verified throughout the year with tests and interviews. Integrative Courses cover more than one discipline or specific context, and are taught by two teachers who supplement one another. Experimental Workshops are taught in the workshops, where the students are given an opportunity to experiment and use the tools used in design professions. Design Studios involve both a number of internal teachers employed by the Faculty and several external professionals and feature design activities where the students work under the guidance of a team of teachers, each contributing with his or her expertise as related to the subject of the design. Design Seminars (workshop) are of a duration of one week during which the students develop a project under the guidance of an established and well-known professional or a company. Erasmus Program and the other international mobility projects enable the students to spend six months studying abroad, at qualified European and non-European design universities. Professional Apprenticeship enable the student to works with a company or design studio that collaborates with the Polytechnic, under the guidance of a tutor of the Faculty and a tutor appointed by the company.

The final graduation relates to the acquisition of 180 Credits. Students graduating from the Degree Course in Industrial Fashion Design must possess a solid basic education within the context of the design disciplines, and be ready for an in-depth study of both the methodological and the technical-operative aspects. They must, in particular, master the instruments and techniques associated with the formal and functional representation of the product (from manual drawing to technical drawing, from photography to the creation of models and prototypes of the products), the techniques of representation of the images and the visual languages, and be familiar with the mechanisms of visual perception and chromatic systems. They must moreover possess the basic skills necessary for design activities in the fashion sector (organization of the product range and the collection, etc.) and all the aspects that contribute to its creation, communication and sale (visual merchandising, events, exhibition design and show rooms, magazines, coordinated image). The training also calls for the mastery of the scientific-technological skills associated with engineering sciences (of the materials used in fashion product, the methods of preparation of prototypes and product engineering, the technologies used in the preparation and processing, and the economic-productive systems); the graduates must possess skills in economics and management (estimation of costs, organizational and management models, business strategy and administration); they must possess historical-critical knowledge (associated with the sociology of consumption and fashion, the culture of textiles and its historical evolution, the study of semiotics and aesthetics, anthropology etc.).

A major in interior design prepares students to be creative problem-solvers. The course work provides systematic and coordinated approaches to the design process, resulting in appropriate interior environments in the private and public sectors. Some of the most interesting aspects of this major are the studio classes, allowing students hands-on experience creating projects for diverse populations, special purposes and environmental concerns. Students work with the latest technology and computer applications, and a supervised intership is required of all interior design majors.

The interior design program requires 123 hours of course work: 64 in the major, 15 in electives and 44 in Liberal Arts Core (includes 3 hours double-counted in the major).

Major:

Interior Design, B.A.