Don Adleta, Chair, Professor

Sherry Blankenship, Associate Professor

Josh Bodman, Visiting Assistant Professor

Understanding the role of graphic design within a pluralistic society and a cross-cultural context are essential components of a graduate design education. The power of design thinking identifies challenges, frames opportunities, manages complex situations, generates approaches, creates deeper understanding and shapes meaningful experiences.

The Ohio University graphic design environment recognizes and maintains a high regard for research of the designer as witness, as reporter, as seducer, as innovator, and as producer.

Athens and Ohio University provide a peaceful and safe environment that serves as an incubator for thought. Since there is very little visual noise, the infrastructure allows a balance of rigorous professional work as well as social experiences.

The Master of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design at Ohio University is a three-year program.

Philosophy

The goals of the program are accomplished by focusing our direction toward research that

• addresses design within a multi-cultural world

• explores social awareness and contextual messaging as content

• brings the research into professional forums through papers, lectures and publishing.

We rebuild fundamental skills of perception, interpretation, and inventiveness as well as understanding of the nature and meaning of visual form in context. Our graduates’ ultimate strength is translating ideas into visual form that communicates an intended message to a targeted audience.

Curriculum

The first and second years are devoted to studio research, seminars, art history, elective coursework, plus an internship/education abroad experience in design; the third year is an intensive commitment to research in preparation for the thesis presentation that results in a comprehensive written document along with a complementary exhibition.

A (normal) full-time academic load is 18 credit-hours per quarter. The student’s review committee members guide progress toward the degree to the successful completion of 135 credit hours.

Credit Hour Requirements Summary:

46 studio major

18 studio electives

20 art history/academic studies (including a 5-credit theory course)

6 seminars (3-credit seminar in area + 3-credit interdisciplinary seminar)

(90 minimum total course credits requirements)

45 studio thesis

135 TOTAL (optional + 6 written thesis)

Courses:

Year 1:

Each of the three sequences below research various design paradigms explored through a rebuilding of pragmatic processes.

ART 555 Graphic Design I (5)

ART 556 Graphic Design II (5)Prerequisite: 555

ART 557 Graphic Design III (5)Prerequisite: 556A portion of the last course is to research a site for the research to be conducted during ART 655.

Year 2:

ART 655 Design Applied Research (5-12)

Prerequisite: 557

This course is dedicated to participating in a design internship/assistantship with an internationally recognized designer or design firm, or a study abroad experience related to the field of research chosen and approved by the student’s committee. Two quarters are required.

ART 656 Design IV (5)

Prerequisite: 655

A comparative analysis process will prepare the student for thesis and third year of visual research. The design thesis proposal will be presented for approval.

Year 3:

ART 695 Design Written Thesis

Review Process

Each student accepted into the School of Art Graduate Program is assigned an advisor who acts as the chairperson for the student’s formal reviews until graduation.

First-year MFA candidacy review occurs close to the end of the first year of study and admits the student to full candidacy for the degree by the student’s committee members.

Before the second-year, students are required to arrange with the assistance of the chair of their committee an internship or a study abroad experience for completion of the requirements within the Design Program.

The thesis proposal review occurs close to the end of the second year of study and establishes the goals and guidelines of the student’s thesis exhibition.Thesis exhibition/presentation format review occurs prior to the end of the third year of study and satisfies an oral defense of the thesis exhibition/presentation format.

Visiting Lecturers

• Denise Gonzales Crisp, North Carolina State University, innovator of the ‘decorative’ within graphic design
• Steff Geissbuhler, C&G Partners
• Wolfgang Weingart, Algemeine Kunstgewerbeschule, Basel, Switzerland
• Nina Pattek, RISD and designer in Boston, Massachusetts
• Oscar Fernandez, University of CincinnatiJerry Kuyper, principle designer at Landor Associates, Siegel & Gale Associates, Lippencott and Mercer
• Leslie Haynes, American Express Design Division in New York
• Ken Heibert, University of the Arts, Philadelphia
• Andrew Blauvelt, Walker Art Center, St Paul, Minneapolis
• Kate Weingart-Wolfe, New School Bern, Switzerland
• Russell Banks, Gensler, Los Angeles
• John Paolini, Partner, Executive Creative Director, Sullivan, New York
• Deborah Cavanagh, Associate Publisher, Creative Service, Vogue

Our Facilities

The Graphic Design Graduate Program finds its home within the College of Fine Arts along with video, film, music, theater and dance. Cross-disciplinary activity is encouraged—MFA candidates in graphic design are encouraged to diversify their exploration through interdisciplinary research. Graphic Design shares Seigfred Hall with:

Printmaking with the largest number of Bavarian limestones in the United States along with papermaking, etching, and serigraphy;

Photography, with its labs both new and traditional;

Ceramics, known as one of the top three ceramics research institutions;

Painting and drawing, offer both traditional and new-media with private studios at our Ridges’ facility;

Sculpture has one of the best foundries in the Midwest and offers an expanded practices program;

Art History, researching topics such as contemporary Asian cultures, gender-specific extensions in critical art discourse along with traditional art history.

Our graduate students have the opportunity to work in the College of Fine Arts’ Aesthetic Technology Lab with other graduate candidates from the college. This environment is well established and is being continually advanced by the college. Graduate candidates are highly encouraged to advance their research in this lab.

Graphic Design has open research studios dedicated to the major.

The Vandercook letterpress room has an extensive and rare collection of metal and wood type for designing and printing.

To Apply

Specific information regarding the School of Art graduate programs and Financial Aid can be found in the Graduate Guide. To apply, click here