California College of the Arts
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Design Dual-Degree Curriculum

MA Design & MA Visual and Critical Studies Three-Year Curriculum

First Year, Fall (15 units)

Form Studio (IA/ID/CD tracks)
6 units
Contemporary Issues
3 units
Writing
3 units
Design Research
3 units

First Year, Spring (15 units)

Design Studio + Seminar 2** (choose one of the following tracks):
6 units
** (2D) Communication Design;
--
** (3D) Industrial Design; or
--
** (IA) Interaction & Scripting
--
History of Media
3 units
Entrepreneurship, Ethics & Intellectual Property
3 units
Elective (choose one): Sites, Perceptions, or Strategies
3 units

Second Year, Fall (15 units)

Design Studio 3: Transdisciplinary (choose one of the following tracks)
6 units
** (CD + IA);
--
** (ID + CD); or
--
** (ID + IA)
--
Thesis Presearch
3 units
Futurism
3 units
Elective (choose one): Strategies, Identities, or Perceptions
3 units

Second Year, Spring (15 units)

Thesis: Production
3 units
Thesis: Studio
3 units
Thesis: Research
3 units
Elective (choose one): Sites, Perceptions, or Strategies
3 units

Third Year, Fall (9 units)

Master's Project 1
3 units
Reviews (if not yet completed)
3 units
Elective (choose one): Strategies, Identities, or Perceptions
3 units

Third Year, Spring (9 units)

Master's Project 2
3 units
Master's Project 3
3 units
Elective: Sites, Perceptions, or Strategies (if not yet completed)
3 units

78 total units

These are degree requirements for students matriculated in fall 2008 and spring 2009.

** Visual Criticism Master's Project 1 and 2 courses count for Graduate Design Thesis Writing and Presentation courses.

Current Courses

See the Course Schedule for current courses and their descriptions.