Designers that rise to the top can write, articulate, weave a narrative, and communicate ideas in a compelling way - Khoi Vinh, Principal Designer, Adobe.
Do you have a research project you’d like to take to the next level? Are you challenged by communicating your ideas in multiple formats?
The rigorous one-year MA in Design Research, Writing & Criticism offers a high-impact, targeted program, well suited to the circumstances of established professionals, in addition to graduates wishing to continue their studies at an advanced level. Located at the School of Visual Arts in the heart of New York City, the program features an unparalleled core faculty and professional network, comprised of celebrated editors, writers, and designers. With a two-semester timeframe and forward-looking curriculum, the SVA MA in Design Research provides intensive instruction in the tools and techniques for researching, analyzing, and interpreting design, and its cultural and environmental implications.
Core faculty includes New York Times senior culture reporter Robin Pogrebin, author and graphic designer Steven Heller, urban design critic Karrie Jacobs, and PIN-UP magazine founding editor Alexandre de Looz, among others. Visiting lecturers and critics have included: New York Times senior critic Michael Kimmelman, New Journalism progenitor Gay Talese, 2018 Venice Architecture Biennial curator Mimi Zeiger, interaction designer Dan K. Chen, media critic Virginia Heffernan, technology ethnographer Tricia Wang, author and Studio 360 host Kurt Andersen, Google Research & Machine Intelligence design lead Rob Giampietro, and more.
Priority deadline for online application and supporting materials is January 16, 2018. Successful candidates will be granted significant scholarships. Please contact us for details!
Kimberlie Birks, class of 2011, wrote her thesis on the design of playgrounds and is currently authoring a book on design for children to be published by Phaidon.
It was one of the best decisions I’ve made professionally. This program really ignites your curiosity about what the world around us looks like and why it is the way it is - Kimberlie Birks, design writer.