Launch of two new MA programs in 2018

Building on MICA’s top-ranked Illustration Practice and Graphic Design MFA programs, the College will soon add two new, one-year Master of Arts (MA) programs—in Graphic Design and Illustration—in fall 2018.

Both 30-credit programs will provide professionals and recent graduates with an immersive practical instruction, full-time study, a network of peers and expert mentorship that will prepare them for further study or enable them to launch into industry positions in a variety of contexts.

At MICA, designers and illustrators develop sophisticated personal and critical voices informed by contemporary practice. The College offers advanced elective coursework and brings world-renowned experts to campus, engaging students with topics such as exhibition and publication design, book and sequential illustration, interactive art, and product and game design, while involving students in critique, public presentation and exhibition.

The MA in Graphic Design (in development) involves study of visual fundamentals, typography, exploratory and iterative making and design history, theory, and technology to engage audiences, concepts and ideas. Writing and research assignments encourage students to think and make across disciplines and develop skills and habits of critical reflection. Professional practice is modeled and explored through lectures and projects that prepare students to pursue full-time jobs, freelance work, self-designed entrepreneurial projects or further study in an MFA program. Key faculty include Sandra Maxa (Director), Ellen Lupton, Jennifer Cole Phillips, Jason Gottlieb, and Maureen Weiss.

The MA in Illustration (in development) involves integrated and intensive study paced to enable students to develop vocabularies for conceptual, observational, narrative and handcrafting skills to begin self-directed initiatives, pursue full-time work, or go on to more specialized study. Lectures, projects, and the study of illustration history situate the practice within global, technological, social, and cultural contexts and connect illustration to creative writing. The program curriculum culminates with the development of professional-level portfolios and opportunities for networking and the practice of professional development competencies to form life-long habits and a sustainable careers. Key faculty include Rebecca Bradley (Director), Whitney Sherman, Danamarie Hosler, and Kimberly Ellen Hall.

Graduate Study at MICA
Maryland Institute College of Art’s graduate school has been recognized in the top ten in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. With 19 unique graduate degree and certificate programs, MICA offers a rigorous experience for highly motivated creatives in a broad range of art, design, education, and humanistic disciplines as well as creatives with science, technology, and business backgrounds seeking to realize a personal vision, gain the skills and connections needed for professional success, and develop meaningful, collaborative relationships and networks. For a full list of graduate programs and opportunities, click here.

For more information about MICA’s programming, or to visit the campus, contact the Office of Graduate Admission at graduate [​at​] mica.edu