http://www.vermontcollege.edu
VCFA’s new low-residency MFA in Graphic Design program invites design professionals to reinvent their lives in design. Working closely with faculty who are leading practitioners in the field, students merge practice with design theory and research to expand their fluency in visual culture. They address complex questions arising from their work and engage the emerging, interactive technologies they need to participate in an ever-expanding market. The program’s low-residency, self-designed study model immerses students in a community of working designers and artists, allowing them to deepen their design knowledge and enhance their performance while remaining engaged in their own lives.
Students work and research in their home studios, grounded in the communities where they live and work, devoting a minimum of 25 hours per week to individual study. During week-long VCFA residencies, students participate in vibrant discourse while exploring their interests and making connections that help position their work within broader social, historical, and intellectual contexts. Throughout the semester, they remain in close consultation with their faculty advisor through various channels including electronic file sharing and regular postings. This model allows students to maintain relationships with clients and continue to develop their regular practice. Simultaneously, students integrate their research methods and ideas into their work, creating design that is relevant, dynamic, and inventive.
VCFA’s Graphic Design founding faculty members are an international team of designers and teachers. They are distinguished professional designers whose work is shown internationally, appearing regularly in leading graphic design publications and forums. They are award-winning teachers, critics, writers, and consultants. Socially active and environmentally engaged, they approach design through the lenses of ethnography, narrative, identity, new multi-media arts, and many other perspectives. They are equally versed in critical theory and professional practice. In particular, they enjoy the creative, productive synergy that flows from their combined academic and professional careers.
The MFA in Graphic Design is a terminal degree, allowing graduates to teach at the university level. It is also a compelling credential for graphic design hiring and career advancement.
MFA candidates are eligible for financial aid including merit-based scholarships awarded by the department at the time of admission to the program.
VCFA is accredited by NEASC. The MFA in Graphic Design is currently pending NEASC approval.