The MFA curriculum consists of a mix of required and elective classes. This structure supplies the core, essential learning and experimentation, while also giving each student the opportunity to shape a curriculum specific to their individual interests.
Classes fall into four categories:
-
Core GD classes
(main seminar and critique classes)
-
Required GD classes
(essential typography, design history and theory classes)
-
GD program electives
(classes that you choose that are more specialized by topic or media)
-
Institute electives
(classes that you choose that are outside the GD program)
The two-year MFA is for students who have a graphic design undergraduate degree or equivalent professional experience. This track focuses on advanced exploration of form, methodology, and practice, informed by contemporary contexts like audience, theory, history, and media shifts. Group critiques and seminars help define personal direction beyond graduate school.
MFA1 (Year 1)
FALL
SPRING
REQUIRED
- Grad Seminar I Lecture
- Grad Seminar I Studio
- Typographics IA
- Historical Survey of Graphic Design
- Screen Printing Workshop
REQUIRED
- Grad Seminar I Lecture
- Grad Seminar I Studio
- Typographics IB
- Historical Survey of Graphic Design
- Design Theory
- 2 Winter Session Workshops
SUGGESTED
- 1 Non Graphic Design Elective
- 1 Graphic Design Elective
- Advanced Coding for Web
- Beginning Motion
- Motion I
- Animating with Cinema 4D
- Imagemaking I
- Poster Workshop
- Building Software Through Code Prompting Workshop
SUGGESTED
- 1 Non Graphic Design Elective
- 1 Graphic Design Elective
- User Experience Design for Web
- Motion II
- AR/VR
- Designing for Spaces
- Poster Workshop
- AI + Typography
MFA2 (Year 2)
FALL
SPRING
REQUIRED
- Grad Seminar I Lecture
- Grad Seminar I Studio
REQUIRED
- Grad Seminar I Lecture
- Grad Seminar I Studio
- 1 Winter Session Workshops
SUGGESTED
- 1 Non Graphic Design Elective
- 1 Graphic Design Elective
- Advanced Coding for Web
- Motion I
- Animating with Cinema 4D
- Professional Practice
- Type Design A
- Type Design History
- Building Software Through Code Prompting Workshop
SUGGESTED
- 1 Non Graphic Design Elective
- 1 Graphic Design Elective
- Motion II
- AR/VR
- Adv. Publication Design
- Type Design B
- Graphic Design Pedagogy
The three-year MFA in Graphic Design program is for students who do not have a graphic design undergraduate degree, but demonstrate a high-level talent and enthusiasm for design, and expertise in their given field. The first year curriculum provides students with a broad set of graphic design skills that will equip them to successfully join the two-year MFA program the following year.
PMFA (Year 1)
FALL
SPRING
REQUIRED
- Visual Literacy Lecture
- Visual Literacy Studio
- Typographics IA
- Historical Survey of Graphic Design
- Screen Printing Workshop
REQUIRED
- Visual Literacy Lecture
- Visual Literacy Studio
- Typographics IB
- Historical Survey of Graphic Design
- 2 Winter Session Workshops
SUGGESTED
- 1 Non Graphic Design Elective
- 1 Graphic Design Elective
- Beginning Motion
- Animating with Cinema 4D
- Imagemaking I
SUGGESTED
- 1 Non Graphic Design Elective
- 1 Graphic Design Elective
- User Experience Design for Web
- Poster Workshop
MFA1 (Year 1)
FALL
SPRING
REQUIRED
- Grad Seminar I Lecture
- Grad Seminar I Studio
REQUIRED
- Grad Seminar I Lecture
- Grad Seminar I Studio
- Design Theory
- 2 Winter Session Workshops
SUGGESTED
- 1 Non Graphic Design Elective
- 1 Graphic Design Elective
- Advanced Coding for Web
- Beginning Motion
- Motion I
- Animating with Cinema 4D
- Imagemaking I
- Poster Workshop
- Building Software Through Code Prompting Workshop
SUGGESTED
- 1 Non Graphic Design Elective
- 1 Graphic Design Elective
- Motion II
- Designing for Spaces
- Advanced Publication Design
- AR/VR
- Poster Workshop
MFA2 (Year 2)
FALL
SPRING
REQUIRED
- Grad Seminar II Lecture
- Grad Seminar II Studio
REQUIRED
- Grad Seminar II Lecture
- Grad Seminar II Studio
- 1 Winter Session Workshops
SUGGESTED
- 1 Non Graphic Design Elective
- 1 Graphic Design Elective
- Professional Practice
- Advanced Coding for the Web
- Type Design A
- Type Design History
- Building Software Through Code Prompting Workshop
SUGGESTED
- 1 Non Graphic Design Elective
- 1 Graphic Design Elective
- Motion II
- Designing for Spaces
- Advanced Publication Design
- AR/VR
- Graphic Design Pedagogy
If you have a specific area of interest, these clusters of electives can help form the basis of your personalized curriculum.
TYPOGRAPHY | PRINT | EDITORIAL
REQUIRED
ELECTIVES
- Poster Design Workshop
- Type Design A + B
- Type Design History
- Advanced Publication Design
- AI + Typography
UI/UX | SCREEN
REQUIRED
ELECTIVES
- Beginning Web
- Advanced Coding for the Web
- User Experience Design for Web
- Yearbook Website Design
- Building Software Through Code Prompting Workshop
DESIGN PEDAGOGY | THEORY | EDUCATION
REQUIRED
- Historical Survey of Graphic Design
- Design Theory
ELECTIVES
- Professional Practice
- Graphic Design Pedagogy
STUDENT TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES IN GRAPHIC DESIGN
- Graphic Design Graduate Teaching
- Assistantship (2 semesters)
- Design Center workshops
ELECTIVES OFFERED OUTSIDE GRAPHIC DESIGN
- College Pedagogy: Course Design
- Arts Pedagogy
- Teaching, Research & Pedagogy: Best Practices
- Pedagogy of the Oppressed
DIGITAL MEDIA | MOTION
ELECTIVES
- Intro to VR
- Beginning Motion
- Motion I + II
- Motion History
- Animating with Cinema 4D
- AI + Typography
- Building Software Through Code Prompting Workshop
-
Michael Worthington
Grad Seminar I Lecture & Studio, Visual Literacy
-
Lorraine Wild
Grad Seminar II Lecture & Studio
-
Yasmin Khan Gibson
Grad Seminar II, Graphic Design Pedagogy
-
Bobby Joe Smith
Design Theory
-
Christina Huang
Typographics, Grad Seminar II Lecture & Studio
-
Emma Berliner
Motion I
-
Ben Woodlock
Motion II
-
Roman Jaster
Advanced Coding for the Web
User Experience Design for Web
The CalArts Graphic Design MFA qualifies as a STEM degree which allows international students to apply for a 24-month extension to the typical 12-month optional practical training (OPT) period. This means students completing this degree may be eligible for up to three years of work in the US.