MFA Curriculum

ED 571 Illuminating the Exhibition Experience — 3 credits
Students explore the art, craft, tools, and methodology of exhibition and experiential lighting design. Through an examination of the properties of light, lighting design theory, and hands-on experience, students will examine how light shapes our environments, creates visual hierarchy, supports narrative, and enhances visual aesthetics.

ED 567 Exhibition and Experience Design History and Evolution — 3 credits
This course introduces exhibition and experience design's history and evolution from ancient times to the present. Students will recognize key milestones and perspectives throughout history and practice the latest principles, such as empathy, design thinking, iterative design, gamification, and inclusive design.

ED 568 Spatial Experience Design and Integrated Technologies I — 3 credits
In this course, students will develop familiarity with spatial experience design principles such as Human-Centered Design, Sensory Stimulation, Emotional Engagement, and Journey and Flow. The work in this course will consist of design research, three-dimensional solution, visualization, and the integration of related technologies for the built environment.

ED 569 Exhibition Audience and Narrative Experience Studio — 3 credits
This course explores the elements of how content interpretation, storytelling and an awareness of visitors serve to shape an exhibition’s design. Through a series of presentations, studio activities, visits and applied projects, students will gain an understanding of audiences and how story and narrative are essential to designing meaningful exhibitions.

ED 570 Experiential Graphics and Branding — 3 credits
Students will be introduced to the multi-faceted nature of branding and its impact on designed experiences. Students will have opportunities to dissect existing brands, as well as develop one of their own. The course incorporates best practices on design research as well as visual presentations using basic graphic design principles.

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ED 574 Design for Social Justice and Community Engagement — 3 credits
This course explores Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion (DEAI), social justice, and community in exhibition and experience design. Through lectures, guest experts, and exercises, students will engage with social justice work in design and develop an understanding of their role in creating designed experiences that enable people to thrive.

ED 575 Spatial Experience Design and Integrated Technologies II — 3 credits
In this course, students will develop integrated spatial design tools, techniques, and technologies through individual projects focused on complex constraints. These projects will include applications in commercial/trade shows and traveling exhibits. In a studio environment, students will learn multidisciplinary design approaches to create physical environments through individual projects.

ED 576 Dynamic Branding and Accessible Experiential Graphic Design — 3 credits
The course allows students to reflect on their creative practice while developing a dynamic branding system that will be applied to multiple platforms. The course will advance students experiential graphic design competence with a focus on creating accessible experiential branding and interpretive graphic design programs catering to diverse user needs.

ED 584 Exhibition and Experience Design Development and Evaluation — 3 credits
This studio-based course introduces students to fundamental processes of exhibition design development and the variations in practice across different venues. Creative team design development and Front-End, Formative and Summative evaluation techniques are applied in a long-term project. Brainstorming and ideation techniques are exercised and key phase deliverables are explored.

ED 577 Sustainability in Experience Design — 3 credits
Understanding and applying sustainability is an essential skill for experienced designers. This course prepares students to evaluate critical choices in the design process, advocate for best practices, and think critically about materials and methods that impact production and operations as an effective and cost-saving business approach.

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IC592 Elective - Internship Optional — 2 credits

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ED 601 Phenomenology and Exhibition Object Encounters — 3 credits
Phenomenology is the study of experiences, human consciousness and self-awareness. This course explores such in designed environments including exhibition object encounters as primary experiences within interpretive environments. This course will introduce theorists in phenomenology with emphasis on scholars defining the relationship of objects in experience and their role in exhibitions.

ED 523 Exhibition Design for Museum Setting— 3 credits
This course focuses on the diversity of museum exhibitions and the fundamental approaches to designing in museum settings. Through studio exercises, applied projects, and professional visits, students will utilize their design and concept development skills to generate exhibition solutions. An industry-sponsored exhibition project is the featured element of this course.

ED 675 Spatial Experience Retail Design and Integrated Technologies II— 3 credits
In this advanced course, students enhance their spatial design abilities through complex, technology-driven projects. Emphasizing teamwork and multidisciplinary methods, students craft innovative retail environments with a focus on user experience, industry standards, sustainability, and digital integration. Practical projects and professional feedback prepare students for realworld challenges.

ED 542 Exhibition and Experience Design Graphics — 3 credits
Students employ principles of advanced spatial graphic design, with a special emphasis on form, sustainable materials and methods, typography, and color, as tools for placemaking and navigation. Students work closely with a selected real world client to create experiential graphic design solutions based on the client’s needs, audience and mission.

ED 602 Applied Thesis Research and Project Initiation — 3 credits
In this course students employ graduate level research methodologies and applications particular to exhibition and experience design in the creation of an original, purposeful and meaningful thesis. Emphasis is placed on utilizing professional-level industry standards of practice and theory in exhibition and experience design in the formation of the thesis.

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ED 694 Spatial Experience Design & Integrated Technologies IV: Capstone — 3 credits
During this studio course students will develop a unique experiential design project to apply and test their thesis hypothesis. The course incorporates Universal Design Principles, sustainable methods and materials, and the integration of the latest emerging technologies. Students will create a design drawing and specification package following industry standards.

ED 695 Exhibition and Experience Design Graphics: Capstone — 3 credits
The course focuses on graphic opportunities for individual applied thesis projects, emphasizing the development of dynamic branding programs and interpretive spatial graphic solutions. It provides guidance on orchestrating content and messaging through branding, hierarchy, typography, color, and imagery for all graphic components of the final capstone thesis project.

ED 690 Exhibition Model/Prototype Making and Integrated Technologies: Capstone — 3 credits
In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of planning and constructing scaled models and prototypes and their role in the design process through a series of handson building projects to be integrated into students' thesis capstone projects. Particular attention will be paid to digital software and fabrication integration.

ED 691 Project Development and Qualifying Paper: Capstone — 3 credits
Utilizing college resources including the Library, The Writing and Speech Studio, Emerging Technologies Lab, and via a series of studio-based exhibition development and creative writing exercises, students will generate the foundation of their final capstone applied design project and complete a graduate level Qualifying Paper.

ED 693 Project Management and Business Development — 3 credits
In this course, students will develop familiarity with Exhibit and Experience Design industry standards, procedures and deliverables for Project Management and Business Development. The work in this course will focus on marketing strategies, proposals, budgeting, team and client management, contracting and other factors for a full project life cycle.

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