MFA in Design - Visual Communication in Davis United States | University of California Davis

The two-year MFA in Design program fosters interdisciplinary exploration through research and practice rooted in social and environmental awareness. Our graduate students collaborate with distinguished design faculty at a leading public research university, benefiting from comprehensive funding options like Teaching Assistant (TA) and Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) roles. They engage with experts across the Design Department and university, spanning specialties from design theory and fashion to interactive media and textiles. The program actively promotes cross-disciplinary partnerships, connecting students with faculty in arts, humanities, social sciences, biological sciences, and professional fields like medicine and law.

Visual communication design examines the interplay of form, content, and context, prioritizing both critical making and analytical skills. Students explore diverse media formats—print, digital, temporal, and spatial—while drawing from psychology, anthropology, media history, computer science, and intercultural studies to enrich their design research and creative processes.