Graphic Design

Alanna Stapleton '18 — Alanna Stapleton ’18

Mentorship

If you are passionate about graphic design, and want to be in a city that has a strong—and ever-growing—design scene, check out the MCAD MFA Program. See Recent Mentors for graphic design mentors

María José Castillo ’18

Professional Practices & Career Development

Each semester, we host a series of talks/workshops focused on professional practices (alumni are invited to attend, and we feature alumni as speakers when possible). Topics range widely and are selected based on current student interests and suggestions.

Students can also apply to work at MCAD’s on-campus design studio, DesignWorks, which provides MCAD students with client-based experiences in a professional creative environment. Designers are full-time students who develop design solutions for both the college and a select group of businesses and non-profit organizations. Supported by seasoned MCAD staff, students develop key skills necessary for successful client relationships.

DesignWorks

Facilities

The MCAD Service Bureau is your go-to stop for friendly assistance with all of your printing needs for an extremely affordable price. You can check out the facilities on our virtual building tour.

Color and black-and-white copies and laser prints
High-quality color inkjet prints
Scanning
Bookbinding
Fabric printing
Vinyl cutting
Risograph printing
And much more…

Regional Funding

Additionally, MCAD’s MFA program can help you apply to several regional sources of funding. For some awards, you can apply during the summer between your first and second year to receive funding in the months after graduating.

Jerome Foundation Grants
Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program
Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Grants
Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grants (can apply as a student, but project cannot be associated with your degree program)
McKnight Foundation Grants
Midway Contemporary Art Visual Arts Fund
Red Eye’s Works-In-Progress Program
and more (the funding environment in MN is ever-evolving and growing)

Liyuan Tong ’14

Regional Resources

MCAD and the Twin Cities’ community also has several agencies, organizations, events, and studios, which support wide-ranging approaches to graphic design:

Selected Events/Organizations

Selected Agencies/Studios/Companies

Ping Ji ’13

Visiting Artists

Visiting artists, designers, and critics are a central element of Graduate Critique Seminar. Each week a visitor is invited to present their work and critique two students’ work during class. By the time a student has completed the MFA Program, they will have seen approximately 30 different in-class visitors. Additionally, the MFA Program regularly invites artists for clusters of studio visits.

Dana Koehler ’17

Travel

Each year, the MFA program takes a trip to either New York City or Los Angeles where we visit MCAD alumni studios and offices, in addition to all the rich art and design resources these cities offer.

MCAD MFA students are also invited to apply for summer abroad experiences via the WorkArt Fellowship Program (Germany), Burren College of Art’s Summer School (Ireland), DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia (Copenhagen or Stockholm),or USF’s Paris/Venice/London program (alternating locations depending on year). International travel is an optional added cost for MFA students (not required).