MA in Art & Design for Social Impact
Program Update
We are not currently accepting applications for this program. To add your name to our mailing list for future information, please contact us.
The MA in Art & Design for Social Impact unleashes the radiance of young designers and communities in the city of Buffalo and broader WNY to act together towards solving complex social issues for positive social change.
Be a transformative leader in society.
If you believe in the power of socially responsible design to impact one’s immediate community, and want to design solutions that value ethics, inclusivity and diversity, this program is for you!
The MA in Art & Design for Social Impact underscores the critical function of design in helping to address complex social issues. Working with a diverse range of community partners and social justice advocacy groups, students develop a better understanding of design’s pivotal role in generating positive social change. Students learn the value of an integrative and interdisciplinary design practice that encourages critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration – empowering a new generation of designers to become more active members of their community.
Through intensive immersion in visual communication design training and community engagement, the program provides rigorous portfolio building opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds and prepares them for professional practice. A core feature of the program imparts a clear understanding of the role of big data, and how designers must incorporate computational thinking in order to accomplish complex objectives. Students learn to source and leverage reliable information in service of telling authentic stories to multiple audiences.
The program seeks individuals from various creative backgrounds, such as the arts, communications, business and marketing, architecture, urban planning, and computer science. The MA in Art & Design for Social Impact prepares participants to advance their professional careers in the field of socially engaged design and innovation, while bolstering a competitive edge for students interested in applying to high-ranking two and three year MFA and MS programs.
