Graphic Design Masters Theses
RISD’s graduate program in Graphic Design prepares students for professional practice by emphasizing the roles of social context, media and aesthetics in the production of visible language systems. As a reflection of the discipline itself, the program encourages a nimble and intelligent response to constant change and burgeoning technology, while building a strong foundation of formal, aesthetic and analytical knowledge.
Individual thesis investigation is central to the final year of MFA study and culminates in the comprehensive presentation of work representing an original voice for visual and verbal expression of design thinking. The thesis should be equal parts exploration, explanation, provocation and contribution. Guest critics participate throughout the year and in the year-end thesis review, which offers a forum for critical dialogue focused on each student’s contribution to the field of graphic design. All MFA candidates also submit a written thesis and as a group participate in the RISD Graduate Thesis Exhibition, a large-scale public show held annually.
These works are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Theses from 2014
Learning to live in thick interface, Jonathan Hanahan
Not not real : exercises in styling, Sophie Mascatello
Theses from 2009
Forming process : design through layered visual systems and multiple collection methods : a thesis, Jen Magathan
Films from 1999
Oral History Interview with Malcom Grear, June 30, 1999, Malcom Grear, David Strout, RISD Archives, and Frank Muhly