2026-2027 Academic Catalog

Category: Graduate

2026-2027 Academic Catalog

  • GRT-701 STUDIO III: STRATEGIC BRANDING

    This course will focus on the examination of brand,identity and competitive market analysis to,further the development of an original vehicle,concept. Target user research will be conducted,to assess specific needs and wants as well as to,establish contextual scenarios that will help,inform design criteria. This studio’s project,brief can be either interior or exterior focused,and students are encouraged to tailor this choice,towards the specialty they hope to pursue,professionally. This course will result in a,final exterior or interior design executed as a,technical digital 3D model data set capable of,further engineering assessment fabrication and/or,animation.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: GRT 602

  • GRT-702 STUDIO IV: PROFESSIONAL FOCUS

    This course has two main components. The first,half of the semester will concentrate on the,completion of a compressed project. This can be a,stand-alone mini-project that provides yet another,opportunity in the area of desired professional,specialization, or the project can be an extension,and completion of the one conducted in the,previous semesters’ GRT-701. For example, if a,vehicle exterior was the focus for GRT-701, the,mini project in GRT-702 could be the interior for,that exterior or vice versa. The second half of,the semester will then focus on the finalization,and refinement of student portfolios and online,promotional presence in preparation for the end of,the year exhibition and industry interviews. This,course will result in a final exterior or interior,design executed as a technical digital 3D model,data set capable of further engineering,assessment, fabrication, and/or animation.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: GRT 701

  • GRT-775 GRADUATE INTERNSHIP 6 CREDIT

    Participation in an internship experience allows,students to use classroom-learned skills in a,related employment experience. Students must work,a minimum of 135 hours over the course of the,entire semester. Students must have a minimum,cumulative GPA of 3.0. All internships must be,approved by the graduate program department,chairperson.

    Credits: 6

    Prerequisites:

  • GRT-775 GRADUATE TRANS DESIGN INTERNSHIP

    Participation in an internship experience allows,students to use classroom-learned skills in a,related employment experience. Students must work,a minimum of 135 hours over the course of the,entire semester. Students must have a minimum,cumulative GPA of 3.0. All internships must be,approved by the graduate program department,chairperson.,

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • GRT-790 INDEPENDENT STUDY

    Independent Study is available to graduate,students with a cumulative grade point average of,3.00 or above. The student may receive approval to,work in an area or on a project that is not,otherwise offered or addressed in the regular,curriculum. An Independent Study should include,opportunities for individual student voice and,provide a space for diverse perspectives. Students,may receive credit toward graduation for no more,than 6 credit hours. The student must,submit to the chairperson of the department in,which they wish to study, an Independent Study,Proposal of 150 words (no less) of the student’s,plan for study and her/his reason for choosing to,study,independently. Once the department chairperson,provides approval and the instructor for the,Independent Study is determined, the faculty,member must write an Independent Study Syllabus,with,education goals, learning outcomes, meeting dates,,course expectations, timelines, and due dates.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • IXD-601 UX DESIGN STUDIO I,PROTOTYPING

    Based on a foundation of web technologies, this,class teaches students the concepts and use of,programming languages to complement and extend,their capabilities as designers. Students learn,how to think like a computer and to structure code,(functions and algorithms, not markup) to perform,data manipulation tasks, to enable user,interaction that incorporates devices and,services, and to gain facility across multiple,programming languages. As a result, students will,better understand the strengths and limitations of,digital systems and, therefore, how programming,may enhance (or limit) their user experience,design goals. With this foundation, students will,gain a solid stepping stone towards entering the,realms of mobile and web applications development,,physical computing, and the exciting world of the,Internet of Things, or the Internet of Everything.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • IXD-602 UX DESIGN STUDIO II

    ,,In preparation for the impending era of Extended,Reality (XR), the exciting realm of emerging,technologies, and rising artificial intelligence,,user experience designers must fully understand,the contemporary technology landscape and,environment and face the challenges in the UX,design field further development. In this,immersive studio environment, students are,involved in a dynamic triad of activities:,prototyping, coding, and design. By engaging in,these modes of creative endeavor, they acquire the,skills to envision and resolve profound design,challenges. The synthesis of these activities,empowers them to harness the potential of mixed,reality (XR) and related emerging technologies,,shaping the future of user experience design.,Students gain tech skills while seeing beyond,today’s technology to formulate and solve,essential design problems and understand the,creative processes and practical challenges of,making a better world through design.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: IXD 601

  • IXD-605 USER INTERFACE DESIGN I

    This course introduces the fundamental concepts,,methods, and practices of UI design, emphasizing,the crucial interconnection between User,Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design.,The course covers the step-by-step process of,creating a user interface, including ideation,,prototyping, iteration, and implementation. It,will familiarize its students with technical,aspects, design tools, methodologies, and,techniques commonly used in the industry. Students,delve into the UI development process through a,blend of individual exploration and collaborative,teamwork. They gain hands-on experience and refine,their abilities to express and communicate their,ideas through narrative media and deliver visual,mockups and prototypes. The User Interface Design,course adopts an in-studio format that cultivates,an environment supportive of group discussions,,constructive critiques, and compelling,presentations. This structure ensures that,students understand the complexities within UX and,UI Design and prepares them to thrive in this,dynamic and constantly evolving field.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • IXD-606 UX RESEARCH

    Students learn the principles of UX (user,experience) design, enabling them to conduct,comprehensive research, analyze user behavior, and,apply their findings to create user-centric,designs in various digital contexts. Students,learn how to map user journeys and prototype,meaningful scenarios informed by research and,iterative modeling and testing. Students utilize,and apply user-centered research and co-design,methods. They learn various research methods, such,as user interviews, surveys, usability testing,,and data analysis. They also explore techniques,for collecting and interpreting user data.,Furthermore, the course will cover prototyping,techniques to translate research findings into,tangible designs, allowing students to work on,projects where they can apply their acquired,skills in real-world scenarios. By the end of this,course, students will have a solid grasp of UX,research principles, be able to conduct research,independently, and make design decisions based on,user insights.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • IXD-608 USER INTERFACE DESIGN II

    This advanced course expands on UI design,principles, focusing on complex interaction,design, motion graphics, and scalable design,systems. Students refine their ability to create,high-fidelity, interactive prototypes while,integrating advanced usability testing and,data-driven design decisions. Through individual,and collaborative projects, they explore,micro-interactions, accessibility standards, and,responsive UI frameworks.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: IXD-605