15 Distance learning Master Programmes in Design Studies in San Francisco, USA for 2024

The MA in Game Development program allows students to further their careers by synthesizing traditional art and design fundamentals with today’s groundbreaking technologies. Students prepare their career skill-set through hands-on prototyping of game mechanics and art creation, followed by creating a final project industry-quality portfolio.

The MA in Graphic Design & Digital Media emphasizes professional and career development with advanced study of the field and encourages students to extend their design skills into content creation, authorship, entrepreneurialism, and social innovation.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) program in Interior Architecture & Design is a thirty-six (36) unit program that will provide students with a dynamic learning environment and a curriculum to prepare them for professional practice. The curriculum covers all aspects of design, including programming, design analysis, understanding human social and spatial interaction, space planning, use of color and materials, preparation of construction documents and specifications, site observation, professional business practices, current methods of interior construction, building systems and components, codes and regulations, fixtures, furnishings, and equipment.

The MA program provides professional study within focused fields of physical design. In addition to classroom and collaborative coursework, each student develops a professional portfolio that will be used to launch a career in Industrial Design.

The MA in Costume Design prepares students to join the next generation of artisans and designers with key technical skills and opportunities to practice their craft in active production environments. By combining a rigorous sewing program with industry-specific design courses, the students will be prepared to work in any number of positions in either theatre or film. Students will have opportunities to design theatrical productions, collaborating with the director, fellow designers, and the actors to create costumes that support the needs of the production. Finally, each student will graduate with a portfolio that showcases the range of their talents in the design and construction of garments and specialty items like jewelry and millinery work.

The MFA Costume Design program provides graduates with key technical skills and opportunities to practice their craft at an advanced level in active production environments. By combining a rigorous sewing program with industry-specific design courses, the students will be equipped for success in any number of positions in either theatre or film. Graduate students will have opportunities to design costumes for short and feature-length films, collaborating with the director, fellow designers, and the actors to create costumes that support the needs of the film. Graduates will have excellent problem-solving skills and advanced success in sewing, pattern drafting, draping, and specialty construction skills like millinery, tutu, and jewelry making. Each graduate student will produce a final thesis project and portfolio that showcases the range of their talents in the design and construction of garments and specialty items.

The M.A. in Interaction and UI/UX Design provides professional study for students pursuing a career in web design and new media. Progress is measured through a rigorous process to achieve a final project portfolio.

The MFA program provides advanced study for students pursuing a career in web design and new media. Progress in the MFA degree is measured through a rigorous process, both at the midpoint and final reviews. Studio courses develop creative and technical acumen, with attention to mastering user experience design, while advanced courses provide a focused learning environment for building final thesis projects. Students will graduate with a portfolio and comprehensive thesis project showcasing their talent.

The Visual Development MA program provides professional development with advanced coursework in still life painting, figure drawing, character design, concept painting, layout design for animation, and other core skills of professional visual developers.

The Visual Development MFA program provides advanced coursework in still life painting, figure drawing, character design, concept painting, layout design for animation, and other core skills of professional visual developers. The goal of each graduate student is the completion of a signature thesis book showcasing design work for a story-based project.

The MA program provides students an opportunity to work in 2D Animation & Stop Motion, 3D Animation, 3D Modeling, or Visual Effects, while focusing on storytelling with an emphasis on exhibiting technical skills and eliciting emotional responses.

The School of Industrial Design's MFA program provides advanced study within focused fields of physical design. In addition to classroom and collaborative coursework, each student works toward producing a final thesis project.

With its focused thesis development process, the School of Graphic Design’s MFA program emphasizes the advanced study of the field and encourages students to extend their design skills into content creation, authorship, entrepreneurialism, and social innovation.

The MFA program focuses on advanced techniques and the theory of interior architecture and design. The curriculum—designed and taught by industry professionals—focuses on research, concept and design development, traditional and digital media, innovative ideas, and global issues.

The MFA Game Development program allows students to further their careers by synthesizing traditional art and design fundamentals with today’s groundbreaking technologies. Students level up their skills through hands-on prototyping of game mechanics and art creation, followed by creating a thesis project and an industry-quality portfolio.