Art and Design courses

Delightful, intuitive and engaging user experience is integral to a company’s success. Gain the skills employers are searching for in this introductory course. You’ll study user-experience design concepts, processes and practices, including topics such as…

Develop your digital communication skills by using drafting and editing commands in Autodesk AutoCAD, the industry-standard computer-aided drawing software. Progress with more advanced commands such as XREFs, blocks with attributes and XCLIPs. Learn to…

Architecture is not just about forms, material and implementation of styles; good architecture is based on concepts and ideas. This first in a sequence of design studios is arranged about a series of design explorations that require you to think conceptually;…

Diagramming and prototyping are essential tools to convert innovative ideas into tangible and profitable products. Designers use diagramming to visually communicate with end-users and other team members about the holistic experience they are developing. In…

This course introduces students to the key concepts and best practices of accessibility in the context of user experience (UX) design. Students will explore the principles of universal design and develop a working understanding of multimedia accessibility,…

Color is one of the most powerful, useful and expressive tools for designing compelling interior spaces. Review the color-based theories of Albert Munsell, Johannes Itten and Josef Albers. Learn how to change the value and intensity of colors using paint.…

Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard tool for creating vector graphics, a must have skill in any graphic designer's toolbox. Through step-by-step instructions, you will learn to use Illustrator's powerful drawing tools to create drawings, icons, logos,…

Interior designers must be able to communicate to those who construct their designs. Learn how to produce a complete set of working drawings—from plans through details and specifications—so that your designs are realized efficiently and accurately. Example…

Adobe InDesign is a powerful desktop publishing and typesetting tool. You will explore the essentials of InDesign, including its unique typographic and graphic capabilities, while learning shortcuts and tips to efficiently use the program in your design work…

Gain the skills to create effective concept and design drawings using 2-D and 3-D software. In this introductory course, learn how to use Google SketchUp and Adobe Photoshop and InDesign to augment your creative ideas. This class is perfect for students and…

You reinforce the skills learned in Design Communication II and advance to the next level of sketching and rendering skill by developing visual note taking and establishing a method for accurate freehand perspective drawing. Explore colored pencils, markers,…

Develop your skills in hand drafting and sketching with this basic course in line work, lettering and page layouts for architectural drawings. Learn to produce floor plans, elevations and sections for construction and presentation to contractors and clients.…

Learn how drawing can be most effective in the design process. Representing design ideas using software is commonly required, but what do we call those drawings? This course introduces you to the vocabulary of representing 3-D environments. You gain the…

Survey the history of photography to learn how to incorporate the techniques and ideas developed by major photographers into your work. Explore skills such as stop-action composition and creative use of color theory. Classroom discussion topics include…

Learn how to use color to enhance your drawn imagery. You explore fundamental concerns of drawing—line, value, texture, shape and space—through assignments that emphasize the effective use of color, color mixing, color properties and color schemes.…

Explore the world of residential and commercial interior design in this introductory course. Gain exposure to resources, design theory, history, vocabulary and the process of design. For those contemplating registering for the certificate, this course…

Explore abstraction as a philosophy and a process-based journey of discovery. Through drawing and painting, you develop a variety of aesthetic and conceptual approaches to non-representation, experimenting with diverse processes and techniques. You devise or…

Get an introduction to three essential Adobe applications for graphics professionals—Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign. You learn the technical aspects of these essential digital tools, focusing on the features that have the widest usage…

Picking up where Revit ARCH X479.2 leaves off, this course covers more advanced commands and functional applications using Autodesk Revit's powerful building information modeling (BIM) software. Learn to harness the power of automatically generated…

This course provides design students with a strong foundation in the design process for residential, public and accessible bathroom design from conceptual drawings to design development and construction documents. Lectures and course assignments explore the…

This advanced course simulates the demands of the contemporary design market. Refine your design and presentation skills by working on complex projects involving multiple components. Develop and produce design proposals for specific real-world projects…

Gain an understanding of the components of a building and the sequence of construction in residential and commercial spaces. Learn how various building systems—plumbing, mechanical, electrical and structural—are designed and integrated into the building shell…

Develop the skills and knowledge to address the broad range of business and legal needs of the interior design professional. Class curriculum covers business development, financial management and strategic planning. You study practical aspects of the design…

The relevance and importance of sustainable artistic practices grows clearer with the planet on the edge of a global calamity after a century of unchecked production and consumption. Collage offers a way to promote socially responsible art by reusing the…

The Apple iPad is the sketchbook of the digital age. It offers a range of tools and apps comparable to the analog sketchbook and pens, pencils, watercolors, erasers and charcoals of the designer's toolbox and allows you to augment your analog skills for an…

Contemporary art’s succession of contending, and often conflicting, ideas and styles challenges those who view art as a mode of self-expression that nevertheless manages to be generally accessible. Examine the radical vision that drove disparate contemporary…

Understand people’s relationship to space, architecture and the environment in this introductory, conceptual design course. Learn the basic elements of design to create 2-D compositions. Through lectures, readings, discussions and 3-D models, you apply the…

Conceptualize and design a residential project. Under direction, analyze spaces and refine layouts to satisfy functional requirements. Become familiar with residential lines of furnishings and finishings. Develop your color palette, and select suitable…

In this studio course, you take a commercial project (hospitality, workplace, retail or health care) through the schematic phase to the design-development phase. Employ your programming, space planning skills and code knowledge to develop a strong concept.…

Combine space planning, color theory, lighting, material selection, design and construction in this final studio that challenges you to apply these skills to a multistory, mixed-use project. Use study models to examine how light penetrates the various volumes…

Develop an understanding of interior architecture through research into the general principles of design and the specific histories of interiors and designers. During this course, you study contemporary and historic interior spaces to learn how to critically…

Learn the basics of digital cameras through an overview of photography and photographic terminology. Understand image-editing software and digital effects.

This course will help to place students' work in the context of contemporary photography practice. Learn to develop conceptual ideas, critique the work of your peers and find where your work fits in the context of broader photographic practice. In addition to…

Learn additional skills in the use of Lightroom, including efficient digital work flow, color management and how to prepare files for printing or posting on the web. Improve your composition and techniques while building your own portfolio. Lectures, lab work…

Develop observational abilities and rendering skills in this introduction to the fine art of drawing. Learn methods of describing objects in terms of line, value, shape and texture. Course projects help you explore the principles of light, space, composition…

Focus on rendering skills and creative approaches to composition and subject. You start by drawing almost exclusively from 3-D objects to hone representational skills and challenge your creativity. The class includes in-depth studies of value, forms in space,…

Adobe After Effects is the essential software for any motion graphics designer and their skillset. Learn the fundamental tools of its timeline, graph editor, keyframing, blending modes, adjustment layers, pre-composing, mask reveals, track-mattes and sound…

Develop a unique partnership between a drawing medium and your imagination, intuition and experience. In studio projects, you experiment with abstractions based on realism, as well as sounds, ideas and words. In addition to studying the relationship of medium…

Explore the expressive use of line, the dramatic values of light and shadow, and the basics of human anatomy. Slide-illustrated lectures present portraits and self-portraits using mood, memory, photography, abstraction and fantasy as expressive tools.

Gain familiarity with architectural lighting techniques in this introductory course. Learn the fundamentals of lighting—luminaire sources and types, regulations and technical terminology—and determine how to apply them to practical situations for residential…

This exit seminar for the Professional Program in Graphic Design helps you develop a professional graphic design portfolio to present to future clients as a freelancer and for employment in the profession. You will have the opportunity to showcase your unique…

Take an integrated approach to the design of the built environment, from ancient Egypt through the Renaissance to the late-18th century and English Neoclassicism, French Empire and the American Federal Period styles. In slide-illustrated lectures, you examine…

Architecture and design changed rapidly from the time of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century to the period of cultural postmodernism in the late 20th century. In this continuation of the History of Architecture, Interiors and Decorative Arts I ARCH…

Develop a portfolio as a children's book illustrator. You will learn the creative process of designing art for picture books, as well as build your design skills and stretch your imagination. Discover the magic of book making from simple concept to finished…

Information Architecture (IA) and content strategy (CS) play significant roles in improving user experience. The challenge lies in building the right content for users' needs. The solution is unifying design and content with IA and CS professionals—all…

Learn how to use finishes and materials appropriately for interior applications and addition to construction documentation. Study how materials are installed and how they transition into one another. Understand the substructure on which they are applied and…

This course provides students with a strong foundation in the design process for residential kitchen design from conceptual drawings to design development and construction documents. Topics studied include the fundamentals of residential, aging-in place, and…

Learn painting and drawing methods, textural effects and collage techniques that encourage improvisation and experimentation in your work. Learn about the use of water-based painting media and their combination with drawing media, including pencil, charcoal…

The European and American modernist revolution that began in the late-19th century and continued into the 20th subverted traditional art and laid the groundwork for contemporary art. Through illustrated lectures and class discussions, you examine important…

Get an introduction to the essential materials and techniques of painting, including building and stretching a canvas, mixing color, underpainting, glazing and washing, dry brushing and using a palette knife. Explore the use of composition, line, contrast,…