Design

At FSU, we see designers and artists as two sides of the same coin.

For either, design is about empowerment. An interdisiplinary use of tools, combining traditional, digital and experimental techniques is encouraged.

The design area provides students with skills directly geared toward entering the Digital Arts and Design Industries. Our three main distinctions within design are Print Design, Interactive Design, and Animation & Visual Effects.

Please see our Design Area Flowchart [pdf] (pdf 743.94 kB) to learn more about courses and sequences.

Print Design includes a wide range of media and context, from magazine layout, to posters, billboards, package design, multi-media campaigns and gallery installations. Special facilities for print design at FSU include wide-format archival printers, high-volume tabloid color laser printers, large paper cutters, wide-format laminators, etc.

Interactive Design generally focuses on web-based artworks. Crossing into other media areas like sculpture or animation can give students a hybridized focus. Faculty expertise in sensors, electronics, and programming are available to interactive design students. Up-to-date computing facilities and 24 hour access to our advanced projects lab help interactive students maintain focus.

The Animation & Visual Effects sequence focuses on time-based screen arts, and visual storytelling in narative and experimental modes. Students are encouraged to develop their own unique skill sets among 3D and 2D Animation, video art, special effects, stop-motion, or experimental processes.

Facilities & Special Equipment

A wide range of industry standard tools are used throughout the design area including AutoDesk's Maya, Final Cut Pro, Adobe CS5.5 suites, Processing, Arduino, and many others are available for students.

The area's courses are taught in Macintosh based classrooms, each with video projection and sound capabilities. WiFi is available throughout most of the department and campus. HDV cameras, lights and tripods, video editing, digitizing stations, large-scale archival and color-laser output, flat-bed scanners, and tablet inputs, among many other resources are available to students in the area.

Suggested laptop requirement guidelines

Awards & Assistantships

The Ann Kirn Design Awards are given each year to outstanding Design majors.

Teaching and Technical Assistantships are available in the area for qualifying MFA students.

International Programs

The International design scene is an important part of our design program. Summer courses have been offered through FSU International Programs and these courses challenge students with academic rigor and design-oriented international experiences.

Area Head

Gail Rubini