Color & Materials Design Curriculum

Strong English language skills are essential for success at CCS and in a future career as an international designer.  In this course, students will develop and improve English communication skills.  Using a wide range of tools and assignments, students will talk and write about design with focus on planning and organization, visual aids, audience, appropriate vocabulary, revising based on feedback, and presenting before a group.  The skills acquired in this course will enable students to produce a presentation on design research conducted throughout the semester.

Credits: 1

PREREQUISITES:
Enrollment in this course is contingent upon the English Proficiency Exam

In this course, students are introduced to the discipline of color, materials and finish (CMF) design to create meaningful narratives that connect ideas, artifacts and experiences to individuals and communities.   Working in experiential – and sometimes interdisciplinary – projects, students collaborate alongside their peers with design teams and external partners within the industry.  The role of a Color and Material Designer is to participate in a range of complex activities, including graphic-led visual storytelling, materials research and innovation,  collaborating with color and materials development teams for the purposes of manufacture, digitally applying CMF strategies to virtual models, and delivery of the final design intent through visual and verbal presentations.   This course will serve as the foundation for students intent on pursuing CMF Design positions within the industry.

Credits: 3

Graduate Seminar  brings together the full cohort of CCS graduate students where they are exposed to key contemporary issues influencing the design professional.  Students will attend lectures and workshops with visiting artists, designers, as well as related industry and academic leaders.  Graduate Seminar  serves to advance both the investigative and critical writing skills of students.  Social Context, sustainability, and ethics will be some of the themes addressed, possibly structured within a colloquial format. This Seminar requires extensive reading, research, and short, fast-paced assignments set in the various workshops.  Students participate in individual and group presentations in the Seminar.

Credits: 3

In this course, students learn how to identify, assess, and forecast both short-term and long-term trends that can be researched through a variety of information sources, consumer demographics, developments in technology, manufacturing and the sciences, as well as cultural, social, environmental and economic influences. Students explore how trends shape values and behaviors to influence the perception and adoption of new ideas. Uncovering these insights in a rapidly changing world is an increasingly important challenge for all professional designers; and the ability to understand and identify trends and their impact on consumer behavior is an important skill that will be utilized within the structure of all Color and Materials Design courses.

Credits: 3

In this course, students will advance their understanding of how the properties of color can be used to express the functional and emotional attributes of products, artifacts, and experiences through color theory, color psychology as relates to the human perception of color, and colorimetry, including light and optics, color models, spectrophotometry, color assessment and mastering.  Students will have access to industry-standard color samples and tools, including spectrophotometers, gloss meters, and a Macbeth light booth. Throughout the course, students will engage in a series of explorations regarding the interaction of color to develop an understanding of its elusive behavior and how to most effectively employ it in any medium, acquire the vocabulary needed to discuss how color is behaving in any context and to understand and express their own evolving color sensibility.

Credits: 3

In this course, students explore the role of color and materials in defining a brand narrative through Color Materials and Finish (CMF) design. Using research, students discuss how organizations have strategically used design, color, and materials to advance and elevate their brands. Making emotional connections is at the center of many brand strategies for resonating with their customers and audiences, and students are introduced to the visceral and experiential qualities of materials and color.

Credits: 3

In this course, students explore the intersection of design, craft, and science through engaging in a series of material experiments to examine properties, mechanics, potential, and failure to develop innovations in color, materials, and finish design. The course supports the student in developing and innovating ideas using both proven and non-traditional techniques. Students work in the wood, metal, glass, and ceramic studios to create a series of surfaces and artifacts – with the fundamental understanding of the science behind each process – to support their concepts within their CMD studio courses. Working in shop and studio environments, the projects immerse students in both 2D and 3D surface and form to present forward-thinking concepts. The course offers both structured group projects and self-directed learning.

Credits: 3

This course is a self-directed project that forms the capstone of the MA degree.  Students will critically situate the project in a specific context and it will be informed by robust contextualization.  Students will develop a body of well-documented interactive ideation, leading to thematically relevant creative outcomes evidencing practical impact and/or a critical provocation.

Credits: 3

PREREQUISITES: DGR 613

Students will enroll in an elective course of their choosing.

Strong English language skills are essential for success at CCS and in a future career as an international designer. In this course, students will develop and improve English communication skills. Using a wide range of tools and assignments, students will talk and write about design with focus on planning and organization, visual aids, audience, appropriate vocabulary, revising based on feedback, and presenting before a group. The skills acquired in this course will enable students to produce a presentation on design research conducted throughout the semester.

Credits: 1

In this course, students are introduced to the discipline of color, materials and finish (CMF) design to create meaningful narratives that connect ideas, artifacts and experiences to individuals and communities.   Working in experiential – and sometimes interdisciplinary – projects, students collaborate alongside their peers with design teams and external partners within the industry.  The role of a Color and Material Designer is to participate in a range of complex activities, including graphic-led visual storytelling, materials research and innovation,  collaborating with color and materials development teams for the purposes of manufacture, digitally applying CMF strategies to virtual models, and delivery of the final design intent through visual and verbal presentations.   This course will serve as the foundation for students intent on pursuing CMF Design positions within the industry.

Credits: 3

Graduate Seminar  brings together the full cohort of CCS graduate students where they are exposed to key contemporary issues influencing the design professional.  Students will attend lectures and workshops with visiting artists, designers, as well as related industry and academic leaders.  Graduate Seminar  serves to advance both the investigative and critical writing skills of students.  Social Context, sustainability, and ethics will be some of the themes addressed, possibly structured within a colloquial format. This Seminar requires extensive reading, research, and short, fast-paced assignments set in the various workshops.  Students participate in individual and group presentations in the Seminar.

Credits: 3

In this course, students learn how to identify, assess, and forecast both short-term and long-term trends that can be researched through a variety of information sources, consumer demographics, developments in technology, manufacturing and the sciences, as well as cultural, social, environmental and economic influences. Students explore how trends shape values and behaviors to influence the perception and adoption of new ideas. Uncovering these insights in a rapidly changing world is an increasingly important challenge for all professional designers; and the ability to understand and identify trends and their impact on consumer behavior is an important skill that will be utilized within the structure of all Color and Materials Design courses.

Credits: 3

In this course, students will advance their understanding of how the properties of color can be used to express the functional and emotional attributes of products, artifacts and experiences through color theory, color psychology as relates to the human perception of color, and colorimetry, including light and optics, color models, spectrophotometry, color assessment and mastering.  Students will have access to industry-standard color samples and tools, including spectrophotometers, gloss meters, and a Macbeth light booth. Throughout the course, students will engage in a series of explorations regarding the interaction of color to develop an understanding of its elusive behavior and how to most effectively employ it in any medium, acquire the vocabulary needed to discuss how color is behaving in any context, and to understand and express their own evolving color sensibility.

Credits: 3

In this course, students will increase their experiential knowledge of industry standards regarding engineered materials, manufacturing processes, and relevant applications through a series of local and regional field trips, guest lectures, workshops, in-studio prototyping, and self-led projects.

Credits: 3

In this course, students will explore advanced digital visualization platforms to apply color, materials and finish concepts to a range of products and environments; and, by doing so, visualize their final concepts to produce compelling presentations at a professionally competent level to visually articulate the design intent.

Credits: 3

In this course, students explore the role of color and materials in defining a brand narrative through Color Materials and Finish (CMF) design.  Using research, students discuss how organizations have strategically used design, color, and materials to advance and elevate their brands.  Making emotional connections is at the center of many brand strategies for resonating with their customers and audiences, and students are introduced to the visceral and experiential qualities of materials and color.

Credits: 3

PREREQUISITES: CMD 601

Students learn to use Design Thinking as a cross-disciplinary method for problem solving.  Design Thinking is characterized by a non-linear, creative, playful, and collaborative approach for generating and testing ideas through rapid ideation and prototyping.  Students learn to challenge assumptions, take risks, and adopt unconventional perspectives in the process of problem solving.  The class teaches students to take a human-centered approach, led by user empathy to (re)define problems, generate ideas, prototype, model, and test concepts and ideas for new products, services, processes, and strategies. Students do not need any formal design training to take this course, but will be required to visualize, map, enact, and document thinking and ideas in collaborative spaces.

Credits: 3

The Graduate Research Methods course equips students with the knowledge and skills required to undertake a range of advanced research methodologies appropriate to contemporary creative practice and critical inquiry in art and design, from ethnography and interviews to phenomenology and critical performance. Using a wide range of primary and secondary sources students will learn to critically explore and evaluate art and design research practices.  The knowledge acquired throughout the course will support students in the formulation of a sophisticated, reflective and fully referenced proposal for research-led creative practice, and a rigorously informed critical discourse.

Credits: 3

In this course, students explore the intersection of design, craft, and science through engaging in a series of material experiments to examine properties, mechanics, potential, and failure to develop innovations in color, materials, and finish design. The course supports the student in developing and innovating ideas using both proven and non-traditional techniques. Students work in the wood, metal, glass, and ceramic studios to create a series of surfaces and artifacts – with the fundamental understanding of the science behind each process – to support their concepts within their CMD studio courses. Working in shop and studio environments, the projects immerse students in both 2D and 3D surface and form to present forward-thinking concepts. The course offers both structured group projects and self-directed learning.

Credits: 3

PREREQUISITES: CMD 605

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 INTERIOR DESIGN 30 semester. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. All internships must be approved by the graduate program department chairperson.

Credits: 3

Students will enroll in an elective course of their choosing.

Credits: 3

Thesis I is part one of a self-directed major project that will be the culmination of the graduate study experience.  Students will critically situate the project in a specific context and will be informed by robust research methodologies.  Students will develop a body of well-documented research and development work, that will underpin thematically relevant creative outcomes in part two, evidencing practical impact and/or a critical provocation.

Credits: 6

In this course, students explore the consequences of their decision-making as Color and Material designers, and question subsequent social, economic, and environmental impacts.  They deploy their creative abilities using color and material design to create positive design strategies that are forward-thinking and consider sustainability, circular economics, and social justice at a local and global level. The course questions the provenance of materials, processes, and commodity chains.  Students explore possibilities for using materials and processes where there is no harm to nature or human well-being; and whether locally sourced materials and processes can be specified to advance social enterprise and closed-loop systems.

Credits: 3

PREREQUISITES: CMD 601, CMD 602

The Written Thesis is a self-directed, academically rigorous and fully referenced 8,000-10,000 word document providing a critical appraisal of primary and secondary research sources, and theoretical discussion and debate on the overarching context of the Final Project.  It runs concurrently with the Thesis I course in semester 3.

Credits: 3

PREREQUISITES: DGR 613 DGR 620

In this course, student’s will conduct in-depth research showing evidence of understanding the complete cycle surrounding color, material, and finish selection, including origin, provenance, characteristics, properties, environmental impact, and end of life. Being material-minded is an integral part of the design process, with the additional awareness that color and finish can be identified through materials. Students will conduct additional research through sampling and prototyping, leading to thoughtful and relevant CMF concepts and narratives. The curriculum supports both analog and rapid prototyping processes.

Credits: 3

PREREQUISITES: CMD 601, CMD 602, CMD 701

Independent Study is available to students who are at Junior or Senior level standing 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. Art Education candidates must pass DAE 490 with a grade of ‘C’ (2.00) or higher to qualify for certification.

Credits: 3

Students will enroll in an elective course of their choosing.

Credits: 3

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

Students will enroll in an elective course of their choosing.

Credits: 3