Graduate Programs

The UIC Master of Design in Graphic Design is a globally oriented program delivered in Chicago or in Basel, Switzerland. In both locations, the two-year program is focused on an independent master’s research project, which offers students the opportunity to identify and explore a topic of inquiry with the potential to contribute to broader disciplinary knowledge. Through project-oriented activities that foster analytical competence in research, writing, design history, and image theory, the curriculum is designed to deepen …
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The School of Design is embedded within the heart of UIC, an R-1 top-tier research university. Our mission is to create dynamic thinkers/makers who, while able to create singular, highly-resolved formal design, arrive at their well-crafted, considered solutions through a process of deep research and critical thinking. Designers will shape the future not only through well-designed objects, systems, and interactions, but by their ability to offer solutions to large-scale problems facing society today as the leaders driving social, technological, and environmental innovation.
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All graduate design students are encouraged to work collaboratively with Graduate Academic Advisor Kevin Strickland to identify their degree program, monitor and support progress toward graduation, and achieve their academic and personal goals—students should reach out often throughout their college career.

Students register for courses online via myUIC. Once you receive an instruction email from Graduate Admissions you will have access to the portal, though international students may need to wait until they arrive on campus and check in with the Office of International Services.

Please note that each course has a five-digit Course Registration Number (CRN) associated with it. There may be multiple sections of the DES520 elective offered, with each course having a unique CRN. When two CRNs are listed, register for both numbers—one corresponds to the lecture portion (lists as 4 credits) and the other to the lab (lists as 0 credits) of the same course.

You are responsible for registering for classes on your own prior to the start of each semester. The course schedule is arranged to ensure that we have space in each core class for all students who need to register. Because of this, there’s typically no rush to register for classes each semester. However, be aware that your registration status as a full-time student affects things like financial aid disbursement, your CTA U-Pass activation, eligibility for assistantships, etc. For this reason, we recommend registering sooner rather than later to avoid any issues.

Some courses may require approval for registration, you can check to see if it has been processed by logging in to myUIC » XE Registration » Student Self-Service » Prepare for Registration and you should see approvals in the Permit and Overrides section—if not, contact your advisor Kevin Strickland. For a non-DES course approval, contact the department or course professor.

Time Ticket schedule identifies the earliest day/time you can register. To find yours, log in to myUIC » XE Registration/View Classes » Registration » Prepare for Registration and select the term to see your Time Ticket and any holds on your account.

Holds may be imposed for financial, academic, disciplinary, or immunization reasons. If you have a hold on your records, you will not be able to register until it is cleared. See Time Ticket + Holds for those department contacts.

If you are planning to take a Design elective, register as soon as possible as we do not hold seats for grad students and they will fill quickly once undergrad students start registering on March 31. Email your Academic Advisor for approval to take any undergrad Design course as an elective; include your UIN and the CRN to expedite the process.

You need to complete two DES520 classes and four electives in order to have enough credits to graduate:

• two of the four electives must be from CADA
• only 400-level or above courses may be used to fulfill graduate elective requirements
• may take more than two DES520 classes

The faculty expectation is that all grad students will register for at least 16 credits each semester in the program. If you have questions, please reach out to the director of your program: Cheryl Towler Weese for GD and Brian Anderson for ID.