Lead the Future of Design at Tyler
The MFA in Graphic + Interactive Design at the Tyler is a dynamic, research-driven program created for designers who want to challenge conventions, push boundaries, and shape the future of visual communication.
Your Voice. Your Work. Your Future.
Our STEM-designated program immerses students in advanced design thinking, critical inquiry, and emerging technologies, preparing them to be leaders in the ever-evolving fields of graphic and interactive media.
At Tyler, you won’t just study design—you’ll define it.
From mastering form and interaction to exploring entrepreneurship, authorship, and social activism, our curriculum provides the tools and freedom to chart your own creative path. Whether your goal is to teach, launch a studio, or innovate in industry, the MFA experience at Tyler is rigorous, hands-on, and built for real-world impact.
The program culminates in an MFA Exhibition, a professional-level showcase of research, experimentation, and individual creative vision, preparing graduates for leading roles in academia, design, and beyond.
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The Tyler School of Art and Architecture features its own admissions team, who can provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for your educational and career goals.
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MFA in Graphic + Interactive Design
The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Graphic + Interactive Design at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture offers a rigorous, research-driven experience that immerses students in the discipline. This STEM-designated program fosters a deep understanding of design within its historical, cultural, and social contexts, while encouraging students to push the boundaries of graphic and interactive media. With a focus on innovation, the curriculum integrates emerging technologies and offers a customizable selection of professional practice courses, preparing students to become leaders, educators, and pioneers in the ever-evolving design world. The program culminates in a comprehensive exhibition, showcasing each student's refined expertise and unique creative vision, equipping them for prominent roles in academia, industry, or as entrepreneurial designers.
The Four Pillars of Our Program
Tyler’s MFA in Graphic + Interactive Design is structured around four key pillars that define our approach and set our graduates apart:
Authorship
Designers are creators, not just interpreters. We encourage students to develop a unique voice and take ownership of their work—whether through self-initiated projects, independent research, or experimental storytelling across media.
Entrepreneurship
We prepare students for self-sufficiency in the creative industry—whether you want to start your own studio, launch a product, or freelance at a high level. Our flexible Professional Practice courses, including Studio Management, Teaching for Higher Education, and Design Portfolio, provide the business and branding skills necessary to thrive.
Social Activism
Design is a powerful tool for change. We challenge students to explore the social, ethical, and cultural impact of design, working on projects that address real-world issues and create meaningful, community-driven change.
Teaching
For those looking to shape the next generation of designers, our program offers in-depth preparation for teaching at the university level, with access to mentorship and courses like Teaching for Higher Education.
The MFA Workshop:
An Intensive with Design Luminaries
The MFA Workshop is a one-and-a-half-day immersive experience where students work side by side with some of the most influential figures in design and illustration.
Every two years, a leading expert in a specific genre of design or illustration is invited to Tyler to challenge students with a hands-on project, pushing them to experiment, refine their craft, and think in new ways.
This is a rare opportunity to gain insight, feedback, and mentorship from industry icons—some past workshop leaders have included Rodrigo Corral, Roberto De Vicq, Louise Fili, Robynne Raye, Paula Scher, Stefan Sagmeister, and Zipeng Zhu. Whether exploring typography, branding, motion, or storytelling, the MFA Workshop is an intense, inspiring experience that expands creative boundaries and deepens professional practice.
What Can You Do with an MFA from Tyler?
Wherever they go, Tyler MFAs stand out for their ability to think critically, push design forward, and drive cultural conversations.
Our graduates leave with the skills and confidence to lead, teach, and innovate in a range of careers, including:
- University + College Faculty (Professors, Instructors, Researchers)
- Creative Directors + Design Leaders
- Entrepreneurs + Studio Founders
- UX/UI Designers + Interactive Media Specialists
- Brand Strategists + Visual Storytellers
- Independent Artists + Authors
Studio Space
The graduate studio in Design & Illustration is a 1600 sq. ft. collaborative space that offers top-of-the-line computers and equipment.
Each student has their own personal workspace with access to large format inkjet printers. Digital work is critiqued on large 72" monitors. The studio is outfitted with bindery tools, guillotine presses, cutting surfaces, and a design library.
Other accessible items include:
- iPads for illustration and application design
- Projectors for mapping and exhibition design
- Small scale proofing presses for letterpress work
- The full Adobe Creative Suite and Adobe Stock
- VR equipment like Oculus headsets
- Type design software (Glyphs)
- Game design software (Unity)
- Vinyl cutting and plotting
- Large format scanners
Alumni Spotlight
Meet some of the remarkable graduates of Tyler’s MFA in Graphic + Interactive Design. Our alumni are creative leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers—each forging their own path and shaping the future of design in bold, meaningful ways.
Andrea Pippins
Author & Illustrator, MFA 2009
Andrea Pippins is a visual storyteller who uses her vibrant and bold style to celebrate culture and stories often overlooked. From her USPS partnership and design of a national Kwanzaa stamp to her illustrations for the National Museum of African American History and Culture or her bestselling books, she finds new ways to bring culture and inspiration together in visual form.
Andrea’s work has been featured across media, having worked on projects for clients including Apple, Five Below (a product collection that sold out), Instagram, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Malala Fund, National Geographic, Sephora, and many more.
Andrea continues to seek new ways to empower people, particularly women and girls, to nurture their creativity and themselves through artistic expression. She lives in Sweden with her family.
Quotes
“Tyler's Master of Fine Arts in Graphic + Interactive Design Program enabled me to hone my creative energy toward a rewarding career in higher education — a lifelong professional goal. The program challenged me to think critically and creatively through thoughtful, interdisciplinary learning opportunities, once-in-a-lifetime study-abroad experiences, bespoke authorship prompts, and immersion in cutting-edge design methodologies.”
David Jones
Chair, Department of Art + Design West Chester University
"Studying graphic design at Tyler with professors and a community that strongly appreciated illustration helped me formulate my visual voice. Yet, it wasn't until many years later, after realizing I was solving all of my visual design problems with illustration, that it became apparent that I was more of an illustrator than a graphic designer. In my practice, the two disciplines inform one another, which I love."
Andrea Pippins
Author + Illustrator, MFA 2009
Student Work
Our students produce cutting-edge, research-driven work across a spectrum of media—interactive, print, branding, motion graphics, and beyond. Explore their projects and see the impact of design in action.
Packaging
MeiLi Carling Student
Student
Decrescendo
Pegah Saebi Student
Practical Guide to Grief
Marissa Raybuck Student
Fifa
Dora Mo Student
Exhale
MeiLi Carling Student
Student
Rooted
Nghi To Student
Quiet Force
Mike Ray Student
Featured MFA Work
GoodMood By Ray Mike
A book designed by Ray Mike filled with lots of patterns and colors.
Will Do By Tran Ha
A branding project created by Tran Ha that includes stationary, web pages, the brand overview, and more.
Quiet Force By Mike Ray
A book design by Mike Ray featuring fun typographic layouts.
Faculty: Learn from Leaders in the Field
Our award-winning faculty are internationally recognized designers, artists, and educators who bring their expertise, research, and professional experience into the classroom. They’re here to challenge, mentor, and push you toward your full potential.
Program Contacts
In addition to Tyler’s specialized admissions team, you’re welcome to contact these graphic and interactive design program leaders.
Kelly Holohan
Program Head of Design + Illustration and Professor
kholohan@temple.edu
Dermot MacCormack
Chair of Design + Illustration and Associate Professor
dermot@temple.edu