Design Studies Graduate Program Specializations in Interior Environments or Textiles

Graduate Design Studies in Interior Environments

The Interior Environments specialization offers up-to-date knowledge and training in subject areas critical to the design of interior places. Subject interests may surround the relationship of human environments and behavioral needs of people, the history of interiors and its influence on contemporary design, as well as design visualization, design communication and analysis using both manual and digital media. Advisors for the Interior Environments specialization are V. T. (Terry) Boyd, Joy Dohr, Wei Dong, Michael Hunt, John Merrill, Mark Nelson, Roberto Rengel, Jeff Lackney (Adjunct faculty, College of Engineering)

Members of the Interior Environments faculty have expertise in the following focus areas:

Design Vizualization and Communication utilizes both manual and digital media to visualize buildings and their associated interior and exterior spaces. Knowledge and skills gained in this subject area equip students to utilize design visualization technology to improve creativity, productivity and communication. Methods and applications in design visualization include image generation and manipulation, modeling and simulation, animation and virtual reality. This option is especially appropriate for those wishing to pursue the MFA.
Environment and Behavior focuses on the study of relationships between people and the built environment. Knowledge gained in this subject area enables students to incorporate research into the design process. Issues in environment and behavior studies include psychosocial issues in design, design for a pluralistic society, and design of specific facility-types.
History of interiors provides analysis of the social, cultural, aesthetic, and historical context of interior environments. Knowledge gained may result in understanding of the past, or insights into contemporary design. Students may focus on particular designers and makers, design of a particular area or time period, or analysis of meaning and value. The goal is to prepare professionals for positions in academia, museums, or preservation/ conservation-oriented design firms.

Graduate Design Studies in Textiles

TheTextiles Specialization integrates and emphasizes three approaches to scholarly activity:

• Textile art and design for mastering conceptual, technical and aesthetic possibilities;
• Historical and cultural study of textiles drawing upon historical, aesthetic, anthropological, and material culture knowledge while considering comparative meanings and uses;
• Scientific study of physical and chemical properties of textiles and their interaction with dyes, finishes, and plasma.

Advisors for the specialization are Jenny Angus, Sonya Clark, Beverly Gordon, Majid Sarmadi, and Diane Sheehan. See the Faculty page to learn more about them.

Textile art and design focuses on the conceptual, technical and aesthetic possibilities of textiles. Students formulate a plan of study that may incorporate courses in textile history, textile science or courses in the Art Department. The aim is to produce a distinctive body of functional or fine art textiles for a thesis exhibit, and to train for a career as an exhibiting artist, designer or entrepreneur. For qualified candidates, the opportunity to apply for a Special Committee Master of Fine Arts degree (M.F.A.) is possible after completion of at least 15 credits in the Masters Program.

History of textiles and clothing draws on historical, aesthetic, anthropological and material culture perspectives, while considering the comparative meanings, uses of, and insights into textiles and dress (fashion, costume and body treatment) in different cultures. Students can specialize in particular types of textiles or areas of the world, or focus on issues such as preservation or applications in museum settings. Collaborations with faculty in Art History, Folklore and other academic programs on campus are encouraged.

Textile Science provides in-depth understanding of the physical and chemical properties of natural and synthetic fibers and their interaction with dyes, finishes and plasma. Students become familiar with a variety of analytical tools such as Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Attenuated Total Reflectance, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). For qualified candidates, the opportunity to apply for a Special Committee Ph.D. is possible after completion of at least 15 credits in the Masters Program.

The collaborative opportunities and expertise of faculty in textiles and related areas, along with access to collections, analytical tools and technology on campus, create a unique and rich climate for graduate work. Graduates from this specialization have careers in higher education, as exhibiting artists and designers, as managers and curators in preservation or museum settings and in the textile industry.