Herron School of Art and Design, Graduate Programs

Herron School of Art and Design is situated in vibrant downtown Indianapolis on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).  We provide professional education in visual art and design for students who value creative exploration for the broader community, who seek to enhance quality of life and who strive to contribute to the development of society at all levels.  Herron prepares its graduates to become leaders in a world that requires a unique combination of creativity, conceptual skills and technical abilities.  

Herron fulfills its mission through its community programming as well as its academic programs, including both undergraduate and graduate degrees.  

The MFA in Visual Art, with tracks in Ceramics, Furniture Design, Painting and Drawing, Photography and Intermedia, Printmaking, and Sculpture, offers a flexible curriculum that enables students to hone their studio practices and expand their technical skills and research.  This program seeks graduate students who are committed to an intense engagement with pragmatic strategies, theoretical ideas, and the development of their craftsmanship to the highest standards.  

The MFA in Visual Communication Design focuses on human-centered design leadership.  We teach collaborative methods and processes and enable students to master ways of solving complex problems based on visual sensemaking.  This program seeks graduate students from varied backgrounds.  Successful alumni have come from undergraduate and professional experiences in not only visual art and design, but also in business, marketing, music, engineering, HCI, media arts and sciences, medical industries, and more.  

The MA in Art Therapy is a clinical degree that enables students to become licensed and registered therapists.  Students take coursework in psychology, counseling, psychopathology, and study art therapy with various demographic groups to gain a well-rounded knowledge of the field.  A 3-credit practicum and 9 credits of internship experience at sites around the city give students a first-hand look at art therapy at work and prepare them well for the workforce.