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Architecture, Interior Architecture, & Designed Objects

Master of Design in Designed Objects

Master of Design in Designed Objects

The Master of Design in Designed Objects (MDDO) is a professional degree program with a structured curriculum that offers students the critical skills to imagine and create meaningful design objects, systems, and experiences while challenging the boundaries of the field of design itself.

Redefining Object Design

Designers reimagine the objects and systems that mediate our daily lives. Through a critical appraisal of product, furniture, interaction, and systems design, the MDDO program teaches designers to be agents of change who maintain an expansive understanding of the object. Future designers need to be enlightened practitioners, willing to explore unknown territory and work with problems not yet defined. The program encourages students to challenge the fluid borderline that outlines design, opening the field to unexpected possibilities. MDDO students are encouraged to develop their practice by taking elective courses in other departments across SAIC and by applying to AIADO’s External Partnership Courses.

Alumni of the MDDO program have attained success and professional experience in a diverse range of careers from product and furniture design, user experience design, creative direction, design research and strategy, design education and independent design practice.

Master of Design in Designed Objects Curriculum

The Master of Design in Designed Objects (MDDO) is a two-year, 66 credit hour program with a carefully sequenced course-based curriculum, built for students who seek immersion in the critical and technical skills specific to the extended practice of object design.

  • MDDO Degree Requirements and Specifications

    • Completion schedule: Students have a maximum of four years to complete the master of design degree program. This includes time off for leaves of absence.
    • Transfer credit: Generally transfer credits are not accepted. All requests for transfer credits are reviewed individually by the chair of the department at the time of admission and are subject to approval at that time. No transfer credit will be permitted after a student is admitted.
    • Full-Time Status Minimum Requirement: 12 credit hours
    TermCredit Hours
    First Year Summer Intensive     6
    • DESOB 5050 Refresh: Summer Intensive (6)
    		 
    First Year Fall    15
    • DESOB 5150 Studio 1: Reset (3)
    • DESOB 5152 Research Methods Lab (3)
    • DESOB 5164 Material Intelligence Studio Seminar (3)
    • ARTHI 5120 Survey of Modern and Contemporary Arch. and Design (3)
    • Elective (3)
    		 
    First Year Spring15
    • DESOB 5160 Studio 2: Discover (6)
    • DESOB 5162 Prototyping Methods Lab (3)
    • ARTHI 5105 Theories of Things: Art / Design / Objects (3)
    • Elective (3)
    		 

    Second Year Fall    		15
    • DESOB 6150 Thesis Studio 1: Initiate (6)
    • DESOB 6154 Material Futures Studio Seminar (3)
    • ARTHI 6120 Critical Issues in Designed Objects (3)
    • Elective
    		 

    Second Year Spring    		15
    • DESOB 6160 Thesis Studio 2: Manifest (6)
    • DESOB 6162 Positioning Methods Lab (3)
    • Elective (3)
    • Elective (3)
    		 

    Participation in four graduate critiques, including departmental critiques and interdisciplinary critique in the final year of study    		 

    Participation in Graduate Design Exhibition    		 

    Total Credit Hours    		66

MDDO Versus MFA

In contrast to the structured curriculum of the MDDO, the two-year Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Studio, Designed Objects is for students looking for a self-directed program of independent study.  Students work with faculty advisors on a one to one basis each semester to pursue a range of design projects that reflect their specific interests. Applicants are expected to have previous experience and a strong portfolio in three-dimensional design practice, and the ability to self-manage an extended program of independent study.

Courses

Title Catalog Instructor Schedule

Description

Course Description
Students will learn to craft design concept sketches that clearly communicate ideas to others. The course focuses on using freehand sketching and rendering to visualize design objects, clarify form and function, and explore ideas quickly. Through exercises in thumbnail sketching, shading, and form development, students build confidence in drawing as a tool for thinking and communication. The course also introduces orthographic projection for precise technical drawings and two-point perspective for understanding objects in space.

Who is this course for?
Effective sketching is a foundational skill that designers use throughout their careers. Alongside 3D Modeling and Designing Interaction, this course is part of the core skills group in Designed Objects and is intended to support students as they move through the three-course Core Studio sequence.
This course is an excellent first Designed Objects class and an accessible entry point into design at SAIC. There are no prerequisites, and students at all levels are welcome.

When should this class be taken?
This course is recommended in the freshman or sophomore year and works especially well as a student¿s first Designed Objects course.

Class Number

1462

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1255

Description

Almost all designed objects and systems involve interaction¿how people understand, navigate, and respond to things over time. This core skills studio, part of the Designed Objects core sequence, introduces students to tools and methods for designing and communicating interactive experiences across physical objects, screen-based interfaces, and virtual environments.
Students learn professional visual communication and prototyping tools used to articulate interaction, including interface prototyping, vector illustration, typography, visual composition, and basic data visualization. These tools support design development and the communication of storyboarded scenarios, user research insights, system flows, and finished proposals for physical and digital experiences.

The course introduces industry-standard platforms such as Figma and Adobe Express, alongside core interaction design methods including flow diagrams, wireframes, scenario mapping, and introductory user testing. Emphasis is placed on using these tools as thinking instruments for understanding behavior, feedback, and use over time.

Who this course is for:
Alongside 3D Modeling and Designing Interaction, this course is part of the Designed Objects core skills group, supporting students as they move through the three-course Core Studio sequence. It is an excellent first Designed Objects class and an accessible entry point into design at SAIC. There are no prerequisites, and students at all levels are welcome.
While the course makes use of screen-based tools and interface prototyping software, it is not a web design course. Students primarily interested in designing or building websites should consider courses specifically focused on those areas.

When to take it:
This course is a required component of the Designed Objects core sequence and is recommended early in the program, ideally alongside or shortly after the first core studio.

Class Number

1468

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Digital Communication

Location

Sullivan Center 1226

Description

As the beginning course in the Designed Objects department, students will have an opportunity to explore different methods of working in order to begin establishing a practice that works best for them. Students will be building a strong foundation of skills and techniques needed to navigate an informed design process and successfully complete a design brief. In this hands-on class, students will learn how to find inspiration for an idea, develop that idea into a concept, and use that concept to design and fabricate a high-level, final prototype. Basic research theories and methods are introduced which are then applied towards studio projects. Fabrication and prototyping techniques are also incorporated in order to test out ideas and discover new ones. Students advance through definition, research, ideation, sketching, and modeling phases toward two? and three?dimensional representations (digital and physical) of their work that are orally defended during group critique.

Readings and lecture content will vary and will focus on examples of historically relevant and contemporary designers, artists, studios, and design movements; as well as design practices that highlight different motivations of the designer.

In addition to the two main projects that focus on different methods of approaching design? where students will be producing high-level prototypes, this workshop-style class consists of one-day projects and exercises designed to introduce techniques and skills such as technical drawing and sketching, form-finding, prototyping, and inspiration research, among others.

This course requires students to have a laptop that meets SAIC's minimum hardware specs and runs the AIADO template.

Class Number

1455

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1231

Description

As the beginning course in the Designed Objects department, students will have an opportunity to explore different methods of working in order to begin establishing a practice that works best for them. Students will be building a strong foundation of skills and techniques needed to navigate an informed design process and successfully complete a design brief. In this hands-on class, students will learn how to find inspiration for an idea, develop that idea into a concept, and use that concept to design and fabricate a high-level, final prototype. Basic research theories and methods are introduced which are then applied towards studio projects. Fabrication and prototyping techniques are also incorporated in order to test out ideas and discover new ones. Students advance through definition, research, ideation, sketching, and modeling phases toward two? and three?dimensional representations (digital and physical) of their work that are orally defended during group critique.

Readings and lecture content will vary and will focus on examples of historically relevant and contemporary designers, artists, studios, and design movements; as well as design practices that highlight different motivations of the designer.

In addition to the two main projects that focus on different methods of approaching design? where students will be producing high-level prototypes, this workshop-style class consists of one-day projects and exercises designed to introduce techniques and skills such as technical drawing and sketching, form-finding, prototyping, and inspiration research, among others.

This course requires students to have a laptop that meets SAIC's minimum hardware specs and runs the AIADO template.

Class Number

1465

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1231

Description

As the beginning course in the Designed Objects department, students will have an opportunity to explore different methods of working in order to begin establishing a practice that works best for them. Students will be building a strong foundation of skills and techniques needed to navigate an informed design process and successfully complete a design brief. In this hands-on class, students will learn how to find inspiration for an idea, develop that idea into a concept, and use that concept to design and fabricate a high-level, final prototype. Basic research theories and methods are introduced which are then applied towards studio projects. Fabrication and prototyping techniques are also incorporated in order to test out ideas and discover new ones. Students advance through definition, research, ideation, sketching, and modeling phases toward two? and three?dimensional representations (digital and physical) of their work that are orally defended during group critique.

Readings and lecture content will vary and will focus on examples of historically relevant and contemporary designers, artists, studios, and design movements; as well as design practices that highlight different motivations of the designer.

In addition to the two main projects that focus on different methods of approaching design? where students will be producing high-level prototypes, this workshop-style class consists of one-day projects and exercises designed to introduce techniques and skills such as technical drawing and sketching, form-finding, prototyping, and inspiration research, among others.

This course requires students to have a laptop that meets SAIC's minimum hardware specs and runs the AIADO template.

Class Number

2246

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1407

Description

Core Studio 2 focuses on how material, form, and interaction shape experience over time. Building on the foundations of designing for others, this studio deepens students¿ engagement with making, refinement, and use.
Students work extensively with physical materials, exploring construction, surface, finish, and detail as communicative elements. Here, students deepen their builder practice by working through material constraints, assemblies, and refinement, learning how construction decisions shape experience. Digital tools are more fully integrated into the workflow, with 3D modeling used to develop form, assemblies, and tolerances, and 2D CAD supporting patternmaking, layouts, and fabrication planning. Sketching remains central as a means of refining proportion and communicating intent.
Interaction is introduced as a temporal and physical experience, encompassing affordance, sequence, and feedback. Prototyping emphasizes iteration and refinement, with students moving between digital models and physical builds to test how objects are handled, activated, and interpreted.
This studio reinforces building as a disciplined design practice, where material decisions, craft, and structure communicate meaning as clearly as form or function.

Who this course is for
This studio is for students who have completed Core Studio 1 and are ready to deepen their engagement with materials, construction, and use. It is well suited to students who want to strengthen their ability to design objects that are experienced through touch, handling, and interaction over time.

When to take it
Core Studio 2 is typically taken after Core Studio 1. The studio is designed to run alongside the core skills courses¿Designing Interaction, Sketching, and 3D Modeling¿reinforcing the integration of material exploration, digital workflows, visualization, and prototyping. Students are strongly encouraged to have taken, or to be concurrently enrolled in, a digital modeling core skills course, as 3D modeling is used regularly throughout the studio.

This course requires students to have a laptop that meets SAIC's minimum hardware specs and runs the AIADO template.

Prerequisites

Pre: DES OB 1006 or 2020

Class Number

1456

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1230

Description

This course introduces Rhino as a form-driven, exploratory 3D modeling tool used widely in product, furniture, and spatial design. Emphasis is placed on using modeling as a way to think through form, proportion, and iteration, and how to utilize it within a production-focused process. Rhino is widely regarded as a standard professional 3D modeling tool in industrial design, supporting a form-driven approach commonly used in studio-based and consulting practice.
Students learn core Rhino workflows including curve construction, solid and basic surface modeling, transformations, and file preparation for visualization and fabrication. In addition to modeling, the course introduces foundational digital workflows, including exporting models for 3D printing, preparing 2D drawings for laser cutting, and using KeyShot to create rendered images that clearly communicate design intent.

Through approximately three design projects, students use Rhino to explore object form, refine ideas through iteration, and translate digital models into physical and visual outputs. The emphasis is on clarity of form, thoughtful revision, and understanding how digital models function within a broader design process.

When to take this course:
Students are strongly encouraged to take this course as early as possible. Rhino is used regularly beginning in Designed Objects Studio 2 (DO2) and is commonly applied across topical studio electives. Early exposure allows students to integrate modeling naturally into studio work rather than treating it as a standalone technical skill.

Who this course is for:
This course is ideal for students interested in form-driven design, iterative making, and exploratory modeling practices. Alongside SolidWorks and Designing Interaction, this course is part of the Designed Objects core skills group, supporting students as they move through the three-course Core Studio sequence. Completion of either Rhino or SolidWorks fulfills the core 3D modeling expectation for the Designed Objects program. Designers in professional practice often specialize in one primary modeling platform while developing transferable modeling concepts that apply across tools.

Class Number

1458

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Digital Communication, Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1226

Description

This course introduces SolidWorks as a parametric, constraint-based 3D modeling tool widely used in product development and manufacturing-oriented design. Emphasis is placed on using modeling to define design intent, dimensional relationships, and functional requirements, supporting clarity, precision, and repeatability in complex objects and systems. SolidWorks is widely regarded as a standard professional 3D modeling tool in industrial design, supporting workflows common in corporate, consulting, and manufacturing-focused practice.
Students learn core SolidWorks workflows including sketch-based feature modeling, parametric constraints, part and assembly creation, and basic documentation practices. The course focuses on how dimensions, constraints, and features work together to support functional performance, mechanical relationships, and downstream production needs.

Through approximately three design projects, students develop objects with multiple components, test relationships between parts, and communicate designs through structured models and drawings. Projects emphasize precision, decision-making, and the translation of design concepts into clearly defined systems rather than open-ended formal exploration.

When to take this course:
Students are strongly encouraged to take this course as early as possible. 3D CAD is used regularly beginning in Designed Objects Studio 2 (DO2) and across many topical studio electives. Early exposure allows students to integrate modeling directly into studio work. SolidWorks is especially useful for students interested in later-stage design development and production-oriented electives.

Who this course is for:
This course is ideal for students interested in mechanical systems, assemblies, and production-ready design. Alongside Sketching for Designed Objects and Designing Interaction, this course is part of the Designed Objects core skills group supporting the Core Studio sequence. Completion of either SolidWorks or Rhino fulfills the core 3D modeling expectation for the Designed Objects program. Designers in professional practice often specialize in one primary modeling platform while developing transferable modeling concepts that apply across tools.

Class Number

1463

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1226

Description

This course takes students on a journey through the changing landscape of ceramic art, design, and production. Recent advances in rapid prototyping technologies provide designers and artists with more direct means for transforming concepts into physical form. In this course, students explore various ways to apply advanced technologies to ceramic design and production. Students will acquire basic skills in clay modeling methods, plaster mold making, slip casting, 3D Scanning, digital modeling, and digital output methods including 3D Printing and Laser Cutting. Basic knowledge for Rhino and/or other 3D modeling software is required. The technologies and methods for ceramic production have been developing over the course of thousands of years, often linked to specific material/cultural histories. Digital tools afford makers the ability to create, manipulate, distort, and ideate without the constraints of the ceramic process. Through slide lecture, readings, group discussions, demonstrations, and self directed projects, we will consider ceramic production methods of the past and how they influence contemporary art and design practices. In this course we will ask the questions: What are the benefits and the challenges of using ceramic materials? How can we use digital tools to assist in the ideation, prototyping, and the production of ceramic objects? How can we use ceramic materials to assist in the ideation, prototyping, and production of digital objects? What is the interplay between the digital object and the ceramic object?

Class Number

1472

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Digital Imaging, Product Design, Sustainable Design

Location

Description

Core Studio 3 introduces students to designing objects and systems that behave¿objects that sense, respond, and interact over time. The studio marks a transition from designing isolated artifacts to designing systems whose form, logic, and interaction are inseparable.

Students are introduced to fundamental concepts of interaction and systems thinking, including inputs and outputs, states, timing, feedback, and legibility. Using simple electronics, sensors, and actuators, students prototype behaviors and explore how objects communicate what they do through form, response, and feedback. Coding is approached conceptually and pragmatically, with emphasis on understanding and shaping behavior rather than technical mastery. AI and traditional coding tools are used to support iteration, translation, and debugging while students retain authorship over design intent.
3D modeling is used to design structures, enclosures, and assemblies that integrate physical form with electronic components. Prototyping combines rough physical builds with basic interaction logic to test usability and clarity. Visualization tools are introduced to diagram systems, map interactions, and make invisible processes understandable.
By the end of the studio, students understand building as an integrative practice¿one that brings together materials, structure, and behavior to create coherent interactive objects.

Who this course is for
This studio is for students who are comfortable designing physical objects and are ready to explore how objects can act, respond, and interact. It is intended for students interested in interactive products, responsive environments, and hybrid physical¿digital systems, regardless of prior coding experience.

When to take it
Core Studio 3 is typically taken after completing Core Studios 1 and 2, once students have foundational experience with materials, prototyping, and digital workflows. The studio is designed to run alongside the core skills courses¿Designing Interaction, Sketching, and 3D Modeling¿reinforcing the integration of material exploration, digital workflows, visualization, and prototyping. It is intended to be taken after or alongside the Designing Interaction core skills course. The studio also pairs well with technical or future-focused electives.

Prerequisites

Pre-req: DES OB 2030 Designed Objects Studio Two

Class Number

1457

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1241

Description

Digital output has revolutionized the way we conceive of making. This course explores ways of integrating the CNC (Computer Numeric Control) milling machine into art/design fabrication processes. Enabled by 3D modeling the class explores how and when to utilize the CNC machine in addition to more traditional approaches to making. This class consists of demonstration, discussion, and open shop time to develop CNC based projects. We discuss CNC technology and tooling, materials, as well as the aesthetic of CNC output. This project-based course develops CNC proficiency, and will enable students' ability to design for digital output. Due to the learning curve necessary to effectively utilize the CNC, this course (or AIADO 5004 ) will serve as a prerequisite to access the CNC. Rhino is our primary interface for CNC output and RhinoCam is utilized for tool-path generation. This course requires students to have a laptop that meets SAIC's minimum hardware specs and runs the AIADO template.

Current industrial applications of CNC production will be discussed as well as other resources that can be utilized in conjunction with the CNC mill.

The beginning exercises introduce students to the various milling types. Later projects allow the exploration of form development through prototyping. A final project incorporates the CNC mill into student's working practice.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: DES OB 2124 or DES OB 2126 or AIA 3917

Class Number

1471

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1242

Description

Recent advancements in digital fabrication, crowdfunding, and direct-to-consumer sales have enabled independent designers to bring their own products to market, challenging traditional designer-manufacturer relationships. This seminar explores emerging models of small-scale production and distribution, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to develop their own independent design practices. Through case studies, guest speakers, and field trips to local factories and fabrication workshops, students will gain firsthand experience with real-world manufacturing processes. Observing material production techniques will inform design exercises, where students develop original product concepts tailored to specific fabrication methods. After each field visit, students will present their ideas through detailed hand sketches. Guest designers and trips to local studios will provide insight into working with manufacturers, navigating funding sources, and executing marketing and distribution strategies. Instruction will also cover technical drawing, specification packages, and online presence as key tools for independent production. By the end of the course, students will have a foundational understanding of how to design, manufacture, and launch their own products, positioning themselves as independent design entrepreneurs.

Class Number

1470

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1240

Description

This digital-analog studio affords modeling and prototyping for furniture and other objects at environmental scale. Students construct prototype objects for living while learning a diverse range of technical and process options for making at scale in materials including wood, metals, plastics, fabrics and foams. Focus on fluid improvisation in prototyping designs both by hand and using CNC and other integrated fabrications technologies.

The course explores the systems work of Enzo Mari and Gerrit Rietveld to understand simple construction and scaffold mechanisms for creating quick prototypes. We watch an array of craft and wood engineering videos to understand manufacturing and fabrication techniques, and how prototyping takes place in furniture businesses.

There are three major assignments, each yielding a unique piece of furniture. Naturally, the scope and scale of the projects increase as the semester moves forward. Additionally the course includes two day-long charettes to deliver specific skills and two field trips, to a furniture manufacturer and to a furniture show room.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: Sophomore-level or above.

Class Number

1467

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Furniture Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1242

Description

Within a structured studio environment, advanced-level students develop, refine, and execute an individual furniture concept. Students progress from the conceptual design stage, through design development to the actualization of a work that can be tested for public review. Students are challenged to develop concise and persuasive arguments regarding the motivation, development, execution, and dissemination of their design project. Through the articulation and advocacy of their design work, students define their role as a dynamic catalyst operating within real-world social-, political-, monetary-, and cultural-economies. This is an advanced level studio course and as such will remain very open, each student taking the lead in the formulation of an appropriate strategy for realizing their own work. The instructor will work closely with each student on a one-on-one basis to help them identify and learn the design and making techniques required for their project. Our approach relies heavily on development through the immediacy of sketching, hands-on iteration, experimentation, and trial and error. This course traces the development of a single piece of furniture through the following steps, each an integral part of the process: ideation, drawing, model-making, prototyping, and final fabrication.

Prerequisites

Pre-req: DES OB 3155 Furniture 2: Prototyping for Furniture

Class Number

1464

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Furniture Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1242

Description

The goal of this class is to design services, tools, and objects that will shape a new reality of human experience. The class will explore how long-term trends in urban migration, automation, AI, big data, climate change, food, and mixed experience will transform our day-to-day lives. Through research and experimentation, students will investigate the realities and possibilities of these conditions and consider how they will change what we eat, how we work and relax, what we wear, how we gather, and how we travel. As a living laboratory, students will use a variety of media, including digital fabrication, virtual reality, and physical storytelling, to create new design tools, scenarios, worlds, services, objects, and experiences. To accomplish this, students will research the historical, political, technological, ecological, and cultural trends of a particular topic.

Prerequisites

Any 4 Designed Objects classes, grad student or department consent

Class Number

2247

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Collaboration, Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1258

Description

SAIC Design @ Homan Square combines professional practice design experience with community activism. Operating out of SAIC's facility in the Nichols tower at Homan Square, the course engages students in a focused dialogue on social project implementation in Chicago and provides the tools and frameworks to realize those projects. Functioning as a pro bono 'design consultancy' where the residents, small businesses and community groups of North Lawndale act as 'clients', each job is treated as a discrete project involving research, knowledge-sharing and design action. The projects will cover a two-semester cycle, with each semester being offered as an independent class. This course, running in the Spring semester, will emphasize the last three stages of the design thinking process; ideation, prototyping, and testing. course class will focus on proposing and implementing solutions that address the contextual research carried out in the first semester. These solutions will be presented to, and critiqued by, the 'clients' who are the main stakeholders, North Lawndale community leaders, as well as SAIC faculty. Recognizing that making is a research process that reveals new problems, the reflexive activity of proposing, making, presenting and critiquing solutions generates new knowledge as well as physical outcomes. It is this collective 'new intelligence' that is the primary goal of the course.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: Sophomore-level or above.

Class Number

1469

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Collaboration, Community & Social Engagement, Economic Inequality & Class

Location

Homan 1200, Sullivan Center 1258

Description

Whatnot Studio is a year-long advanced course in which students design and produce a collection for whatnot, the school's in-house product brand. The course emphasizes three major goals: developing a product based on an annual theme, producing it using small-batch manufacturing methods, and collaboratively creating a retail environment to showcase the collection. Students refine their individual design voice while working as a team to produce a cohesive, high-quality collection for public exhibition. Past work from the Whatnot Studio has been shown at international venues including the Salone del Mobile in Milan and Wanted Design in New York City. Admission is selective and open to upper-level undergraduate and graduate students through a portfolio review. By year's end, students will have produced a pilot run of their design and collaboratively created a branded store installation, presented at a major design trade show in the spring. Admittance to Whatnot Studio is by portfolio review. Are you ready to be challenged through deep conceptual and material exploration¿and to transform it into a producible design? We welcome juniors, seniors, and graduate students interested in this opportunity to apply via the link below: https://airtable.com/app10LexPLHEqM7mV/pagcVlilryi7Xn4Or/form. Applications accepted until April 25.

Class Number

1461

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1230

Description

This studio challenges students to reconsider standard models of design practice and process, and explore new modes of object making. The studio is conceived from the standpoint that the methods of the past are not necessarily appropriate for the future and that designers have a role to play in redefining their tools, as well as the outcomes of their work. It considers designers as autonomous agents able to lead by example and position themselves within the realms of cultural production, entrepreneurship and corporate business.

Throughout the semester, students will be exposed to the ideas, methods, and work from a variety of the most relevant designers and design thinkers practicing today. Particular focus will be towards practices of agency, autonomy and authorship.

Students are introduced to a range of design approaches which are dissected, critiqued and retaught. A series of exercises and projects encourage them to embark upon a rapid process of action and reflection across multiple contexts, promoting risk-taking and discovery.

Prerequisites

You must be a Master of Design in Designed Objects student to enroll in this course.

Class Number

2047

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Location

Sullivan Center 1258

Description

Designed Objects Prototyping Methods Lab (DOPML) is a technical practice class that uses a very narrow definition of ?prototype?. The class will not seek to explore and categorize an expansive collection of prototyping approaches. Rather, DOPML will support the making of prototypes and the development of skill with sensing and actuation within student practices. The class will initiate and / or support micro controller based prototyping using the Arduino hardware and software environment with the goal of greatly increasing the set media, processes, actions, events, data and information that can be used as ?material? for object design.

The term ?object? can refer to a discrete physical thing in the world or some distinct component within an abstract system. In both scenarios it?s becoming increasingly common for an object to act as an interface between two states - commonly a control interface where input actions or data are connected to output actions or information. To experiment with this kind of interactivity, electronic prototyping offers a rich and ever-expanding collection of accessible tools and processes for designers to explore component systems (sensors and actuators) within creative practice. Throughout the semester, we will review and discuss the work of a number of artists, designers, and technologists that challenge traditional notions of 'making' in an age of significant and pervasive technological change.

The primary component of this course will be to learn to use the Arduino hardware / software environment and develop basic data manipulation facility to develop prototypes that define and collect input (of all sorts) and create and control output (of all sorts). Increasing in complexity, this effort will be informed by a series of small projects designed to learn fundamentals. At mid-semester, students will required to propose a project of significant merit that will be developed throughout the remainder of the term.

Prerequisites

You must be a Master of Design in Designed Objects student to enroll in this course.

Class Number

2248

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Area of Study

Product Design

Location

Sullivan Center 1258

Description

Materials are the very substance of objects. This course will explore the nature of materials, their properties, exploration of new emerging material technologies and their application to the design and manufacture of products/objects. Concepts surrounding the environmental impact of material and process selection will be explored. Whether a low-volume object or a mass-produced product, the understanding gained should allow students to predict constraints, react to issues, and responsibly select the material and manufacturing processes that best suit their needs. Through research synthesis, students will also imagine possible futures enabled by emerging of material technologies.

The course will focus on the nature of materials and their chemical and physical properties. Current and future manufacturing methods will be studied as well as frameworks for employing responsible design including Life Cycle Assessment, Circular Economies, and ethical manufacturing. Readings will vary but will draw from historical, contemporary, and technical reference sources. Geographic and cultural contexts will be explored to best understand the many impacts of material use and selection. Students are encouraged to investigate topics and seek out information relevant to their current projects and design practice. Course discussions will be informed by weekly topical lectures.

Assignments include a forensic analysis of manufactured objects, visual information presentations of independent investigations, and an individual material or process centric speculative design project.

Prerequisites

You must be a Master of Design in Designed Objects student to enroll in this course.

Class Number

2048

Credits

3

Department

Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects

Location

Sullivan Center 1227

Master of Design in Designed Objects Application and Admissions Information

  • Reduced Application Fee Deadline: December 1—$45 Application Fee
    Application Deadline: March 1—$90 Application Fee
    Apply Online

    SAIC requires applicants to apply online. Filing an online application requires a valid credit card and a current email address. You may apply to up to three programs with one application and fee.

    Applications must be submitted prior to 11:00 p.m. (CST) on the appropriate deadline. When you click the "submit" button on the Graduate Application form, you will be prompted to enter credit card information to pay the application fee. Your application form is not fully submitted until you have entered your credit card information.

    Under no circumstances will an application fee be refunded. After you submit the application form, there will be a waiting period until you are able to see the program-specific application(s) in your portal.  

    Once your program-specific applications are available, for each program you will be able to submit your program-specific application requirements (writing sample or portfolio), request the required recommendations, and see any additional checklist items.

  • A conferred four-year baccalaureate degree or its equivalent is required for admission to all graduate programs at SAIC. Transcripts are records of your studies that list the courses you completed, the grades received, and provide evidence of degree conferral. They may include grade sheets, exam results, final diplomas, degrees, or graduation certificates. Official copies are issued in the original language directly by your university. Copies must bear the official stamp or seal of the institution, as well as the signature of the appropriate official such as the dean, rector, registrar, controller of examinations, or office of teaching affairs. Photos, notarized copies, facsimiles, or email transmissions are not acceptable.

    Official translations are expected for all educational documents issued in a language other than English. A translation agency or university language department should issue official translations typed on official stationery and the translator must attest proficiency in the original language and indicate their translations are accurate word-for-word.

    During the application process an unofficial transcript is acceptable for review pending an Admissions decision. Official transcripts are required upon admission. Include transcripts both official and unofficial from all universities/colleges from which a degree was obtained or prerequisites were fulfilled. You can attach unofficial transcripts as .pdf or .jpg files in the Educational History section of the application form. If you are in the process of completing a bachelor's degree when you apply, a transcript showing your first three years of study is acceptable.

    Transcripts are considered official if sent directly from the degree- or credit-granting institution to the SAIC Graduate Admissions Office. Hard copy transcripts are considered official if the documents remain in the registrar's original signed and sealed envelopes. Official transcripts can be sent both in digital and hard-copy format. Digital transcripts can be sent from the degree- or credit-granting institution to gradmiss@saic.edu. Hard copy transcripts can be mailed to:

    SAIC Graduate Admissions
    36 S. Wabash Ave., Suite 1201
    Chicago, IL 60603

    Students admitted to a graduate program who have not received a high school diploma, GED or equivalent are not eligible for federal Title IV financial aid funds. 

  • Write a 500- to 700- word statement of purpose describing the history of your interests and experiences in design, your personal and professional motivation and goals, and your reasons for pursuing graduate study in design at SAIC.

    Save your statement of purpose as a PDF and upload it as an attachment. You will upload your statement of purpose in your application portal.

  • Two letters of reference are required.

    You are responsible for securing letters of recommendation from persons who are qualified to write about your potential for success at SAIC. If you are currently a student or are a recent graduate, we recommend you request letters of recommendation from current or former instructors.

    Letters of recommendation should be submitted electronically via the Letters of Recommendation section in each program-specific application. In the Recommendations section click Add Recommender, where you will be asked to provide an email address and other details for each of your references. Once you click "Send To Recommender" an email will be sent from your application portal to your references, with instructions on how to submit their recommendations securely through our online portal.

    If your references are unable to provide an online recommendation please contact the Graduate Admissions office at gradmiss@saic.edu.

  • A résumé is required for all graduate programs. Upload your résumé in the Résumé or Curriculum Vitae (CV) section of your application form.

  • Your portfolio should include a minimum of five different projects documented in up to 20 images, or up to 10 minutes of time-based work, or a combination of the two in which one image is equivalent to approximately 30 seconds of time-based work.

    Applicants are required to submit an E-Portfolio. Once you pay the application fee, submit the application form, and the waiting period has passed, your application portal will direct you to create a SlideRoom portfolio for any program you selected in the application form that requires a portfolio of visual or multimedia work.

    IMPORTANT: you will be prompted to create a SlideRoom profile and must use the same name, email, and other credentials EXACTLY as they appear in your application form. 

    Submission Specifications:

    • Images: .jpg, .gif, .pdf (up to 5 MB each)
    • Videos: .flv, .wv, .mov (up to 60 MB each)
    • Audio: .mp3 (up to 10 MB each)
    • Text documents: MUST be in .pdf format (up to 10 MB each)

  • TOEFL: 100 
    IELTS: 7 
    DUOLINGO: 120

    International applicants are required to submit evidence of English language proficiency. You are waived from this requirement if you meet any of the following conditions:

    • Your native language is English
    • You have an undergraduate degree conferred by a U.S. accredited university
    • You have an undergraduate degree conferred by a university whose primary language of instruction is English

    If you do not meet one of these conditions, you must submit official English language proficiency test scores. You are strongly encouraged to schedule a language proficiency test appointment as early as possible in order to receive official test scores prior to the application deadline.

    SAIC accepts official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), and Duolingo. The TOEFL Institution Code for SAIC is 1713. Please upload an unofficial copy of your test score results to the International Requirements section of the application form.

  • The department conducts interviews by invitation only. Applicants who pass the preliminary review will be invited to schedule an interview in mid-February. Notification will be sent by late January. For students at a distance or unable to travel, interviews may be conducted remotely.

Take the Next Step

Visit the graduate admissions website or contact the graduate admissions office at 312.629.6100, 800.232.7242 or gradmiss@saic.edu.

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Master of Design in Designed Objects Program Brochure

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