The Design Portfolio Program

2-Year career accelerator for media creators.

Reproducir video
What does a designer do?

A mix of craft, science, design, storytelling, propaganda and philosophy. 

Everything you touch, read or experience has been designed by someone. Branding, publications, packaging, products—restroom signs to the Declaration of Independence. Graphic designers are determined that all those things be well designed. Purpose, vision and strategy; form and function. Graphic Designers seek a more beautiful, more usable, more thoughtful world.

The design portfolio program at M.AD has a strong emphasis on craft. There is a Maker’s Studio at the school for design students to build their models and prototypes.  Students often have real projects from outside clients, ranging from retail product packaging to experiential space design. 

The school is also a crucial part of the wider design community. MODA (Museum of Design} is partnered with our school. AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) is also closely involved and holds many exhibits at the school. GRAPHIS (The renowned international magazine of Graphic Design) recently held their 100 Top Graphis Posters Exhibit at the school in cooperation with MODA and AIGA

Carter TindallGraphic Design at Principle​
“I had the opportunity, even as a junior designer, to do work for the biggest clients.”

The Design Curriculum at M.AD

What (and how) you’ll be learning.

Design is a highly skilled, highly demanding profession. That’s why our 2-year portfolio program is built specifically to help you develop the tools required to excel in that high-stakes world. It’s all about learning through experience. Our curriculum prepares you to work as a designer in agencies, publications, start-ups, and the creative departments of the world’s top brands —all through a carefully built program of mentorship and deliberate practice. You’ll build a personal network to rival the most connected professional, and at the end of it all, you’ll get the same job placement assistance we’ve offered to our graduates for the past 20 years. It’s no wonder our graduates find work at world-leading companies of all kinds.

Here are just a few of the courses you’ll take:

  • Ideas First
  • Video Storytelling
  • Story Writing
  • Short & Sweet
  • Wordsmithing
  • Everything is Media
  • Improv/Standup Comedy
  • Script Writing
  • Digital Campaigns
  • Pop Culture Engineering
  • Social Media
  • The Brand Called You
  • Sound Bites
  • Content Creation
  • Get a Job
Want to know what else you’ll be learning? Learn more about the courses you’ll take in the course brochure.

Experiencias internacionales

La creatividad es, cada vez más, una profesión sin fronteras. Hoy un creativo puede trabajar para el mundo entero, cualquiera sea el lugar en el que se encuentre. 

M. AD es una escuela global, con 14 sedes en las tres Américas, Europa y Asia. Y una comunidad de profesores, alumnos y graduados, internacional, multicultural y diversa como ninguna otra. Por eso, como ninguna otra, M. AD integra a sus estudiantes al MUNDO, y los prepara para aprovechar esta oportunidad con sus intercambios y prácticas NoM.AD.

Intercambios NoM.AD

A partir del cuarto trimestre, podrás viajar de intercambio a estudiar en cualquiera de las otras 15 sedes de M. AD.

Incluso podrás estudiar cada trimestre (quarter) de la segunda mitad de la carrera en una sede distinta, conociendo nuevos profesores, nuevos compañeros y nuevas formas de hacer las cosas.


Prácticas NoM.AD

A partir del quinto trimestre, también podrás hacer prácticas profesionales en alguna de las agencias más creativas del planeta.

M. AD tiene convenios de colaboración con más de 100 agencias y empresas en 26 ciudades que cada trimestre (quarter) ofrecen a los alumnos increíbles experiencias laborales, presenciales o remotas.

Teachers Who Really Know What They’re Doing

Truly stand-out designers aren’t just masters of the technical…they understand the wider creative process. They know the context of their work, and excel at collaborating with other talented artisans and creatives. So how do you learn those intangible traits that will put you over the top—in addition to the hard skills that will allow you to create digital gold? It helps to have a mentor who’s been there themselves.
Jenny LamSVP Brand User Experience at Oracle
“The biggest advantage is all the connections. The friendships. All the friends I made during my time at M.AD are still friends. They are my network. We lean on each other for support. Just the other day I was in contact with some of them. We reach out to each other for jobs."

Campuses in Florida and Georgia

Each school has a unique charm.

The M.AD School of Ideas represents the best of what America has to offer. The cities we’ve chosen all boast a special blend of people, places, and energy. Just pick your cocktail of choice.

Schedule A Tour At Any M.AD Campus

Experience the School of Ideas for yourself. 

Check out our locations in: Atlanta, Miami, New York and San Francisco

How To Apply

The application is as creative as the career.
Four Stages to Apply
Step 1

The application is as creative as the career.

Enter your information and register for your M.AD School of Ideas account.
Step 2

Choose a city, program, and start date

Select the school you are most interested in right now. Should you change your mind later on, you can easily change your application.
Step 3

Follow the process laid out in the application portal

Show us who you are as a creative thinker. Share examples of things you’ve created.. Or do one of our fun creative exercises. Finally, schedule an introductory meeting with your Admissions Advisor.
Step 4

Review and Submit

Make sure all your information is correct, and that you’ve paid your application fee. We’ll get back to you soon!

Cuándo es la próxima edición

Comienzo de clases: 11 de Julio

Nuestros programas comienzan 4 veces al año: en enero, abril,  julio y octubre. Las solicitudes se cierran unos meses antes. Haz clic a continuación para obtener más información sobre nuestro proceso de admisión y da el  primer paso hacia la carrera de sus sueños hoy.

Important Program Information

Tuition
 

Tuition of $4,850 is due quarterly. It takes eight quarters which is 2 years to complete the art direction program.Total tuition cost for the program is $38,800.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

We work tirelessly to make M.AD affordable for students of all backgrounds. For our American students, federal loans can often cover some or all of tuition costs. We also offer a variety of scholarships.

International Students

In the past decades, students have come to us from every corner of the world. If you’re worried about getting here, never fear: you’ll likely be able to attend the campus of your choice. Click for more about the visa process.

Have A Question? Reach Out.

Career advice with no strings attached.

Our admissions team love to chat with people like you—answering questions, proposing solutions, and making plans for a creative future. An advisor can help you figure out what’s next in your creative adventure. Maybe that means Art Direction at M.AD.

Download The Course Brochure

Crucial information about the design program.
  • Exclusive video content
  • Design Career Facts
  • Average salaries
  • Information on co-ops and internships
  • Example projects for real brands
  • Detailed application process

La red creativa

Únete a los 50.000 creativos que reciben el boletín de M.AD.

Hemos construido silenciosamente la red creativa más influyente del mundo. Es hora de que lo aproveches. Cada semana recopilamos el contenido creativo más importante del mundo y lo compartimos directamente en tu correo electrónico de forma gratuita.

Cuando los vientos de cambio cambien de dirección… vas a saberlo primero.

Agenda una llamada

Obtén más información sobre nuestro proceso de admisión y da el primer paso hacia la carrera de sus sueños hoy.

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