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Graphic Design | College of Design

Master of Graphic & Experience Design

Take a leadership position in user experience and user interface design (UX/UI) at a software company or design consultancy. Or become a faculty member at a research university.

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Overview

The Master of Graphic & Experience Design (MGXD) moves students toward a deeper knowledge of graphic and experience design through purposeful, individually driven design practice. Inquiry into contemporary and emergent design issues prepares graduates for leadership positions in user experience and user interface design (UX/UI), with expertise in research, data visualization, digital typography, and artificial intelligence. Successful completion of the MGXD results in a terminal degree, equivalent to the MFA, and qualifies graduates to teach at the university level or to pursue a PhD in Design.

The NC State Master of Graphic & Experience Design (MGXD) is consistently recognized as one of the top NASAD accredited graduate graphic and experience design programs in the country and one of the few with STEM Classification (CIP). The faculty is nationally and internationally recognized (see Faculty at a Glance). Alumni are designers in enterprise-level software companies and leading design consultancies (such as IBM, RedHat, Lenovo, Adobe, IDEO, Fjord), as well as, faculty members in colleges and universities (including University of Washington, Pratt Institute, Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan).

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Students looking at work

MGXD: Master of Graphic & Experience Design Program (Two Year)

Have you earned a BFA or equivalent in graphic design and worked in visual communication, interaction design, or other related design fields? Or are you a practicing designer who wants to pursue a full-time faculty position? We created the MGXD program for you.

Through graduate studios, seminars, and workshops, students delve into histories, design-related theories, and human-centered research methods relevant to current and emerging practices. They investigate questions individually and collaboratively around design and technology through research, making (visualizations, visual diagrams, and functioning prototypes), discussion, and critique. Students develop a body of UX/UI work while routinely participating in collaborative projects with industry leaders such as IBM, Redhat, and SAS, and research leaders such as the NC State Laboratory for Analytic Sciences or the Institute of Emerging Issues.

This work positions students to identify a design investigation in the final year. For this culminating project, students comprehensively research an area of interest, create studies and prototypes, document findings, and present the project in a public forum.

For curriculum display, visit MGXD II courses and curriculum page 
Students presenting work

MGXD III: Master of Graphic & Experience Design Program (Three Year)

Do you have a degree in another field but a deep interest and some experience in design? Or have you earned a BA with a graphic design concentration and wish to advance further? We created the MGXD III program for you.

MGXD III students enroll in two semesters of specialized coursework prior to matriculating into the MGXD II program. In other words, students complete 2 semesters as MGXD III students and then 4 semesters in the core MGXD program to complete their degree. Through a combination of studio-based courses, seminars, and workshops, the curriculum introduces students to fundamental design principles. Additional courses focus on subjects such as emerging technologies, interaction, typography, and design theory/history.

For curriculum display, visit MGXD III courses and curriculum page 

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Our favorite hour? Lunch hour. Yesterday, Track III students had our first "brown bag" lunch meeting of the semester, where we took time to reconnect with one another and touch base about how the semester is going. 🥡 🍴 #TrackIII #MGXD #NCStateDesign

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Our favorite hour? Lunch hour. Yesterday, Track III students had our first "brown bag" lunch meeting of the semester, where we took time to reconnect with one another and touch base about how the semester is going. 🥡 🍴 #TrackIII #MGXD #NCStateDesign

Curious about the future of workspaces? MGXD alum Payod Panda is blazing the way: “I am a Design Engineering Researcher at Microsoft Research Cambridge. I work in the Blended Reality Encounters and Workflows (BREW) team, where we envision future hybrid workplaces that blend people, mediums, devices, and spaces. I utilize the design skills I developed at NC State's MGXD program to create and explore experiences for such blended realities.” #mgxd #ncstatedesign

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Curious about the future of workspaces? MGXD alum Payod Panda is blazing the way: “I am a Design Engineering Researcher at Microsoft Research Cambridge. I work in the Blended Reality Encounters and Workflows (BREW) team, where we envision future hybrid workplaces that blend people, mediums, devices, and spaces. I utilize the design skills I developed at NC State's MGXD program to create and explore experiences for such blended realities.” #mgxd #ncstatedesign

Who's afraid of A.I.? Not MGXD alum Maryam Nadali: “I'm currently working as a UX Designer at Spherex based in Santa Clara, CA. Spherex is a global entertainment technology and data company transforming how media and entertainment enterprises create, adapt, and deliver film and television to audiences worldwide through expert-centered artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine learning. At Spherex, I use my design expertise in A.I. to empower television and streaming services in building next-gen global and cross-cultural consumer experiences.” #ncstatedesign #mgxd

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Who's afraid of A.I.? Not MGXD alum Maryam Nadali: “I'm currently working as a UX Designer at Spherex based in Santa Clara, CA. Spherex is a global entertainment technology and data company transforming how media and entertainment enterprises create, adapt, and deliver film and television to audiences worldwide through expert-centered artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine learning. At Spherex, I use my design expertise in A.I. to empower television and streaming services in building next-gen global and cross-cultural consumer experiences.” #ncstatedesign #mgxd

MGXD student sketches from our project with the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences last spring

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MGXD student sketches from our project with the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences last spring

The rankings are in. The N.C. State Master of Graphic & Experience Design Program ranked the #1 Public Research University grad program by Intelligent. #ncstatedesign #mgxd #graphicdesign

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The rankings are in. The N.C. State Master of Graphic & Experience Design Program ranked the #1 Public Research University grad program by Intelligent. #ncstatedesign #mgxd #graphicdesign

A new semester begins! Rebecca Planchart (MGXD '25): "Excited to be participating in the Duda Visiting Designer project led by Not Impossible Labs for my studio class this semester! We're starting a five-week project exploring food systems and food security in rural communities throughout North Carolina and opportunities for design interventions.

Our class spent today at the 2023 Rural Food Forum hosted by the Green Rural Redevelopment Organization and the Eva Clayton Rural Food Institute learning about the challenges and opportunities communities, farmers, organizations, and government face in tackling this issue at scale. With a history in non-profit work and promoting family well-being, I'm looking forward to exploring what design can bring to the table! 🥬 🍽" #mgxd #ncstatedesignlife #ncstatedesign

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A new semester begins! Rebecca Planchart (MGXD '25): "Excited to be participating in the Duda Visiting Designer project led by Not Impossible Labs for my studio class this semester! We're starting a five-week project exploring food systems and food security in rural communities throughout North Carolina and opportunities for design interventions. Our class spent today at the 2023 Rural Food Forum hosted by the Green Rural Redevelopment Organization and the Eva Clayton Rural Food Institute learning about the challenges and opportunities communities, farmers, organizations, and government face in tackling this issue at scale. With a history in non-profit work and promoting family well-being, I'm looking forward to exploring what design can bring to the table! 🥬 🍽" #mgxd #ncstatedesignlife #ncstatedesign

Spread the word! Priority application deadline for the NC State Master of Graphic & Experience Design: January 15. #mgxd #ncstatedesign #mlux

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Spread the word! Priority application deadline for the NC State Master of Graphic & Experience Design: January 15. #mgxd #ncstatedesign #mlux

Wishing all MGXD students—past, present and future—a season full of joy! #mgxd #ncstatedesign

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Wishing all MGXD students—past, present and future—a season full of joy! #mgxd #ncstatedesign

We may be biased, but we think we created some pretty stellar work this semester. Take a look back at our final presentation recap for Fall ‘22🎊🥳

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We may be biased, but we think we created some pretty stellar work this semester. Take a look back at our final presentation recap for Fall ‘22🎊🥳

MGXD Studio Projects

Graphic Design Sponsored Studio Story

Using Design Thinking to Investigate the Potential of Knowledge Graphs

In the midst of the pandemic, The NC State Laboratory for Analytic Sciences (LAS) partnered with our master’s students in the NCSU College of Design’s Graphic Design Department to tackle the potential for a knowledge graph to support the work of intelligence analysts.

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Whose data is it anyway?

Whose data is it anyway? Ever had trouble accessing your own medical data?

How can the design of an intelligent interface empower patients to access secure personal data repositories, thus giving patients agency over their own medical data? Over the course of the semester our MGD studio collaborated with a team at IBM Watson Health, led by Debi Ndindjock, to find out.

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What role might machine learning ethically play in retail spaces?

What Role Might Machine Learning Ethically Play in Retail Spaces?

Last spring, grad students in the Master’s in Graphic Design Program at North Carolina State University partnered with an auto parts company to explore this question. The company was particularly concerned with protecting the privacy and agency of their customers.

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