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M.F.A. in Design By-Laws

MFA Program in Design – By-Laws

The Design Program is part of the Department of Environmental Design and is housed in the College of Letters & Sciences, Division of Humanities and Cultural Studies. The Landscape Architecture Program is the other program in the Department of Environmental Design and it is housed in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Date of Approval of MFA in Design By-Laws by the Design Program: _________________
Date of Approval of MFA in Design By-Laws by Graduate Council: ____________________

Section I – Objective

Statement of Design Discipline: Design is the process by which research and science is incorporated into elements for human use. The Design Program at UC Davis focuses on four main areas of design: Interior Architecture, Visual Communication, Textile and Fashion Design, and Lighting Design. Its primary areas of interest are the human environment and communication of ideas and information.

Mission of the Design Program: The Design Program teaches and conducts research and creative development in its four key disciplinary areas with special focus on creativity, environmental sustainability, cultural and historical emphasis, and professional and technical applications.

Degrees Offered by the Program: The Design Program will offer a Master of Fine Arts in Design with emphasis in one of its particular disciplinary areas. At a later date the Design Program plans to offer a Master of Science Degree in Lighting Design.

Section II – Membership

Membership in the Design Graduate Degree Faculty shall be governed by the following criteria:

  1. Hold an academic title and be a member of the faculty senate.
  2. Have an academic research program that is commensurate with the expectations of the University of California.
  3. Have expertise in the area of design related to the MFA program in design emphasis areas. This may include faculty whose expertise may be in a different discipline that has overlapping interests with design.
  4. Members of the MFA Faculty in Design who are not members of the Design Program may participate only in matters related to the MFA in Design Program. Here they will have equal status on Advisory Committees with the Design Program Faculty. However, they will not have voting rights regarding personnel, budgetary matters, or undergraduate instruction in the Design Program.
  5. The Graduate Advisor will be selected only from faculty of the Design Program.

In order to maintain membership in the MFA in Design Program, faculty members will be expected to do the following: take an active role in the administration of the program and serve on administrative committees at the request of the Graduate Advisor; provide graduate level instruction and mentoring; and serve on graduate student advisory committees and thesis project committees.

Membership on the MFA in Design Faculty will be reviewed on a three-year basis. Evaluation and continued membership will be based on the faculty performance with administrative duties, instruction and mentoring. Emeriti faculty who maintain active research programs will be expected to offer some of the same services in order to be retained on the faculty of the graduate group. They will not be expected to be engaged in teaching, but will be expected to serve on advisory committees and participate in administrative activities. Faculty may be voted off of the MFA in Design Graduate Faculty by vote of the Faculty in secret ballot. Termination from the MFA in Design Faculty will decided at the end of a three year review of a member's service by secret ballot of the faculty.

Section IV – Graduate Program Chair

The Design Program Chair administers the MFA in Design and is responsible for its operation. However, the Chair may delegate the detailed management of the program to the Graduate Advisor. The Executive Committee will nominate the Graduate Advisor with advice from the faculty, and these names will be submitted to the Associate Graduate Dean of Graduate Studies for review and final selections. The Graduate Advisor's term of service will be two years. Graduate Advisors may be reappointed if they agree to serve additional terms. An "Acting Graduate Advisor" may be appointed by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies for relief of the Graduate Advisor during sabbatical leaves.

Section V – Committees

The MFA in Design will have the following standing committees. Other committees will be established as needed for specific needs.

  • Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will be composed of one faculty member from each emphasis area in the Design Program. Their term of service will be two years and their responsibility will be to coordinate administration of the MFA program with the Graduate Advisor and the Chair. They will nominate candidates for Graduate Advisor to the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.
  • Membership Committee. The Membership Committee will define the terms for membership in the MFA in Design Faculty per the criteria in Article II. They will review applications for membership, conduct reviews of members, maintain a current list of members, and advise the Graduate Advisor on membership issues.
  • Admission Committee. The Faculty of the MFA in Design will all serve on the Admission Committee and will vote on acceptance of graduate students into the Design MFA Program. Each emphasis area will recommend students from applications to their area for discussion among the faculty as a whole. The number to be accepted into each emphasis area will be agreed upon by the faculty as a whole, and attention will be given to creating a cohesive group with potential linked or shared research goals.
  • Advising and Thesis Committees. Incoming graduate students will be introduced to the entire faculty and research interests will be shared and discussed. Each student will be appointed a faculty advisor to assist with his/her initial program development and written study plan. At the end of the second quarter each student will select an Advisory Committee composed of three faculty members. Each committee must have two Design faculty, but the third committee member may come from another campus unit. The student selects a committee chair from the Design Faculty who will sign off on paperwork at the culmination of studies. The committee will work with the student to review, modify, and finalize the program of study. The initial study plan and any committee approved revisions will be kept on file in the advising office. Any student may request a review at any time with the committee and invited others.

There are two formal, required reviews:

  • For first year students, a final review is held late in spring quarter of the first year. After this review, the student will be informed if he or she will be permitted to continue to the second year.
  • For second year students, the review is held early-to-mid winter quarter. The result of this review is permission to advance to candidacy and to begin work on the 299D (exhibition or thesis project) course in spring quarter.

Section VI – Student Representatives

One graduate student representative may attend Executive Committee Meetings except at times when collective bargaining, individual student performance, or other sensitive issues may be under discussion.

Section VII – Graduate Advisors

The Chair of Graduate Council approves graduate advisor appointments. The Design Graduate Program's Executive Committee will provide nominations to the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs. The Associate Dean will review and recommend nominees to the Chair of the Graduate Council for appointment.

Duties of the Graduate Advisor include the following:

  1. Representation on the Graduate Council
  2. Administer the MFA program
  3. Supervise the curriculum and submit course changes and approvals
  4. Prepare catalog and flyer copy
  5. Coordinate course schedules
  6. Advise prospective candidates for the program
  7. Sign applications for candidacy for the MFA
  8. Supervise the record keeping for the MFA in Design program
  9. Act on graduate student petitions
  10. File graduate student progress reports and other information with Grad Studies
  11. Develop support plans and teaching and research assistance plans for students

Section VIII – Meetings

The Graduate Faculty will meet once quarterly. The Graduate Advisor may call additional meetings as needed.