Design (DESI)

DESI 290. History of Hollywood Cinema. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course is an introduction to the history of Hollywood narrative cinema that surveys the major developments, movements and critical approaches from the birth of cinema in the late 19th-century to its current state in the digital age. Representative films from different periods and genres will be viewed and studied as historical and aesthetic noteworthy artifacts that reflect the times in which they were made and the people who made them. Students will study the major industrial, technological, aesthetic and cultural developments in American motion picture history; and by learning the techniques of close, analytical viewing, students will also develop a basic understanding of a film’s narrative and visual structure within different theoretical and critical paradigms.

DESI 295. Applied Theory of Film and Design. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course aims to build a political, philosophical, theoretical and aesthetic understanding of contextual relationships between narrative visual media (cinema, VR, AR) and the extended world from a perspective of design. The course assumes a double take on film and design as both activators and reflectors of social, societal, political and philosophical movements. The course also touches on important theoretical and philosophical frameworks that have informed design and film.

DESI 297. Mise-en-Scène. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course is an introduction to design theory within the creative content in film and its impact on storytelling. Films with noteworthy production design as well as effective visual and audio composition will be viewed and studied to exemplify expressive modes of mise-en-scène through the lens of design analysis. Students will study and learn to examine visual composition to acquire a broad knowledge of the relevance and theoretical application of design in film.

DESI 390. Film and Design Studio I. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 3 studio hours. 3 credits. This course builds on a process-based hands-on learning experience, from ideation to full completion. Students will study and develop understanding of design concepts -- spatiality, color, materiality, narrative and symbolism -- seen through the camera lens.

DESI 393. Costume Design for Film. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Students will gain an understanding of the basic principles involved in designing costumes for film. Through class discussions, homework assignments and projects, students will gain an understanding of what defines a costume; how costumes help direct the narrative of performance; how to analyze a script or story for costume needs; what goes into creating a costume from a design perspective; and how costume design is a part of a collaborative effort.

DESI 395. Film and Design Studio II. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 3 studio hours. 3 credits. This studio course seeks to understand narrative in current media such as web-based media, virtual reality and augmented reality. The course includes a review of theories and methodologies relative to narrative in current media using hands-on projects.

DESI 396. Contemporary Practice: Portrait and Self-Portrait. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 3 studio hours. 3 credits. This studio course focuses on the exploration of various drawing techniques coupled with the fundamentals of animated movement through various animation techniques. Experimental techniques such as drawing directly on film, drawing on paper, drawing on extracted frames, stop-motion and the combining of drawings to create animations exploring the “self.” Focusing on portrait and self-portrait, students will combine the analog drawing processes with the digital in an examination of art historical and contemporary portraits. This course does not require prior knowledge of art and design elements and principles.

DESI 490. Docu-Lab Film and Design. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 3 studio hours. 3 credits. This course investigates how moving images (generally) and documentary film (specifically) is used as a tool to explore, understand and explain design phenomenon and the world. The key element of the course is a real-life making of a documentary film, from preproduction to release.

DESI 495. Film and Design Co-op Lab. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 practicum hours. 3 credits. This course finds impetus in a real-life wire project. Students will be given an opportunity to join independent professional film/media production firm. Students will be expected to work side-by-side with professionals across a variety of creative departments (including production design, art department, costume design, camera department and post-production, including editing, visual effects, sound design and mixing).

DESI 510. Materials and Methods Studio. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 6 studio hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: permission of program director. Studio course that develops skills in the use of materials, methods and technologies relevant to a broad range of activities pertaining to design.

DESI 511. Studio in Digital Design and Fabrication Technology. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 3 studio hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: permission of program director. A studio-based examination of design research methods with emphasis placed on new technology of three-dimensional digital design and fabrication. The studio will utilize recently installed and existing facilities, faculty and resources at Digital Fabrication Lab at VCUQatar.

DESI 512. Studio in Visual Communications. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 3 studio hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: permission of program director. A studio-based examination of design research methods with emphasis placed on time-based media production. The course is designed to provide a lab/studio opportunity for students to develop media skills while focusing on individual production, collaborative projects and critical discussion. The studio will utilize recently installed and existing facilities, faculty, and resources at Media Lab at VCUQatar.

DESI 520. Design Research Methodologies. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 3 studio hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: permission of program director. A studio-based examination of design research methods with emphasis placed on linking knowledge, comprehension and application of historic and emerging methods of experimentation to generative and iterative studies.

DESI 601. Interdisciplinary Design Seminar. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A seminar to examine the theories and practices related to the contemporary designer’s role in the technological, psychological, cultural and aesthetic environment. The seminar will include exploration of historical and contemporary art, architecture, communications, cultural theory and design criticism. The course involves intensive professional debate of various aspects of interdisciplinary design practice, ongoing group discussion, and exercises in critical writing. Professionals at the university and outside of the university will be invited for participation.

DESI 605. Design Strategies and Ethics for Business. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An investigation of precedents and potentials for application of design methods and processes to the development of business strategies and ethics.

DESI 611. Design Studio One. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 12 studio hours. 6 credits. A topical studio focusing on research, experimentation and problem-solving methods from a cross section of design disciplines.

DESI 612. Design Studio Two. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 12 studio hours. 6 credits. Studio course focusing on interdisciplinary, team-based approaches to identifying and solving advanced design problems.

DESI 613. Design Studio Three. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 12 studio hours. 6 credtis. Prerequisites: successful completion of 30 credits of graduate study and permission of the program director. Studio course focusing on experimentation, analysis and development of creative projects that directly contribute to a design brief to be used as a basis for the final thesis.

DESI 620. Design Thesis Research and Formulation. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 3 studio hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: successful completion of 30 credit hours of graduate study and permission of the program director. Students examine applied research methods with emphasis placed on comprehension and analysis of case studies and then apply design research methods to test original proposals in a studio environment. Through development of design processes, students define an individual or team project of complex scope and intensity.

DESI 621. Design Research Studio: Leadership and Entrepreneurship. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 1 lecture and 6 studio hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: successful completion of 30 credit hours of graduate study and permission of the program director. Students evaluate emerging leadership methodologies by applying lessons from case studies and emerging fields of knowledge. Course provides collaborative and presentation opportunities.

DESI 630. Teaching Practicum in Design. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 1 lecture and 6 practicum hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: completion of 18 credit hours of graduate study. Exploration of philosophical, informational and technical aspects of design education. Observation, instruction and practice in teaching. Topics include effective teaching strategies, curriculum development, learning styles and evaluation techniques. Graded as P/F.

DESI 631. Design Internship. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 1 lecture and 6 studio hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: successful completion of 30 credit hours of graduate study and permission of the program director. Provides supervised practical work experience that is coordinated with professional designers under the guidance of the design faculty. Internship placement is based upon research interest. Graded as P/F.

DESI 690. Thesis Studio. 1-9 Hours.

Semester course; vairable hours (2 studio hours per credit; 1 seminar hour per 3 credits). 1, 3, 6 or 9 credits. Prerequisites: successful completion of 30 credit hours of graduate study and permission of the program director. This course will support and assist the student in the development and completion of the final thesis project. Executed under the supervision of a graduate adviser and review committee. Graded as S/U/F.

DESI 692. Interdisciplinary Design Research/Individual Study. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 3-9 studio hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated. The structuring, research, execution and presentation of an independent project in interdisciplinary design under the guidance of a faculty member.