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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

At MIAD, you’ll develop your skills, broaden your horizons, and pursue work in your field of choice. We’ll give you the tools you need to follow your creative path, and redefine the role of artist or designer in contemporary society.

MIAD offers undergraduate degree programs and non-credit programs.  Find your fit.

Michie and I will tend

Animation Track

Architectural rendering of MIAD's lobby

Communication Design

presentation at Generac

Illustration

A person wearing a silky pink off-the-shoulder crop top and floral pants poses in front of a brown backdrop and cherry blossoms.

Fashion and Apparel Design

Michie and I will tend

Fine Art + New Studio Practice

Interior Architecture and Design

Architectural rendering of MIAD's lobby

Product Design

presentation at Generac

First-Year Experience

Undergraduate Programs

FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE: All freshman and many transfer students take First-Year Experience courses in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree program. First-Year courses teach students to try everything, and assume nothing.

LIBERAL STUDIES: In addition to studio coursework, all MIAD undergraduate students take liberal studies (academic) courses. Liberal Studies at MIAD serves as the bridge between the studio and the world, between the classroom and the community.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS:

MINORS: All MIAD studio majors except Fashion and Apparel Design can be taken as a minor. In addition, students may receive a minor in areas such as Arts Management, Book Arts, Digital Media Production, Furniture Design, Sustainability, Advertising, Art History, Business, Copywriting, Humanities, Natural Science, Psychology and Writing.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS: MIAD offers many mobility, study abroad, and cross-registration opportunities.

Non-Credit Programs

MIAD also offers evening and weekend, non-credit Continuing Education courses for every skill level, and Creative Educator’s Institute focused on educators. In addition, MIAD offers Open Figure Drawing on many Tuesday evenings.

For high school students, MIAD offers Pre-College courses on Saturdays and in summer. MIAD’s Design Internship partners with local design agencies to offer local high school students the chance to explore a career in design.

News

MIAD Sculpture Lab pushes senior’s ‘boundaries of creation’

The transformation of molten metal to solid metal and the opportunity to “experiment and push the boundaries of creation” in the Sculpture Lab at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) have always filled senior Caroline Calvano with “amazement and inspiration.”

MIAD Illustration senior weaves Chinese and Western fashion

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design senior YongXue Hayden (Illustration) believes that “creatives are always the trendsetters of the world. So, in 50 years, I’m sure art and design students will be up on the coolest new tech, fashion trends and latest entertainment.”

MIAD senior’s passion for residential design becomes a career

Sebastian Wohlt’s passion for rearranging the furniture in his childhood bedroom, and occasionally painting a wall, became a major in Interior Architecture and Design – and a professional goal of residential design – at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD).

Bucks partnership with MIAD a slam dunk for Black History Month

When the Milwaukee Bucks chose Black Excellence in the Arts as the theme for their Black History Month game in February, it was natural to continue their ongoing partnerships with MIAD by reaching out to the college for a live art piece to be created at Fiserv Forum.

Two MIAD students finalists for Grilled Cheese Grant

The ninth annual Grilled Cheese Grant finalists include two Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) students: Stella Kowalski ’24 (Fine Art + New Studio Practice, Illustration) and Makenna Schibler ’25 (Fine Art + NSP). They are two of five finalists who are in the running for the crowd-funded grant.