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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

Interior Architecture and Design

Michie and I will tend

New Studio Practice: Fine Arts

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 Gallery at The Ave celebrates opening

The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) celebrates its first offsite gallery during its grand opening on April 6, 2023 from 6 – 8 p.m. MIAD invites the public to attend the event and to explore the new Gallery at The Ave, located at 301 W. Wisconsin Ave in The Avenue near the 3rd Street Market Hall.

First-Year Exhibition 2023 winners announced

Four winners and three honorable mentions were selected at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design’s (MIAD) First-Year Experience Student Exhibition opening reception on Friday, March 24, 2023. Renato Umali, Mariah Tate Klemens and Gabrielle Banzhaf, the three jurors, commended all the participating students for their strong work.

Communication Design senior lands Nike Internship

Catherine Currie ’23 (Communication Design), a senior at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD), was selected for the highly competitive graphic design internship at Nike. The internship will take place over 10 weeks this summer at Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.

MIAD Defines 2023: Day of play

For the 2023 iteration of MIAD Defines, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design dedicated Tuesday, March 21 to playing. With the aim to connect, converse and learn across majors, years and disciplines, this year’s MIAD Defines was a resounding success.

Peter Barrickman selected as NSP: Fine Arts full-time faculty

Following a national search, Peter Barrickman has been selected as the newest full-time faculty member in New Studio Practice (NSP): Fine Arts at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD). An internationally recognized artist, Barrickman also co-founded Mazzzagine, a publication dedicated to supporting artists and fostering collaboration.