Courses

Graduate Commons is a shared curricular space within graduate studies with courses that allow students to collaborate across departments, engage in advanced inquiries into a range of topics and methods, and further investigate and promote the outcomes of their own work. As a place of shared graduate learning, the Commons courses also offer unique opportunities for graduate students to engage in RISD’s institutional resources such as Co-Works, the Nature Lab, the Center for Arts & Language and the RISD Museum. Additionally, these courses are well suited to respond to special topics or timely events and allow for exciting visitors to the school and experimental course structures.

In addition to Graduate Commons and your program-required courses, some programs also offer courses that open to non-major students. See the "Studio electives" section below for more information.

COURSES IN GRADUATE COMMONS
For details see the 2018-19 course announcement.

FALL 18

The Artist and the Museum
GRAD-015G
3 credits
Debra Balken

Encountering Things
GRAD-155G
3 credits
Hannah Carlson

Humanitarian Design
GRAD-142G
3 credits
Ijlal M. Muzaffar

Intro to Climate Change
GRAD-2012
3 credits
Peter Stempel

Mapping the Intelligence of your Work
GRAD-031G
3 credits
Luanne West

Participatory Exhibition Design
GRAD-174G
3 credits
Instructor TBA

Retooling the Studio Tool Kit
GRAD-2173
3 credits
Doug Borkman

WINTERSESSION 19

Collegiate Teaching Practicum
GRAD-010G
3 credits
Mariah Doren/Instructor TBA

Computer Programming for Studio Practice
GRAD-177G
3 Credits
Christopher Novello

Investigations: Betwixt & Between
GRAD-097G
3 credits
Luanne West

(Making a) Living as an Artist
GRAD-144G
3 credits
Janet Zweig

SPRING 19

Alchemy Research Studio
GRAD-7016
3 credits
Rachel Berwick

Artists' Writings
GRAD-651G
3 credits
Debra Balken

The Computational Line
GRAD-176G
3 Credits
Instructor TBA

Cross-Disciplinary Color Lab
GRAD-172G
3 credits
William Miller

Digital Sense
GRAD-4705-01
3 credits
Yueh J. Li and Evelyn Eastmond

Experiments in Optics
GRAD-7009
3 credits
Sean R. Salstrom

From the Alternative to the Institutional: A Curatorial Practicum
GRAD-173G
3 credits
Kate McNamara

The Gradual Contemporary: Conversations in Contemporary Art
GRAD
3 credits
Leora Maltz-Leca

Introduction to Research for Art and Design
GRAD-143G
3 credits
Jen Bervin

Origin Point: Graduate Thesis Ideation Workshops
GRAD-112G
3 credits
Luanne West

Public Art: History, Theory and Practice
GRAD-101G
3 credits
Janet Zweig

INDEPENDENT STUDY OPTIONS

Collaborative Study
GRAD-8965
3 credits
Instructor TBA

ISP Major
GRAD-8900
3 credits
Instructor TBA

Professional Internship
GRAD-8960
3 credits

Instructor TBA

The following courses are open to graduate, non-major students. See the 2018-19 course announcement for more information.

FALL 19

CERAMICS

Seminar: Source Presentation
CER-413G-01
3 credits

Topics in Ceramics Material Science
CER-416G-01
3 credits

DIGITAL + MEDIA

Sonic Practices
DM-3104-01
3 credits

Research Studio: Technological Landscapes
DM-7152-01
3 credits

GLASS

Grad Critical Issues Seminar
GLASS-451G-01
3 credits

Making Meaning
GRAD-7010-01
3 credits

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Open Graduate Seminar
ID-232G-01
3 credits

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Plant Materials
LDAR-2252-01
LDAR-2252-02
3 credits

Theory I
LDAR-225G-01
LDAR-225G-02
3 credits

Representation I
LDAR-2264-01
LDAR-2264-02
3 credits

Technology and Materials II: Site Engineering
LDAR-2266-01
LDAR-2266-02
3 credits

History of Landscape Architecture
LDAR-1044-01
3 credits

Technology and Materials I: Material and Grading
LDAR-2251-01
LDAR-2251-02
3 credits

NATURE–CULTURE–SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES

Theories of Natureculture
NCSS-700G-01
3 credits

Inventive Political Ecologies
NCSS-702G-01
3 credits

PAINTING

Three Critics
PAINT-465G-01
3 credits

TEACHING + LEARNING IN ART + DESIGN

Collegiate Teaching: Preparation and Reflection
TLAD-044G-01
TLAD-044G-02
3 credits

Design Education Workshop II
TLAD-602G-01

3 credits

To support interdisciplinary research and learning, Co-Works offers a shared space for pursuing projects that require especially advanced tools and technology. Students in all disciplines make use of a wide range of advanced equipment for 3D printing, 3D scanning, CNC routing, laser cutting, vacuum forming, machine embroidery and knitting, and more. This state-of-the-art fabrication lab also hosts seminars, studio courses and special research projects undertaken by faculty and graduate students.

RISD stands out among art schools for its emphasis on liberal arts study, led by doctorate-level faculty in archaeology, anthropology, biology, cognitive science, creative writing, literature, history, art history, performance studies, philosophy, psychology, religion, sociology and more.

The Liberal Arts division is comprised of three departments: History, Philosophy + the Social Sciences; Literary Arts + Studies; and Theory + History of Art + Design. Additionally, RISD also offers two Master of Arts programs in the interdisciplinary fields of Global Arts and Cultures and Nature–Culture–Sustainability Studies.

Through exploration, practice and research, the Certificate in Collegiate Teaching in Art and Design offers graduate students from all disciplines an opportunity for focused study in the area of collegiate-level studio pedagogy. Benefitting from access to the vitality and pedagogical practices of RISD faculty, students participating in the six-credit program learn models of teaching that aid them in creating a personal teaching philosophy and acquiring important skills for their development as future faculty in art and design and related disciplines.

For graduate students interested in pursuing teaching opportunities in higher education, the certificate provides an endorsement of their pedagogical skills—and a meaningful edge as they enter a competitive academic job market. In addition, students who also serve as instructors or co-instructors of Wintersession courses earn certificates that officially acknowledge the classroom experience they acquire here.

Learn more here about certificate tracks and curricula.

Given the collaborative spirit between RISD and Brown, graduate students often consider the campus up the hill as an extension of RISD’s own. Students with a RISD ID are granted full privileges at Brown’s extensive research libraries, which include “the Rock” (the huge, main Rockefeller Library), the historic John Hay Library and the Orwig Music Library, among others.

Graduate students may enroll in courses at Brown at no extra cost and often do research alongside Brown students through jointly sponsored projects. Brown also hosts many lectures, symposia and cultural activities that provide opportunities to expand learning.

For instructions about electing courses at Brown, please visit the Registrar's office website.

RISD students are encouraged to engage in travel courses that enhance research and creative practices through multidisciplinary exploration of various cultures. Five-week travel/study courses are available during Wintersession.