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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

Forgotten Nation: Senior Exhibition 2024

“Forgotten Nation,” Tanesha Spencer’s ’24 (Communication Design) senior exhibition project at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD), is a guerilla marketing campaign intended to bring awareness to the 5,712 missing and murdered Indigenous women in the United States.

MIAD celebrates one-year anniversary of offsite gallery

The Gallery at The Ave, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design’s (MIAD) first offsite gallery, celebrated its one-year anniversary at the opening reception of its newest show, “Culture Starters: Emerging from Quarantine.”

MIAD Values Recognition Award: Matt Sothan

Matt Sothan, Assistant Director of Admissions, Transfer and Nontraditional Enrollment Specialist, received the March 2024 MIAD Values Recognition Award at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD). Matt received nominations that highlighted his embodiment of MIAD’s Core Values, especially Integrity and Community.

Communication Design seniors win advertising design awards

Milwaukee has its ‘Oscars’ for advertising design, and at this year’s United Adworkers 99 competition for professionals and students, two Communication Design seniors at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) received coveted awards.