Mission Statement

The Master of Fine Arts in Trans-Disciplinary Design cultivates creative leaders who use design as a catalyst for innovation, sustainability and social impact. Integrating art, technology and human insight, the program empowers students to imagine and shape transformative futures across disciplines.

Program Goals

• Offer a trans-disciplinary curriculum that connects design with science, technology and the humanities to support innovative design exploration
• Prepare students for leadership roles across cultural, governmental, corporate and academic sectors through critical, ethical and practice-based engagement
• Support advanced creative practice and research that contributes to critical discourse in disciplinary design
• Provide experiential learning to support student growth and professional development

1

Work across disciplines to develop innovative design approaches

2

Use materials and emerging technologies in design practice

3

Address complex social, cultural and environmental challenges

4

Develop sustainable, impact-driven design solutions

5

Communicate ideas through design, research and creative outputs 

OPTION A

Research Thesis

A self-initiated, research-driven pathway, the thesis is developed under faculty supervision and allows students to pursue an original line of inquiry aligned with their own interests. It integrates theoretical inquiry, critical analysis and creative experimentation, culminating in written documentation and a public presentation or exhibition.

OPTION B

Industry-Integrated Capstone

The capstone is developed in partnership with a cultural, governmental, corporate or non-profit organization, and is jointly supervised by AUS faculty and an external professional mentor.

Capstone projects may take the form of applied research, speculative design proposals or entrepreneurial prototypes that address contemporary challenges in sustainability, culture, technology and society.