MASTER OF ARTS
DESIGN BRANDING ENTREPRENEURSHIP LEADERSHIP
#4
BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN THE U.S.
U.S. News & World Report
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA
Greenville’s unique blend of urban living, Southern hospitality and natural beauty draws people from across the globe. This is why Greenville is home to countless design, marketing and branding agencies that work with global corporations.
WE ARE THE GO-GETTERS.
Achievers of feats, solvers of problems and makers of wonder. We seek a place that nurtures our curiosity and drives us to chase our dreams. Where deep connections drive innovative thinking and experiences inspire creativity and collaboration. A place that feels right for us and for our future.
F U R M A N I S T H AT P L AC E .
6 Graduate programs 9:1 Student-to-faculty ratio #11 Most innovative schools – U.S. News & World Report
#36 Top colleges in the South – Forbes
#41 Best liberal arts colleges in America – Niche
#2
Small Cities for
NEW COLLEGE GRADUATES Coworking Cafe
#6
the South’s
BEST CITIES Southern Living
COOLEST
Small Cities in the U.S. Thrillist
MAKE BOLD CAREER MOVES LEARN FROM BOLD PROFESSIONALS
NOT JUST A DEGREE. A NETWORK.
We look for diverse student experiences to create a unique atmosphere within our design program. Students learn from each other and lean on each other’s strengths. Every student can network with professionals from across the industries of design, branding, marketing and communication through speaking events, small workshops and mentorships. Our network sets us apart.
F
urman’s Master of Arts in Strategic Design program provides students with an advanced understanding of design, business and communication theory. The fully-immersive approach replicates the rhythms and expectations of a professional firm. Think of it as a platform where you can hone your design, marketing, art direction and copywriting skills, and shine among the best in the industry. You’ll enter the job market ready to begin your creative career with a portfolio of professional experience and a network of industry contacts.
SA MPLE COURSES
72 AWARDS
won by students in five years
1-ON-1
portfolio building support
User Experience and Brand Design Brand Marketing and Storytelling Using AI for Brand Design Content Creation for Customer Experience Entrepreneurship Through Innovation and Design
SAMPLE TRAINING Portfolio Management, Leadership, Entrepreneurship
93%
placement rate within one year of graduation
WHERE DO OUR STUDENTS COME FROM? U N D E R G R A D U AT E M A J O R S Business Administration Communication Studies Criminal Justice English History Languages Marketing Politics and International Affairs Psychology Religion Sociology Studio Art Sustainability Science Theatre Arts Theology Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
COUNTRIES United States, India, Nigeria, Germany OVE R HALF of our incoming students have no prior design experience.
QUALITIES WE LOOK FOR IN A STUDENT: • Adaptability • Confidence • Curiosity • Empathy
• Grit • Mindfulness • Reflection • Vulnerability
BE CREATIVE BE ADAPTABLE BE AMBITIOUS
STUDENT PROFILE
JUDITH RIOS
D E S I G N E R + B R A N D S T R AT E G I S T M U S E U M O F D E S I G N AT L A N TA ( M O D A ) AT L A N TA , G E O R G I A 2 0 2 2 M A S D G R A D U AT E
I
n December 2020, Judith Rios graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a minor in brand communications. From her time in a summer internship at an agency in Greenville, South Carolina, where she worked on the social media strategy team, she had a pretty good idea what she wanted to do next. “Everyone knows the point of an internship is to gain experience, but it’s also to find what you like and don’t like,” she says. “While I loved the team I was working with and enjoyed the projects I was assigned, I found myself gravitating toward where the creatives sat.” The next step, she decided, would be a program in which she could develop a portfolio. She eventually narrowed her search down to two programs that offered master’s degrees—one of which was Furman’s Master of Arts in strategic design. A desire to broaden her perspective helped Rios make her final selection. “The MASD program seemed more focused on liberal arts,” she says. “Given that I already had a business background, I thought it would be best to attend Furman. I definitely made the right choice.” “The MASD program gave me a portfolio that I am proud of to land a job in the creative field,” she says. “I also learned how to use design principles and to utilize different elements of design to tell a full story. People buy things that align with how they see themselves. I knew this going into the program. But now I know how to create things that actually speak to people.”
VIEW JUDITH’S PORTFOLIO
STUDENT PROFILE
OLU OGUNBI
B R A N D S T R AT E G I S T + E N T R E P R E N E U R CHAPM AN BE VER AGES LLC BIRMINGHAM, AL ABAMA 2 0 2 0 M A S D G R A D U AT E
A
s an undergrad at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Olu Ogunbi began combining his interest in business with his creative verve and his entrepreneurial zest. Applying knowledge from his classes in marketing and experience from his two summer internships, he launched Artfelt Appeal, a media company creating original content and products influenced by anime, pop culture and video games. After earning his bachelor’s degree in 2012, working for a few years in various professional roles and dissolving his startup, Ogunbi sought a pivot. He found Furman’s Master of Arts in Strategic Design. “I believed the MASD program would position me as a marketer who has depth in design work,” he said. “It allowed me to have a better understanding of design thinking and the design process, which ultimately gives me more empathy when working with creatives in the industry.” Most of all, Ogunbi said, the program clarified his career trajectory: “I wanted to use my background in advertising to start my own business in the creative industry,” he said. Since graduating from MASD in 2020, that’s what he has done. He continues to work in advertising while establishing his name in the craft beverage industry with Chapman Beverages LLC, bringing the Chapman—a popular non-alcoholic drink in Nigeria—to the U.S. market. “Our vision is to create a platform at the intersection of commerce and the creative culture,” he said. “What Red Bull is to extreme sports, we are working to establish a brand centered around the emerging art community. We want to bring people together by encouraging creativity, positivity and a passion for the flavor of life.”
VIEW OLU’S PORTFOLIO
STUDENT PROFILE
ABBY McELMURRAY
D E S I G N D I R E C T O R + C R E AT I V E TKO DALL A S , TEX A S 2 0 2 1 M A S D G R A D U AT E
A
s Abby McElmurray got closer to finishing her Bachelor of Arts in studio art at Furman in Spring 2020, she was on the fence about what to do next. On the one hand, “I was attracted to the MASD program by the amazing breadth of work the students were able to complete, their growth and knowledge of design in such a short amount of time, and how attractive they were to potential employers,” she said. On the other hand, she was anxious to enter the industry. So, she started sending out applications in April 2020—but quickly realized the job market during a pandemic wasn’t ideal. She entered the Master of Arts in Strategic Design program that summer, and now she’s glad she did. “I’ve realized how much of a blessing it was,” she said. “It allowed me to dive into furthering my education during the pandemic, and when I graduated in December of 2021, I got a job at a sports and entertainment company just when in-person events were kicking off again.” Entering the MASD program with a broad understanding of design principles, branding and typography, she graduated with a lot more. “I came out of this program having found my own creative style, fostered rather than sculpted,” she said. “This program is intense and demanding, but what makes it worth it is getting to the summit and looking back, seeing the classmates that carried you at points in the journey, the roadblocks you faced and overcame, as well as the times you flourished and surprised even yourself with your capabilities.”
VIEW ABBY’S PORTFOLIO
CONNECT + APPLY BREAKING IT DOWN 42
total credits
$950
per credit hour
$39,900 total
F
rom the colleagues you’ll meet to the mentors you’ll gain, from the first design project you’ll nail to the portfolio you’ll perfect, and from the internship you’ll love to the world-shaping job you’ll land, the MASD program will be with you every step of the way.
BE BOLD AND JOIN US. W H O T O C O N TA C T Marta Lanier | Director marta.lanier@furman.edu Graduate Admissions Counselor grad.studies@furman.edu
W H AT Y O U ’ L L N E E D • Graduate admissions application + fee • Two recommendations submitted through a link sent to each recommender • Statement of intent (500 words) • Cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5 (2.75 preferred) or with permission of the Program Director upon application and/or appeal • Official transcripts from each higher education institution previously attended • Admission interview • OPTIONAL portfolio to show prior design, marketing, social strategy or studio art experience
A P P LY A N Y T I M E ! Students may enter in the fall, spring or summer. Ask about graduate assistantships.
APPLY TO MASD FURMAN.EDU/MASD
3300 Poinsett Hwy Greenville, SC 29613
FU RM A N . E DU/M A S D