Curriculum

The Master of Design Studies (MDes) curriculum can be completed in one calendar year (fall and spring semesters plus a summer term) with full-time enrollment.

Students may also develop alternative study plans in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator prior to admission.

All degree requirements must be completed within two calendar years of initial enrollment.

  Term   Courses   Credit Hours          
  Fall Semester               

  FJAD 6906 Advanced Design Studio 1

  FJAD 6723 Methods of Design Inquiry Elective (3 CH)

  Elective (3 CH)

   15
  Spring Semester

  FJAD 6916 Advanced Design Studio 2

  FJAD 6803 Design Leadership

  Elective (3 CH)

  Elective (3 CH)

   15
  Summer Term

  FJAD 6926 Graduate Residency or FJAD 69906
  Capstone Project

    6
  Total Credits  

   36

Elective Courses

Electives allow students to tailor their studies to align with their selected Concentration and career path. Courses may be drawn from architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, business, public policy, health sciences, or other allied disciplines with approval from the Graduate Coordinator.

Examples of elective focus areas include:

  • Sustainable and resilient systems
  • Business analytics, marketing, and retail strategy
  • Environmental health and wellness
  • Timber tectonics and fabrication
  • Digital design and visualization methods
  • Historic preservation and adaptive reuse

Example Curricula by Concentration

The following examples illustrate typical full-time, one-year study plans.
All programs require 36 credit hours and may conclude with either a Graduate Residency (ARDS 69206) or a Capstone Project (ARDS 69906).
Hybrid delivery is available for select courses.

Resiliency Design

Fall Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 67203 Methods of Design Inquiry
  • ARDS 69006 Advanced Design Studio I
  • ARDS 68203 Vocabularies of Context Production
  • SUST 51003 Foundations of Sustainable and Resilient Systems

Spring Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 68003 Design Leadership
  • ARDS 69106 Advanced Design Studio II
  • ARDS 68103 Cities and Public Good
  • SUST 52003 Decision Making, Analysis and Synthesis in Sustainability

Summer (6 CH)

  • ARDS 69206 Graduate Residency or ARDS 69906 Capstone Project

Retail and Hospitality Design

Fall Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 67203 Methods of Design Inquiry
  • ARDS 69006 Advanced Design Studio I
  • HOSP 56503 Global Travel and Tourism Management
  • ISYS 53603 Business Analytics

Spring Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 68003 Design Leadership
  • ARDS 69106 Advanced Design Studio II
  • HOSP 46603 Hospitality Management Capstone
  • MKTG / SCMT Elective (Marketing, Retail, or Supply Chain)

Summer (6 CH)

  • ARDS 69206 Graduate Residency or ARDS 69906 Capstone Project

Retail and Hospitality Design (Business-Focused Track)

Fall Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 67203 Methods of Design Inquiry
  • ARDS 69006 Advanced Design Studio I
  • Business Analytics
  • Introduction to Marketing

Spring Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 68003 Design Leadership
  • ARDS 69106 Advanced Design Studio II
  • Retail Strategy
  • Consumer and Market Research

Summer (6 CH)

  • ARDS 69206 Graduate Residency or ARDS 69906 Capstone Project

Integrated Wood Design
Fall Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 67203 Methods of Design Inquiry
  • ARDS 69006 Advanced Design Studio I
  • ARDS 68303 Wood Theories, Tectonics, and Environmental Response
  • Timber Design or Environmental Systems Elective

Spring Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 68003 Design Leadership
  • ARDS 69106 Advanced Design Studio II
  • ARDS 68403 Advanced Wood Production Processes
  • Environmental Health or Fabrication Elective

Summer (6 CH)

  • ARDS 69206 Graduate Residency or ARDS 69906 Capstone Project

Health and Wellness Design
Fall Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 67203 Methods of Design Inquiry
  • ARDS 69006 Advanced Design Studio I
  • ARDS 68503 Health and Wellness in the Built Environment
  • Approved Elective (e.g., HDFS, EXSC, OCTH, PBHL, or SUST course)

Spring Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 68003 Design Leadership
  • ARDS 69106 Advanced Design Studio II
  • Two Approved Electives (from health, sustainability, or design research)

Summer (6 CH)

  • ARDS 69206 Graduate Residency or ARDS 69906 Capstone Project

Historic Preservation Design
Fall Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 67203 Methods of Design Inquiry
  • ARDS 69006 Advanced Design Studio I
  • ARDS 65003 History and Theory of Preservation Design I
  • Elective: History of the Designed Environment

Spring Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 68003 Design Leadership
  • ARDS 69106 Advanced Design Studio II
  • ARDS 65203 History and Theory of Preservation Design II
  • Specialized Component Elective (Advisor Approval)

Summer (6 CH)

  • ARDS 69206 Graduate Residency or ARDS 69906 Capstone Project

Advanced Design (proposed for Fall 2026)
(Pending final approval from the Arkansas Division of Higher Education)

Fall Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 67203 Methods of Design Inquiry (Hybrid)
  • ARDS 69006 Advanced Design Studio I
  • Elective: Computational Design Foundations or AI/XR Methods
  • Elective: Fabrication, Robotics, or Emerging Technologies

Spring Semester (15 CH)

  • ARDS 68003 Design Leadership (Hybrid)
  • ARDS 69106 Advanced Design Studio II
  • Elective: Design Research Integration Seminar
  • Elective: Human-Centered Systems or Digital Ecologies

Summer (6 CH)

  • ARDS 69206 Graduate Residency or ARDS 69906 Capstone Project

Completion Options

Students in all concentrations complete a Professional Residency or Capstone Project as their culminating experience:

  • The Residency places students in professional environments aligned with their concentration for applied, experiential learning.
  • The Capstone Project allows students to synthesize research, design, and analysis into a self-directed, faculty-mentored project.

Advising and Flexibility

Alternative completion strategies, including part-time enrollment or hybrid delivery, may be reviewed with the Graduate Coordinator in advance of admission.

All coursework must be completed within two calendar years of the student’s start date.