What is our Mission?
Beyond Product Design and Industrial Design: The Graduate Program that trains Designers to be Leaders.
The MFA product design program is a two-year, immersive program in New York City that prepares exceptional practitioners to lead in the shifting terrain of design.
Our department is dedicated to the power and the promise of design. We focus on both physical and digital products—simultaneously—recognizing that they are both essential to addressing critical questions about how objects shape our lives, the impact of digitization and AI, and the importance of justice in our design pursuits.
We embody our mission in three ways:
We acknowledge the radical shifts taking place in the design professions themselves—roles blurring and bending between disciplines that traditionally define themselves solely as “industrial design”, “UX/UI design”, “social innovation design”, “design management”, etc. Instead, we view all design as the design of systems and platforms—where physical, digital, and experiential meld together with policy, business, and people.
We believe in mentoring the “whole person”—not just their hands. Beyond extensive skill-building, we educate head and heart as well, placing a premium on professional development, portfolio, interviewing strategies, negotiation, and behavioral psychology.
Our program is optimistic and generous, centering on our students’ unique perspectives and personal passions. Instead of designers just serving the industry, we see designers as driving forces. Designers bridge gaps between stakeholders, reframe problems, uncover opportunities, render the invisible visible, and champion change.
We invite you to join us.
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Connecting our students to the real-world professionals
We believe in the importance of networking and gaining exposure to real-life environments outside of the classroom. Through our program, students are given valuable experiences learning from, speaking with, and networking with designers in various professional fields across the spectrum.
Here area few below:
UX Designer @ Google
Design Matters Host
Co-founder @ Crave
Graphic Designer & Educator
Designer & Educator
We Train Exceptional Practitioners for Leadership in the Shifting Terrain of Design
Product Design at SVA trains head, heart, and hands, and every one of our teachers is at the top of their professional game. These industry professionals work in some of the top design firms and remain current on the top design strategies. While earning your master’s degree in design, you will meet and work with some of the most creative and bold designers in the world—faculty members who are international, industry-diverse, and cross-disciplinary.
You'll also be experiencing lectures and workshops from our industry partners, including renowned artists, thought-leaders, guest critics, job fair interviewers, and designers throughout the two-year design master’s program. Plus, you'll enjoy the peace of mind and confidence that comes with enrolling in an MFA design program that embraces a changing future.
PoD lets you earn a master's in product design from one campus location in New York, as well as in professional design studios around New York City—from Frog Design and IDEO to Johnson & Johnson, Atlason, and Material ConneXion.
