the program

 

The Brand Studios logo in white transparent background

A history of innovation.
A spirit of adaptation.

Our origins started as the renowned 'Boulder Digital Works' in 2010 at the peak of the digital revolution... then we evolved into the 'Masters of Strategic Communication Design' and integrated more fully with CU... and now (at the peak of another tech revolution) we're becoming 'The Brand Studios at CU'. Bringing together our DNA of innovation with a graduate-level academic curiosity. Read on to learn more. (And please call us The Studios. We're friends now.) 

We offer a unique program. 

We combine a master’s level education (at one of the country’s most beautiful and prestigious Universities), with the speed and focus of a portfolio school. Our intense one-year program focuses on developing high-level creative problem-solving skills along with a killer portfolio. 

FAQs:

While there exists amazing two-year creative master’s programs in advertising and design (hat tip Brandcenter, Parsons, etc), and plenty of great six-month and one-year portfolio schools… few, if any, combine both masters-level learning and creative portfolio development on a ONE-YEAR timeline.

Because it’s really hard. There’s a lot to learn and a lot to teach in order to operate at the highest levels of creative advertising, branding and experience design. Our accelerated program is intense, and not for everyone. Truly, a two-year timeframe is a more sane way to develop these skills. Which is why we tend to attract the slightly less sane kind of student. ;)

Because it’s really needed. With the speed at which design and advertising are moving today, two years is a lifetime. Technology is evolving by the day thanks to the new a.i. tools launching (seemingly) every minute. And while we don’t believe these tools will replace human creativity… they are certainly speeding it up across the board. Considering these more advanced tools (and the ever increasing client demands and timeline speeds), it’s essential to develop advanced creative problem-solvers who can move just as fast.

While The Studios are located off campus – one mile north, in downtown Boulder – we are 100% Buffs through and through. Our programs exist within the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information (CMDI) at the University of Colorado. And we tap the vast expertise of the Dean, the faculty and the administration of CMDI in order to provide a top-tier academic experience for our students (another aspect that differentiates us from quick-turn, for-profit portfolio schools). Our connection to CU is strong, sharing faculty, resources, guest speakers, admin support, student services, and more. In fact, many of our CU undergrads eventually join us at the graduate level. We're thankful to be in a unique position to offer the best of both worlds to our students: a professional, off-campus studio setting in the heart of Boulder's start-up scene... PLUS... the resources of the rocky mountains' most prestigious university. 'Sko Buffs! 

Our Two Studios: 

There are two sides to the branding coin – Design and Advertising – and our studios fully explore both. In our Design Studio, we focus on Experience Design; creating human-centered design thinkers who develop the look, feel, and experience of a brand. In our Ad Studio, we focus on Creative Advertising; creating brand storytellers who develop the personality, story, and dialogue of a brand with consumers. And, of course, there’s plenty of overlap between. Explore both our studios in more depth below.

The Design Studio

In the Design Studio, you'll explore UX/UI design and acquire advanced Brand Design skills, with a primary focus on User Experience. This track prepares students for design roles by teaching them to bring an entrepreneur’s perspective to problem-solving. Whatever your passion—UX, brand, product, or experiential design—you’ll learn to incorporate new technologies and methods into human-centered design principles. This is not a design-for-design-sake program. It's built on strategically motivated design – Design with a purpose. Graduates of this program go on to roles in User Experience Design, Graphic Design, Brand Design, and Experiential Design, in addition to starting businesses of their own.
 

The User Experience Design Curriculum:

Fall Semester

  • APRD 5001 Foundations of Branding *

  • APRD 5009 Principles of Visual Design *

  • APRD 5002 Foundations of Experience Design

  • APRD 5006 Design for Startups

Spring Semester

  • APRD 5003 Advanced Brand Design *

  • APRD 5004 Designing the Customer Journey

  • APRD 5008 Designing for Scale

  • APRD 5018 Innovative Technologies for Design

  • APRD 5014 Advanced Tools for Interaction Design

Summer Semester

  • APRD 5015 Brand Design for Sustainable Futures

  • APRD 5012 Entrepreneurial Design

  • APRD 5011 Digital Design Portfolio *

  • APRD 5020 Design Leadership *

* = core classes shared across studios

 Design Studio - deep dive  


 

 

The Ad Studio

In the Ad Studio, you will study Creative Advertising, gaining knowledge in brand storytelling, with an emphasis on Copywriting or Art Direction. Like its sister track, this graduate program teaches students to bring an entrepreneur’s perspective to problem-solving at the highest levels. In this case, to solving branding and advertising problems for clients from major corporations to small start-ups and everything in between. Graduates of this program go on to roles in Copywriting, Art Direction, Content Creation, and eventually Creative Direction, in addition to starting businesses of their own.
 

The Creative Advertising Curriculum:

Fall Semester

  • APRD 5001 Foundations of Branding *

  • APRD 5009 Principles of Visual Design *

  • APRD 5103 Principles of Storytelling

  • APRD 5101 Conceptual Thinking

Spring Semester

  • APRD 5003 Advanced Brand Design *

  • APRD 5109 Advanced Storytelling

  • APRD 5104 Creative Campaigns 1

  • APRD 5108 Social/Digital Thinking

  • APRD 5105 Brand Activations

Summer Semester

  • APRD 5114 Creative Campaigns 2

  • APRD 5110 Video Storytelling

  • APRD 5011 Digital Design Portfolio *

  • APRD 5020 Design Leadership *

* = core classes shared across studios

 Ad Studio - deep dive  


 

 

An AI POV

Higher education is in a fierce debate on how/where/when to incorporate AI into their curriculum. We are not. We understand the potential AI tools can offer. So it is woven into every class throughout our curriculum, and we periodically bring in AI experts to keep students (and faculty) up-to-date on the latest tools. 

But this is NOT a degree in artificial intelligence. This is a degree in human creativity. Which we believe is the skill that will be most in demand in the coming years. And luckily AI is the perfect copilot to human creativity. So our program has you copiloting with the top AI tools at every step along the way.

Curious for more?

Email the Directors. 
Yes, talk directly to the director of either studio to learn more, book a visit, or schedule a video chat.  

The Design Studio - Parisa Tashakori, parisa@colorado.edu
The Ad Studio - Jeff Gillette, jeff.gillette@colorado.edu

 



Ready to take the step? 
 

   Apply Now!   
 
 

 

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