X-Design(XD)

The XD (X-Design) Program is centered around design and art, with science and technology as the "creative mind" driving force of its research. From prototyping to real-world implementation, the XD Program re-institutes and integrates elements that have conventionally been divided, such as art and science, subjectivity and objectivity, theory and practice, and irreproducibility and universality. We nurture experts who can design and research in unexplored fields.

The Program's creative mind is composed of "5 X's":

1) creating the "unknown (X)" values and research fields that have yet to be named,

2) imagining "eXtreme" situations that could happen in the future,

3) continuing "eXperiments" and prototyping to improve,

4) "crossing (X)" beyond the boundaries of diverse cultures, arts, and academic areas,

5) "eXpressing" yourself through art, music, systems development, fabrication,communication, and design.

Once enrolled in the XD Program, each of you will be able to wield the language of writing, as well as modeling, drawing, and performing, to add new interpretations to your research on these 5 X's. Furthermore, the XD Program provides a rich interaction among SFC laboratories that transcends various fields, allowing them to develop each other's unknown designs and research through a lively exchange of ideas.

The XD Program trains professional creatives—"doers" that trust in their own senses and have firm backgrounds in advanced technology. These professionals may be known as designers, artists, engineers, or other kinds of creators, design researchers, design engineers, media artists, or media architects. At its core, however, our Program aims to nurture talent who will pioneer new career paths. Our alumni work in diverse fields not limited to design and art. They work at art production studios and design firms, and in industries such as telecommunications, gaming, computer graphics, broadcasting, film, advertising, web and digital media, publishing, and trading. As we strongly encourage students to carve out their own lane and not limit themselves to preexisting careers, many graduates go on to start their own ventures or engage in educational or professional activities abroad.