The campus culture that UWM fosters leaves a lasting impression on students, so much so that many graduates may not want to leave. For alum Elora Hennessey (BFA 2017, Art), she didn’t need to. Hennessey has been a Staff Photographer for UWM’s Division of Marketing, Communications, and University Relations (MarComm) …
Digital Fabrication & Design Undergraduate Certificate
You’ve always been a creative, hands-on learner who loves to bring ideas to life. Your knack for technology and your limitless curiosity keep your hands and mind busy. Combine that with our Digital Fabrication & Design program, and you’ll get to do one of the most wonderful things imaginable: create new and innovative objects.
Taking everyday materials – metal, silicon, binary code and more – we mold, shape and transform them into objects with vitality, emotion and soul. Sound important? It is. Bold, distinctive and enduring objects make a difference in the lives of the people who use them. By blending traditional hand-crafted artistry with cutting edge technology, our makers program teaches you to become an artist with the hands of a craftsperson, the mind of an engineer and the imagination of a dreamer.
Program Type
Undergraduate Certificate
Program Format
On Campus
The arts are for everyone
A minor or certificate in the arts provides a well-rounded education. That’s because the arts foster creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They enhance communication and presentation skills, which are valuable in any professional setting. Engaging in the arts also increases empathy and understanding of diverse people and perspectives. Plus, they bring a unique selling point to your resume by demonstrating a versatile skill set.
And let’s be honest: The arts are also a lot of fun, adding stress relief and variety to your college experience.
89%Executives agree that creativity is a top skill
91%Americans agree the arts are vital to education
73%Americans say the arts help them understand others
45Minutes of art making can reduce stress levels
Digital Fabrication & Design Program Details
Students in the Digital Fabrication & Design (DFD) program have access to dedicated fabrication and research facilities that support hands-on making, prototyping, and material exploration. The Digital Craft Research Lab (DCRL) includes multiple interconnected spaces designed to support both digital and analog fabrication workflows.
The CAD Lab supports design development, modeling, and small-scale fabrication. This space includes computer workstations for CAD and 3D modeling, 3D scanning and digitizing tools, and a range of additive manufacturing technologies, including FDM and SLA–based 3D printing. Students also have access to vinyl cutting equipment, bending brakes, bench shears, and foundational hand tools that support prototyping and material testing.
The CAM Lab is focused on subtractive-based fabrication processes. Equipment includes vertical and horizontal metal-cutting bandsaws, metal grinders, a manual toolroom lathe, and numerically controlled machinery such as a large-format CNC router, laser cutters, and CNC milling capabilities suitable for machining aluminum, steel, and other metals. These facilities allow students to move from digital models to full-scale fabricated components and finished work.
Across both spaces, instruction emphasizes safe tool use, iterative prototyping, craftsmanship, and problem-solving. Students are supported by faculty with expertise across craft, design, and digital fabrication, and are encouraged to develop workflows that integrate handmaking with advanced fabrication technologies. The DFD program prepares students to translate ideas into well-crafted objects and systems, supporting pathways into professional practice across design, fabrication, art, and related technical fields.
Our certificate program gives you plenty of hands-on experience with these cutting-edge tools and techniques to turn your design ideas into tangible objects. And you’ll do it all with experienced faculty who are dedicated to helping you develop your skills and achieve your goals, whether that means pursuing a career in product design, digital media or any other field that requires creativity and technical expertise.
Explore the Digital Fabrication & Design, Undergraduate Certificate requirements in the Academic Catalog.
Art & Design Studio Disciplines
Led by expert artist faculty, our art and design studio disciplines are content areas that provide focus to your creative research, practice and degree. We offer the following studio disciplines: Ceramics, Creative Technologies, Design, Digital Fabrication, Fibers, Jewelry & Metalsmithing, Painting & Drawing, Photography & Imaging, Printmaking & Book Arts and Sculpture.
First Year Program in Art & Design
We don’t expect our new students to figure out college life on their own. Our First Year Program is designed to help new art and design students. In addition to specific coursework carefully chosen to foster success, we connect students to the many resources and opportunities found within a research university. Plus, we surround students with individualized support as they dive deeper into their program and find their way.
Artists Now! Guest Lecture Series
Throughout the fall and spring semesters, the Artists Now! Guest Lecture Series welcomes a diverse group of nationally and internationally recognized artists working across traditional, hybrid and emergent disciplines. Join us to explore and expand boundaries of creative visual practices alongside others with an interest in contemporary visual art.
Galleries & Exhibitions
Our art and design programs host many galleries and exhibitions both on campus and throughout the community. Our campus is home to four permanent art galleries, each with its own unique mission. All of them are free, open to the public and accessible for everyone to enjoy.
Milwaukee is also home to dozens of galleries and museums. All students in an art and design degree program receive a free annual membership to the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM). That means you can visit MAM and its events, including the popular MAM After Dark series, free of charge while you are a student.
Internships & Opportunities
Students work and intern professionally with Milwaukee’s leading art museums and galleries, creative agencies, corporations and nonprofits. They also find internships across the country and beyond. Discover where your education can take you. Learn more about internships and opportunities.
Student Organizations & Clubs
Meet like-minded people in a wide variety of student organizations and clubs who inspire creativity and will support your aspirations. Collaborate and create, network with professional artists, and deepen your connection with faculty, mentors and fellow students outside of the classroom.
Study Abroad
We believe that a complete education in the arts should take you beyond the classroom and the local community. By studying abroad, you’ll gain more than a change of scenery. You’ll embark on a transformative educational experience and bring a global perspective to your field of study. Explore upcoming trips offered in partnership with the Center for International Education.
Art & Design Alumni Stories
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PSOA alum details what it is like to be a campus photographer
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Kesslers Diamonds continues its support of Jewelry & Metalsmithing students through grants and internshipsFor the past eight years, Kesslers Diamonds has partnered with PSOA’s Jewelry & Metalsmithing program to provide students with opportunities to create industry-grade work. What began as a collaboration has grown into a sustained investment in student success, offering real-world job experience, internship opportunities, and significant scholarship support.
Art & Design Careers
- 3D Animator / Modeler
- Advertising Director
- Animator
- App Developer
- Art Critic / Writer
- Art Dealer
- Art Director
- Art Gallery Owner
- Art Historian
- Art Therapist
- Artisan Solutionist
- Artist in Residence
- Artists’ Agent
- Arts Administrator
- Augmented Reality Designer
- Blacksmith
- Ceramicist
- Commercial Artist
- Community Artist
- Community Organizer
- Consultant
- Costume Designer
- Creative Services Manager
- Curator
- Design Manager
- Designer
- Director of Community Engagement
- Educator
- Entrepreneur
- Exhibit Designer
- Fabricator
- Fashion Designer
- Fine Artist
- Floral Designer
- Font Designer
- Freelance Artist
- Furniture Designer / Restorer
- Game Designer
- Graphic Designer
- Graphic Artist
- Illustrator
- Industrial Designer
- Interactive Designer
- Interior Designer
- Jewelry Designer / Maker
- Lighting Designer
- Makeup Artist
- Marketing & Sales Director
- Metalsmith
- Mixed Media Artist
- Muralist
- Museum Director
- Packaging Designer
- Painter
- Photographer
- Photographic Stylist
- Photographic Technician
- Printmaker
- Product Designer
- Production Artist
- Program Director / Coordinator
- Prop Maker
- Public Artist
- Public Relations Director
- Sculptor
- Set Designer
- Sketch Artist
- Stylist
- Technical Designer, Apparel
- Textile Designer
- Toy Maker
- User Experience / User Interface Designer
- Visual Merchandiser
- Visual / Special Effects Artist
- Web Designer / Developer
Digital Fabrication & Design Program Faculty
Which faculty you have within this program is dependent upon your chosen courses or interests. For a list of all Art & Design faculty and staff please click the button below.
- Associate Professor, Digital Fabrication & Design
- Associate Professor, Design & Visual Communication
- Area Head, Digital Fabrication & Design
- hawk@uwm.edu
- Art 430B
- Teaching Faculty II, Jewelry & Metalsmithing, Digital Fabrication & Design
- Studio Technician, Jewelry & Metalsmithing
- Safety Coordinator, College of the Arts & Architecture
- meierea@uwm.edu
- Art 358
- Teaching Faculty II, Digital Fabrication & Design
- vivirito@uwm.edu
- Kenilworth Square East 368