Creative education is changing as the boundaries between art, design, technology, research and culture become increasingly interconnected. A designer may work with technology, an artist may explore social questions through digital media, and a creative practitioner may combine research, making and experimentation to address complex real-world issues.
Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology (SMI), Bengaluru, has built its academic identity around this kind of transdisciplinary creative education. Formerly known as Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, the institute is a constituent unit of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and has been developing art and design education for nearly three decades.
The institute offers undergraduate, postgraduate, postgraduate diploma and doctoral programmes across different areas of art, design and transdisciplinary practice. Its academic model brings together practice, performance, research and experimentation, allowing students to explore creative disciplines from multiple perspectives.
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- Learning Where Art, Design and Technology Meet
- Choosing an Undergraduate Path Based on Creative Interests
- Visual Communication as More Than Graphic Design
- Design as a Way of Investigating Everyday Problems
- Studio Practice Turns Ideas Into Work
- Postgraduate Study for Deeper Creative Practice
- Research That Connects Practice With New Knowledge
- Learning Through Different Forms of Creative Practice
- From Creative Education to Professional Practice
- Final Thoughts
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. Learning Where Art, Design and Technology Meet
Traditional academic disciplines often divide knowledge into separate subjects. Creative problems, however, rarely follow those boundaries.
A project involving a digital product may require design thinking, visual communication, technology and an understanding of human behaviour. A public-art project may involve culture, research, storytelling and social engagement. A creative technology project can combine coding, interaction design and artistic expression.
Srishti Manipal’s transdisciplinary approach provides students with an academic environment where such connections can be explored. The institute describes its pedagogy as integrating practice, performance, research and experimental learning, with the aim of educating artists, designers and practitioners.
This approach can be particularly relevant for students who do not want to restrict their creativity to a single traditional discipline and instead want to explore how different fields can influence one another.
2. Choosing an Undergraduate Path Based on Creative Interests
For students entering higher education after Class 12, one of the biggest decisions is choosing the type of creative practice they want to develop.
Srishti Manipal’s undergraduate professional programmes include Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) pathways. The institute’s programme portfolio includes different areas of art, design and technology, allowing students to pursue interests that range from visual communication to information arts, industrial practices and other creative fields.
The institute’s undergraduate professional programmes are structured as four-year programmes, while its skill-based vocational undergraduate programme is structured over three years. The 2026–27 fee schedule also identifies the B.Des./BFA undergraduate professional programme as an eight-semester course.
This gives students the opportunity to consider their preferred mode of making, thinking and communicating before selecting a programme.
3. Visual Communication as More Than Graphic Design
Visual communication is one of the areas where creativity directly interacts with society.
The way information is presented can influence how people understand an organisation, respond to a campaign or interpret a social message. Visual communication therefore involves more than producing attractive graphics.
Srishti Manipal’s Visual Communication and Strategic Branding programme introduces students to areas including visual communication design, advertising, branding, strategic design and design thinking. The programme also places emphasis on developing socially aware creative professionals who can engage with issues through communication and advocacy.
Students interested in branding, advertising, communication design and visual storytelling can therefore explore how creative decisions influence both audiences and wider cultural conversations.
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4. Design as a Way of Investigating Everyday Problems
Design education can begin with making, but it can also begin with questioning.
Why does a particular system work for some people but not others? How does the design of an environment influence behaviour? What happens when technology changes the way people interact with a service?
These questions can lead students towards design practices that involve observation, investigation, experimentation and reflection.
Srishti Manipal’s academic ecosystem encourages students to approach creative practice as a way of understanding contemporary society. Its programmes and research activities bring together design, art, technology and broader social contexts rather than treating creative work as isolated visual production.
For students, this can create a learning environment where the process of asking questions becomes as important as the final creative output.
5. Studio Practice Turns Ideas Into Work
Creative skills develop through repeated practice.
An idea that appears convincing on paper may change completely once a student begins drawing, modelling, filming, coding, prototyping or performing. Feedback can reveal new possibilities, while experimentation can show that an initial assumption was incorrect.
Srishti Manipal’s academic calendar reflects a strong role for studio-based learning, workshops, projects and specialised studios across its programmes. For the 2026 academic year, the calendar includes studio cycles, workshops and project-based activities across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
This kind of learning allows students to move continuously between thinking and making. Instead of treating creativity as a single final submission, students can develop their work through exploration, iteration and reflection.
6. Postgraduate Study for Deeper Creative Practice
Creative education does not necessarily end with an undergraduate degree.
Students who want to develop specialised practices can continue into postgraduate education. Srishti Manipal offers two-year postgraduate professional programmes leading to an M.Des., along with two-year postgraduate arts programmes leading to an M.A. and postgraduate diploma options.
Its postgraduate offerings cover specialised areas of creative practice. For example, the M.A. in Experience Design explores how experiences are shaped by social, cultural, economic and political factors and can prepare practitioners for work across product and service industries, design firms and the non-profit sector.
Postgraduate study can therefore be useful for graduates who want to move beyond foundational skills and develop a more focused creative practice, research interest or professional specialisation.
7. Research That Connects Practice With New Knowledge
Research at a creative institute does not have to look identical to research in conventional academic disciplines.
Artists and designers can investigate questions through making, experimentation, documentation, observation and critical reflection. In some cases, the creative process itself becomes a method of generating knowledge.
Srishti Manipal offers a Doctoral Programme in Art, Design and Transdisciplinary Studies designed to develop rigorous research capabilities and encourage original contributions to art, design and transdisciplinary studies. The programme encompasses scholarly research, design and creative production.
The doctoral programme also includes Regular and Practice Research tracks. The Practice Research approach particularly focuses on creating an experimental space where knowledge can be explored through practice, with art and design intersecting with other fields.
For students and practitioners interested in academic research, this provides a pathway from creative practice towards deeper investigation and knowledge creation.
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8. Learning Through Different Forms of Creative Practice
One of the distinctive aspects of an art and design institution is that learning can take many forms.
A student may communicate through an image, an object, a performance, a digital experience, a moving image, a designed system or a research-led intervention. Different forms of practice can lead to different ways of understanding the world.
Srishti Manipal’s academic ecosystem brings together undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral study while encouraging students to explore multiple forms of creative and intellectual practice. Its programme structure includes professional, arts, vocational and research-oriented pathways.
This diversity can benefit students who want to experiment before settling into a single professional identity. It also reflects the changing nature of creative careers, where people may work across several roles rather than following one fixed job title.
9. From Creative Education to Professional Practice
A creative degree can lead to many different professional directions.
Depending on their programme, skills and interests, graduates may explore areas such as visual communication, branding, experience design, product and service industries, creative technology, art practice, design research, media and other emerging creative fields.
Srishti Manipal also maintains a Corporate Engagement and Career Advisory Services function, reflecting a connection between academic learning and professional development. The institute’s official website identifies this service as part of its institutional ecosystem.
The professional journey, however, is not determined only by the name of a degree. Creative careers often depend on the ability to build a strong body of work, explain one’s ideas, collaborate with others and continuously develop a personal practice.
For students considering Srishti Manipal, the value of the experience can therefore come from combining formal education with experimentation, projects, research and the development of an individual creative voice.
10. Final Thoughts
Art and design education is increasingly moving beyond traditional categories.
The creative professional of today may work across design, technology, research, communication, culture and social issues. This makes the ability to experiment, collaborate, investigate and learn across disciplines increasingly valuable.
Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology offers an academic environment built around this broader understanding of creative education. From B.Des. and BFA undergraduate programmes to M.Des., M.A., postgraduate diploma and doctoral pathways, students can explore different stages of creative learning.
Its emphasis on transdisciplinary practice, studio learning, experimentation and research makes it an option worth considering for students who want to develop their creative interests while engaging with contemporary questions.
For students looking for university comparisons, career planning and admission guidance, explore CareerGuide.com.
Students preparing for undergraduate entrance examinations and counselling can also explore CareerGuide CUET for additional guidance.
11. Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology?
Ans: Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology (SMI) is a creative education institute and a constituent unit of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). It focuses on art, design, technology, research and transdisciplinary creative practice.
Q2. What undergraduate programmes does Srishti Manipal offer?
Ans: Srishti Manipal offers undergraduate professional programmes leading to B.Des. and BFA, along with a skill-based vocational undergraduate pathway. The institute’s undergraduate portfolio covers different areas of art, design and creative practice.
Q3. How long is the B.Des. programme at Srishti Manipal?
Ans: The undergraduate professional programme leading to the B.Des./BFA is structured as an eight-semester, four-year programme.
Q4. Does Srishti Manipal offer postgraduate programmes?
Ans: Yes. The institute offers two-year M.Des. programmes, two-year M.A. programmes and postgraduate diploma programmes across different areas of creative practice.
Q5. Does Srishti Manipal offer Ph.D. programmes?
Ans: Yes. Srishti Manipal offers a Doctoral Programme in Art, Design and Transdisciplinary Studies. The programme includes Regular and Practice Research tracks and focuses on rigorous research involving art, design and interdisciplinary practice.
