The Master of Design (MDes) in Graphic Design or Industrial Design program prepares designers to make substantive contributions that advance the profession and improve our world.
Focused on independent research projects, students explore a topic of inquiry with the potential to inform and shape disciplinary knowledge. Applicants who do not hold a bachelor’s degree in design may be eligible for the MDes Preliminary Year which provides a year-long course of study, customized per student, in preparation for the two-year MDes sequence.
Students applying directly to the two-year program are expected to demonstrate a record of professional experience in design and to present a considerable and significant portfolio of work. Students applying through the MDes Preliminary Year are typically seeking a career shift from relevant experience in a non-design field. MDes Preliminary Year applicants are required to submit a standard two-year application designating a field of interest (Graphic Design or Industrial Design). During the MDes Preliminary Year, this choice of field will be confirmed or changed based on a student's evolving interest.