The Master of Design Degree

The Master of Design (MDes) program is a two-year, 54-credit-hour degree program intended for those seeking professional mastery at the highest level in the field of communication or product design or design planning. The degree terminates with a project demonstrating the application of new theories and processes to contemporary and developing design problems in a variety of areas.

The program is divided into four concentration areas, or tracks: Communication Design, Product Design, Design Planning and Design Research. All four tracks share a common platform of methods developed at ID and other design organizations which focuses on observing and understanding users in specific contexts, analyzing complex information, developing and exploring alternative solutions, and prototyping future innovations and scenarios.

In addition to experienced designers, the school encourages students who enter the program with no formal design training, and offers a one-year "foundation" program of introductory courses providing prerequisite skills and experience.

Communication Design
The Communication Design program applies human-centered methods to the creation of new communications, including interactive, electronic and print publications, information systems, software, Web services, and other media. Students explore how people send, receive, analyze, share and interact with information and rich media, and the influences of new technologies on how people can, should and do communicate.

Product Design
The Product Design program focuses on physical products and environments. With the underlying goal of maximizing user experience, the program emphasizes both appearance and performance, and explores issues of material and form, manufacturing, interaction, embedded computing, and product life cycles. Students are encouraged to go beyond designing an individual product, to designing holistic systems of products and environments that work together to meet user needs.

Design Planning
Students in Design Planning learn to apply design methods to business strategy and achieving competitive advantage. Particular attention is paid to how design, by creating new value for users, can also create economic value for organizations. Students gain an understanding of technological innovation, market forces, and organizational structures, and learn to create innovative solutions in a variety of areas, from products and communications to business strategies, brands, services and organizational processes.

Design Research
The design research track prepares professionals to work in industry, the public sector, and academic institutions that seek to build design-related research and development programs from a human-centered perspective. Coursework focuses on the development and implementation of new design methods and tools, exploring and prototyping new concepts, and creating new procedures and standards for design activity. Career paths include corporate research and development, government design and technology agencies, teaching, and preparatory study for the Ph.D. program.

Admission Requirements
See this page.

Residence Requirements
The Master of Design program requires continuous full-time study at ID. Students must enroll in at least 15 credit hours of course work each semester. Students requiring fewer than 15 credit hours to graduate may enroll for fewer credit hours.

Curriculum
A candidate will be recommended for the award of Master of Design upon satisfactory completion of the following program of study:

Fundamental Core Sequence: 13 credit hours

Professional Sequence: 32 credit hours

Electives: 9 credit hours

Fundamental Core Sequence
Eight project/discussion courses that deal with fundamental aspects of design at an abstract, theoretical level. Required for all Master's students. The current core sequence is ID 514, 516, 517, 533, 551, 552, 553, 554.

Professional Sequence
Series of projects and courses selected from available workshops and specialty courses to meet the objectives of the student's professional goals. Choices will be made in consultation with the student's advisor and will account for at least 32 credit hours of the required program.

Workshops: Major, semester-long project courses that explore design problems in breadth and depth. Processes and information from the specialty courses are developed here in practical and experimental applications (Choices are made in consultation with the student’s adviser from ID 580-589.).

Specialty Courses: Courses in special branches of design theory, process, or practice. Selections must include courses from the chosen track within the professional program. Full- or half-semester courses: (ID 519-579).

Research and Demonstration Project: A project requiring at least 12 hours of credit (ID 592).

Electives
Full- or half-semester courses selected from the university's course offerings to complement objectives of the student's program. These courses should be at least 400-level and should be selected with advisor approval.

Careers

See the Careers section for information on placement, salary surveys and more.
Also see the list of companies that hire graduates.
RecruitID is the Institute of Design's career placement program.

Modified: Tuesday, 28-Nov-2006 09:34:34 CST