Location:

Chicago, United States

Program Type:

Full Degree

Degree Level:

Doctorate

Specialty:

Graphic Design & Multimedia

Program Overview

Program Description:

The Master of Design (M.Des.) 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 does not require the formal selection of a concentration area or track. Students may construct their own curriculum after taking a core of methods courses focused on observing and understanding users in specific contexts, analyxing complex information, developing and exploring alternative solutions, and pro-totyping future innovations and scenarios. Examples of individual courses of study include communication design, interaction, product design, strategic planning, user research, design methods research, and systems design. The Ph.D. in design is a research program for those who wish to teach or conduct research in design. The program culminates with a dissertation that extends the body of knowledge about design theory and process. With the approval of their advisers, students may elect to study within the design planning or human-centered design tracks, or they may develop a di®erent area of study that is important to the evolution of new knowledge in design theory or process.

Additional Program Information

Accreditation:

Illinois Institute of Technology is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Requirements:

Cumulative undergraduate GPA minimum: 3.0/4.0 Minimum GRE score: 1000 (verbal + quantitative), 3.5 (analytical writing)

International Requirements:

TOEFL minimum: 550/213/80 (paper-based/computer-based/Internet-based test) TSE (Test for Spoken English) minimum: 24