The Master of Design (MDes) is a 2-year full-time program at University of Washington that engages with design through practice-based creative research. The first year involves three graduate studios and three graduate seminars, as well as elective courses. The second year is focused on the thesis, an independent research project where students work closely with their thesis chair (a member of the design faculty) and committee.
Throughout the course of the program, we follow three core principles:
- Making is our main way of thinking.
- We value critical, practice-based creative research.
- Design theory, research, and craft work hand in hand in exploring and pushing the boundaries of design knowledge.
- We see design as a tool to respond to the new social, economical, ethical, and environmental realities of the 21st century.
As a result of these three principles, we focus on how design works at the intersection of three main areas of interest: Craft and Making, Theory and Research, and Innovation.
The MDes courses, thesis projects, and independent studies converge in a space of practice-based creative research. We encourage students to use design as a creative mode for conducting research, innovating, developing new knowledge, and contributing to the field of design. Our faculty has expertise in professional practice as well as academic research, and everything in between.
Degree Structure
The core curriculum for the graduate program consists of seminars, studios and independent study. In addition, students work closely with faculty to identify other classes (as well as special learning opportunities/projects) that correspond to their interests and objectives for graduate study.
Design Seminars address critical issues in design through research, reading, writing, presentation and discussion. All seminars are cross-disciplinary, with students from Interaction Design, Industrial Design, and Visual Communication Design backgrounds contributing to a lively, collaborative atmosphere. Seminars meet once a week during the first year of study.
Design Studios provide a means for exploring a wide range of ideas and influences in the context of applied design. Studios meet once or twice a week during the first year of study. Additional studio requirements can be fulfilled through participation in ID, VCD and IxD undergraduate classes, or through independent study with design faculty.
Throughout the academic year, a number of unique learning opportunities are presented. These special projects may be suitable for an individual or a larger group of students, usually under the direction of design faculty, often with corporate sponsorship. Graduate students are encouraged to pursue these opportunities when in alignment with their personal areas of interest.
Admissions
Annual admission to the Master of Design graduate program is competitive. Applicants who are admitted begin their studies during the autumn quarter of the UW academic year.
Degree Requirements
Students receive a Master of Design upon successful completion of a two-year course of study, a thesis, and the Graduate School Degree Requirements.
Coursework Requirements
Year one of the MDes program is dedicated to seminars, studios, and electives. Year two is centered on the thesis project. During the thesis year, students work closely with a thesis chair (a member of the Division of Design faculty), and their thesis committee.
Year One
Autumn Quarter: 15–18 credits
DES 581: Graduate Seminar in Design (5 cr)
DES 582 Design Studio (5 cr)
Elective (5 cr)
Winter Quarter: 15–18 credits
DES 581 Graduate Seminar in Design (5 cr)
DES 582 Graduate Studio in Design (5 cr)
Elective (5 cr)
Spring Quarter: 15 credits
DES 581 Graduate Seminar in Design (5 cr)
DES 582 Design Studio (5 cr)
Elective (5 cr)
Year Two
Autumn Quarter: 10 credits
DES 700 Thesis Prep (5 cr)
Electives (10 cr)
Winter Quarter: 15 credits
DES 700 Masters Thesis (10 cr)
Spring Quarter: 10 credits
DES 700 Masters Thesis (10 cr)
THREE YEAR OPTION
While most of our students follow the two-year structure, we offer a three-year program option for students who don’t have a formal background in design and who want to refine their form-giving skills. In this option, the students must complete a year of preliminary undergraduate studios (and pass a faculty review) before continuing to graduate-level coursework (the same two-year curriculum presented above).
Elective Suggestions
- Within the Division of Design, the undergraduate upper division coursers offer great opportunities for students to refine their form-giving skills and work hands-on on complex design projects.
- We encourage students to apply to Directed Research Groups (DRG). DRGs are faculty-ran groups that offer students a wide range of opportunities to do hands-on work, from conceptualizing future scenarios, conducting interviews with potential users, fabricating fully functioning prototypes and testing them.
- Students also have the opportunity to work closely with faculty in independent studies. These are arranged directly with faculty depending on the students interests.
- Many departments on the University of Washington campus offer wonderful courses that MDes students can take as their electives.
Thesis
The thesis is an opportunity to enrich the field of design with an original contribution. It may exist as a written document, designed artifact, multimedia presentation or any combination of the above. Graduate thesis projects have covered a wide range of topics and reflect both the interests of the student and the concerns of the program with forward-looking investigations into the professional, technological and social questions facing the discipline. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the significant resources of the University to further their interests while extending the influence of design into the larger community
Schedule
During the spring quarter of their first year, each student is responsible for developing a proposal and organizing a thesis committee. The committee must consist of at least two Design faculty, one of whom is the Chair. Students work closely with their Chair and committee throughout their second year to produce a substantial thesis document and an exhibition that is displayed in the Jacob Lawrence Gallery. In addition, students are required to give a public presentation on their thesis prior to graduation.
Satisfactory Progress Requirements
MDes graduate students must maintain satisfactory performance and progress toward completion of their degree program to continue graduate study and research at the University of Washington. Graduate students engage in quarterly progress reviews with their advisor and receive an annual progress evaluation from the design faculty to ensure they continue to meet all UW Graduate School satisfactory progress requirements.