Frequently Asked Questions
About the program
The MDes is a two-year, full-time, on-campus professional master’s degree in design, housed in the UC San Diego Design Lab. It prepares early- and mid-career professionals to lead design teams and projects, work within complex socio-technical systems, and create products, services, and policies that improve people’s lives
The MDes is a design leadership degree. An MFA centers individual artistic practice and making; an MS in HCI centers interaction design and the science of computing interfaces. The MDes goes further, preparing designers to shape not only products and interfaces but the broader socio-technical systems they operate within. Graduates are ready for roles like Chief Design Officer, VP of Design, or Design Director, grounded in research, systems thinking, ethics, and organizational leadership.
The MDes is built around design leadership and complex socio-technical systems, not a single craft or discipline. It is housed in the UC San Diego Design Lab, one of the world’s leading interdisciplinary design research centers, with faculty from across the university, including cognitive science, engineering, public health, urban planning, and management. Students learn to lead teams, ground decisions in research, and work at the scale of systems.
The first MDes cohort will begin in Fall 2027.
The MDes will begin with a small cohort, roughly 15–20 students, and grow over time as the program matures.
For questions about the program or an application, email the program team at mdes-info@ucsd.edu. The FAQ covers common questions, and joining the interest list brings program updates and event invitations.
Admissions
No. The MDes welcomes applicants from engineering, social science, public health, architecture, urban planning, arts and humanities, information science, and other adjacent fields. Strong candidates have an undergraduate degree in any discipline, some demonstrated interest or aptitude in design or creative problem-solving, and a readiness to engage with design as a rigorous, evidence-based practice.
A minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA is required, in line with the UC San Diego Graduate Division minimum for graduate admission.
No. The MDes is a fall-entry program only.
No. Decisions are released all at once on March 1, 2027, not on a rolling basis. Applications submitted by the final deadline (January 6, 2027) receive full consideration. The portal stays open until March 15, 2027, and late applications are reviewed as capacity allows.
No. The MDes does not offer admission deferrals.
No. All students are admitted to the Capstone track by default. Students who discover an interest in the research thesis pathway may petition to pursue it, typically after taking DSGN 430: Introduction to Academic Design Research in Year 1.
Portfolio
Show us 3–5 projects that reflect your range and depth as a designer. Each project should communicate your process, not just the final outcome: the problem you were investigating, the methods you used, and what you learned. We are more interested in evidence of how you think than in highly polished presentations.
Yes. The MDes is designed for students coming from a range of backgrounds. If you’re coming from engineering, research, public health, policy, or another adjacent field, your portfolio might include process documentation, research artifacts, written work, or other material that demonstrates design thinking. Show us how you approach complex problems.
One PDF (max 20 pages, 20 MB) and a 30–60 second video discussing a project. You may aslo include a link to your online portfolio or website.
Costs & Funding
The program is estimated to cost $1,167 per unit (72-unit minimum = $84,024 total cost). This is approximately $42,000 in the first year and $43,000 in the second year, depending on your course load and any approved adjustments.
Yes. The program is committed to access for all. A limited number of student fellowships will be available, and students who apply by the priority deadline receive earlier consideration.
Yes. MDes students may apply for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loans by completing the FAFSA. Private education loans are also available, including to international students and those enrolled less than half-time. For current eligibility and amounts, see the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.
MDes students may serve as teaching assistants in other UC San Diego units if hired by those units. The hiring unit would be responsible for tuition remission. Students may not TA within the MDes program itself.
International Applicants
All international applicants must demonstrate English proficiency. You may be exempt if you have earned, or will earn, a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree with grades of B (3.0) or better from an institution where English is the sole language of instruction, as verified through the IAU World Higher Education Database.
UC San Diego’s university-wide minimums are IELTS Academic Band 7, Duolingo English Test 120, and PTE Academic 65. TOEFL minimums are listed on the Graduate Division’s page, which is the authoritative source for current requirements.