About the Program
The MDes program strives to advance knowledge in the field of design through the study of advanced design principles and interdisciplinary design practices that contribute to the strategic value of design. The primary objectives of the program are to promote design research, interdisciplinary design development, strategic design planning, and knowledge creation and dissemination.
The program of study focuses on research in the following areas: advanced materials and manufacturing processes, advanced visualization, design and culture, design management, extreme environments, human-oriented design, product interaction design, sustainable design, and strategic design research.
Students have an opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary interactions with faculty from the School and faculty and students from a diverse range of disciplines in the university, all linked to the design development process. Graduates will have the skills to positively affect the greater integration of design principles, methodologies, and interdisciplinary design development processes into private and public sector business practice.
Academic Regulations
- See the General Regulations section of this Calendar.
- Industrial Design does not permit the C+ option as stipulated in Section 11.2 of the General Regulations.
Admission Requirements
- The University’s general requirements for admission are outlined in Section 2.1 of the General Regulations in the Graduate Calendar.
- Applicants must have successfully completed a bachelor’s degree in a design discipline, or the equivalent, with B- or better overall.
- Applicants with a design-related background, but not a degree in design, will be required to demonstrate significant links between their academic background and professional experience in the design development process.
- In addition to these academic credentials, applicants must submit the following materials to the School of Industrial Design:
- Application Form
- Statement of Intent (One page) - The quality of the statement of intent is critical to the likelihood of an applicant’s admission. The writing should be succinct and as carefully considered as the content of the statement, which should address at least the four following areas:
- What is the area of intended research with specific reference to the program courses and the expertise of the faculty members
- How the applicant’s academic background and professional experience relates to the program with reference to any previous research, scholarship, or project experience with interdisciplinary or collaborative teams
- How the intended research program will align with the objectives of the program relating to: design research, strategic design planning, knowledge creation and dissemination, and interdisciplinary design development
- An explanation of the specific reasons for choosing the School of Industrial Design at Carleton University.
- Portfolio -The portfolio should provide the best examples of creative intellectual activity and recent professional work that indicates the applicant is sufficiently prepared to pursue studies in the program. These activities may be represented by proposals, reports, and/or analysis documents. Emphasis should be placed on evidence of understanding the communication of design ideas in visual form.
The presentation of the portfolio should be professional and facilitate the review process of the content, and should be submitted in prescribed format. - Three Letters of Recommendation - Applicants must provide three (3) confidential letters of reference appended to prescribed recommendation forms.
- Language Proficiency - Proficiency in English is necessary to pursue graduate studies at Carleton University. All applicants are required to meet the requirements set out in Section 3.6 of the General Regulations of this Calendar.
- Qualifying Year Program - Candidates with admission deficiencies would be required to successfully complete additional prescribed courses to qualify for admission. Applicants without a degree in design may be required to register for up to 2.0 credits of courses selected from the undergraduate Bachelor of Industrial Design program, in consultation with the Graduate Program Coordinator.
All courses must be approved by the Graduate Program Coordinator of the School in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. (See General Regulations Section 2.3, “Completion of the Qualifying Year”, for more details.) Completion of the Qualifying Year is not a guarantee of admission to the Master of Design. Re-application to the M.Des. program is required.
Program Requirements
The Master of Design program requires the successful completion of 5.0 credits with at least 4.0 credits taken at the 5000 level or higher. The Graduate Program Coordinator must approve course selections. The program may be completed in four terms of study.
Specific requirements:
Year 1
Fall Term
IDES 5101 Interdisciplinary Design Development Seminar
IDES 5102 Research MethodsWinter Term
IDES 5103 Interdisciplinary Design Development Studio
1.0 credit of elective courses
Year 2
Fall Term
IDES 5201 Thesis Proposal
0.5 credit elective courseWinter Term
IDES 5909 Thesis
