Program Overview

Program Overview

The Doctor of Design (DDes) program at NC State University is designed to create new knowledge and promote its application in the professional design community and society at large. Established to cater to established practitioners, the program aims to develop high-level, transformative expertise in applied design and innovation.

Program Structure

• The program comprises a 57-credit, six-semester learning sequence tailored for the pursuit of original design-based investigations.
• Mandatory physical attendance at a week-long workshop each semester is required for all DDes students.
• The program allows design professionals to complete the degree through distance education.

Admission Criteria

Eligibility

• Undergraduate and graduate degree transcripts (minimum 3.0 GPA)
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
• TOEFL or IELTS (exceeding minimum NCSU Grad School standards)
• Curriculum vitae (C.V.)
• Statement of purpose, topic/focus, and description of proposed research questions
• Digital portfolio of creative work and/or professional practice activities
• Three letters of recommendation (at least one from the applicant’s current employer)

Requirements

• Successful applicants hold a master’s degree from an accredited design, fine arts, or equivalent program.
• Applicants are expected to demonstrate mastery over their respective practices in the submission of a digital portfolio.
• A short statement of purpose for graduate study (not to exceed 400 words or 1-2 pages overall) will convince the reader that the applicant is motivated and prepared.
• Successful applicants possess the capacity to articulate a clear topic with specific research questions.

Plan of Study

• The Doctor of Design (DDes) program is envisioned as a three-year academic program.
• The plan of study must be arranged in advance and agreed to by all members of the student’s steering committee.
• NC State policies stipulate that doctoral candidacy must be attained within six years and all degree requirements completed within ten years.

Career Prospects

The Doctor of Design is a unique program that serves a wide variety of design careers, each of which is individualistic and highly customized to meet the needs of the student. The doctorate program provides an opportunity to establish design professionals in an academic environment, testing and proving innovative design ideas.

Accreditation

North Carolina State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award the associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees.