Program Overview

Introduction to the Drexel MS Design Program

The Drexel MS Design is an innovative, interdisciplinary, and distinguished evidence-based design program that will help you become a design leader in the 21st-century workplace. Students work across multiple sectors in service design, market research, and product development to learn an evidence-based approach with a set of core design competencies taught in this program.

Program Overview

• The program is designed to serve students across all design disciplines, creatives, and those looking to make a career change.
• It is a self-tailored yet structured and guided design program.
• The engagement-oriented program includes extensive coursework in social interest design, design-led strategy, and future-oriented technologies, preparing you to be an integral part of a development team in the design industry.
• Students in the program produce evidence-based thesis projects that are published through ProQuest at the completion of their degree.

Program Structure

• The program is a 48-credit STEM-designated program that can be taken either full or part-time.
• A range of coursework is available to suit all schedules, including those with full-time work commitments.
• The program includes making, research, fabrication, collaboration, and human-centered design thinking.

Areas of Focus

• Circular design
• Assistive technologies
• Mental health services
• Shelter systems
• Artificial intelligence
• Blockchain for human uses
• Services for sustainable living
• Healthy service, space, and product development

Admission Requirements

Academic Experience

• You must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 in your major.

Essay

• Please write approximately 500 words explaining your reasons for pursuing the MSDes degree from Drexel; your short-term and long-term career plans; and how your background, experience, interest, and/or values, when combined with a Drexel degree, will enable you to pursue these goals successfully.

Résumé

• Please submit a resume electronically.

Letters of Recommendation

• Two letters of recommendation are required.
• It is your responsibility to confirm that your recommenders will submit letters by your application deadline and follow up with recommenders who have not completed their recommendations.

Degree Requirements

Design Research Core Requirements

• DSRE 620: Design Problem Solving (3.0 credits)
• DSRE 625: Technologies of Making (3.0 credits)
• DSRE 630: Data Visualization for Design Professionals (3.0 credits)
• DSRE 635: Translational Design Research (3.0 credits)
• DSRE 641: Contemporary Design Theory (3.0 credits)
• DSRE 645: Design Research Thesis Proposal (3.0 credits)
• DSRE 650: Thesis Research and Practicum (3.0 credits)
• DSRE 750: Thesis in Design Research I (3.0 credits)
• DSRE 760: Thesis in Design Research II (3.0 credits)
• DSRE 770: Thesis in Design Research III (3.0 credits)

Design History or Research Option

• ARTH 530: History of Modern Design
• CCM 704: Research Methods in Communication, Culture and Media
• CRTV 620: Research Methods and Assessment of Creative and Innovative Thinking
• PSY 510: Research Methods I
• VSST 501: Contemporary Art Issues

Free Electives

• Select 15.0 credits from 500-600 level courses, including I599, I699, T580, T680, in AS-I, CRTV, DIGM, DSRE, ENTP, ENVS, EPI, FASH, IDM, INFO, PBHL, RMER

Total Credits

• 48.0 credits