Overview

Strategically located in California's Silicon Valley, at the center of a globally renowned technology and innovation hub, the Master of Design (MDes) program at San José State University sits at the intersection of technology, industry and academia.

With a focus on current, emerging and experimental professional practices, the MDes is an incubator for new ideas and methods. The MDes degree is comparable to an MFA and is considered a terminal degree in the fields of animation and design.

Learning outcomes

Utilize creative research methodologies to investigate, discover, and understand complex problems.
Plan, implement, and evaluate creative projects that consider technological, ecological, socio-economic, and/or global contexts.
Employ creative practice and technology to conceptualize unique solutions for complex problems as part of a culminating project.
Demonstrate the ability to create, participate in and lead interdisciplinary and collaborative creative projects.

Programme Structure

Courses in this program include:

CG Animation
Lighting
Rendering
Building Interactivity in Animation and Games
Experience Design

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-08-19 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-02-01 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

125

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

San Jose, United States

Disciplines

Design View 455 other Masters in Design in United States

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

GPA

2.5

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

125

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Prospective students should have a demonstrable academic and/or professional background in the following areas: graphic design, industrial design, product design, user-experience design, user-interface design, interaction design, data visualization, information design, and/or other related disciplines.
In order to apply, applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution while also maintaining a minimum GPA of 2.5.
For the Specialization in Experience Design: an online portfolio of work with at least 10 projects exhibited.
For the Specialization in Animation: submit a portfolio and/or animation reel with at least 10 projects exhibited.
Official transcripts from all higher education institutions.
Two letters of recommendation.
A one-page statement of purpose explaining why you are pursuing a graduate degree in experience design or animation. Must also include a preliminary master’s project proposal.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

20920 USD / year

≈ 20920 USD / year
Out-of-State

20920 USD / year

≈ 20920 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

20920 USD / year

≈ 20920 USD / year

Additional Details

Non-Resident Fees are charged an additional $444 per unit.

Living costs

San Jose

United States

1740 - 3150 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

Interested in financing your studies? Find a student loan that works for you.

MPOWER Financing No cosigner. No collateral. No hidden fees.

Check your Eligibility

Get the funding you need to study in the U.S. or Canada - with a process that's fast, simple, and built for international students.

Flexible loans from US$2,001 to US$100,000
Fixed interest rates -- no inflation surprises
No upfront fees or prepayment penalties
Accepted at 500+ universities across the U.S. & Canada
100% online application -- instant conditional offer
Free visa & career support through our Path2Success program

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Design.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Learning outcomes

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Additional Details

Living costs

San Jose

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

Our partners