The Media Design Program seeks individuals who want to change the world through design. Ideal applicants are risk-takers with hybrid interests who wish to use the power of design to become stakeholders, inventors, entrepreneurs, cultural interventionists, and visionaries. Applicants should be self-starters who can integrate innovative design with intellectual investigation, who can synthesize theory and practice, and who can research personal interests with depth, intelligence, and passion. Applicants must have earned, or be in the process of completing a bachelor's degree.

The MDP offers multiple paths that are appropriate to applicants with different backgrounds and goals. Please see the curriculum paths + concentrations section of this site to learn more about the 2-year and 3-year paths, as well as the Design Research Concentration option. The curriculum structure section provides an overview of the curriculum content on a year-by-year basis. Students are placed by the application review committee into one of the two paths based upon their resume, design portfolio, personal statement, and stated preferences (on the Media Design Program Supplemental Application form).

For the 2-Year Path, we look for applicants with exceptional training and experience in the visual, spatial, interactive, and graphic design fields who can realize high-level concepts with skill in visual communication and interactive design.

For the 3-Year Path, we accept both accomplished and burgeoning designers from a broad range of backgrounds. Applicants with degrees in fields such as information technology, philosophy, or biology—to name just a few—bring valuable perspectives to the practice of design. We welcome applicants from all domains.