Graduates of recognized universities and colleges will be considered for admission to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs.
Industrial Design will be hosting an online Master of Design Information Sessions:
Session 1: Thursday, November 15, 2023 at 3:00 PM (ONLINE)
Session 2: Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 3:00 PM (ONLINE)
Admission requirements
Deadline: February 28th to be considered for funding (if space and funds remain, domestic submissions will be accepted till August 31st).
The University’s general policy on admission as outlined in Section 2.1 of the General Regulations in the Graduate Calendar must be met. For admission to the Master of Design program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in a design discipline, or the equivalent, with at least a B+ standing.
Applicants with a design-related background, but not a professional degree in design, will be required to demonstrate significant links between their academic background and professional experience working with designers in the design development process.
If you are uncertain if your background is right for the Master of Design program please feel free to contact the School (id@carleton.ca). Our Graduate Administrative Assistant will respond to your query.
The number of admissions is limited by the availability of graduate space and supervisory personnel. Possession of the minimum admission requirements does not, in itself, guarantee admission. Priority will be given to applications of the highest quality and relevance.
Statement of intent
The quality of the statement of intent is critical to the likelihood of your admission. The writing should be succinct and as carefully considered as the content of the statement, which should address the following areas in 1-2 pages:
- Research area and focus. What is the area of intended research with specific reference to the program courses and the expertise of the faculty members? Contextualize your area of research interest, choose among faculty members’ expertise, and present your research question and goal.
- Supervisor. Provide the name of 2 preferred supervisors chosen among SID faculties. Explicit 1st and 2nd preference, and explain why. They will be taken into consideration for the supervisor’s assignment according to an assessment of aligned focus and availability.
- Academic background and professional experience. How do your academic background and professional experience relate to the program with reference to any previous research, scholarship, or project experience with interdisciplinary or collaborative teams?
- School of Industrial Design. An explanation of the specific reasons for choosing the School of Industrial Design at Carleton University.
Use the provided titles for each section.
Curriculum vitae
An overview of your academic accreditation, work experience, interests, and other activities that may be relevant to the Master of Design program.
Portfolio submission
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.
Financial support
Top ranked domestic students receive financial support from Carleton University in the form of teaching assistantships and scholarships based on academic excellence. Applicants do not need to apply for these types of assistantships or scholarships as all applicants will automatically be considered at the time of admission.
If offered admission, applicants will be notified of any funding in their Offer of Admission and Funding. Admission funding may take the form of Teaching Assistantships (TA) approximately $10,000 per year and Merit Scholarship (entrance funding) $1,000-$12,000 per year.
Students will receive their TA assignments based on their background and preferences. TA’s are selected to assist with Bachelor of Industrial Design undergraduate courses, both studio and lecture courses.
Admission decision
The School of Industrial Design will review your application, which may not occur until after the application deadline has passed. To find out the status of your application, you will need to contact the School (id@carleton.ca) directly.
Once the School has selected the applicants we would like to admit, recommendations are made to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs for final approval. If approved, an email is sent to the you with an Offer of Admission and Funding and Statement of Standing on Admission.
Start your application
Applications are managed by the Graduate Admissions Department, and portfolios are submitted online to Slideroom.