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Apply: MDes (Master of Design)

Apply: MFA

After a recent pause in admissions, the Stamps Master’s degree in Integrative Design will accept applications in August 2025 for a Fall 2026 start in the program.

Please join our interest list to receive updates and announcements about the program, including when we will offer virtual information sessions and the date on which the application will be available.

MDes Application deadline: January 3, 2026

We are looking to build a small, effective team of students who are not simply focused on a graduate degree, but rather a real opportunity to leverage the considerable resources of the Stamps School and the University of Michigan to make a change in the way designers work in the world.

We are seeking potential students from diverse backgrounds across the spectrum of design disciplines (e.g. product/​industrial designers, visual communication/​graphic designers, and user-experience designers, and UX/​UI/​interaction designers) who want to transform their career paths. We will also consider qualified candidates who have design experience in a professional setting and wish to expand their knowledge of design while building on their prior education.

Candidates for the program must be intellectually curious, self-motivated, engaged with critical discourse in the discipline, and interested in the future role of design in shaping everyday life. They must be willing to critically examine current thinking and prepared to revise and expand their understanding of research, development, and design methods. Members of our design team will engage in collaborative, inquiry-based approaches to solving complex problems. It will be critical that candidates have specialized skills to integrate with those of other team members to deliver design solutions that work in specific cultural and economic contexts.

Application Instructions

Stamps graduate programs are part of the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, and admission to the Stamps School of Art & Design requires concurrent admission to Rackham. Application materials must be submitted to both Rackham and the Stamps School as outlined below.

    • 1. Submit the Rackham Graduate Admission Application Form

      Click here to start the Rackham Graduate Admission Application Form.

      This form will require the following:

      • Academic Statement of Purpose: Provide a statement that addresses these three topics (1000 words maximum):
        1. Design Experience. Summarize your experiences with design, both academic and professional.
        2. MDes Aspirations. Explain why you want to pursue a Stamps MDes degree now and what you hope to achieve through your work in the program.
        3. Research and Making. The Stamps MDes program emphasizes both research and making. What are some topics, themes, and/or questions you plan to explore in the program? How might research play a role in making your work?
      • Personal Statement: This should be a discussion of the journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree, in 500 words or less. How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan’s Stamps School? More information >
      • Official Transcript. More information >
        - All applicants must upload a scanned copy, front and back, of their official transcript/academic record issued by the Registrar or Records Office, to ApplyWeb for each bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree earned or in progress. The scanned copy of the official transcript is used for initial review by the graduate program faculty.
        - A downloaded transcript from your school portal or system is an unofficial transcript and not acceptable for review.
        - If you are attending or have graduated from a Non-U.S. institution, review the Required Academic Credentials from Non-U.S. Institutions for requirements by country.
        - We will require an official transcript be sent to Rackham only after an offer of admission is made.
      • Curriculum Vitae or Résumé. More information >
      • Three Letters of Recommendation. More information >
        Electronic submission is the highly preferred method to submit letters of recommendation. If your recommenders would prefer to use a paper recommendation form instead, click here for the form. This form and the accompanying letter should both be emailed to Stamps Graduate Admissions staff.
      • Evidence of English proficiency for students whose first language is not English. More information >
      • Required academic credentials from non-U.S. institutions. More information >
      • Nonrefundable application fee. More information >
    • 2. Apply through SlideRoom
      • REQUIRED. In addition to your admission application, MDes applicants should submit via SlideRoom a portfolio of 5-10 projects as a single PDF document not exceeding 30 pages. The portfolio may include design projects, writing samples, or other documentation of relevant work. You may include links to video or interactive media in the PDF (include passwords if needed). If these projects were done collaboratively, make clear what your role was in each project.
      • Click here to start your SlideRoom portfolio.