Master of Design

Do you love collecting aesthetical art pieces? Do you have a unique sense of colour and an innate understanding of style and proportion? Do you like beautifying the spaces around you? Then, a career in Design is the right one to pick. Pursuing the vast field of Design, you can discover an array of specialised areas, from graphics to fashion. Further, a plethora of degree and diploma courses are offered in the varied stream of Arts and Design. One such specialised postgraduate degree program is a Master of Design (MDes). This master’s degree course helps budding artists delve deeper into their field of interest and build a lucrative career in it. If you are planning to pursue a Master of Design program, here is an insightful blog which will walk you through various aspects of an MDes along with major universities offering this course to students across the globe. 

Why study Master of Design?

Here are a few reasons why you should study the Master of Design:

• A report from McKinsey suggests that the apparels market is rising at a very rapid rate. This is increasing the job opportunities for graduates of the Master of Design program.
• The compensation for MDes Graduates is rising at a very rapid rate.
• Since the market for Design is not yet saturated, the entrepreneurial opportunities are immense. There are numerous MDes students who start their own line after completing their course.

Overview of Master of Design (MDes)

A Master of Design (MDes) is a full-time two-year program designed with a dynamic combination of theoretical knowledge as well as practical training to equip students with real-world experiences and industry-based theories. An MDes is the gateway to specialize in an array of fields such as Fashion, Graphics, Communication, Animation, Game Design, Interior Design, amongst others. Further, this master’s degree course involves a balanced application of imparting students with artistic and computer-aided design skills as well as theoretical knowledge about the historical masterpieces of renowned artists. Also, an MDes course has its pivotal emphasis on advanced characteristics of design management and provides an insight into the ever-growing industry trends and dynamics. Below mentioned is a comprehensive list of subjects covered in a Master of Design program:

Visual Design 

Visual Design is simply defined as the process of visual communication. It aims to shape and improve the user experience through various means such as photography, illustrations, graphics, typography, etc. A Master of Design course provides students with various techniques of Visual Design such as unity, space, hierarchy, gestalt properties, contrast, dominance, and similarity. Moreover, you will get to learn about the procedures of implementing images, graphics, colours and fonts digitally using a varied range of software applications. The main purpose of the discipline of Visual Design is to make the content engaging and increase its usability by making it more approachable.

Typography 

Typography is a technique of Visual Arts which is concerned with several design elements that can be applied through text. It involves arrangement of the type fonts to make written language readable, legible and appealing. Termed as an integral visual language, Typography synthesises designs using creativity and technology. The main purpose is to unify the user experience across various platforms. An MDes provides students with font material inspired by the physical world and its textures, including their reflection, relevance, and medium. Further, you will get to learn about various designing methods through which you can build compelling fonts that ensure greater viewer experience. Studying a Master of Design, the area of Typography will enhance your knowledge of creating and styling texts thereby innovating beautiful designs for an array of digital platforms.

New Media Studies

New Media has lead to a multitude of technologies that have transformed the way designers and artists used to work. Studying this discipline, you will get to know about the latest innovation in the field of Arts and Design. Moreover, it is one of the major subjects in a Master of Design course and imparts students with the knowledge of new trends in Arts and Media with the help of interactive studies and projects. It comprises of dynamic visualisation, digital visuals, art and culture, interactive storytelling, and interaction design. 

Key Skills

Following is a list of skills that are gained after the completion of the Master of Design program:

• Logical thinking and problem-solving
• Project management
• Research and editorial skills
• Presentation and other communication skills
• Computer-aided design skills
• Creativity and innovation
• General software skills
• Attention to detail
• Critical awareness

Top Universities Abroad for Master of Design

A Master of Design is one of the most popular postgraduate degrees offered by a wide range of universities and academic institution across the globe. Here is a list of some of the top global universities that are renowned for their MDes programs:

• Stanford University
• Harvard Graduate School of Design
• Parsons School of Design
• Royal College of Art
• Kingston University
• University of Western Australia
• University of Sydney
• Strate School of Design
• University College London
• University of Edinburgh
• Imperial College London
• University of Manchester
• University of Leeds
• York University
• Nova Scotia College of Art and Design

Top Universities in India for Master of Design

These are the top universities in India that offer the Master of Design:

• National Institute of Design
• National Institute of Fashion Technology
• Industrial Design Centre, IIT
• IIT
• School of Fashion Technology
• Symbiosis Skills and Professional University
• Shiv Nadar University

Cost of Studying

The average cost of completing the MDes course is as follows:

India	INR 1-5 lakhs
Abroad	INR 40-50 lakhs

Job Opportunities

Here are some of the jobs you could take us after completing the Master in Design:

• Graphic Designer
• Design Thinking expert
• Industrial Designer
• Interior Designer
• User Experience Designer

Thus, we hope that this blog helped you gain clarity about the key aspects of a Master of Design course. If you are planning to build your career in the field of Arts and Design, take the help of Leverage Edu‘s AI tool to browse through a plethora of courses and find a suitable combination of a program and university that aligns with your interests and career aspirations.