MDes (Master of Design) is offered by more than 225 colleges. From this program, students gain knowledge about the impact of technology on design and techniques of creating design. You can seek MDes degree in various specialized courses like Fashion Design, Jewelery Design, Graphics Design, Automotive Design, Game Design and Leather Design. Among them, Industrial Design, Interaction Design, Communication Design, Fashion Design, Visual Communication and Textile Design attract more attention.
MDes admission is based on entrance exams like AIEED, CEED or other university level tests. AIEED registration is now ongoing, and you must register by the 1st week of December to appear for the same. For admission to NID colleges, students must appear for NID DAT counselling that starts by May tentatively. NIFT colleges admit students based on NIT entrance exam score and its counselling takes place between the last week of June and July.
Students can experience great career growth in diverse roles like Visual Designer, Design Evangelist, Insight officer, Design Thinker and CSR executive after MDes. As a fresher graduate, you can get a salary around INR 3 LPA which may extend up to 7 LPA with 4-6 years of experience.
Aspirants apply for MDes program to gain advanced knowledge about the courses and to attend good career opportunities. You can study MDes course for the following reasons:
MDes full form is Master of Design. This 2-year postgraduate program includes multiple specializations such as Fashion Design, Ceramic Design, Graphics Design, Automotive Design, Game Design, Interaction Design, Animation Design. The table below highlights the top specialization courses for MDes program:
MDes List of Specializations | |
Fashion Design | Mobility and Vehicle Design |
Jewlery Design | Ceramic Design |
Graphics Design | Interior Design |
Automotive Design | Lifestyle Accessory Design |
Game Design | Multimedia Design |
Leather Design | Interaction Design |
Communication Design | Animation Design |
Industrial Design | Textile Design |
Around 220 colleges in India offer MDes courses. MDes fees may vary from INR 1.23 lakhs-12.22 lakhs depending on various colleges. The table below states the fees and entrance exam accepted by various universities offering MDes courses:
Colleges | Entrance Exam Accepted | Course Fees |
NIFT, Kannur | NIFT Entrance Exam | INR 3.28 lakhs |
CEED | INR 2.69 lakhs | |
NID, Ahmedabad | Design Aptitude Test (DAT) | INR 12.22 lakhs |
Design Aptitude Test (DAT) | INR 12.22 lakhs | |
Amity University, Noida | N/A | INR 2.88 lakhs |
Lovely Professional University | INR 3.20 lakhs | |
N/A | INR 1.23 lakhs-1.40 lakhs | |
World University of Design, Sonepat | WUDAT, CEED | INR 8.05 lakhs |
Pearl Entrance Examination | INR 2.80-3.20 lakhs | |
DTU, Delhi | CEED | INR 2.94 lakhs |
SPA, Delhi | SPA DAT, CEED | INR 90,000 |
Popular government colleges to apply to MDes program are NIFT, MSU, NID and DTU. The table below states the list of government colleges for pursuing MDes program:
List of Colleges | |
NIFT, Kannur | |
IIT Bombay | NIFT, Gandhinagar |
NID, Gandhinagar | |
DTU, Delhi | |
SPA Delhi | SPA, Bhopal |
About 164 colleges in India are private owned to offer MDes courses. You can get into top private colleges like Amity University, BBK DAV College for Women, MIT Institute of Design and Lovely Professional University. The table below states the lists of private colleges offering MDes course study:
List of Colleges | |
Amity University, Noida | |
BBK DAV College for Women, Amritsar | |
School of Design, Dehradun | |
Lovely Professional University | |
Parul University, Vadodara | |
You can get direct admission to MDes course in private colleges like Amity University, Parul University, Pearl Academy, Ambedkar University etc. Admission takes place on the basis of university?s entrance test. You may be asked to attend interviews by some colleges. The table below highlights the list of MDes colleges offering direct admission:
List of Colleges | |
Parul University, Vadodara | |
Pearl Academy, Mumbai | |
Amity University, Mumbai | |
Ajeenkya DY Patil University, Pune | |
Banasthali Vidyapith, Banastahli | |
You must apply for CEED, AIEED or other university level entrance exam for admission to MDes program. The table below states the cutoffs and registration deadline for MDes entrance exams:
Entrance Exam | Cutoffs | Registration Deadline |
AIEED | N/A | 1st week of December (Tentatively) |
NIFT Entrance Exam | 240 (For Gandhinagar campus) 590 (For Kannur campus) | 9 January 2025 |
CEED | Gen: 24.58 | 31 October 2025 |
NID DAT | For Ahmedabad Campus GEN: 96.84 OBC: 79.41 SC: 65.27 ST: 63.49 | 3 December 2025 (tentative) |
Pearl Entrance Examination | N/A | 13 January 2025 |
WUD Aptitude Test | N/A | 8 January 2025 |
SPA DAT | 436 - 549 | 10 April 2025 (Tentative) |
For admission to MDes course, register yourself by visiting the university?s website. Here, given below the process for applying MDes course in India:
To seek MDes degree, students must hold a bachelor's degree in design or related field. Students having bachelor?s degree in architecture and engineering are also eligible to apply for this program. The table below states the MDes eligibility criteria that the students must follow:
MDes Eligibility Criteria | Requirements |
Academic Qualifications | Bachelor's degree or diploma degree in design, engineering or architecture or related fields |
Minimum Marks Requirement | Secure at least 50% marks in bachelor or diploma degree |
Selection Mode | Based on entrance test and interview |
Age limit | No upper age limit to apply for MDes program |
MDes syllabus covers various topics like Principles and Application of Visual Design, Ergonomics, Design Methods, Graphic Design, Design Projects, Fashion Studies etc. MDes course duration is for 2 years, and the entire syllabus is divided into 4 semesters. The table below states detailed MDes syllabus for popular specialization courses:
Course Name | Syllabus |
Master of Design | Introduction of Design, Principles and Application of Visual Design, Ergonomics, Design Methods, Graphic Design, Design Projects, Product Design Prototyping and Advanced Manufacturing, Interaction Design, Creativity Innovation and Design Management, Collaborative Design Methods for New Product Development, New Media Studies, Interaction Design, Lighting Design, Typography, Digital Human Modelling and Simulation in Product, Automobile Design, Representation Techniques for Animation, Tangible User Interfaces, Ergonomics of Industrial Manufacturing, System Design For Sustainability, Furniture and Future, Graphic Design Studio, Interaction with Toy Design, Usability Engineering, System Analysis and Information Design, Thesis Projects, Environmental and Experimental Design, Product Detailing, Creativity and Innovation |
Master of Design in Integrated Product Design | Consumer robotics, Design methods and constructs, Digital visualization, Aesthetics & Semantics, Digital Interaction, Business Research & Entrepreneurship, Branding, form & semiotics, Materials, manufacturing & Design, Immersive technologies, Internet of Things, Envisioning systems, Digital avatars & media strategy, Professional practices |
Master of Design in Fashion Management and Marketing | Fashion Orientation, Fashion Studies, Merchandising - Introduction to Product and Retail Merchandising, Fashion Forecasting, Digital Marketing and Prototyping: Web Application, Business Fundamentals, Research Methodology - Market Research and Marketing Research, Economics and Financial Accounting, Organizational Behavior and Human Resources, Fashion Marketing and Promotion, Supply Chain Management, Fashion Supply Chain Management, Retail Management, Introduction to Retail, Fashion Buying and Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Introduction to E-Commerce and M-Commerce business, Mall Management, Customer Relationship Management, Data Analytics, Data synthesis and interpretation for Fashion businesses, Practical assignment, Business Models, Market Study, Business Model Canvas, Developing Market and consumer, Entrepreneurship, Financial Management, Preparing for Leadership |
Master of Design in Graphic Designing | Fashion Orientation, Fashion Studies, Merchandising - Introduction to Product and Retail Merchandising, Fashion Forecasting, Digital Marketing and Prototyping: Web Application, Business Fundamentals, Research Methodology - Market Research and Marketing Research, Economics and Financial Accounting, Organizational Behavior and Human Resources, Fashion Marketing and Promotion, Supply Chain Management, Fashion Supply Chain Management, Retail Management, Introduction to Retail, Fashion Buying and Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Introduction to E-Commerce and M-Commerce business, Mall Management, Customer Relationship Management, Data Analytics, Data synthesis and interpretation for Fashion businesses, Practical assignment, Business Models, Market Study, Business Model Canvas, Developing Market and consumer, Entrepreneurship, Financial Management, Preparing for Leadership |
Master of Design in Fashion and Textile | Elements of Design, Fashion Merchandising Principles and Techniques, Principles and Practices of Management, Computer Applications in the Fashion and Retail Industry, Design Project, Fashion Illustration, History of Fashion, Introduction to The Fashion and Textile Industry, Principles of Fashion Marketing and Merchandising, Raw Materials of Fashion, Apparel Production Planning and Control, Introduction to Apparel Manufacturing, Health & Safety in the Apparel Industry, Computer Application in the Fashion and Retail Industry, Design Project, Fashion Marketing Research, Raw Materials of Fashion, Visual Merchandising, Communication for Employment, Conflict Resolution and Management, Advanced Fashion Merchandising, Apparel Quality Control and Production Management, Computer Application in the Fashion and Retail Industry, Design Portfolio, Fashion Forecasting, Pattern Appreciation, Visual Merchandising & Display, Entrepreneurship Development and Venture Creation ? A Global Perspective, Fashion E Retailing, Professional Communication Skills, Professional Competencies and Career Development, Advanced Fashion Merchandising, Product Development for Fashion Industry, Design Marketing Interactive Strategy, Visual Merchandising, Cross Culture Communication and Global Competence, Leadership and Managing Excellence |
Master of Design in Interior Design | Design Overview, Design Drawing - Freehand, Perspective, Visualization Parallel-line, Fundamentals of Design ? Color, Geometry, Materials & Processes, Form, Space & Structures, Design Project on Design Process - Furniture Design, Inter Design Studies Environment Studies, Design context: History of Habitat & Design, History of Furniture, Furniture Technology: Mechanisms, Structures and Joineries, Space & Form Studies, Digital Methods, Space and Form Studies, Space Design, Systems Thinking and System Design, Design and Business, Digital Methods |
Master of Design in Communication Design | Approaches to Culture & Communication, Fundamentals of Design, Object-Oriented Programming, Principles of Interaction Design, Research Methodologies ? Ethnography and its Applications, Introduction to Narratology, Web Design: Applications, Inter-connectivity, Animation, Information Design, Research Application: Constructing Narratives |
Students possessing strong academic qualifications like securing at least 60-70% in 12th standard and 75% in bachelor studies can apply for scholarship. The scholarship covers 20-100% of tuition fees based on your merits. The table highlights the eligibility criteria to apply for MDes scholarships:
Scholarships Name | Eligibility | Award Amount |
Amity University, Noida - Merit Scholarship | Hold at least 90-95% marks in 12th Board exam (CBSE/ISC) and 75% marks in bachelors degree. | Covers 50% of fees |
LPU Merit Scholarships | Secure at least 80-90% marks in 12th and 70-80% marks in graduation | Cover 40% of course fees (INR 32,000) |
World University of Design, Sonepat - Merit Scholarship | You must have 60-70% marks in 10+2 (CBSE) or 80% WUD Entrance score | Up to INR 2.45 lakhs |
Ajeenkya DY Patil University, Pune - Academic Excellence Scholarship | Students must have strong academic performance and show evidence of financial need | Varies |
Pearl Academy - Who's Next Scholarship | Extremely meritorious students in need of financial help are eligible | 20%-100% waiver in tuition fee |
After MDes in India, you can get hired in different job roles like Visual Designer, Design Evangelist, Insight officer, Design Thinker, CSR executive, Trend analyst etc. Average salary of a MDes graduate may range between INR 6 LPA-50 LPA. The table below states the placement opportunities you can get after MDes:
Colleges | Top Recruiters | Job Roles | Average Salary |
NIFT, Delhi | Think Design, TCS, Wipro, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Samsung, Bosch, Google | Visual Designer, Design Evangelist, Insight officer, Design Thinker, CSR executive, Trend analyst, Social & Cultural executive, Sustainable Development Officer, User Experience Researcher, Design Researcher, UI & UX Designer, Product Designer, Design Manager, Media Writing, Festival Curator, Content Curator | INR 7 LPA |
IIT Bombay | Google, Amazon, Byjus, Cognizant, PayTM, Microsoft | INR 23.50 LPA | |
NID, Ahmedabad | Adidas Group India, Adobe, Deloitte, HCL Technologies, TCS, Walt Disney Company (India) Pvt. Ltd | INR 17-50 LPA | |
Amity University, Noida | Google, Accenture, TCS, IBM, Samsung, Capgemini, Wipro | INR 6 LPA | |
Bosch, Infosys, Cognizant, Capgemini, SHL | INR 15 LPA |
MDes opens doors to vast career opportunities for you in diverse fields like technical, architecture and e-commerce sectors. Students can set themselves as Design Researcher, UI & UX Designer, Product Designer, Design Manager after completing the program. Admission to this program requires 50% marks in bachelor studies. You can apply for scholarships to manage your expenses of studying the program.
Ans: A recent graduate of Master of Design could earn around INR 3 LPA initially. This may extend up to 7 LPA after 4-6 years of experience after getting promoted in senior positions.
Ans: MDes offers the job role of Visual Designer, User Experience Researcher, Design Researcher, UI & UX Designer, Product Designer etc. You may expect to get salary of INR 6 LPA-50 LPA after getting MDes jobs in India.
Ans: You cannot hold a master's degree in design after 12th. Minimum 50% in undergraduate degree in design related fields can allow you to apply for MDes. Otherwise, secure 50% marks in 4-year diploma in Design, Applied Arts, Fine Arts, or Architecture.
Ans: Students can apply for MDes program by qualifying CEED or AIEED entrance exams. Other university level entrance exams are NIFT Entrance Exam, NID DAT, Pearl Entrance Examination and WUD Aptitude Test.
Ans: Masters of Design offers jobs roles Product Designer where you can salary around INR 5.82 LPA that is exceptionally high. MDes graduates can earn yearly salary of INR 12 lakhs as Design Manager.
Ans: At least securing 50% in undergraduate in design related fields can grant your admission to MDes program. Also, pass CEED, AIEED entrance exams or university-level tests to pursue MDes program.
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