Apply to the MDes Program
The Sam Fox School’s two-year Master of Design for HCI and Emerging Technology program prepares designers to lead in the next phase of digital transformation. Learn more about how to apply below.
Criteria for Eligibility
- Applicants should have completed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent academic preparation with a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Applicants are NOT required to submit GRE scores.
Sep 20, 6:30 – 9pm • Kansas City
Sep 21, 10am – 1pm • Chicago
Sep 25, 11:30am – 12:30pm • Virtual
Application Materials
Admissions decisions are based on the applicant’s portfolio, academic records, personal essay, and references.
Application materials may be submitted over time. However, all parts of the application, with the exception of the letters of recommendation, must be received by the application deadline. No applicant will be offered admission into the program until all required materials have been received.
You will need:
PDF copies of transcripts from all previous higher education institutions attended
No more than 500 words addressing the application prompt. See details below.
The portfolio should show work that demonstrates your potential for accomplishment in further creative and innovation study. The work included—whether drawings, photographs of completed works, links to digital sources, etc—should be the best examples of your efforts.
Names, titles, and email addresses for three (3) professors, instructors, or professionals with whom you have recently worked or studied. Obtain their consent to provide a letter of recommendation for you. They will receive a request from the school once you have applied.
Applicants whose native language is not English must provide English language proficiency test scores from TOEFL IBT, IELTS, or GATEWAY English Test from English3. See details under “International Applicants” below.
There is no application fee for applicants seeking fall 2025 entry.
Please provide a concise written statement (no more than 500 words) articulating what impact you hope to make in the world with a Master of Design for Human-Computer Interaction and Emerging Technology. You should explain what problem(s) you hope to solve, how you would leverage the resources provided to develop solutions, and how you might approach and explore the problem(s) you identify. Please ensure your name is at the top of your document.
Specifications:
- Please submit the portfolio as a single PDF document, with a maximum file size of 20 MB and a maximum resolution of 150 dpi. All work should be produced in high-resolution digital images.
- Prepare the file for computer monitor viewing (i.e., horizontal orientation), with text that is at least 8 points large so that it is legible when viewed full-screen.
- Applicants may submit a maximum of 20 pages (note: 2-page spreads count as one page). Front and back cover pages are allowed and would increase the maximum page limit to 22.
- The layout of the portfolio pages should be clear, with brief descriptions for each piece or project.
As part of the application review, we are required to verify that each nonnative English speaking applicant has sufficient English language proficiency to succeed in the academic program.
The English proficiency test requirement is waived for citizens of Australia, Cameroon, Commonwealth Caribbean nations, Ghana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, Uganda, the United Kingdom, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It may also be waived for students who have completed three or more years of study in an English-medium academic program in any of the above countries, Canada, Hong Kong, South Africa, or the United States.
If you are required to provide proof of English proficiency, the application will prompt you to self-report English proficiency scores that are less than two years old. Official scores should be sent to Washington University in St. Louis at the time of application. We accept the following English proficiency tests:
TOEFL IBT (preferred)
Minimum score: 90
Send scores electronically through ETS to school code 6929
IELTS
Minimum score: 6.5
Send scores electronically to Washington University in St. Louis Graduate Admissions
GATEWAY English Test through English3
Minimum score: 495
Send scores electronically through English 3. Students will also receive an unofficial PDF for upload.
Please note, it may take up to six weeks for scores to arrive, so plan to take the test well in advance of the application deadline.
Applicants from China
Upon acceptance, students who attended a Chinese university must also have their official transcripts and qualification certificates verified (in English) by the Center for Student Services Development (CSSD).
Washington University encourages and gives full consideration to all applicants for admission, financial aid, and employment. The University does not discriminate in access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, veteran status, disability, or genetic information. Applicants with a prior criminal history will not be automatically disqualified from consideration for admission. Inquiries about compliance should be addressed to the Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, Washington University in St. Louis, MSC 1190-853-03, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130.