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.
Graduate Recruitment Specialist, Art
Criteria for Eligibility & Deadlines
Sep 1, 2026
Applications open
Dec 15, 2026
Application fee starts
Jan 10, 2027
Applications due
Mar 1, 2027
Decisions released
Program Prerequisites
- 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.
Required Application Materials Checklist
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:
All applicants must upload digital copies (PDF format) of transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
Competitive applicants for admission will have a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) or above on a 4.0 scale. For those who have pursued undergraduate degrees in architecture, special attention will be given to grades obtained in studio coursework.
Unofficial transcripts must include the institution name, applicant name, dates of attendance, grades received for each course taken in all terms attended, degree information, and transcript key or interpretation guide.
In-progress transcripts: If you have not yet completed your current program at the time of application, please provide transcript(s) showing the work you have completed to date and courses in progress.
Official transcripts: Admitted students are required to provide a final official transcript from the institution that conferred their undergraduate degree. The Sam Fox School reserves the right to revoke an offer of admission if discrepancies are found between the uploaded unofficial documents and official educational records.
Foreign transcript evaluation: International students must submit both an original-language document and an English translation.
We do not require transcript evaluations, but we encourage submitting a transcript evaluation from a NACES member organization if you earned or will earn a prerequisite degree outside of the United States.
Essay 1
Please provide a concise written statement (maximum 300 words) articulating the impact you hope to make with a Master of Design in Human-Computer Interaction and Emerging Technology.
Your statement should briefly address:
- The Problem: What specific, complex challenge or emerging technology space are you passionate about investigating?
- The Foundation: How does your past experience inform this motivation?
- The Methodology: How do you propose to approach and explore this problem?
- The Fit: How will you leverage the unique resources of this MDes program to develop your solutions?
Note: Please ensure your name is listed at the top of your document.
Essay 2
Please provide a concise written statement (maximum 300 words) articulating your “design grit.” Tell us about a specific past design challenge you overcame. What was the project, and what was the root cause of the challenge? Detail the actions you took to navigate this obstacle, the ultimate outcome, and how this experience permanently shaped your design process moving forward.
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. See details below.
Non-refundable $40 application fee, paid online by credit card.
Note: there is no application fee for students who complete their application before December 15.
We want to better understand your personal design process and communication style. Please submit a short video walking us through a single project from your portfolio that best exemplifies your design skills and values.
In your video, please address:
- The Core Concept: State the project title, type, and location (as appropriate), along with your design intent.
- The Solution in Action: Narrate an optimal “user-flow,” showing us exactly how someone would experience or interact with your final solution.
- Your Design Ambitions: Explain how this project reflects your broader values and creative process moving forward.
The video should be uploaded to a location that is accessible via a URL link for our admissions committee to review.
GRE Policy: Test Scores Not Required
Applicants to our Master of Design for Human-Computer Interaction and Emerging Technology are NOT required to submit GRE scores.
Guidlines for MDes Portfolio
You will be prompted to upload a link to your digital portfolio deck. We highly recommend using Figma Slides to construct this deck, as it seamlessly supports the interactive elements, videos, and multimedia required for our evaluation.
Content and Scope
- Project Count: Your portfolio must consist of 5–10 projects that showcase a full spectrum of research, design development, usability testing, and final product execution.
- Artifacts: Submissions may include drawings, photographs of physical work, videos, and links to digital coursework. Supplemental creative works, art, or traditional design pieces are also highly encouraged.
- Your Role: For every project—especially collaborative ones—clearly articulate your specific focus, responsibilities, and individual contributions. We want to understand your exact intent, process, learnings, and outcomes.
Interactivity and Formats
- Representing Interaction: Anything that is interactive should be represented as such. Multi-sensory or digital interaction design must be showcased via video screen captures demonstrating an optimal user flow, and/or a direct link to a functional prototype or application.
- Websites: Personal website links are acceptable but will be viewed as supplementary to the core portfolio deck.
International Graduate Student Admissions
WashU is responsible for confirming that visitors and students possess the necessary level of English language proficiency to succeed in their respective course of study and/or program. For more information on WashU’s accepted English language proficiency tests and minimum score requirements, please visit the Office for International Students & Scholars website.
Minimum English Proficiency Requirements
WashU accepted tests and minimum score requirements:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT – 90 minimum composite score
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic – 6.5 minimum composite score
- GATEWAY English Test (offered on-demand virtually) – 495 minimum overall score
- Duolingo English Test (DET) – 125 minimum overall score
Exemption Criteria
- Citizenship from one of the following countries: Australia, Cameroon, Canada, Commonwealth Caribbean nations, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States, Zambia, or Zimbabwe
- Applicant has completed two or more years of documented study within the past five years at a university-level, English-medium institution in one of the countries listed above.
- Applicant has earned a bachelor’s degree* or equivalent within the past five years from a non-United States institution in a country where the official language is English based on the CIA World Factbook.
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).
Graduate Scholarships & Financial Aid Options
We recognize that financial support is an important part of your graduate school decision-making process, and the Sam Fox School is committed to providing assistance to as many students as possible. Currently, 94% of graduate students in the Sam Fox School receive support.
Some of our full and significant tuition scholarships and fellowships require separate application. Others, students are automatically considered. We encourage you to learn about your options early.
Connect with Us
Schedule a Campus Visit or Portfolio Review
A campus tour is a great way to get a feel for what it would be like to join us at the Sam Fox School. Schedule your visit with one of our recruiters today. Or, reach out to a recruiter to schedule a portfolio review.
Contact our Recruitment Team
Our team of recruiters is here to help you. Reach out to them with questions about applying, scheduling a visit, and more.
Associate Director of Recruitment and Admissions
Graduate Recruitment Specialist, Architecture
Graduate Recruitment Specialist, Art
Admissions Operations Coordinator
Upcoming MDes Admissions Events
Sep 23, 12 – 1pm • Virtual
Sep 26, 12 – 4pm • Virtual
Oct 17, 10am – 2pm • School of the Art Institute of Chicago
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.