Design (MA)
Cornell University · Ithaca, United States
About this programme
The M.A. in design at Cornell University is a two-year program centering on a concern for the individual. Both the faculty and the students believe strongly in the power of design to nurture the human spirit and support health and well-being. Design is art in the service of humankind: a profession of innovation as well as accountability. Designers have a social responsibility to the people for whom they create and, with each design decision, must strive to ensure the ethical, sustainable, and informed role of design in society. The program brings together faculty and students with expertise in the fields of interior design, industrial design, interaction design, graphic design, architecture, art, design history, planning, building technology, environmental psychology, human factors and ergonomics, geography, engineering, and facility planning and management to work on problems related to the interior environment.
- Level
- Postgraduate
- Field
- Arts
- Tuition
- $29,500 / year
- English
- IELTS 7
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Intake
- Fall
Entry requirements
A student who wishes to enroll in either the M.A. program in design must apply to and be accepted by the field of design and environmental analysis. Prospective graduate students will complete and submit an online application under their desired concentration with the required documents outlined below. The M.A. program is intended for students with an undergraduate degree in interior design, architecture, or product design who want to do advanced study and research in design. The program culminates in a formal research thesis in which students are encouraged to systematically develop and test research-based design solutions, theories, and methods. A prior undergraduate studio-based degree in design (e.g. interior design, architecture, product design, etc.) is preferred. For the sustainable design studies concentration, a prior degree in a design-related field is preferred, but not required. Applications will be reviewed by the members of the graduate field. The following documents are required to apply to the M.A. program in design: Academic statement of purpose Three letters of recommendation Official transcripts Portfolio: see portfolio submission guidelines GRE general test (the desired combined score should be greater than or equal to 310) English language proficiency requirement for all applicants Admissions
Visa
- Visa required
- F-1 Academic Student
- Application fee
- USD 185 (MRV application fee)
- Processing time
- 4 weeks
Standard figures for this route. Some applicants pay a reduced fee or none at all — confirm your own case on the official visa page.
Scholarships available (6)
- AAUW International FellowshipsFully funded · Deadline November each year
- Fulbright Foreign Student ProgramFully funded · Varies by country, typically February-October
- Hubert Humphrey Fellowship ProgramFully funded · Varies by country, typically May-August
- Smithsonian Institution FellowshipsFully funded · Varies: most November
- Boren FellowshipsPartial funding · Deadline 2027-01-20
- P.E.O. International Peace ScholarshipPartial funding · Deadline 2026-12-15