Skip to main content
College of Design
justin johnson portrait

Doctor of Design Admissions

Elevate your design thinking with this hands-on, hybrid degree.

For practicing designers looking to develop a high level of expertise in the areas of architecture, landscape architecture, graphic design, industrial design, and other art + design fields supported by College faculty.

Successful applicants must provide:

  • A short Statement of Purpose for graduate study will convince the reader that the applicant is motivated and prepared.
    • Not to exceed 400 words or 1-2 pages overall.
  • The capacity to articulate a clear topic with specific research questions for a clear and compelling design investigation.
    • Not to exceed 750 words or 2-3 pages overall.
  • A demonstrated mastery over their respective practices through the submission of a digital portfolio. The portfolio should highlight relevant professional experience and/or current accomplishments in a design firm or studio, public or private museum, or governmental agency involved in design/planning.

Applicants must hold a Master’s degree and at least one degree from an accredited design, fine arts, or equivalent program.

Applicants submit transcripts of previous academic work with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (undergraduate and graduate studies) along with standardized graduate test scores such as the GRE*, and international students further provide TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Please note: There will be a increase to the Graduate School enrollment deposit starting for Fall 2022 applicants to all Graduate programs. The new required amount will be $500, which will also include a $16 credit card processing fee. This amount is subject to change in future admission cycles.

We seek applicants who are self-directed, focused, and resilient!

The Doctor of Design degree focuses on applied design research relevant to professional practice in design.

Strong applicants will show a depth of experience and a record of expertise in the design enterprise.

APPLY NOW 
students and faculty talking at DDes immersion week

Got Questions?

MD
M. Elen Deming
M. Elen Deming, DDes, FASLA

Director, Doctor of Design and Professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

919-515-3876

General inquiries not related to admissions:

Application Checklist

  • Undergrad and graduate degree transcripts (min 3.0 GPA)
  • Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
    • Contact Program Director for waiving considerations and options.
  • TOEFL or IELTS
    • TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for international students only. If you have received a degree from an accredited university where English is the primary language of instruction, this requirement may be waived. 
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Description of the proposed topic with research questions.
  • Digital portfolio of creative work and/or professional practice activities.
  • Three (3) letters of recommendation
    • At least one from the applicant’s current employer.
  • Advanced enrollment deposit

Featured Stories

Students Visualize Structures of Oppression; win NC State Envisioning Research Contest

Students in the College of Design recently took top prizes in the Graphics and Data Visualization and photography categories of the NC State Envisioning Research Contest. Three of the four entries from the college were part of the DIY Cartography: Oppressive Infrastructures class, which explored how we as a society are grappling with how to best serve diverse communities and create more equitable futures for all while visualizing the complex historic context around oppressive infrastructures in the US. 

Ethnographic Fiber Artist Karen Baker on Slow Fashion and Natural Products: How One DDes Student Explores the Lost Histories of Textiles

Karen Baker, current student in the Doctor of Design Program at NC State’s College of Design, is a weaver focused on design, history, and critical studies of textile and fiber in Washington, DC. She is currently researching the textile, fiber and craft contributions and techniques of enslaved and free African American weavers before the Great Migration. 

2022 Designlife Magazine

Read about the people and activities featured in the 2022 issue of Designlife Magazine.