Designers, we believe, act as catalysts for positive change. Through a creative process, designers envision innovative solutions that give form to emerging technology, and that address human and societal needs. This belief is exemplified in our seminar and studio courses, and in our research projects, which situate design action in domains of human concern such as healthcare, education, the environment and sustainability, social interaction, work life, and the importance of play.

The School of Design offers three master’s-level degrees:

> Master of Design (MDes) in Communication Planning and Information Design (CPID)
> Master of Design (MDes) in Interaction Design (IxD)
> Master of Product Development (MPD)


These programs prepare our students to realize their potential as designers and agents of change who can respond to the problems and opportunities of life in the 21st century. All three programs embody Carnegie Mellon’s commitment to inter- and trans-disciplinary education, and represent partnerships among the School of Design, the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and English, the Human-Computer Interaction Institute, and the Tepper School of Business.

Our programs attract students from around the world who bring with them a variety of backgrounds, skills, and objectives. As our offerings evolve, we encourage our students to embrace real-world challenges, leveraging their roles as designers through the combination of rich visual and technical skills, creative systems thinking, and deep research.



In the fall of 2012 we opened a new graduate studio suite that houses the IxD and CPID programs. Our MPD program is based nearby in the School of Mechanical Engineering.

Application Process
If you are interested in applying to our Master of Design programs in CPID or IxD, visit our Graduate Admissions Overview page. If you are interested in applying to our MPD program, please visit the MPD Admissions page.

Contact Information for CPID and IxD
Anita Kulina Smith is the Graduate Program Coordinator at Carnegie Mellon’s School of Design for the Communication Planning and Information Design and Interaction Design programs. She will be glad to discuss anything relevant to the program(s) of interest to you. Before contacting Anita, please read the material describing our graduate programs, as many frequently asked questions are answered here.

Anita Kulina Smith
Graduate Program Coordinator
grad-info@design.cmu.edu
(412) 268-6843


Contact Information for MPD
For questions about the Master of Product Development (MPD) program, contact mpd-admissions@andrew.cmu.edu.