Campus & Student Life
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Welcome to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a city that’s recognized globally as a center of research, education, and technology.
Pittsburgh offers exceptional quality of life for our undergraduate and graduate students. It’s been named America's most livable city, most affordable city, and safest for walking—and it's among the best cities for young entrepreneurs.
In addition to plenty of affordable housing on or near our campus, you can walk or bike to world-class libraries, parks, restaurants, and museums such as The Warhol, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Mattress Factory.
Campus also sits right next to beautiful Schenley Park, where First Year students take on some of their first design exercises.
Both in and outside of the classroom, you can expand your awareness by getting to know people from around the world who have highly diverse interests. And, by attending the School of Design’s lecture series and additional programming, you can develop your critical thinking about design, academic, and societal issues.
Want to learn more?
From Pittsburgh’s reputation as a top foodie destination to colorful neighborhoods, green living, and entertainment, learn about the best parts of your new home.
Live the design studio life.
Our design studios are exciting, creative spaces that allow students to be fully immersed in the process of design. Working alongside like-minded classmates, you’ll find encouragement, critiques, inspiration, and opportunities for innovative collaboration.
You’ll also have 24 hour access to a secure studio and desk that serves as a classroom, dedicated individual or collaborative workspace, and your home base.
Collaborate
Our studios are exciting, creative spaces that allow students to be fully immersed in the process of design, working alongside classmates who offer encouragement, critiques, and opportunities for collaboration.
Our studios are exciting, creative spaces that allow students to be fully immersed in the process of design, working alongside classmates who offer encouragement, critiques, and opportunities for collaboration.
Home away from home
Our students each have their own dedicated desk to act as home base, and studios are accessible 24 hours a day. Workspaces have pin-up boards for inspiration or work in progress, and lockable drawers keep your supplies and personal items secure.
Our students each have their own dedicated desk to act as home base, and studios are accessible 24 hours a day. Workspaces have pin-up boards for inspiration or work in progress, and lockable drawers keep your supplies and personal items secure.
State of the art
Our state-of-the-art graduate studio is one of the most innovative learning spaces in any design school in the country.
Our state-of-the-art graduate studio is one of the most innovative learning spaces in any design school in the country.
Work the way you want
It offers distinct areas that are tailored to diverse modes of working, including a distance-learning classroom, a configurable collaborative space for group activities, a café, and a large, quiet study room with individual desks.
It offers distinct areas that are tailored to diverse modes of working, including a distance-learning classroom, a configurable collaborative space for group activities, a café, and a large, quiet study room with individual desks.
PhD Studio
We are one of the few design programs in the world with a dedicated studio space for our PhD in Transition Design candidates.
We are one of the few design programs in the world with a dedicated studio space for our PhD in Transition Design candidates.
Flexibility
Our studios serve as a home base to work, collaborate, and, most importantly design. They also serve as gathering spaces, exhibition halls, and whatever our students need to work effectively.
Our studios serve as a home base to work, collaborate, and, most importantly design. They also serve as gathering spaces, exhibition halls, and whatever our students need to work effectively.
The CMU Campus Experience
Carnegie Mellon offers a vibrant campus experience with over 350 clubs and organizations to serve the academic, social, physical, and spiritual well-being of students.
CMU students are passionate about their extra-curricular activities. From athletics and business to board games and music, there are organizations devoted to almost every interest. The University also provides a full range of resources to support your academic, financial, health, and technology needs.
In addition, Carnegie Mellon's AIGA and IDSA student chapters provide valuable opportunities for communication design and industrial design (Products) students to learn more about their fields and form vital professional connections.
Go to the CMU Student Experience for more info on everything you'll need when you get here like: