International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
ASU is no longer accepting new students to this program. Please explore Degree Search for other similar program options.
Degree description
Interaction design is about how people use products and services. This MSD program focuses on the study of interaction design principles, tools, complexities and change. Students will be prepared to create dynamic, expressive and communicative forms for effective human-spatial interactions such as those needed with physical and virtual shopping, retrieving information and numerous other such tasks.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below:
36 credit hours and a thesis, or 36 credit hours including the required applied project course (DSC 593)
Students may choose to complete their graduate work by way of a thesis or an applied project. A master's degree thesis is a scholarly endeavor that demonstrates the ability of the author to do supervised research and intellectual writing. The applied project is somewhat different. It includes a project and a written document and is a scholarly endeavor that demonstrates the ability of the designer to do supervised research and present substantial evidence of the ability to apply research creatively to a design situation.
Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
All applicants must submit the online graduate application and hold an undergraduate or graduate degree from a college or university recognized by ASU.
All applicants must have completed a program in design and must hold a bachelor's degree in graphic design, industrial design, interior design or a related design discipline. When applying for admission, applicants must declare one of seven concentrations:
arts, media and engineering
design of health care and healing environments
industrial design
interaction design
interior design
new product innovation
visual communication design
All applicants must meet the minimum GPA requirements as established by the Graduate College.
An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) is required to submit an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 80 (Internet-based) or 550 (paper-based). Other information for international applicants can be found on the Graduate College website at https://students.asu.edu/graduate/proficiency.
A portfolio, letter of intent and contact information for three references need be submitted to SlideRoom (https://asuherberger.slideroom.com). The Design School requires that these be submitted in addition to the the Graduate College application requirements.
No GRE test is required.
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
Admission to the program is selective. Admission cannot be deferred; students must enroll in the semester for which they are admitted, otherwise they will need to go through the entire application process again for the year in which they are applying.
A personal interview is not required; however, a candidate wishing to visit the school is welcome and should make arrangements by contacting the department.
Teaching or Research Assistantships
Applicants wishing to be considered for teaching or research assistantships should submit an additional statement outlining areas in which they feel competent to serve as a teaching or research assistant. All interested applicants can apply for a teaching assistantship position online. The link to the application will be provided on the Master of Science in Design website.
All international teaching or graduate assistants whose primary language is not English are required to be certified in their English language abilities. Those individuals whose native language is not English will be required to submit a Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit score, which is administered at ASU. Students also have the option of completing the Test of Spoken English, administered directly by the Educational Testing Service. For this group, no personnel action form will be signed until this examination has been successfully completed.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
Design (Interaction Design), MSD is not eligible for STEM-OPT extension.
International students in F-1 status who earn a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in an approved STEM field may be eligible for a 24-month extension of their standard 12-month Optional Practical Training period. This United States Citizenship and Immigration Services benefit can be used twice in a lifetime and provides additional opportunities to gain off-campus work experience in the U.S. related to the student's field of study.
All ASU graduate and undergraduate academic programs are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Many programs also have additional accreditation through specialized accrediting agencies.
Accreditation signals that this program meets high academic standards and is committed to continuous improvement. For you, that means a degree that is recognized by employers and respected by graduate schools.
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Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite
the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn
a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for
some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible
for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue
the accelerated master's during the junior year of their
bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about
eligibility requirements and
how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or
professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two
diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work
with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more
than one college and provide opportunities for students to take
advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon
graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma
conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often
and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online
offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple
enrollment sessions throughout the year. See
https://asuonline.asu.edu/
for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced
tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify.
Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information:
https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
Students from western states who select this major may be eligible for a
reduced nonresident tuition rate of 150 percent of Arizona resident tuition
plus all applicable fees. See more information and eligibility requirements on
the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program
Web site.
check up to 3 programs to see a side-by-side comparison
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A minor is an approved, coherent focus of academic study in a single
discipline, other than the student's major, involving substantially fewer
hours of credit than a corresponding major. Certain major and minor
combinations may be deemed inappropriate either by the college or department
of the major or minor.
This is only the first required math course. This program may contain
additional math courses; See Curriculum for details.
The level of intensity represents a measure of the number and academic rigor
of math courses required.
The level of intensity represents a measure of the number and academic rigor
of math courses required. Courses included in the General level: MAT 142
The level of intensity represents a measure of the number and academic rigor
of math courses required. Courses included in the Moderate level: MAT 117, MAT
119, MAT 170, MAT 210, SOS 101, CPI 200
The level of intensity represents a measure of the number and academic rigor
of math courses required. Courses included in the Substantial level: MAT 251,
MAT 265. MAT 266, MAT 267, MAT 270, MAT 271, MAT 272, MAT 274, MAT 275
Students pursuing concurrent degrees earn two distinct degrees and receive two
diplomas. ASU offers students two ways to earn concurrent degrees: by choosing
a predetermined combination or creating their own combination. Predetermined
combinations have a single admissions application and one easy to follow major
map. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your
academic advisor. Either way, concurrent degrees allow students to pursue
their own personal or professional interests.
Concurrent degree programs are specially designed academic programs which
provide high-achieving undergraduate students the opportunity to complete two
distinct but complementary bachelor degrees at the same time. Students must
meet minimum admissions standards for both programs and be accepted
individually by both colleges offering the concurrent program.
Concurrent degree programs are specially designed academic programs which
provide high-achieving graduate students the opportunity to complete two
distinct but complementary graduate degrees at the same time. Students must
meet minimum admissions standards for both programs and be accepted
individually by both colleges offering the concurrent program.
Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for
high-achieving undergraduate students who want the opportunity to share
undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of
their master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum
taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for
high-achieving undergraduate students who want the opportunity to share
undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of
their master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum
taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
A rolling deadline means that applications will continue to be reviewed on a
regular basis until the semester begins. International students should be
mindful of visa deadlines to ensure there is time to produce necessary visa
documents. Applicants are encouraged to complete and submit application
materials as soon as possible for consideration.
A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be
received by Graduate Admissions by the deadline date. Applications that are
incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that
are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
A priority deadline means that applications submitted and completed before the
priority deadline will receive priority consideration. Applications submitted
after the priority deadlines will be reviewed in the order in which they were
completed and on a space available basis. An application is complete after all
materials are received by Graduate Admissions.
The 24-Month STEM OPT Extension is an additional benefit from United States
Citizenship and Immigration Services that allows international students in F-1
status who receive a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in an approved
STEM field to apply for a 24-month extension of their standard 12-month
Post-OPT period, twice in a lifetime. This allows international students the
opportunity to gain additional off-campus work experience in their field of
study after completion of course studies and Post-OPT. The OPT extension does
not apply to students completing a degree through ASU Online.
