Graduate Admissions

Upload a current transcript(s) (unofficial or official electronic version) of your transcript. Official copies will be requested if offered admission.

International Applicants

Submit a certified English translation of your transcript(s) from all postsecondary schools attended- undergraduate and higher.

The documents should include the following:

• A full translation of all courses and enrollment information: program, degree, dates of attendance, etc.
• Complete listing of courses with scores/marks and credits for all years attended in your Bachelor’s degree and/or Master’s degree.
• Official grading scale/system

 

Submit Transcripts

Submit a current resume/curriculum vitae detailing your educational, work, and community service or volunteer experience.

Submit Resume / CV

Provide two (2) recommendation letters. Recommendations should come from individuals who are able to address your creative ability, academic and/or professional record, learning style, and potential for graduate education.

At least one letter should be provided by an academic reference or professional supervisor. Applicants can submit up to three (3) recommendation letters as part of their application.

Submit Letters of Recommendation

All applicants whose primary and/or native language is not English must submit TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo English Test scores. Request scores are sent to CCS electronically by the exam agency (ETS or Cambridge English Assessment). Our TOEFL (ETS) code is 1035.

Minimum test scores required

• TOEFL– Internet version: 80; paper-based version: composite score of 527; computer-based: 197
• IELTS: 6.5
• Duolingo English Test: 90

If the primary language of instruction for your undergraduate degree was English, you can request the requirement be waived in your SlideRoom application. Please provide a direct link to institutions website with details of the language of instruction. Applicants requesting a waiver will be contacted directly by the Office of Graduate Admissions regarding the decision.

Jump to Program:

1. Color & Material Design
2. Design for Sustainability
3. Interdisciplinary Design & Media
4. Transportation Design
5. User Experience Design

 

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Color & Materials Design

Color and Materials Design Requirements

• General Application
• Portfolio
• Statement of Purpose
• Resume/CV
• Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts
• International Requirements (review applicable Graduate Admissions Requirements)

 

Additional Information

The Portfolio and Statement of Purpose will be uploaded to the program-specific SlideRoom application.

 

Color and Materials Design Portfolio Guidelines

Portfolios may display examples of work and experiences from a range of undergraduate disciplines, including but not limited to Architecture, Crafts, Fashion, Fine Arts, Illustration, Interior Design, Industrial or Product Design, Photography, Textiles and Transportation Design.

Applicants to Color & Materials Design should include a minimum of six projects in their portfolio, including academic, personal and professional work. Submit a variety of work that shares the breadth of your skills, however seemingly unrelated to color and materials design.

Portfolios should show use of Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and additionally, any rendering software if those skills are established.

We look for work that demonstrates:

• A strong interest in color, materials and finish [CMF] design in conjunction with providing insight into your individual work
• The use of CMF design to make aesthetic selections that express the functional and emotional attributes of products, artifacts or experiences
• Both research and making practices e.g. hand skills including drawing, model-making and prototyping, evidence of construction and making
• Good organization and design in presenting ideas and concepts
• Engagement with sustainability and human-centered design methods in developing relevant ideas
• Material based innovation
• The ability to write and communicate in English at a professional level
• The ability to work in interdisciplinary teams, e.g. group projects and collaborations. (Please see below regarding Submission of Collaborative Projects)

All submissions are subject to CCS’ Academic Integrity Policy. Works submitted must be your own original works; reference and inspiration images should be labeled as such.

 

Color and Materials Design Statement of Purpose Criteria

Applicants for the Color and Materials Design program must submit a 750-1000 word statement of purpose that outlines the following:

• Your rationale for applying to the Color & Materials Design Graduate Program
• Your motivation for studying design
• What are you hoping to achieve in your graduate education? E.g. Do your interests lie in research-based practice or professional color and materials design practice?
• Describe the qualities and characteristics, both personal and professional, that you feel you will bring to an interdisciplinary collaborative project

 

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Design for Sustainability

Design for Sustainability Requirements

• General Application
• Slide Deck
• Statement of Purpose
• Resume/CV
• Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts
• International Requirements (review applicable Graduate Admissions Requirements)

 

Additional Information

The Slide Deck and Statement of Purpose will be uploaded to the program-specific SlideRoom application.

 

Design for Sustainability Slide Deck Submission Requirements

The Graduate Program in Design for Sustainability welcomes applicants from a wide range of academic disciplines and professional backgrounds. While a traditional art and design portfolio is not required, applicants are asked to submit a visual presentation featuring 2 to 3 examples of relevant work, either of their own or by other designers and artists whose work has influenced their perspectives on sustainability and climate change.

Submission Guidelines:

• The slide deck should be submitted in PPT, Google Slides, or another compatible format, with a minimum of 10 slides.
• The content should highlight work that demonstrates creative thinking and design approaches to sustainability and the climate crisis.
• Applicants are encouraged to include examples that showcase at least two-three of the following:
  • Innovative problem-solving in sustainability
  • Design-driven advocacy projects focused on culture or policy
  • Innovative design interventions within existing systems or infrastructure
  • A commitment to addressing climate challenges through design or other creative practices

Each submission will be evaluated based on clarity, cohesion, depth of research, and critical thinking. Please ensure your presentation is visually engaging, well-organized, and clearly communicates your ideas.

Applicants will have the opportunity to further discuss their work, sustainability perspectives, and the role of design-led strategies in their approach during a scheduled interview.

All submissions are subject to CCS’ Academic Integrity Policy. Works submitted must be your own original works; reference and inspiration images should be labeled as such.

 

Design for Sustainability Statement of Purpose Criteria

Applicants for the Design for Sustainability program must submit a 1000-2000 word statement of purpose that outlines the following:

• What is your motivation for studying design as a means for tackling climate change?
• What are you hoping to achieve in your graduate education? Career path and/or personal enrichment?
• Why do you think CCS is the place for you?
• What characteristics, both personal and professional, do you feel you will contribute to a team-based project?

This document serves as your writing sample and should include your areas of interest, and influences on your design thinking and practice. Please title your document with your full name.

 

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Interdisciplinary Design & Media

Interdisciplinary Design & Media Requirements

• General Application
• Statement of Purpose
• Resume/CV
• Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts
• International Requirements (review applicable Graduate Admissions Requirements)

 

Interdisciplinary Design & Media Statement of Purpose Criteria

Applicants for the Interdisciplinary Design Studies program must submit a 1000 – 2000 word statement of purpose (with references) that outlines the following:

• What is your motivation for advancing your creative practice at the graduate level? What are your goals in inter- and multidisciplinary practice?
• What are your career aspirations and personal development goals?
• Why do you think CCS is the place for you?
• What characteristics, both personal and professional, do you feel you will contribute to a team-based project?

 

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Transportation Design

Transportation Design Requirements

• General Application
• Portfolio
• Statement of Purpose
• Resume/CV
• Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts
• International Requirements (review applicable Graduate Admissions Requirements)

Applicants to the Graduate Transportation Design program may be recommended to enroll in an additional year of study for their selected degree (MA or MFA) based on the review of the below materials. The recommendation could result in an offer of admissions to a 2 year MA or 3 year MFA program. Details regarding this will be shared during the admissions interview.

 

Additional Information

The Portfolio and Statement of Purpose will be uploaded to the program-specific SlideRoom application.

 

Transportation Design Portfolio Guidelines

Upload items that communicate your technical and design expertise and problem-solving skills. NOTE: It is required that applicants for the Transportation Design program include a significant number of original sketches in their portfolio submission and/or an additional sketchbook.

• Your portfolio should include a minimum of 3-4 design projects including academic, personal and professional.
• All projects must have a clear representation of the phases of the design process – including your project brief, research, target market development, concept ideation, development and final renderings and models – presented in a fluid, clear, systematic manner that is graphically composed.
• All projects should be collectively presented in / submitted as a single PDF.
• Submissions should demonstrate your technical creative skills including freehand sketching in accurate perspective, use of 2D rendering and 3D modeling and rendering software such as Photoshop, Alias, Blender, ZBrush etc.
• Include a significant amount of original process sketches and/or a separate sketch book as a PDF attachment in SlideRoom.
• The portfolio should reveal a high level of skill in critical thinking, creative conceptualization, overall project development, and visual communication of this development as well as final design results.
• All project design work presented in your portfolio should be exclusively created by you unless otherwise noted. (Creative work from another student participating in a group project with you should be clearly identified as not your work. However, research & inspiration imagery/video/animations do not need to be identified if it is evident they are not your work.)

 

Transportation Design Statement of Purpose Criteria

Applicants must submit a 500-1000 word statement of purpose that outlines the following:

• What is your understanding of and motivation for studying Transportation Design?
• What are you hoping to achieve in your graduate education? Career path and/or personal enrichment?
• Why do you think CCS is the place for you?
• What characteristics, both personal and professional, do you feel you will contribute in team-based projects and to the field of Transportation Design?

 

All submissions are subject to CCS’ Academic Integrity Policy. Works submitted must be your own original works; reference and inspiration images should be labeled as such.

 

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User Experience Design

User Experience Design Requirements

• General Application
• Portfolio
• Statement of Purpose
• Resume/CV
• Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts
• International Requirements (review applicable Graduate Admissions Requirements)

 

Additional Information

The Portfolio and Statement of Purpose will be uploaded to the program-specific SlideRoom application.

 

User Experience Design Portfolio Guidelines

The graduate studies program in User Experience (UX) Design seeks students with the maturity and discipline to engage in an intensive, two-year commitment to prepare for a fulfilling career. Candidate’s submissions will be reviewed for clarity of intentions, structure of thinking, and demonstration of discipline and process. Critical thinking, curiosity, and creativity are essential. Point-of-view about user experiences and interaction design and self-awareness as to career aspirations, which may not be fully formed, are also important.

We look for work that demonstrates:

• Portfolios and/or other forms of evidence such as dissertations and thesis projects, may display experience from a wide range of domains, including but not limited to interaction design, product design, industrial design, interior design and architecture, software design, and graphic design; even expertise in engineering, computing, technology, psychology, social sciences, and humanities are welcome. However, they must reflect one or more of the following:
  • Design skills: user research, conceptual organization, disciplined process
    Systems skills: holistic viewpoints and systemic modeling in order to understand complex situations and needs, and to design for their improvement.
  • Technical skills: evidence of manual dexterity, whether in physical materials, software interfaces, or human interactions, including iteration, refinement, and convergence toward the exploration of ideas.
  • Visual thinking skills: evidence of the ability to visualize ideas and systems, and prototyping using images, plans, diagrams, and physical models.
  • Technological awareness: Familiarity with new and emerging technologies in AI, AR, robotics, HMI, HCI and mobility systems.
• Applicants from non-traditional design and visual arts backgrounds will need to develop competency in Adobe® visualization software (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign) before commencing the program.
• Added consideration will be given to applicants who possess one or more of the following optional skills:
  • Professional experience with design or implementation teams in any of the domains previously mentioned;
  • Empathy for social, economic, and global challenges, including but not limited to energy, natural resources, income disparity, and social justice;
  • Implementation of web, app, or other general coding skills for front-end, back-end, platforms, cloud, and APIs;
  • Proficiency in toolsets for 2D, 3D, animation, and prototyping of all kinds.

All submissions are subject to CCS’ Academic Integrity Policy. Works submitted must be your own original works; reference and inspiration images should be labeled as such.

 

User Experience Design Statement of Purpose Criteria

Applicants for the User Experience Design program must submit a 1000-2000 word statement of purpose (with references) that outlines the following:

• What is your motivation for studying design in the context of technologically mediated user experiences?
• What are you hoping to achieve in your graduate education? Career path and/or personal enrichment?
• Why do you think CCS is the place for you?
• What characteristics, both personal and professional, do you feel you will contribute to a team-based project?

Individuals who have or will complete an undergraduate bachelor’s degree or higher by August 2025 are eligible to apply for admissions to our graduate programs beginning in the 2025 Academic Year.

CCS Undergraduate BFA Graduating Seniors (Class of 2025) and alumni have a simplified application process.

Requirements

• General Application
• Portfolio/Slide Deck (review Program Specific Requirements)
• Letter of recommendation from CCS faculty or Program Chair
• Resume/CV
• Statement of Purpose (Required for Interdisciplinary Design & Media applications only)

All CCS alumni who have earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree will automatically receive a $5,000 award, along with the CCS Graduate Scholarship. Additionally, applicants to the Design for Sustainability and Interdisciplinary Design & Media programs may be eligible for a limited number of $5,000 scholarships through the Dean’s Alumni Award for Graduate Studies.