The Master of Design (MDes) is a professional graduate program for students who want to turn ideas into results. Rooted in critical design thinking, creative practice and engineering principles, the MDes program empowers students to tackle real-world challenges alongside industry, community and public sector partners.

Master of Design

MDes is a 12-month, full-time, in-person professional program that prepares graduates to lead at the intersection of design, engineering, innovation and entrepreneurship. Designed for students from a range of academic backgrounds—including engineering, technology, business, the arts and creative disciplines—the program develops advanced capabilities in human-centered design, creative problem solving, interdisciplinary collaboration and the application of emerging technologies like AI.

Grounded in strong institutional partnerships across the School of Engineering, the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies and industry collaborators, MDes cultivates a vibrant, innovation-driven learning community focused on real-world impact. The program is ideal for creatively minded and technically skilled individuals who are ready to lead in a world that demands innovation, empathy and execution.

The program’s two-semester structure allows students to move from problem exploration and stakeholder engagement in the summer to implementation, prototyping and advanced solution development in the winter. Graduates are equipped to bridge the gap between technical and creative domains, positioning them for leadership roles such as product manager, design strategist or director of product and design.

Advance your career through the Master of Design Program. Questions? Email engineering.graduate@ubc.ca 

Applications for May 2026 are now open