Degree Requirements

Master in Design Studies

A candidate who enters the program will be recommended for the Master in Design Studies degree upon satisfactory completion of 72 units of coursework, including an 8-unit directed, collaborative project in the third semester. No more than 8 units from the total of 72 may be from independent study courses. Cross-Registration units may not represent more than one half of the student’s total program in any one term. The Domain Head may waive requirements or make exceptions to the maximum number of units allowed through non-GSD courses, however, a total of 72 units of course work must still be completed. Four terms of full-time study in residence are required.

Specific course requirements are subject to change or substitution each academic year. The Master in Design Studies Degree Requirements document in place at the time of matriculation serves as the official guideline for degree requirements. Specific requirements for each domain of study are available below and are also accessible from each domain’s web page.

Students pursuing concurrent masters’ degrees may be able to complete the program in a minimum of two semesters. As a concurrent degree student, you must complete 40 more units than the longer of your two degree programs.  Requirements should be discussed with the Domain Head and Program Coordinator. Please reach out to your Program Coordinator if you are considering a concurrent degree.

Please note that the Ecologies Domain and Mediums Domain are designated as STEM programs. Accordingly, international students holding F-1 visas may be eligible for a 24-month Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension on top of their initial OPT of 12 months, for a total of 36 months, following graduation.  Each F-1 student must petition United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to approve the 24-month STEM extension, and Harvard does not represent or warrant that USCIS will grant any individual petition.

Domains and Required Courses

In the first year, students are required to take a minimum of 12 units of distributional electives from an approved list of courses.
Distributional electives may be completed in the second year with approval from the Domain Head.

Ecologies

First Semester
4 units ADV-9674 Proseminar in Ecologies: Regenerative, Interrelated, Evolving
12 units Distributional electives and/or general electives*

Second Semester
4 units DES-3105: Futures By Design
12 units Distributional electives and/or general electives*

*First and Second Semester Distributional Electives–Choose 12 units from the list of Ecologies Distributional Electives, to be taken in the first or second semester.

Third Semester
8 units ADV-97XX Open Project
12 units General electives

Fourth Semester
20 units General electives

Mediums

First Semester
4 units ADV-9672 Proseminar in Mediums: On Making Culture, Technology and Art
12 units Distributional electives and/or general electives*

Second Semester
4 units DES-3105: Futures By Design
12 units Distributional electives and/or general electives*

*First and Second Semester Distributional Electives–Choose 12 units from the list of Mediums Distributional Electives, to be taken in the first or second semester.

Third Semester
8 units ADV-97XX Open Project
12 units General electives

Fourth Semester
20 units General electives

Narratives

First Semester
4 units ADV-9673 Proseminar in Narratives: Word and Image as Narrative Structure
12 units Distributional electives and/or general electives*

Second Semester
4 units DES-3105: Futures By Design
12 units Distributional electives and/or general electives*

*First and Second Semester Distributional Electives–Choose 12 units from the list of Narratives Distributional Electives, to be taken in the first or second semester.

Third Semester
8 units ADV-97XX Open Project
12 units General electives

Fourth Semester
20 units General electives

Publics

First Semester
4 units ADV-9671 Proseminar in Publics: Of the Public. In the Public. By the Public
12 units Distributional electives and/or general electives*

Second Semester
4 units DES-3105: Futures By Design
12 units Distributional electives and/or general electives*

*First and Second Semester Distributional Electives–Choose 12 units from the list of Publics Distributional Electives, to be taken in the first or second semester.

Third Semester
8 units ADV-97XX Open Project
12 units General electives

Fourth Semester
20 units General electives

For students who entered the MDes program prior to academic year 2026-27, please see the previous Degree Requirements.