M.Des or Master of Design, is a 2-year postgraduate degree that deals with the study of design principles, techniques, cultural impact of design, and ethical considerations in design practice. The core M.Des subjects include design thinking and innovation, materials and processes, digital design tools, history of design, etc.
MDes Admission requires students to have a minimum of 50% in their B.Des degree and qualify with the required cut-off marks in MDes entrance exams such as CEED, GATE, NID DAT, etc. The annual M.Des fees is in the range of INR 10,000-5,50,000, the fees vary depending on private and government colleges, facilities, etc. Colleges like IIT, Guwahati have an annual fee of INR 57,150, whereas NID, Ahmedabad has an annual fee of INR 4,56,000.
Table of Contents
| Degree | Masters |
| Full Form | Master of Design |
| Duration | 2 Years |
| Age | No age limit |
| Minimum Percentage | 50% in Undergraduate Degrees. The score requirement is subjected to the college of choice. |
| Average Fees | ₹50K – 3.2 LPA |
| Average Salary | INR 9 LPA [Source: Payscale] |
| Employment Roles | User Experience Designer, UX Designer, Senior User Experience Designer, Industrial Designer, Design Manager, Interior Designer, Product Designer, Sr UX Designer, Graphic Designer, Design Architect etc |
M.Des full form stands for Master of Design, a postgraduate degree that focuses on aspects related to design theory, design research methods, design history, practical design projects, etc. M.Des course also offers various specializations like fashion design, interior design, industrial design, communication design, etc.
MDes course provides students opportunities to work in top companies like Liv Space, Amazon, Myntra, Wipro Digital, etc., in different roles like UX Designer, Industrial Designer, Product Manager, Market Researcher, etc. The average salary of an M.Des graduate is INR 4 LPA (Sources: Payscale & Ambition Box)
MDes admission requires a candidate to fulfill a certain set of parameters like additional certifications, minimum percentage, entrance exam score, etc. Below are the M.Des courses eligibility criteria:
M.Des is a course designed to help students who want to pursue a career in design. It aims to help aspirants learn all the essential and essential skills to become employable. The course gives aspirants specialized qualifications to focus on both the artistic and technical aspects of visual media and design. Below listed are a few insights regarding why one should choose MDes course:
The MDes admission is done based on entrance exams and merit score in top colleges like IIT Bombay, Pearl Academy, NIDs, NIFTs, etc. Below listed is the general MDes admission procedure:
M.Des entrance exams are conducted at the national level and institute level in order to evaluate students’ aptitude, domain knowledge and general awareness. Below listed are a few entrance exams for M.Des course along with the registration date and accepting college:
MDes Entrance Exam | Exam Date | Accepting College |
| NID DAT | Mar 3- Apr 28, 2024 (Mains) | NID Ahmedabad, NID Banaglore, etc. |
| CEED | Jan 21, 2024 (Closed) | IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, etc. |
| UPESDAT | Apr 7, 2024 | UPES |
| NIFT Entrance Exam | Feb 5, 2024 (Closed) | NIFT Delhi, NIFT Varanasi, etc. |
| GATE | Feb 3-Feb 11, 2024 (Closed) | Indian Institute of Science |
Students can pursue Master of Design course in various domains as per their expertise and domain knowledge ranging from fashion design to interior design. Below listed are a few common M.Des specialization list:
M.Des course is offered by various prominent government and private colleges in India such as IIT Delhi, NIFTs, World University of Design, etc. The annual M.Des fees in India are between INR 10,000-5,50,000.
The below list contains the top M.Des colleges in India as per IIRF ranking 2023 with annual fee breakdowns:
IIRF Ranking 2023 | College Name | Type of Institution | Average Tuition Fees Per Year | Admission Fees | Miscellaneous Fees Per Year |
| 1 | NID Ahmedabad | Government | INR 4,56,000 | – | INR 35,000 |
| 2 | NID Bangalore | Government | INR 4,56,000 | INR 10,000 | INR 35,000 |
| 3 | IIT Delhi | Government | INR 25,000 | INR 8,150 | – |
| 4 | IIT Bombay | Government | INR 30,850 | INR 2,200 | INR 27,000 |
| 5 | IIT Guwahati | Government | INR 57,150 | INR1,500 | INR 8,000-10,000 |
| 1 | UID Ahmedabad Karnavati University | Private | INR 5,50,000 | INR 25,000 | – |
| 2 | Amity School of Fashion Technology Noida | Private | INR 2,16,000 | INR 20,000 | – |
| 3 | Pearl Academy Mumbai | Private | INR 1,40,000 | INR 70,000 | INR 4,82,500 |
| 4 | Pearl Academy Delhi | Private | INR 1,40,000 | INR 70,000 | INR 4,82,500 |
| 5 | MAEER’S MIT Pune | Private | INR 3,42,000 | INR 15,000 | INR 2,94,500 |
Top City-Wise Master of Design Colleges in India
Below listed are location-wise M.Des colleges in India with the average annual fees:
Location | Average Annual MDes Fees |
| MDes Colleges in Delhi | INR 25,000-2,00,000 |
| M.Des Colleges in Bangalore | INR 1,00,000-2,00,000 |
| M.Des Colleges in Mumbai | INR 30,000-2,50,000 |
| M.Des Colleges in Pune | INR 1,00,000-3,50,000 |
| M.Des Colleges in Ahmedabad | INR 1,50,000-5,50,000 |
| M.Des Colleges in Jaipur | INR 75,000-1,50,000 |
| M.Des Colleges in Chennai | INR 2,00,000-3,00,000 |
| M.Des Colleges in Kolkata | INR 80,000-2,00,000 |
M.Des syllabus focuses on topics like design thinking, design research methodologies, visual communication, typography, color theory, product design, sustainability in design, design history, design management, etc. Listed below is the M.Des syllabus semester wise:
| Semester I | Semester II |
| Design – An Introduction | Graphic Design |
| Design Methods | Form Studies |
| Visual Design Principles and Technology | User Research Methods |
| UI Design | Elective-I |
| Ergonomics | Elective-II |
| Semester III | Semester IV |
| Elective-III | Elective-IV |
| Design Project | Thesis Project – Phase I |
| Design Project II | Thesis Project – Phase II |
Read More: M.Des Syllabus and Subjects
M.Des program emphasizes the creative and artistic aspects of design, whereas, MFM focuses on business and management aspects of the fashion industry. Below is a detailed comparison of the two courses.
Full-Form | Master in Design | MFM |
Course Duration | 2 Years | Master of Fashion Management |
Course Overview | The course curriculum focuses on different types of design theory, research methods, etc. | The course curriculum focuses on the process of garment manufacturing, fashion marketing and merchandising fashion styling and photography, and the fashion design process. |
Eligibility | A minimum of 50% marks in bachelor’s degree | A minimum 50-55% marks in bachelor’s degree |
Course Fee Per Year | INR 10,000-5,50,000 | INR 50,000-4,00,000 |
Average Salary | INR 4 LPA | INR 3-8 LPA |
Entrance Exam | CEED, CUET-PG, etc. | NIFT GAT, AIEED, etc. |
Top Colleges | IIT Delhi, NIFT Delhi, IITDM Jabalpur, etc. | NIFT, IIFT Bangalore, MIT-Pune, etc. |
Job Roles | UX Designer, Product Designer, Graphic Designer, etc. | Social Media Manager, Fashion Merchandiser, Fabric Quality Control Manager, etc. |
After obtaining an M.Des, aspirants can do certification courses abroad, which can help them get a job in the country or do diplomas, which can also further help them with a brighter plan. Different courses students can pursue include:
After completing their Master’s in Design, an individual can choose to work for a private firm or an agency based on their preference. Below is the list of top M.Des job roles offered to graduates:
| MDes Job Roles | Job Description |
| Product Designer |
|
| UX/UI Designer |
|
| Graphic Designer |
|
| Fashion Designer |
|
| Interior Designer |
|
| Design Manager |
|
| Innovation Strategist |
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| Digital Marketing and Branding Specialist |
|
M.Des scope is vast as graduates are recruited by companies in areas like product design, graphic design, UX/UI design, fashion design, interior design, etc. Below listed are a few top recruiters for graduates:
| TCS | Larsen & Turbo | Zomato |
| Amazon | Aditya Birla Group | HUL |
| Liv Space | Titan Company | Flipkart |
| Wipro Digital | Infosys | Adobe |
| Zara | Raheja Group | Nestle India |
[Sources: Payscale & Ambition Box]
The entry-level M.Des salary in India on average is INR 4 LPA [Source: Payscale]. Graduates after having three-plus years of experience can earn more than INR 10 LPA. Below listed are job roles for M.Des graduates along with their average entry-level salaries:
M.Des Jobs | Entry Level Average Salary | Salary After 3 Years of Experience |
| UX Designer | INR 4-4.5 LPA | INR 7-9 LPA |
| Product Designer | INR 4-6 LPA | INR 8.5-11 LPA |
| Lead UX Designer | INR 5 LPA | INR 8-10 LPA |
| Industrial Designer | INR 3.92 LPA | INR 7-9 LPA |
| Graphic Designer | INR 3-4 LPA | INR 6-7 LPA |
| UX Researcher | INR 3.5 LPA | INR 6-9.36 LPA |
| Visual Designer | INR 3-4 LPA | INR 7-9 LPA |
Just like every profession, Designers need to have a set of soft and hard skills that will help them succeed in their professional life. Some of these skills include:
The M.Des syllabus spans 2 years and is divided into four semesters. The M.Des core subjects include design theory and methodology, product design, ergonomics, design research, entrepreneurial skills, etc. Students can also select elective subjects like plastic engineering, usability engineering, new media studies, automobile design, etc.
M.Des course helps students to develop technical skills related to proficiency in design software such as Adobe Creative Suite, prototyping skills using tools like Sketch, Figma, or Adobe XD, etc., which helps students to work as UX designer, graphic designer, product designer, etc.
Table of Contents
The Master of Design syllabus is divided into core and elective subjects, design project, thesis phase 1 and phase 2, and final project. The table below represents the general outline of the M.Des general subjects list as semester-wise:
M.Des 1st year syllabus focuses on fundamental concepts of design evolution, multimedia designs, methodologies, design theories, etc. The M.Des first year syllabus is detailed in the table below:
Semester I | Semester II |
| Design History and Principles | Elements and Principles of Product Form |
| Ergonomics | Graphic Design Concept |
| Different Design Methods | Project Related to Design |
| Visual Interface/Principles | Elective-I |
| Communication Techniques for Designers | – |
M.Des 2nd year syllabus focuses on specialized topics like design semantics, product detailing, interaction design, etc., along with thesis and final project submission. The table below details the M.Des 2nd year subjects:
Semester III | Semester IV |
| Elective-II | Elective-V |
| Elective-III | Seminar |
| Elective-IV | Final Project |
| Theiss Project-I | – |
M.Des subjects comprise of design principles, typography, branding, sustainable design principles, urban design, landscape architecture, etc. M.Des syllabus subjects are generally divided into two categories such as core and elective subjects.
Given below are the core M.Des subjects along with topics covered in each subject:
MDes Core Subjects | Topics Covered |
| Design Introduction | Historical overview of the design, design philosophies, and theories, the evolution of design disciplines, etc. |
| Ergonomics | Human factors in design, anthropometrics, user-centered design, etc. |
| Design Methods | Design thinking process, problem-solving methodologies, prototyping and iteration, etc. |
| Visual Design Principles and Application | Principles of visual design (balance, contrast, unity), color theory, typography, layout, etc. |
| Form Studies | Exploration of three-dimensional form, sculptural studies, material exploration, etc. |
| Graphic Design Principles | Composition and layout in graphic design, branding, visual communication strategies, etc. |
| Communication Techniques for Designers | Verbal and visual communication skills, presentation techniques, storytelling in design, etc. |
| Elements and Principles of Product Form | Understanding product aesthetics, integration of form and function, design for manufacturing, etc. |
Listed below are some of the elective subjects along with topics covered in each:
MDes Elective Subjects | Topics Covered |
| Lighting Design | Principles of Illumination, Human-Centric Lighting, Sustainable Lighting Design, Lighting Control Systems, Light and Color Psychology, etc. |
| Product Design Prototyping and Advanced Manufacturing Processes | Rapid Prototyping Techniques, Additive Manufacturing, Materials Selection for Prototyping, Advanced Tooling Technologies, Virtual Prototyping, Digital Twin Technologies, etc. |
| Plastics Engineering | Polymer Chemistry, Biodegradable Polymers, Plastic Recycling Technologies, Quality Assurance in Plastic Manufacturing, Advanced Polymer Blends, etc. |
| Mechatronics and Manufacturing Automation | PLC Programming, Robotics in Manufacturing, Machine Vision Systems, Adaptive Control Systems, 8. Smart Manufacturing, Collaborative Robotics, etc. |
| Interaction Design | User-Centered Design, User Interface (UI) Design, User Experience (UX) Design, Prototyping for Interaction, Design Thinking, Multi-platform Design, etc. |
| New Media Studies | Digital Storytelling, Social Media and Design, Interactive Media Art, Transmedia Narratives, Emerging Technologies in Media, Media and Cultural Studies, etc. |
| Design Semantics | Semiotics in Design, Cultural and Symbolic Meaning in Design, Branding and Semiotics, Ethical Design Communication, etc. |
| Automobile Design | Automotive Ergonomics, Vehicle Dynamics, Advanced Materials in Automotive, Autonomous Vehicle Design, Safety Systems in Automotive, etc. |
| Creativity Innovation and Design Management | Design Thinking Processes, Innovation Management, Business Model Innovation, Design Strategy, 8. Design Entrepreneurship, etc. |
| Environment and Experiential Design | Sustainable Design Practices, Environmental Psychology, Experiential Design Principles, Green Architecture, Ecological Urban Planning, etc. |
| Systems Analysis and Information Design | Information Systems Modeling, Human-Computer Interaction, Information Architecture, Usability Engineering, 8. Cybersecurity in Design, etc. |
| Computer Integrated Manufacturing | CIM Technologies, Digital Factory, CNC Programming, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Industrial IoT in Manufacturing, etc. |
| Computer Aided Engineering Design | CAD Software Applications, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), 3D Printing in Engineering Design, etc. |
M.Des course is a two masters course that helps students to learn about the core areas of design and offers several specializations related to the field. Given below is the M.Des subject list for various specialization courses.
MDes Specialization | M.Des Subjects Covered |
| M.Des Graphic Design |
|
| M.Des Communication Design |
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| M.Des Industrial Design |
|
| M.Des Fashion Design |
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| M.Des Interior Design |
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| M.Des Product Design |
|
College-wise M.Des syllabi from institutions across India encompass a broad spectrum of commerce subjects, enabling students to develop a solid understanding of design principles and methods.
M.Des syllabus pdf can be downloaded from the official website of the colleges. However, listed below in the following sections is a semester-wise breakdown of the MDes syllabus for some of the best colleges in India.
IIT Hyderabad MDes syllabus focuses on training students in training in relevant design software and tools like Adobe Suite, Photoshop, etc. Listed below is the M.Des syllabus for IIT Hyderabad:
Semester I | Semester II |
| Design Drawing | Elective-1 |
| Design Fundamentals | Elective-2 |
| Design History | Elective-3 |
| Industrial Designer Ergonomics | Elective-4 |
| Prototyping and Product Design | – |
| English | – |
| Design Methodology and Process | – |
Semester III | Semester IV |
| Seminar on Design Research | Final Project |
| Project 1 | – |
| Project 2 | – |
| Developing Entrepreneurial Skills | – |
| Internship | – |
Read More: IIT Hyderabad M.Des
IIT Guwahati MDes syllabus covers fundamental aspects of industrial design, communication design, interaction design, etc. The semester wise syllabus of MDes offered at IIT Guwahati is detailed in the table below:
Semester I | Semester II |
| Design Principles Introduction | Graphic Design Fundamentals |
| Different Design Methods | Form Studies |
| Ergonomics | Elective-I |
| Visual Design Principles | Design Project |
Semester III | Semester IV |
| Elective-II | Elective-V |
| Elective-III | Phase 2 Thesis Project |
| Elective-IV | – |
| Phase 1 Thesis Project | – |
Read More: IIT Guwahati M.Des
M.Des course subjects are well-structured and include core and elective M.Des subjects. The aspirants can choose electives based on their specialisations and the research-based projects at the end of the last year. The following points represent the important components of the M.Des course structure:
M.Des teaching methodology predominantly encompasses traditional lecture-based training and project-based learning. Below listed are a few common MDes teaching methodologies and techniques:
M.Des projects aims to familiarise students with the different research methods, and research ethics as well as help them understand the specialization of their choice at a more in-depth level. The popular project topics M.Des students are:
The reference books for M.Des help the students to get additional knowledge about the course they are pursuing. The MDes books help students understand concepts related to the history of design, practices, ethics, trends, etc. Some of the best M.Des books are:
M.Des Books | Topics Covered | Authors |
| Design Thinking: Indian Practices, Experiences and Perspectives | Design Thinking, Indian Context, Case Studies | Niti Bhan, MP Ranjan |
| India: Modern Architectures in History | Indian Architecture, Architectural History | Peter Scriver, Amit Srivastava |
| Traditional Indian Textiles | Indian Textile Design, Cultural Heritage | John Gillow, Nicholas Barnard |
| Typography: Learning and Teaching | Typography Types, Design Education, Indian Perspective | Rupesh Vyas |
| Brand and Boundaries: Design in the New Asia | Branding, Design in Asian Context, Cultural Influences | Shalini Sinha |
