What is MDes: Full Form, Course Duration, Admission 2025, Colleges, Syllabus, Salary & Scope

You may already know that MDes stands for Master of Design. It is a postgraduate specialised design degree programme. You can pursue MDes if you have a passion for the arts and want to excel in the design industry. MDes can be the best suited degree for you if you have deep interest in the artistic sector and who desire to acquire the ultimate standard in the area of design. The admissions process and fees for Master of Design programmes differ from university to university. The cost of a master's degree in design varies from university to university. Private universities may charge a little higher tuition fee for MDes admission, whilst government colleges may charge very little. An MDes degree course can be completed between INR 2 to INR 10 lakh. Some colleges require entrance tests, while others accept students based on their high school scores.

A Master of Design degree is the gateway to specialisation and research as it is an advanced degree to conquer the Fashion and Design Industry in different disciplines such as Craft, Textiles, Special Needs, Publications, Media, Lifestyle Products, Graphics, and User Experience Design.

• The scope of a Master of Design degree is huge as it opens opportunities in various streams such as Industrial Engineering and Design, Product Research Analyst, Communication Design, Product Design, and Engineering, Visual Design, Animation, and Automotive Designing.
• Every day, the world of design evolves, and as a result, the demand for motivated and creative designers grows. During this degree, students will have the opportunity to work on assignments that will provide them with hands-on experience working in design studios.
• The aspirants of MDes can get find better job opportunities after MDes and enhance their pay scale. The programme prepares individuals to become entrepreneurs after completing the course or having appropriate skills. Following the conclusion of the course, many graduates have launched their own clothing lines.

Definitely, to pursue an MDes program, BDes is not a mandatory criterion hence, even if you have not graduated with a BDes degree, fulfilling the basic eligibility criteria will get you a seat in the MDes program, and the same goes for the career scope. 

However, depending on the MDes specialisation you choose, you should have a relevant bachelor's degree, for instance, if you wish to go for MDes in Interior, Web, or UI/UX Design, you must obtain a bachelor's degree in Engineering, Architecture, etc.

Hi, yes, it's possible to become a Designer without opting for an MDes program. However, you'll need to fulfill the criteria set by the organisation you seek employment from. For example, if they require having a bachelor's degree in a specific discipline, you must fulfill the requirements.
Also, creating a strong portfolio to attract high-paying jobs and projects is also important. You can also gain experience from internships and apprenticeship programs. 

Both the MBA (Master of Business Administration) and the MDes (Master of Design) courses are poles apart. An MBA is focused on business and management roles, polishing skills like finance, marketing, and strategy. Whereas, an MDes is focused on creativity and design disciplines.

The degree is open to students from various streams such as Fashion, Designing,  Fine Arts, Engineering, Commerce, Science and Architecture. However, you should have a basic understanding of the relevant design stream that you want to pursue through a Master of Design. 

Many MDes programmes have particular requirements, such as a bachelor's degree in a discipline related to design or appropriate job experience. Students need to check the prerequisites of the particular MDes programmes they are considering to find out if non-design backgrounds are accepted.

Yes, you can pursue MDes after completing BTech. However, colleges may have their own eligibility criteria that would have to fulfil. Since, MDes is an advanced degree you would be expected to have basic 'Design Aptitude'. You would be able to pursue MDes without much difficulty if you understand the terminology and concepts that are covered in a Design bachelor's degree such as BDes, BSc Fashion Design, BSc Textile Design etc.

Yes, you can apply for MDes at the age of 30. There is usually no age limit to apply for MDes course. Even in top institutes like NIFT there is no age bar for postgraduate Design courses.

A number of top Institutes offer a range of scholarships to outstanding students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who demonstrate distinction and need.  Other than the Scholarship Means-Cum-Merit Financial Assistance Scheme, there may be other scholarships for students that are sponsored by industry, alumni, etc. which may differ from center to center.

Students can check the below links to learn about scholarships from some top universities:

• NIFT, Delhi Scholarship
• NIFT, Mumbai Scholarship
• NIFT, Bangalore Scholarship
• NID, Ahmedabad Scholarship
• Pearl Academy, Delhi Scholarship
• Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune Scholarship 

Here are some important documents you must carry during the MDes application process:

• Class 10 and 12 mark sheets
• BDes or any relevant bachelor's degree
• Passport-sized photographs
• A valid ID proof (Adhaar, Passport, PAN Card, etc.)
• Migration Certificate, etc.

The Master of Design (MDes) programs is offered at IDC School of Design at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay). The combined seat intake for theprogrammestands at 31. Check the category-wise and specializatio-wise seat intake in the table below. 

The candidate can apply to CEED 2025 participating institutes after CEED 2025 results. Candidates will be shortlisted for admission based on their merit ranks.

Yes, you can get admission to an MDes program without appearing for entrance exams in India. Some popular MDes colleges like Amity University, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, JECRC University, Poornima University, Symbiosis Institute of Design, etc., offer admission on the merit system.

While there are many entrance exams conducted for MDes course admission, such as CEED, NIFT Entrance, CUET-PG, etc., among them, NID DAT is considered the toughest. It is a drawing-based paper that tests the creativity and design thinking of a candidate. Also, it is a highly competitive exam with a limited number of available seats.

To prepare for MDes entrance exams like CEED and NID DAT, you need at least 3 to 6 months to polish your drawing and sketching skills and practice reasoning and aptitude questions. However, how much time will be taken also depends on one's pace and ability to learn.

Yes, you can pursue MDes in various specialisations such as Fashion Design, Textile Design, Jewellery Design, Jewellery Design, Graphics Design, Interior Design, Automotive Design, Ceramic Design, Game Design, Multimedia Design, Leather Design and Lifestyle Accessory Design.

Jewelry design is the art or profession of designing and creating jewelry. This is one of civilization's earliest forms of decoration, dating back at least seven thousand years to the oldest known human societies in Mesopotamia and Egypt. The Jewellery Design course is designed for candidates who can channel their creativity into designing pieces of jewellery for their clients. This course will assist candidates in honing their drafting, designing and shading skills. This course can be pursued at various academic levels such as undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma. 

Candidates preparing for CUET PG 2026 can download the CUET PG syllabus 2026 pdf by visiting the official website of CUET PG 2026 or can check out in this Shiksha page.

It is also observed that the CUET PG syllabus doesn't this year, so candidates are suggested to either go to the CUET PG 2026 official website and search for CUET PG syllabus there.

Here are some popular Design books that every MDes student must read once:

• The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman.
• Universal Principles of Design by William Lidwell.
• 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People by Susan M. Weinschenk.
• The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst.
• Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman.
• Design as Art by Bruno Munari.
• The Laws of Simplicity by John Maeda.

Here are some top MDes college options offering the best placement opportunities to postgraduates in various fields:

Note: The information is sourced from the official/counselling body of the institute/exam.

Yes, there are a few college options offering distance MDes programme in India:

Note: The information is sourced from the official/counselling body of the institute/exam.

Here are some top MDes Fashion Design college options in India:

Note: The information is sourced from the official/counselling body of the institute/exam.

Here are some of the most affordable MDes colleges in India:

Note: The information is sourced from the official/counselling body of the institute/exam.

Yes, there are a few options among MDes Product Design colleges in India offering the degree at affordable fee:

Note: The information is sourced from the official/counselling body of the institute/exam.

MDes graduates can get a plethora of job opportunities after completing the course. They can earn the salaries mentioned in the table below at various job profiles:

Though it depends on the specialisation they choose, MDes students can opt for various creative working fields like Fashion Design, Product Design, Animation, Interior Design, etc. For instance, a Fashion Design student can seek employment in Fashion Houses, Media Houses, Retail & Merchandising, and so on industries. Similarly, a Communication Design student can opt for fields like Advertising, Digital Marketing, Publishing, Media Houses, etc.

You can decide which MDes (Master of Design) programme at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) or the National Institute of Design (NID) ion the basis of your interests, career aspirations and personal goals. Although both universities are esteemed and provide excellent design programmes, their areas of expertise and strengths differ. NID is a leading design-focused organisation that focuses only on design education. It has a solid reputation in the industry and provides a large selection of design programmes. However, IIT Bombay is a prestigious engineering college with a well-respected design programme, so it might provide a more interdisciplinary viewpoint. The staff at NID and IIT Bombay are both highly experienced, however IITs frequently place a greater focus on research. Hope this helps!

As you may already know that both IIT Guwahati and IIT Kanpur provide top-notch MDes programmes.There can be significant similarities between the quality of instruction and the faculty's standing. However, depending on elements like business partnerships, research facilities, faculty experience and the M.Des program's particular concentration areas, there may be slight variations. Take into account the following while deciding whether the university offers a "better" M.Des course for you.  See the course curriculum. Examine both programmes' curriculum to determine which one best suits your interests and professional objectives. Specialisations or optional courses tailored to particular design disciplines or industries may be offered by some programmes. The faculty is also an important factor to be considered. Find out about the backgrounds and specialisations of the faculty members at both schools. Your educational experience can be substantially improved by faculty members who are actively involved in publishing, industrial projects and research. Take into account the resources and facilities, like design studios, labs, workshops and libraries, that are offered by each university. Having access to cutting-edge tools and technology can be very beneficial to your academic and research goals.