MS Indigenous Placekeeping and Design at Arizona State University

Programme overview

The Master of Science program in Indigenous placekeeping and design is an applied, interdisciplinary offering that prepares you to address regional and global design challenges in partnership with Indigenous peoples and knowledge systems worldwide. Rooted in Indigenous frameworks relevant across continents, the curriculum integrates concepts such as traditional ecological knowledge, design justice, speculative design futures and community capacity building.

What you will study

30 credit hours including the required applied project course (DSC 593) Required Core (12 credit hours) DSC 517 Indigenous Placekeeping and the Built Environment (3) DSC 518 Indigenous Architectural History and Contemporary Design (3) DSC 519 Indigenous Design Data Collection, Analysis, Research and Representation (3) DSC 521 Futurity of Indigenous Knowledge (3) DSC 522 Indigenous Design and Media Communication (3) DSC 523 Resource-driven Construction and Design (3) DSC 524 The Indigenous Landscape: Place Meaning and Attachment (3) DSC 525 Contemporary Digital Topics (3) Electives (15 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 credit hours) DSC 593 Applied Project (3) Additional Curriculum Information For their core courses, students select four from the approved list.

Career pathways

Graduates of the program are prepared for careers that bridge design, planning and cultural resilience in both North American and global contexts. Career pathways include roles with Native and Indigenous nations, municipalities, international nongovernmental organizations, and design firms working across continents.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in architecture or a related field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. Applicants are required to submit: graduate admission application and application fee official transcripts letter of intent portfolio or other work samples contact information for three professional references professional resume or CV proof of English proficiency Additional Admission Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of current residency.

Domestic applicants: USD 13,327 a year (2026-27). Arizona resident tuition. Tuition only for the graduate on-campus (Tempe/Downtown Phoenix/Polytechnic/West Valley) rate band in the ASU tuition estimator, 2026-27: Fall 2026 plus Spring 2027 term tuition summed (full-time flat rate; part-time credit loads Source

International applicants: USD 24,780 a year (2026-27). International tuition. Tuition only for the graduate on-campus (Tempe/Downtown Phoenix/Polytechnic/West Valley) rate band in the ASU tuition estimator, 2026-27: Fall 2026 plus Spring 2027 term tuition summed (full-time flat rate; part-time credit loads ar Source

Entry terms: Fall, Spring and Summer; the terms available for each programme are listed in Degree Search.

Graduate application deadlines are set by each programme office and listed in Degree Search; the application opens almost a year before the start term. The nonrefundable application fee is $75 for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, DACA and international online students outside the U.S., and $120 for international students on a nonimmigrant visa studying in the U.S. Apply with ASU's graduate application (Law applicants use the law college's site); GRE/GMAT requirements vary by programme.

Apply through the official page: https://admission.asu.edu/apply/graduate/admission

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