MSD Design (Visual Communication Design) at Arizona State University

Programme overview

The Master of Science in Design degree program with a concentration in visual communication design at The Design School offers you advanced studies in visual language, history, theory, criticism and methodology, design processes, and technology. Through a specialized research and design skills curriculum, you develop an understanding of contemporary graphic design issues. Visual communication shapes how people understand information, interact with technology and experience the world.

What you will study

36 credit hours and a thesis, or 36 credit hours including the required applied project course (DSC 593) Students may choose to complete their graduate work by way of a thesis or an applied project. A master's degree thesis is a scholarly endeavor that demonstrates the author's ability to do supervised research and intellectual writing.

Career pathways

Careers the visual communication design concentration prepares you for Graduates are prepared for a career in graphic design education or for advanced design professions.

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 must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in graphic design, industrial design, interior design or a related design discipline 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 they must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: graduate admission application and application fee official transcripts portfolio letter of intent resume contact information for two references proof of English proficiency Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. International students are required to submit proof of English proficiency through either the TOEFL or the IELTS if their native language is not English.

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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