M.Des (Master of Design): Course Details, Eligibility, Admission, Fees
Latest Updates for M.Des
- 10 May 2025 :
The CUET admit card is out on the official website cuet.nta.nic.in for the exam conducted on May 13 & May 16, 2025.
- 01 March 2025 :
CUET UG 2025 City Intimation Slip is released. The exam has been postponed, and will be conducted from May 13 to Jun 3, 2025
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
- What is M.Des Course?
- M.Des Eligibility Criteria
- Why Choose M.Des Course?
- M.Des Admission 2024
- M.Des Entrance Exams
- M.Des Specializations
- Top M.Des Colleges in India with Fees
- M.Des Syllabus and Subjects
- M.Des vs MFM
- Courses After M.Des
- Career Options After M.Des Graduation
- M.Des Salary In India
- Skills To Excel as an M.Des Graduate
M.Des Course Details
| 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 |
What is M.Des Course?
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)
M.Des Eligibility Criteria
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:
- Admission for the M.Des courses requires the candidate to complete their B.Des in Architecture/Engineering/Design/Interior Design or any equivalent degree with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks for the general category and 45% for SC/ST/OBC or any reserved category students. In addition, students must have cleared the standard entrance examinations such as CEED, NID DAT, UPESDAT, etc.
- There is no upper age limit to enroll in the course.
Why Choose M.Des Course?
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:
- Graduates from this role can get titles such as UX Designer, Front-end Designer, Product Designer, Fashion Designer, and Interior Designer.
- As per Knowledge Hut Report 2023, the demand for UX designers is expected to grow at a CAGR of 37.5% by 2027.
- The global industrial design market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.07% by the year 2027, leading to a higher demand for industrial designers. (As per Market Research Report, 2023)
M.Des Admission 2024
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:
- Step 1: The students have to appear for entrance examinations to qualify for the M.Des courses.
- Step 2: Further the student needs to fill out the college application form online or offline mode.
- Step 3: Further, the candidate is called for a CAD (creative ability test), interview, or GD process, after which a final merit list is published.
- Step 4: Students need to provide valid documents for the document verification process such as identity proof, mark sheets, certification, exam score card, etc., after getting selected and paying the fees.
M.Des Entrance Exams
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 |
M.Des Specializations
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 in Apparel Design
- M.Des in Fashion Design
- M.Des in Fashion Communication
- M.Des in Communication Design
- M.Des in Fashion Styling
- M.Des in Interior Design
- M.Des in Graphic Design
- M.Des in Product Design
- M.Des Industrial Design
Top M.Des Colleges in India with Fees
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 and Subjects
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 vs MFM
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. |
Courses After M.Des
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:
- PhD
- MBA
- Certificate Course in Design
- Postgraduate Diploma in Fashion Management
- Advanced Courses in Sustainable Design
- Master's in Fine Arts (MFA)
Career Options After M.Des Graduation
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 |
|
| Digital Marketing and Branding Specialist |
|
Top Recruiters for M.Des
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]
M.Des Salary In India
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 |
Skills To Excel as an M.Des Graduate
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:
- Creative thinking skills
- Verbal Communication Skills
- Written Communication Skills
- The Ability to Work Under Pressure
- Interpersonal Skills
Top M.Des [Master of Design] Colleges
Top Design Entrance Exams
Exam Date: Apr 15, 2023
Exam Date: May 26, 2023
Exam Date: Apr 16, 2025
Exam Date: Mar 31, 2025
Exam Date: Jan 04, 2023
M.Des Fee Structure
FAQs on M.Des
Q: What is the qualification for MDes?
A: 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
Q: Is MDes a good career option?
A: Yes, students can work in different industries like architecture, advertising, branding, e-commerce, etc.
Q: Can I do MDes after 12th?
A: No, students need to complete their undergraduate degree in order to pursue an M.Des degree.
Q: Which IIT is best for MDes?
A: IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Guhwati are the best IITs to pursue MDes.
Q: What job roles are available after MDes?
A: Graduates can work in roles like UX designer, Researcher, industrial designer, graphic designer, etc.
Q: Can individuals from non-design backgrounds apply for M.Des programs?
A: Yes, individuals from non-design backgrounds can apply for M.Des courses, as some colleges welcome students from diverse academic backgrounds.
Q: What specializations are available in M.Des?
A: Specializations in M.Des include Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Product Design, etc.
Q: How important is a portfolio for M.Des admission?
A: The portfolio is important for M.Des admission as few colleges like NIDs and IITs may also evaluate students based on a variety of projects and well-researched design methods.
Q: Is it possible to pursue a Ph.D. after completing an M.Des?
A: Yes, depending on their research interests and the availability of doctoral programs in design at particular institutions, individuals can pursue a Ph.D. in Design after M.Des.
Q: How can I prepare for M.Des entrance exams?
A: Students should focus on design thinking abilities, practicing sketching or prototyping, keeping up with the latest developments in design, along with awareness about current events in the world.
Q: Are there scholarships available for M.Des students?
A: Yes, students can look for scholarships like JK Lakshmipat University scholarship, UPES scholarship, QIP scholarship by IIT Bombay, etc.
