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Top In-Demand Master of Design Specialization & Syllabus [2025]

Swayam Gupta Apr 4, 2025 1K Reads

Master of Design is a two-year postgraduate program. It is specially designed for students who want to excel at design learning. One of the notable things about this course is that the Master of Design offers multiple specialization options. Students can choose the discipline that interests them. Moreover, the syllabus is divided into six semesters and covers the vast topics of design. The Syllabus of the first two semesters is generally similar in all specializations focusing on fundamentals of design, later syllabus in other semesters focuses on specialized subjects.

In this blog, we’ll particularly focus on the Master of Design syllabus and top specialization. We’ll cover the syllabus as per the specialization of M.Des. This guide helps you understand about different specializations offered in the M.Des program and gives you an idea of the syllabus followed in each specialization.

Master of Design Top Specializations

Master of Design provides you with the knowledge and skills required to have a successful career in design. However, designing is not just related to one specific field, there are designers of different things for example- Graphic Designer, UX Designer, Web Designers, Jewellery Designer, Product Designer, etc.

As per your interest and skills, you can choose the M.Des specializations and expertise in a particular niche. Some of the top M.Des specializations are:

M.Des Specializations	Average Course Fee
Master of Design in Product Design	4 - 7 Lakhs INR
Master of Design in Interior Design	3 - 5.5 Lakhs INR
Master of Design in User Experience (UX)	6 - 12 Lakhs INR
Master of Design in Transportation Design	8 - 12 Lakhs INR
Master of Design in Fashion Design	4.8 - 7 Lakhs INR
Master of Design in Communication Design	8 - 12 Lakhs INR
Master of Design in Graphic Design	3 - 5 Lakhs INR

1) Master of Design

Here is the syllabus of the Master of Design by specialization. The syllabus shared includes the subjects that are mostly included in every university curriculum but names and order can vary, it is advised to visit the official website university to check the syllabus before admission.

M.Des in Product Design: Syllabus

The syllabus of the Master of Design in Product Design is divided into 4 semesters. Check subjects below:

Master of Design in Product Design Curriculum
Semester-1	Semester-2
Understanding Design and Design Process Elements and Principles of Design Sketching & Rendering - I Art, Design & Society Elements of Ergonomics Materials & Processes Model Making Design Project 1: Design of Everyday Products	Design Research Methodology Sketching & Rendering – II Computer Application Form Studies Professional Elective 1: Product Analysis and Detailing Displays and Controls Professional Elective 2 Visual Communications Professional Documentation Packaging Design Open Elective 1: Biomimicry in Design Photography and Videography Open Elective 2: Design for Affordability Design for 2050 Design Project 2: Complex Product Design
Semester-3	Semester-4
Design Management & IPR Summer Internship Advanced Design Tools Surface Design: Color and Texture Professional Elective 3: Service Design 1, UI/UX Design Professional Elective 4: Service Design, Tangible Interface Design Open Elective 1: Mechanism and Robotics Elements of Space, Form, and Composition Need Analysis Open Elective 2: Digital Marketing, Game without Equipment Design Project 3: System Design	Post-Graduation Project - Industrial and Product Design

2) M.Des in Interior Design

The syllabus of the Master of Design in Interior Design is divided into 4 semesters. Check subjects below:

Master of Design in Interior Design Curriculum

Semester – 1

Architecture drawing – Introduction
Graphic communication & signage
Building services & advanced construction
History of architecture
General proposal & development of project in interior
Furniture design
Materials
Basics of graphic

Semester – II

Design & drafting
Urban design planning
Building services
History of interior & furniture
Estimation & costing
Furniture design studio
AutoCAD
Grooming & communication skills
Landscape designing

Semester – III

Architecture drawing
Theory of aesthetics, graphics & designing
Building construction & treatments
Architectural styles & treatments
Quantity & cost estimation
Retail store design
Google Sketchup

Semester – IV

Design, drafting & graphic application
Elements of services
Exterior & interior treatments
Upholstery, drapery & furniture
History of art & architecture
Industrial skill project
Adobe Photoshop
Office design
3DS MAX

3) M.Des in User Experience (UX)

The syllabus of the Master of Design in UX is divided into 4 semesters. Check subjects below:

Master of Design in User Experience Curriculum

Semester-1

Fundamentals of Design
HCI and User Experience
Cognitive Design and Ethnography
UX Design
User Interface Design
Design Thinking and Innovation
Introduction to Design Research
Presentation and Communication Skills

Semester-2

Omnipresence Design
Digital Experience Strategy
Service Design and Enterprise UX Customer
UX Design for Emerging Technology
Seminar 1 (Problem definition, need identification and literature survey for thesis)

Semester-3

Design Project-1
Internship Project
Dissertation Project
Elective Subject 1 - Project-Based UX for New Technologies
Elective Subject 2 - Project-Based G2C (Government to Citizen) User Experience

Semester-4

Seminar-2
Thesis Project

4) M.Des in Communication Design

The syllabus of the Master of Design in Communication Design is divided into 4 semesters. Check subjects below:

Master of Design in Communication Design Curriculum

Semester-1

Understanding Design and Design
Process
Elements and Principles of Design
Space and Form
Typography
Elements of Photo, Video and
Animation
Basic Graphic Design
Des project 1: Poster/Branding Identity

Semester-2

Design Research MethodologyCreative Writing
Package DesignPublication DesignProfessional Elective 1
Infographics
Cultural AnthropologyProfessional Elective 2
Illustration
Brochure DesignDesign Project 2: Publication/ Packaging/
InfographicsOpen Elective 1: Graphic Design TrendsOpen Elective 2: Semiotics

Semester-3

Design Management & Professional Practice
Summer Internship
Information Design
Advertising & Marketing
Professional Elective 3 Product Graphics /Social Communication/ AR and VR
Professional Elective 2 Interaction Design, Transmedia Design, Media Studies
Design Project 3: Ad Campaign
in print/ Motion/ Social Media/
Way Finding and Signage Design
Open Elective 3: Type in Motion
Open Elective 4: Design for Social Media

Semester-4

Post-Graduation Project - Graphic Design

5) M.Des in Fashion Design

The syllabus of the Master of Design in Fashion Design is divided into 4 semesters. Check subjects below:

Master of Design in Fashion Design Curriculum

Semester-1

Fundamentals of Design & illustration
Digital Design & Presentation
Research Methodology I
History of Art & Design I
Community Connect

Semester-2

Fashion Design studio-II
Digital design & presentation
Design for Sustainable Society
Research Methodology II
History of art & design II

Semester-3

Fashion Styling & Image Design
Fashion Forecasting
Fashion Design studio-III
Dissertation
Community Connect

Semester-4

Thesis
Professional Practice

6) M.Des in Transportation Design

The syllabus of the Master of Design in Fashion Design is divided into 4 semesters. Check subjects below:

Master of Design in Transportation Design Curriculum

Semester-1

Understanding Design and Design Process
Elements and Principles of Design
Vehicle Sketching
History of Automobiles & Design
Digital Sculpting 1
Form Design
Model Making
Design Project 1 Simple Mobility Design

Semester-2

Digital Representation Skills
Design Research Methodology
Digital Sculpting II
Vehicle Styling
Open Elective 1 Advanced Digital Rendering
Open Elective 2: Vehicle Graphics
Ergonomics & Vehicle Packaging
Clay Modeling
Professional Elective 1: Design Project 2 /2-wheel Vehicle Design, 3-Wheel Vehicle Design ( Electrical Vehicle/ Solar vehicle/Any other)

Semester-3

Advanced Digital Sculpting
Vehicle Standards & CompliancesDesign Management & Professional Practice
Summer Internship
Portfolio Design
Vehicle Interiors & CMFG
Open Elective 3: Automotive Materials & Processes/ Automotive Technology
Open Elective 4: 3D Printing / FRP Molding
Professional Elective 2: Design Project 3: Futuristic Vehicle Design Project: Personal Vehicle / Public Transportation

Semester-4

Post-Graduation Project- Transportation & Mobility Design

7) M.Des in Graphic Design

The syllabus of the Master of Design in Graphic Design is divided into 4 semesters. Check subjects below:

Master of Design in Graphic Design Curriculum

Semester-1

Fundamentals Of Design & Drawing
Basic Design Idea, Visualization
Typography, Color Theory
Illustration, Graphic Design
Image Editing Page Layout Design

Semester-2

Branding And Advertising Composition
Photography
Still Life Packaging – Product
Desktop / Digital Publishing

Semester-3

Interface Design/ Web Design
Media Strategy
Language And Practice Of Media
Arts Advance Multiplatform Design
User Interface Experience

Semester-4

Fundamentals Of 2d Animation
The Art Of Digital Storyboarding
Digital 2d Animation
Interactive Presentation
Video Editing Sound Editing

Do You Know About the 12-Month M.Des Program?

Generally, a Master of Design is a 2-year program but do you know you can pursue an Online Master of Design? Online M.Des is just 12 months long and a flexible program, you can enroll online and attend the complete program digitally from your home.

This especially benefited design professionals as they continued learning with their jobs and earning a valuable master's degree which resulted in career growth, promotions, and salary hikes.

The most demanded and valuable specialization offered in the Online Master of Design program is the Online M.Des in User Experience (UX). This program focuses on practical courses and includes topics that are relevant to current market requirements focusing on quality learning.

Here are the subjects included in the Online M.Des in UX program:

Online Master of Design in User Experience Curriculum

Systems Thinking and Foundations of AI

Systems thinking framework
Understanding Large Language Models
Guidelines to evaluate and select AI tools
Framework to level up your productivity with AI

Pragmatic UX Product Critique: Heuristics to Audit Reporting

Higher-order conceptual principles
Root cause analysis
Prioritization based on the NASA risk matrix
Optimized reporting and communication
Integration of AI for product critique acceleration

Smart UX Tool Mastery: Optimize Design, Enhance Efficiency

Figma & Beyond
Inception of Design Systems
Scalable Artifact Creation
Effective Asset Management

Designing Transactional eXperiences: User Interface Design Fundamentals

Variabilization with Design Patterns
Outcome-based structuring of information & controls
Planning for effort optimization & errors
AI-assisted ideation for transactional experiences

Introduction to Interaction Design: Ideation and Problem Solving

Systematic ideation skills
Evaluation of ideas
Convergence to optimal solutions
Foundations of workflow optimization
Accelerated problem-solving with AI

Introduction to Visual Design: Must-haves for Industry

Rapid visual design ideation with UI kits
Metric-based evaluation & convergence to optimal visual design solutions
Design principles for business outcomes
Fundamental Guidelines for Platforms: iOS & Android
Accelerated visual design execution with AI

Communication Skills I

Context-based summarization and prioritization
Optimization of communication for different audiences
Intent-based articulation
Building consensus

Designing User Experiences with AI & Continuous Adaptation

AI interface design patterns
Integrating AI with user mental models
Adaptation of AI advancements
Design AI-driven user experiences

Interaction Design Intensive: Building Functional Excellence for Usability

Behavioral Personas
User Workflow Optimization
Conceptualization of Functionalities
Creating Usable Prototypes
AI-assisted Interaction Design

Visual Design Intensive: Designing to Influence Perception & Emotions

Visual Design Critique
Conceptualization of Visual Themes & Philosophy
Strategic Optimal Visual Solutions
Planning for Design Systems & Hand-off

Introduction to Visuality & Representation

Representation fundamentals
Visuality in systems of signs
Digital tools for active learning
Subjectivity in design

UX Research Intensive: Empowering Design with Informed Insights

Research context clarification
Assessment & selection of research methodologies
Recruitment & Execution
Actionable reporting and communication

Communication Skills II

Preparing professional portfolios
Mastering pitching styles
Interview strategies
Building a personal brand
Industry-specific branding techniques

End-to-End Product Design Immersive

Business case of balancing business with user requirements
Business case of how to resolve conflicts between engineering and design
Accelerated Research
Accelerated Interaction Design
Accelerated Visual Design

Analyzing this syllabus shows that, the subjects included in the program are more advanced than regular M.Des programs and focus on providing the best quality education to students.

Conclusion

To conclude, M.Des is a popular master’s degree for aspiring designers and professionals, with multiple specialization options such as graphic design, UX, Product design, etc every student can find the one that complements their interest and helps in getting better career opportunities.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

M.Des in User Experience and M.Des in Product Design are most in demand and popular specialization of the Master of Design program.

Master of Design is a 2-year program divided into 4 semesters. However, you can pursue an Online M.Des which is 1 year program.

M.Des is good for individuals looking for a bright career in design. You can choose from many specializations and expertise in one niche.

Yes, you can apply for an M.Des without B.Des. You require a bachelor's degree in any discipline.

The Master of Design in Product Design is the highest-paying design degree.

By Swayam Gupta

7 Years of Experience / Blogger / Content Writer

Hello! I'm Swayam, a passionate content writer with over 7 years of experience. I specialize in creating engaging, SEO-optimized content that boosts online visibility. My work spans diverse topics, from technology to online education, I pride myself on delivering well-researched, captivating content tailored to different audiences. When I'm not writing, I enjoy reading, and nature walks.