Sept 2024 Entry
1 year (Full-time)
3 years (Part-time)
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The School reviews applications in several admissions rounds, as follows: Early Round: November 16, 2023; Round 1: January 18, 2024; Round 2: March 7, 2024; Round 3: April 30, 2024.
Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships Scheme
A total of 21 fellowships shall be awarded to local students. Please click here for details.
PolyU reserves the right to change or withdraw the fellowship at any time. In case of any dispute/disagreement, PolyU’s decision is final.
Late application may be considered. Prospective students please contact Ms Stephanie Ho (email: mdes.sd@polyu.edu.hk; tel: (852) 3400 3440) for further inquiries in respect of the procedure.
What's New
Programme Aims
The Master of Design Scheme contains four specialisms: Innovative Business Design (IBD), Intelligent Systems Design (ISD), Smart Service Design (SSD), and Transitional Environments Design (TED). Hong Kong, a world-class city, offers an international environment that blends Eastern and Western influences. Students study in English but explore the increasingly world-changing context of Chinese culture as they acquire interdisciplinary skills and cultural experiences that extend their creative, critical and analytical thinking abilities. Exploring aspects of interdisciplinary design across specialisms in line with global trends is highly encouraged within the Scheme. International and interdisciplinary faculty members prepare students to take charge of their future learning and development in the quickly changing world of design.
Master of Design (Innovative Business Design) (IBD)
The Master of Design (Innovative Business Design) (IBD) is an interdisciplinary specialism designed to equip students with the necessary skills and competencies to become leaders of transformational changes in organisations and society. Students gain a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of today’s global market through the programme’s interdisciplinary approach to design and business. The programme emphasises the importance of creativity, innovation and responsible business practices in driving sustainable growth in organisations. Students are encouraged to think critically, challenge traditional business models, and develop innovative solutions to complex problems.
The aims of this specialism are:
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to foster transdisciplinary knowledge through systematic integration;
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to impart an understanding of the essentials of design, business and technology;
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to provide practice-based research opportunities and training in integrative business design thinking;
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to cultivate talent to transform Hong Kong’s industries; and
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to identify opportunities and resources to improve society and economies at the local, regional and global levels.
Master of Design (Intelligent Systems Design) (ISD)
The Master of Design (Intelligent Systems Design) (ISD) is an emerging specialism with interdisciplinarity at its core. It is based on the integration of intelligent technologies, system theories and innovative design approaches, bringing together professional knowledge in the areas of design and STEM. To achieve transformative industrial innovation, ISD aims at bolstering the most cutting-edge and competitive industries, enabled by advanced technologies and processes, such as AI, Industry 4.0, robotics and AIoT (AI+IoT), through systemic design innovations.
The aims of this specialism are:
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to nurture the creativity and design ability of the students by enabling them to embrace intelligent (especially AI-enabled) and systemic approaches;
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to develop students’ awareness of current and emerging technologies in the innovation industry and the advanced manufacturing (e.g., Industry 4.0) environment;
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to promote an understanding of supporting marketing and business practices; and
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to enhance awareness of the impact of designed systems and solutions on human, social, environmental and global domains through the development of responsible, transparent and ethical design processes.
A combination of theory, planning strategies, research and technical skills provides the foundation for studio subjects that explore emerging aspects of user experience (UX) and interaction design (IxD) based on human needs and desires as well as technological development.
Master of Design (Smart Service Design) (SSD)
The Master of Design (Smart Service Design) (SSD) is an interdisciplinary specialism focusing on designing at the intersection of business, technology, and human ingenuity to create meaningful service interventions for broader societal and business challenges. This specialism expands the scope of design beyond the current commercialised and compartmentalised professional practices by orienting it towards the socio-technical dimension of design, taking a critical, systemic and human-centred perspective within the context of service design.
The specialism is designed to nurture and develop students’ theoretical and practical knowledge of service design. SSD fosters the extension of students’ abilities by providing them with a deep understanding of the technological, commercial, societal and organisational contexts of service design, and it demonstrates the transformation of design opportunities into new and sustainable service experiences.
The aims of this specialism are:
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to deepen the understanding of end-to-end service journeys and design service ecosystems across multiple services;
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to identify how the centrality of users’ needs and the interests of different groups of stakeholders in the human-centred design process are complemented in businesses and organisations in the broader service industry, and to apply the same in practice;
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to develop and apply service design to a range of business, societal and environmental challenges through studios, collaboration with stakeholders, partners and experts across multiple disciplines, and to use service design at strategic, operational and systems levels; and
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to accelerate new service design practices and systems thinking methods to advance students’ development of the skill sets and practices required for service innovation.
Master of Design (Transitional Environments Design) (TED)
The Master of Design (Transitional Environments Design) (TED) is a specialism developed in response to the unprecedented rural and urban changes that have occurred during the last few decades in Hong Kong and Mainland China. TED aims to develop students’ intellectual and practical mastery of the analysis and design of diverse rural and urban environments in the region, with broader implications for global contexts. The approach of this specialism is based on an understanding of the sociocultural dynamics of the regional context, transformed into new design strategies and design interventions.
Characteristics of Master of Design Scheme
The study pattern of the Master of Design Scheme has a relatively high level of flexibility. With relatively fewer compulsory subjects, the Scheme allows students from different specialisms to make different choices in relation to their studies, from selecting elective subjects to planning their own capstone/final projects and changing their graduation award title*.
* Students who wish to change their graduation award title are required to seek academic advice from Specialism Leaders and go through selection interviews.
Master of Design (Innovative Business Design) (IBD)
Targeting meaning creation, IBD is the first postgraduate programme in the world to focus on design-centred entrepreneurship. IBD follows on from the unique ID&BM (International Design and Business Management) programme, and it aims to foster transdisciplinary knowledge based on a systematic understanding of essentials in design, business and technology. IBD also aims to support practice-based research with the established history of SD and unique resources in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. IBD acts as a hub of the innovation ecosystem by configuring resources and facilitating innovation for our students, alumni, industrial partners, government and other key stakeholders as a catalyst for change. Moreover, the programme provides opportunities for students to engage in research and development projects, collaborate with industry professionals, and participate in industry events and workshops. These experiences enable students to hone their skills, build their professional networks, and gain practical experience in applying design-driven innovation to real-world problems. IBD also offers exchange opportunities to students. Full-time IBD students may choose to study abroad at Thammasat University (Thailand) in Semester 2.
Master of Design (Intelligent Systems Design) (ISD)
The Master of Design (Intelligent Systems Design) (ISD) is designed for students who have a passion for people and technology, are curious about the future and are keen to shape it through design. In principle, ISD is open to all talented students who can innovate masterfully within this broad spectrum, have a global perspective, are willing and able to identify and take on “wicked” challenges, and are eager to become future game-changers.
The ISD programme inherits the rich culture of ISD’s predecessor, MDes (Interaction Design), and features a specifically tailored technological learning environment that supports both students with STEM backgrounds and those without. Students with a Bachelor’s degree in design (interaction, user experience, graphic communication, product or industrial design), STEM, communication, or even psychology or anthropology may find ISD to amplify their professional development.
Master of Design (Smart Service Design) (SSD)
PolyU is the first university in Hong Kong to offer both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in service design education, a move made in response to the rapidly increasing global demands for service design. The focus of Smart Service Design (SSD) goes beyond user experience design, information design, product design or any other single output of design applications. Rather, SSD focuses on a broad design spectrum that integrates design, business, technology and human needs to create service solutions for tomorrow and to bring new value to the service industry and society at large.
Through advanced service design methodologies, SSD offers a unique interdisciplinary educational environment that meets diverse learning needs and provides students with opportunities to reshape their own design practices. Through lectures, studio learning, workshops and industry research projects, this specialism enables students to be involved in creating, transforming and evaluating service products and content in both digital and offline channels.
Our graduates are equipped with the necessary professional skills to meet the demands of careers in the service industry. They play various roles not only in conventional design-related professions, but also in management and strategy in various service sectors, such as consumer electronics, mobility, healthcare, tourism and hospitality, finance and public service.
Master of Design (Transitional Environments Design) (TED)
The Transitional Environments Design (TED) specialism focuses on the contemporary Hong Kong/Chinese rural and urban experience in the context of the Greater Bay Area. It offers a unique postgraduate education in rural and urban space design. In line with the School’s critical approach to environmental and ecological design, this tailor-made specialism regards design as a holistic and systemic perspective on “wicked” and entangled global and local problems, following the Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations.
PolyU Design: Reputation Built Since 1964
PolyU Design has been an important hub of design education and research for Hong Kong since 1964. The School thrives on its geographical position bridging the East and the West, which allows its students to develop their design strengths with a uniquely international cultural awareness at both professional and social levels.
The School was ranked 15th on the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings® by Subject - Art and Design in 2020 and is consistently ranked among the top 20 in the world. Our Master of Design (Design Strategies) programme has been rated as one of the World’s 30 Best Design Thinking Programmes (BusinessWeek, 2009).
The School of Design is located in the Jockey Club Innovation Tower, a permanent architectural work designed by world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid, one of the most influential figures in the world of modern architecture. The Tower aims to stimulate and project a vision of future possibilities and to reflect the history of PolyU by encapsulating the process of change in its architecture.
Career Prospects
MDes graduates are well-equipped for professional success in their chosen fields. Whether working in-house or for design firms, they excel in a wide range of design areas, such as product design, interaction design, spatial design and branding. Some broaden their professional fields and take up roles in project management, consulting, research and teaching. Others run their own design firm or family business.
Industries that hire our graduates include fashion, retail, hospitality, financial services, healthcare, toys, consumer electronics, automotive, innovation and technology, research and development, higher education and public service. Visit our website for a list of companies and organisations where our full-time graduates have secured positions.
Non-local graduates (non-local students with an undergraduate or higher qualification in a full-time and locally accredited programme in Hong Kong) may apply to stay in or return to Hong Kong and work under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-Local Graduates (IANG) scheme. Successful IANG applicants may be granted 24 months’ stay on time limitation only without other conditions of stay provided normal immigration requirements are met.
Curriculum of Master of Design Scheme
The four specialisms within the Master of Design Scheme have a common curriculum. Students are required to attain a total of 36 credits from the subject categories below:
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6 credits in Compulsory Common subjects;
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15 credits in Compulsory Specialism subjects; and
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15 credits in Elective subjects.
For full-time students, the normal duration of the programme is 1 year; for part-time students, it is 3 years. One academic year contains three semesters (including the Summer Term). A full-time study load is 36 credits in a year, and a part-time study load is 6–9 credits in a compulsory semester (Semesters 1 and 2).
All specialisms begin with a Compulsory Common subject, Research and Analysis for Design, followed by elective subjects to enhance students’ individual profiles and experiences. Students then focus on their Studios and Lab Studies specialism subjects. In the final stage of the study, all specialisms conclude with a Compulsory Common subject, Research and Academic Writing, together with a specialism Capstone Project or Industry Research Project, to synthesise students’ learning.
Full-time and part-time students follow the same timetable and attend classes together. Classes are normally held during the day on weekdays. Please see below for the core areas of study in different specialisms.
Core Areas of Study by Individual Specialism
Master of Design (Innovative Business Design) (IBD)
The programme begins with subjects in which IBD students formulate a knowledge foundation in their focal domain, identify appropriate directions for further development and develop skills in multidisciplinary collaborations.
In the second stage of the study, students learn the core knowledge of Innovate with Lifestyle and Culture and Design for Transformation with a holistic view of design’s value in the new business context created by human-centred design thinking and new technologies.
The final stage is for students’ self-reflection and career preparation. Every student should have completed three projects by the end of this programme: an interdisciplinary project, a theme-based project and an entrepreneurial project.
Master of Design (Intelligent Systems Design) (ISD)
The ISD comprises a series of intensively taught subjects that directly support the ISD Studios and Lab Studies specialism subjects.
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The ISD Studios subjects take various forms, from individual work to teamwork, and from self-initiated to externally sponsored projects.
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The Lab Studies subjects provide a unique platform for students to gain exposure to real-world research projects; to familiarise themselves with lab equipment (which is normally more research-oriented, technologically advanced and hands-on than classroom teaching materials); and to work with established and experienced researchers in the field.
In addition, a range of elective subjects is available to enable students to tailor their learning experience based on their individual interests. Students are expected to be fully committed to their studies and to work well in a studio environment.
The specialism concludes with an Industry Research Project that unites research, industry collaboration, social investigation, creative exploration, user understanding and prototype testing to provide solutions to the chosen project.
Master of Design (Smart Service Design) (SSD)
The programme begins with subjects that offer foundational knowledge of service design and advanced research skills through a combination of lectures, studios and multidisciplinary project collaboration.
The programme is followed by subjects that provide a detailed and analytical perspective on the latest socio-technical developments that affect the service economy. The Studios and Lab Studies subjects articulate diverse perspectives on service factors and service design approaches that students can use to evaluate, transform and create future services in the service sector.
The final stage of the study is where knowledge, skills and practice integrate through either a self-directed or an industry-sponsored project in each student’s area of interest. A Capstone Project, which is a significant and integrative final service project, synthesises students’ learning in a real-world setting.
Master of Design (Transitional Environments Design) (TED)
TED comprises intensively taught short courses that directly support workshop investigation. The studios and workshops take various forms, from individual work to teamwork and from self-initiated to externally sponsored projects. A range of elective subjects is available to enable students to tailor their experiences to their individual interests. Students are expected to be fully committed to the programme and to work well in the studio environment. The specialism concludes with a Capstone Project that unites research, creative exploration, user understanding and prototype testing to provide a solution to the chosen project.
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Prof. Stephen J. Wang
PhD, MA, MEng, BA, SFHEA
Common admission requirements
A standard recruitment and intake procedure is conducted to advise students on the appropriateness of particular specialisms for their personal and career development. Applicants for individual specialisms must also undertake specialism-specific interviews and meet some specialism-specific requirements (see below). Applicants are required to indicate their choice of specialism upon application.
If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the University’s minimum English language requirement for admission purpose. Please refer to the “Admission Requirements” section for details. Applicants are normally also required to demonstrate oral competence in English by means of an interview.
Specialism-specific requirements
Master of Design (Innovative Business Design)
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A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in design, business, humanities or a technological field is required, preferably along with two years of relevant professional experience.
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Candidates with other tertiary qualifications and substantial relevant professional experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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Portfolios of professional work. Before submitting their portfolios, applicants should read “Additional Documents Required”, which includes Guidance Notes on Design Portfolios.
Master of Design (Intelligent Systems Design)
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A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Design, STEM, or a related discipline, e.g. communication, psychology or anthropology, is required.
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Portfolios of design work. Before submitting their portfolios, applicants should read “Additional Documents Required”, which includes Guidance Notes on Design Portfolios.
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Candidates with tertiary qualifications complemented by international or relevant professional experience can be considered to have an advantage.
Master of Design (Smart Service Design)
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A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in design, business, humanities or a technological field is required.
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Candidates with other tertiary qualifications complemented by substantial relevant professional experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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Portfolios of professional work. Before submitting their portfolios, applicants should read “Additional Documents Required”, which includes Guidance Notes on Design Portfolios.
Master of Design (Transitional Environments Design)
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A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in spatial design, architecture, landscape design, or urban and rural design or a related discipline is required. Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related discipline, e.g. environmental studies, ecology, biology or urban studies, or an interdisciplinary field, e.g. ecological economics, environmental sociology or environmental management and technology, will also be considered.
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Candidates with other tertiary qualifications complemented by substantial relevant professional experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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Portfolios of professional work. Before submitting their portfolios, applicants should read “Additional Documents Required”, which includes Guidance Notes on Design Portfolios.
For further information on applications and admissions, please contact:
Ms Stephanie Ho
Tel: (852) 3400 3440
Email: stephanie.ho@polyu.edu.hk
For academic matters, please contact the respective Specialism Leaders:
Innovative Business Design
Dr Sylvia Liu
Tel: (852) 2766 5447
Email: sylvia.liu@polyu.edu.hk
Intelligent Systems Design
Prof. Stephen J. Wang
Tel: (852) 2766 5478
Email: stephen.j.wang@polyu.edu.hk
Smart Service Design
Dr Shera Hyunyim Park
Tel: (852) 2766 6846
Email: hyunyim.park@polyu.edu.hk
Transitional Environments Design
Prof. Laurent Gutierrez
Tel: (852) 2766 5502
Email: laurent.gutierrez@polyu.edu.hk
Notes to Applicants
- Before applying, read through the following sections on the University and School websites:
- FAQ
- Chat with Students
- Employers of MDes graduates
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Ideally, you should provide your IELTS or TOEFL report at the time when you submit your application. Otherwise, please indicate the date when your results will become available. Applications without a satisfactory English test score or availability date may not be reviewed. Please do not post your IELTS or TOEFL report to the School.
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If you are currently in your final year of study, you must provide a transcript showing your academic records up to the most recent semester. Certification of your GPA/average score is needed if this information is not shown on your transcript.
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Read the Academic Registry's 'Guide to Application Submission for Taught Postgraduate Programmes' and ensure that all relevant fields are filled out, even if you have already provided your CV. Failure to do so will cause your application to be handled as an incomplete application. We encourage applicants to provide full details of their post-secondary qualifications, together with previous and/or current employment. This information and corresponding evidence submitted via eAdmission will be used to assess whether an application meets the entrance requirements. Incomplete applications cannot be processed promptly.
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Admission places for each programme are limited; early applications to Early Round and Round 1 are advantaged.
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The School reviews applications in several admissions rounds and makes decisions on a rolling basis from late-January 2024.
6 for local students
12 for non-local students
Please click here to download.
HK$6,200 per credit for local and non-local students
As an ISD student, my journey has been filled with passion and exploration. I have always been curious about how to organically combine design and STEM. After experiencing ISD, I firmly believe it holds the key to this question, and it has led to a transformative shift in my perspective.
ISD opens up boundless possibilities in systemic design innovations. I not only learned cutting-edge theory of intelligent technologies but also had opportunities to get hands-on experience with robotic arms, turning my ideas into tangible creations. The most significant transformation came when I faced “wicked” real-world challenges. Through ISD’s teachings, I honed my ability to approach these challenges from a systemic innovation perspective. This newfound confidence has enabled me to analyse problems holistically and identify fundamental solutions.
Additionally, ISD provided invaluable opportunities for collaboration with industry partners, from automotive companies to financial institutions. Working with them gave me practical skills and deepened my understanding of the transformative potential of intelligent systems in various sectors.
In conclusion, my ISD experience has been enriching. I wholeheartedly recommend ISD to aspiring students seeking to explore the unknown and change the future world. Its interdisciplinary approach, perspective transformation and industry collaborations provide a valuable and authentic journey of professional growth.
The IBD programme cultivates students’ interdisciplinary understanding of principles in design, business and technology. Students will develop their ability to explore opportunities in businesses and industries with an emphasis on using design as a tool to facilitate whatever challenges arise. The focus of the curriculum is on promoting holistic comprehension of the project development process instead of having students merely work on a design, leading us to care very much about the “why” behind a design, what opportunities it will bring, and how it addresses issues and problems.
Our fellow students are excellent professionals from different design and educational backgrounds. Working closely with one another certainly strengthens our field of expertise and expands our knowledge and vision through cross-disciplinary team collaboration.
Industry-sponsored project opportunities are guaranteed and enable students to foster their professionalism from a practical perspective.
I strongly recommend that you join this programme if you want to progress into different or more advanced roles in your career or intend to create your own business.
A Personal Statement is similar to a cover letter for your application, addressed to the admission committee. The purpose of this page-long written statement is to convince the admission committee that you would be a good fit for the programme and contribute to the MDes community at large. You may provide an overview of your goals in applying, background, experience, research interests, career goals, and aspirations.
Letters of Recommendation
Requirement and Format
Two letters of recommendation are required, preferably one related to academic qualifications and the other to work experience. If you are in your final-year study, you could consider asking your internship supervisor/team leader for a recommendation letter. In other cases, two academic recommendations are acceptable.
Recommendations should be provided on official letterheaded paper with the recommender's name, affiliation, contact details, and signature.
Note that certification of employment is not the same as a letter of recommendation. Recommendations written specifically for admission purposes are preferred over generic reference letters.
Submission
Letters of recommendation are to be uploaded to the corresponding sections on eAdmission.
Combine multiple PDFs of academic recommendations, transcripts, and certificates from the same institution into one PDF document and upload the file according to the specific academic qualification in the "Post-secondary Qualification" section.
Work recommendations are to be uploaded according to the specific previous/current employment in the "Employment" section.
Academic Transcripts and Certificates
Evidence of your academic qualifications, i.e. full official transcripts and explanatory notes (usually printed on the back of the transcripts), and degree certificates, including the accompanying graduation statement or diploma supplement (if applicable).
For holders of academic qualifications from Mainland China, the evidence must include your Academic Credential (毕业证书), Degree Certificate (学士学位证书), a certification letter of your GPA/ average score if they are not indicated on your transcripts, and notes explaining the grading system(s) (课程绩点与等级换算关系表).
Documents not issued in English must be accompanied by certified, literal English translations provided by your institution or the awarding body. We must have your transcripts and certificates in both your native language and in English to evaluate your qualifications. We do not require applicants' original documents at the application stage. Readable scans of original documents will suffice.
Design Portfolio
Guidance Notes
A portfolio is required for all applicants to all MDes Specialisms, namely Innovative Business Design (IBD), Intelligent Systems Design (ISD), Smart Service Design (SSD), and Transitional Environments Design (TED). Please read the below General Requirements and Specialism Specific Requirements.
General Requirements
The content of your portfolio may include the most advanced design work you have done. We are interested in the process of concept development in self-initiated, experimental and commercial work. Samples of work should be accompanied by succinct descriptions where needed.
Please include your CV, and a maximum of five (5) best projects in your portfolio.
The portfolio submission should be based on a high standard of undergraduate work (especially the final-year work or advanced professional work of an equivalent level) as reflected in your portfolio. Your work is required to demonstrate a level of maturity and readiness to undertake a higher degree in design.
Upon entry to any of the Master of Design (MDes) programmes, you should be able to demonstrate:
1. prior experience and knowledge indicating the potential to achieve the competency for the MDes;
2. the potential to benefit from and contribute to the programme to which you are applying; and
3. enthusiasm and aptitude to confront various challenges in your targeted Specialism or field.
Indicate your project references (name and organisation) whenever possible. State the project type, i.e. individual or group projects. For group projects, you must clearly specify your role in the creative process.
The organisation and appearance of your portfolio should be of a professional standard.
Those with a non-design background may present design-related projects with clear research and design processes or other projects related to making, innovation or even invention. The portfolio may include concepts, idea sketches, plans, experiments, testing data, and processes related to the above.
IBD Specialism Portfolio Requirements
All applicants are required to submit a portfolio. Your portfolio is a compilation of your interests, beliefs, skills, qualifications, education, training, and experience. It provides us with insight into your personality and work ethic.
For applicants with an academic qualification in the field of design, you should prepare a design portfolio with the following items:
- three (3) most representative design/business/innovative projects;
- a maximum of two (2) recent design or innovative projects from the past two years;
- indicating the process of defining the problems, concept development, final solutions, and any validation in each showcased project;
- evidence of your domain skills and knowledge, with the information about the date, nature and your role in the work; and
- any design-related awards or public/professional recognitions.
For applicants with an academic qualification in business, humanities, or a technological field, you should prepare a self-introduction presentation including the following items:
- your most relevant experiences to convey your organisational, communication, and tangible career-related skills;
- a work philosophy where you briefly describe your beliefs about yourself and the industry;
- your career goals for the next five years; and
- examples of work efforts and projects demonstrating your skills and work experience.
ISD Specialism Portfolio Requirements
All applicants are required to submit a portfolio of work to be assessed by the ISD team. The portfolio should evidence:
- excellence of your current expertise, study area or professional activities in the fields of intelligent design and/or systemic design, including but not limited to, interaction design, experience design, product design (with intelligent components or systemic approach), or innovative design;
- your interest or ability in the fields of innovation, design, technology, and engineering; and
- your creative problem-solving abilities or relevant personal interests.
SSD Specialism Portfolio Requirements
All applicants are required to submit a portfolio that showcases design-related works made up of images, videos or writing samples that will be assessed by the SSD team. The portfolio should show your ability, motivation, and potential capacity by including:
- a minimum of three (3) most representative projects not limited to a single design domain but wide ranges from communication design, product design, experience design, business/ strategic design, as well as computing or other technological disciplines with services and service system design;
- clearly articulated process of problem framing, concept development, and final solution design that shows an intellectual engagement with the work;
- evidence of having both technical skills and knowledge with creativity and innovation; and
- personal motivations, interests or aspiration that are appropriate to the work.
TED Specialism Portfolio Requirements
All applicants are required to submit a portfolio.
For applicants with an academic qualification in spatial design, your portfolio should include urban environments projects of multiple scales and typologies, demonstrating your conceptual and technical skills in analysing and designing hybrid and composite spaces.
For applicants with an academic qualification in other related disciplines, your portfolio may be supplemented with a presentation of your research and studies on transitional and environmental challenges in cities and sustainable futures.
Format and Submission
Files via:
- PolyU eAdmission – prepare your file in PDF format under 5 MB and upload the file to "Additional Document". A maximum of one file is allowed.
- Portfolio Submission System – for files larger than 5 MB.
Link via:
- Portfolio Submission System - indicate the URL in the "Personal Website" field. We expect to be able to view your portfolio online, i.e. without needing to download the file to a local computer.
