Design, Environment and the Arts (Digital Culture in Design), PhD
Art, design, digital, engineering, media
ASU is not currently accepting applications to this program.
The PhD program in design, environment and the arts with a concentration in digital culture in design focuses on the role of computational systems in enhancing creativity and the quality of human design. Graduates of the program should be thinkers as well as doers; they should learn to question the existing paradigms that govern the digital world as they impact design and the arts; they should be able to analyze systematically how digital tools affect the way designers and artists think, conceptualize, create and evaluate their designs and artwork; and, as a result, they should be able to come to a unique synthesis, leading the way in these fields.
This concentration program primarily explores the impact of digital culture on how built environments, products and visual communications are designed and analyzed by design professionals and are utilized by their intended audience. Students should be able to systematically question existing paradigms and ontologies of digital tools, evaluate the new paradigms that emerge as a result of digital culture, and propose new frameworks for design disciplines. Issues such as user interface design for new products, computer simulation of the performance of buildings and products, the effects of digital tools on architectural form giving, digital design processes, better incorporation of human factors into design tools, usability and interaction design are some examples of faculty expertise and areas of focus.
- College/school:
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
- Location: Tempe
84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation
Required Core (6 credit hours) Required Concentration (12 credit hours) Other Requirements (30 credit hours) Research and Approved Electives (24 credit hours) Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information Of the 54 credit hours remaining after the master's degree, 12 must be dissertation credit and 12 may be research. These 24 credit hours plus the remaining 30 credit hours must be completed after admission to the program. No transfer credits are allowed to fulfill the 54 credit hour minimum requirement completed after admission to the program. The student is required to take 12 credit hours in the concentration and a minimum of nine credit hours of specialized coursework outside the concentration; a minimum of six credit hours in current research and research methods is required. Each student entering the program is required to submit a plan of study during the first year.
EPD 700 Research Methods (3)
EPD 710 Current Research in Design (3)
a previously awarded master's degree or approved relevant coursework (30)
EPD 799 Dissertation (12)
Students must be thoroughly familiar with design and the arts and are expected to demonstrate a high level of academic maturity before being admitted to the program. Up to 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree can count toward the requirements of the doctoral program.
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 the field of architecture, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture, arts media or engineering 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 applicants 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
- GRE scores
- three letters of recommendation
- a statement of purpose summarizing career objectives and the reasons for pursuing doctoral education
- an indication of proposed area of concentration (design, history, theory and criticism; digital culture in design; or health care and healing environments)
- an indication of a potential mentor
- a sample of sole-authored written work in English or any other evidence relevant to admission to the program (i.e., master's degree thesis, research paper or published articles)
- 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. A TOEFL iBT score of at least 100 or an overall IELTS band score of 7.50, with no individual band below 7.00, is required of all applicants whose native language is not English.
International applicants who are interested in receiving funding as teaching assistants must take the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit, administered at ASU and become certified. Additional information is available on the department website.
ASU does not accept the GRE® General Test at home edition.
Students are admitted to the program only upon completion of a degree in architecture, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture or fine arts, or upon the demonstration of equivalent standing. Applicants must be familiar with design and the arts and are expected to demonstrate a high level of academic maturity before being admitted to the program.
The letters of recommendation preferably would be academic, although they could be professional. Applicants are to provide the names and contact information of three recommenders at the time of their online application. Recommenders will receive an email with a link to the online letter of recommendation to complete. Applicants are able to see which recommenders have already completed their recommendation by logging into the My ASU system and viewing their To Do list. Once a recommender has submitted the letter of recommendation, the recommender's name is removed from the To Do list. All letters must be in English.
Applicants should identify a proposed research topic or list of possible topics that aligns with the research mission of the program and the research interests of faculty.
Applicants must have identified a doctoral program faculty member who has agreed to serve as a mentor. The faculty mentor should be from the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Students should introduce themselves by email to the faculty members who they feel have related research interests and to inquire about their availability to be mentors.
The application is considered incomplete if any of the application items is missing.
The doctoral executive committee evaluates the applications and supporting materials. Admission decisions are based on the ability of the potential mentor to devote time to the student; the compatibility of the applicant's career goals with the purpose of the degree program; GRE scores; previous academic training and performance; recommendation letters; and the research mission of the institute and the research interests of faculty. The recommendations of the committee are forwarded to the program director for approval. Upon the written recommendation from the program director, the dean of the Graduate College notifies all applicants in writing of the admission decision.
Dean, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
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CDN 162E
designgrad@asu.edu
480-965-3536
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
