For Prospective Students

Garden bed planted to show a gold M surrounded by maroon.

Design is everywhere. Whenever you use your smartphone, navigate a building, visit a website, or explore a public park, you are experiencing the power of design. As our society grapples with increasingly complex issues, designers are uniquely positioned to act as problem solvers. No matter your background or experience, if you are interested in tackling challenges, bringing new perspectives and ideas into the spotlight, and pursuing your curiosity, then the College of Design is for you.

Minneapolis skyline from East Bank campus.
Why the Twin Cities?

The vibrant metropolitan community in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul is recognized as one of the major design centers in the United States. This is the place to jump-start your career. Our diverse business community and wide-reaching alumni network provide unparalleled opportunities for internships, volunteering, networking, and employment.

Explore Our Programs

From accredited undergraduate degrees to post-baccalaureate certificates and doctoral studies, we offer multi-disciplinary options for every type of design student.

Apparel design students standing before mannequins and holding clothing.
Three students walking on campus.
Apply Now

Get hands-on experience, build working relationships with professionals, and learn how you can launch a career in design.

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Costs and Financing

As you make plans for college expenses it is important to consider the full cost of attendance, which is the sum of tuition and fees, housing, course materials (such as textbooks) and personal expenses. When applying for financial aid, the University will use this cost of attendance figure to calculate your financial aid package. 

To help you estimate your cost of attendance, the University has put together several tools. The first is One Stop’s Cost of Attendance Estimate Chart, which is updated yearly and acts as an example of what costs to consider as you are creating your estimate. The second is the Net Price Calculator, which provides an estimate of need-based financial aid you might qualify for is you are a full-time undergraduate students.

Once you have created your cost of attendance estimate you should explore your financial aid options. Information about eligibility, as well as applying for and receiving financial aid can be found on One Stop Student Services and the Federal Student Aid website

Design Justice

The College of Design is committed to creating space, policies, and practices within our college that support the inclusion and retention of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and other underinvested communities. The Design Justice Initiative is strategizing, prioritizing, and creating initiatives to further our vision and mission.

Racism Untaught workboard
Design students touring an off-site facility.
Beyond the Classroom

With over 1,000 student groups and organizations, weekly events like Maroon and Gold Fridays, and annual campus-wide events such as Homecoming, there is always something going on and plenty of opportunities to explore your interests.

 

Design Research

As a top-tier research university, the University of Minnesota offers unique opportunities for conducting research as part of your academic career. From examining alternatives to juvenile incarceration to improving the fit of surgical gloves, faculty and students from across the college are working at the forefront of design research and creative scholarship.

Compression Garments prototype from the wearable technology lab