
General Information
Advising & Program Contacts
Program advisors are assigned upon admission based on your area of interest and availability. Advisors must be members of the graduate faculty who are approved to advise graduate students. Once you become familiar with our faculty, you will have the option to change advisors with the approval of the director of graduate studies if the new advisor is available and willing.
Graduate Program Director: Brad Holschuh
Graduate Program Coordinator: Karen McCray
Examining Committees
Based on your graduate program, you may also need to form an examining committee as part of your degree. This committee is formed by each student in consultation with their advisor. You should discuss appropriate examining committee members with your advisor, then make an appointment to ask the proposed committee members if they would be willing and available to serve on your examining committee.
Graduate Planning & Audit System (GPAS)
The University’s Graduate Planning & Audit System is your best tool for acheiving timely graduation. The system allows you to plan future coursework and view degree progress.
Questions?
Contact your advisor, program coordinator, or learn more about registration, changing advisors, forming examining committees in the Design Graduate Program Student Handbook.
Commonly Requested Documents
Committee & Program
Contracts & Curriculum
- Contract for Directed Studies and Readings
- Course Substitutions and Allocation
- Dissertation Contract
- Incomplete Contract
- MFA Thesis Guidelines
- Transfer Credit Approval
- To request a previous or upcoming class syllabus contact Sue Finnegan at [email protected]. For product design related class syllabi contact Amanda Smoot at [email protected].
Evaluations
- Teaching/Research Assistantship Evaluation
- Fall Graduate Assistant Evaluation: Due December 20
- Spring Graduate Assistant Evaluation: Due May 24
- Graduate Student Annual Review
- Preliminary Written Exam Scheduling Form
Program Planning Documents
University-wide Student Resources
Career & Employment
Design Justice
Design Justice 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 historically underinvested communities.
Mental Health Advocates
The College of Design Mental Health Advocates (MHA) are not counselors. MHAs are trained to identify and respond to students in distress, and refer them to possible resources. MHAs focus on mental health concerns of students but are available to talk with faculty and staff.
Mental Health Resources
The College of Design is committed to supporting the mental health of its faculty, staff, and students. Support resources can be found at mentalhealth.umn.edu, a comprehensive central hub that contains helpful information for all members of the College of Design and University community.