M.S. in Industrial Design

The Master of Science in Industrial Design is a research-oriented program which focuses on current issues and new problem areas in industrial design, and puts special emphasis on the multidisciplinary character of the field. The program is intended for applicants who wish to pursue academic careers in industrial design, and for those who wish to develop design-related research and organizational skills for their professional career.

In addition to industrial design graduates, the program welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, such as other fields of design, the fields of engineering, management and social sciences. Graduates of other disciplines are required to follow a deficiency program, which involves undergraduate courses through which they develop an understanding of the industrial design activity, including the terminology, techniques, and communication skills.

Ph.D. in Industrial Design

The Department offers a Ph.D. Program in Industrial Design for applicants with a Master’s degree, and an Integrated Ph.D. Program in Industrial Design for those with a Bachelor’s degree. The programs are offered to applicants seeking an academic career in industrial design and are research oriented. The Ph.D. thesis aims at a comprehensive and explicit account of the conduct and findings of an original research study. A critical appraisal of prior research, and close attention to the principles and practice of research methodology are essential. The conduct of a single, major systematic investigation and the delivery of an original and substantial contribution to knowledge are required.

The Ph.D. program is a total of four years for those who hold a Master’s degree. The students are expected to complete their courses within four semesters, and to take the doctoral qualifying examination on their fifth semester, and their thesis proposal defense the following semester. Students who pass their defense present their research work once every semester to the Thesis Supervising Committee until the thesis is completed.

To Apply

Applications to the Industrial Design MSc and PhD programs are made through METU Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, not directly to the Department of Industrial Design. Applications are accepted twice a year: in the Spring (to commence studies in the Fall semester) and in the Fall (to commence studies in the Spring semester).

If you are interested in applying to our graduate programs, we encourage you to browse our staff members’ web pages to review their research expertise and interests. You may also refer to the ‘Research’ tab on our Departmental web page to learn about our Department’s research areas, completed theses and design research conference organization. 

We welcome enquiries from prospective graduate students, especially if you have a particular research focus in mind for your thesis. In this respect, you may email relevant staff members before you make your application.

To prepare your application, please consult the latest information on the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences website, particularly under the ‘Admission’ tab. The following direct links should also be consulted.

• Industrial Design MSc and PhD Application and Evaluation Criteria 
• ALES-GRE Equivalence Table
• English Language Examination Equivalence Table

Courses

Graduate courses offered by the Department of Industrial Design are listed in the METU Academic Catalog. The courses offered each semester vary.

Please view the currently offered courses and schedule to learn about which courses are offered in the current semester here.