Design

Master in Design Application Requirements

Admission to the Master in Design program is a two-round process consisting of a written admission test and a subsequent interview for shortlisted candidates.

To be eligible, applicants must hold a bachelor's degree (or equivalent 180 ECTS). A minimum of 80 ECTS must be relevant to the chosen specialization.

(Note: Applicants for Interior Architecture must hold a relevant bachelor's degree. See General Admission Requirements for full details.)

How to Apply

Apply for a study place via the study page within the deadline.
Upload the admission test to Mitt Kristiania within the deadline.

Entrance exam

1. Application Letter

Application Letter that sets out the applicant's academic area of interest, goals, and motivation for applying to the program/specialization, as well as a preliminary description of the theme for the master's project. The heading must reflect the specialization the candidate is applying for. The application letter should include:

Motivation and goals for applying to the program.
Presentation of the desired theme for design exploration in the master's project, including the background for your interest in the theme, the theme's societal relevance, suggestions for a problem statement/research questions that delimit the theme, methods/process frameworks, and theory/knowledge base.
The theme is not binding for the entire master's period but will guide the assignment of your master's supervisor. The application letter should not exceed 800 words.

2. 3-6 Works Samples

Works Samples that demonstrate the applicant's artistic and academic level within the specialization they are applying for. Describe the themes and frameworks of the works/projects with a brief introduction. Explain the process and methods in at least one of the works. Work samples can be supplemented with attached files (e.g., video, audio, etc.) or a URL to a website where they are adequately presented.

3. Curriculum Vitae (CV)

The CV should detail education and work experience, independent artistic/design activities, and other competencies/experience.

4. Diplomas and/or Other Documentation of formal Competence in higher education

This documentation must be submitted in two places, so the admissions committee can assess the education as part of the admission evaluation, and so the formal admission requirement is documented. These documents must be stored separately in our systems.

Applicants who qualify for the second admission round through the first round will be invited to a mandatory interview and/or additional admission test in the chosen specialization. Further information will accompany the invitation to the second admission round.

Submission Guidelines

The admission test must be submitted digitally via Mitt Kristiania
Incomplete submissions will not be assessed.
You must upload one file per task/assignment.

Note: Depending on the size of the files and the speed of your network, uploading may take several minutes. We ask you to be patient, let the machine work, and not "refresh" the page or perform other actions that interrupt the upload. If you do this, you must start over completely. You will receive information about progress while uploading.

Required File Formats

The admission test must be submitted digitally via Mitt Kristiania. All four parts of the admission test must be submitted for the application to be processed.

The following rules apply for file submission:

All files, from 1 - 4 where possible, should be submitted collectively in a PDF file.
If any assignment requires moving images or audio, these must be uploaded as separate files.

Accepted Formats:

Primary Document: PDF (for compiled text/images).
Other Formats: MOV, MP4 (for video), and MP3 (for audio). JPEG is only permitted if needed as supplemental material.

Important: Incomplete submissions will not be processed.

Admission Process and Assessment

Assessment Criteria

In evaluating the submitted admission tests, the Admissions Committee applies a set of clearly defined assessment criteria. The table below specifies the criteria used for this program, the meaning attributed to each criterion, and the stages of the admission process in which they are applied.

These descriptions are intended to ensure a shared understanding among the department, the Admissions Committee, and the applicant regarding what is emphasized.

The first column, Criterion, lists the individual criteria applied.
The second column, Justification/Description, provides detailed information on the academic qualities and competencies sought when ranking applicants.
The final column, Basis for Assessment, indicates which components of the application and admission test are considered when evaluating each criterion.

All criteria carry equal weight.

CRITERION	JUSTIFICATION / DESCRIPTION	BASIS FOR ASSESSMENT
Academic motivation	The applicant's motivation for undertaking the master's programme, understanding of the design field, and ability to articulate personal and professional goals.	Assignment 1 + interview
Academic level and relevance	The applicant's prior education and/or professional experience, and the relevance of this background to the field of design.	Assignments 3, 4
Creativity and conceptual strength	The applicant's ability to generate, develop, and communicate original and conceptually strong design ideas.	Assignments 1, 2
Form and craftsmanship quality	The applicant's ability to materialise ideas through appropriate techniques, materials, and forms of expression.	Assignment 2
Reflection and theoretical understanding	The applicant's ability to situate design practice within broader cultural, social, and ethical frameworks.	Assignments 1, 2
Communication	The applicant's ability to communicate ideas and processes visually, verbally, and in writing.	Assignments 1, 2 + interview
Potential for development	The applicant's motivation and capacity for further academic and professional development throughout the master's programme.	Assignments 1, 2