Welcome to the Master of Design (MDes) program. You’re probably excited or maybe just a little nervous. Maybe you’ve already started reading the website, imagining what the year will look like. I did the same thing.
Here’s what I wish someone had told me. You’ll come in thinking you know what design is. You’ll leave realizing you had no idea. Through the time I’ve spent in this program I’ve pitched to investors and failed. I’ve sat in rooms where I felt like an outsider. I’ve argued with classmates and questioned myself. I’ve built things I’m proud of and abandoned things that weren’t working. I’ve learned more about who I am as a designer than I ever thought possible. So here are three things I want you to know.
Clara Morrow, Master of Design (MDes) student and Marketing Ambassador
You will spend more time in uncertainty than in answers. That’s not a flaw in the program. That’s the program. The best moments of learning happen when the original plan stops making sense. When you want to rush to a solution, pause. Sit in the mess. That’s where the real work happens.
Secondly, let people challenge you. You’ll get feedback that stings. You’ll get feedback that feels wrong. You’ll get feedback that makes you question everything. Take it in. Not all of it is useful. But some of it will change how you see your own work. Learn to tell the difference. And when you find people who push you to be better, keep them close.
Thirdly, define your own success. This program isn’t one program. It’s each individual student’s different programs happening at the same time. Everyone wants something different. Some want a process. Some want outcomes. Some want to build. Some want to reflect. You can’t optimize for everyone. You can only define what you’re here for and let others do the same.
The MDes isn’t just a degree. It’s a transformation in which you will leave with skills, a new mindset and the desire to change the world. You’ll leave with clarity about who you are and what you want to build. You’ll leave with relationships that last beyond the program. You’ll leave knowing that you can handle uncertainty, that you can lead, that you can create work that matters.
Clara Morrow
Masters of Design Student, Marketing Ambassador