Apply to our Postgraduate Programme in Design Research
The Postgraduate Programme in Design Research is a post-Master course. If you are interested in joining, please prepare your administrative and personal files as PDFs in English and send them by email to education@epfl‑ecal-lab.ch.
The next deadline for applications is April 15th 2025.
Administrative File
Your administrative file should contain:
- A copy of passport or identity card
- A copy of your Master’s degree (or equivalent certificate), diploma supplement and transcripts (an authentic translation is required for non-latin languages)
- For foreigners who already live in Switzerland: your residence permit
Personal File
Your personal file must contain the following documents in English:
Your Résumé
Submit a brief résumé/curriculum vitae summarising your academic qualifications, relevant work experience, volunteer/community work, travel, exhibitions, public speaking, or any other relevant experiences as they may relate to your field of study, including dates and positions held. Please also note any special language or computer skills that you have.
A Statement of Purpose
Please outline your reasons for applying to this programme. In what ways will you contribute to the lab and its research themes? You should include a thoughtful description of your background, your professional goals, and how this graduate programme will help you realise those goals. Pease address anticipated opportunities and challenges in pursuing the degree and future career expectations upon completion of the programme (500–750-word limit).
Your Portfolio
Your portfolio should be a visual and narrative reflection of the work listed on your résumé. Your projects and portfolio pieces should tell a story about you and what is important to you. Your selection of projects should make the case for why you are a good fit for the Postgraduate Programme in Design Research. We are not looking for a particular type of work, nor do we require examples of digital works. It is up to you to decide which work is most representative of your thinking. Be honest and submit the work you think is your best. Any and all media are acceptable, whether in the commercial design, fine art, or non-design realms.
Admission
Candidates come from a range of backgrounds. In order to be accepted on the course, you require a Master’s degree or equivalent foreign certificate in:
- Interaction design
- Visual communication with digital media competences
- Industrial and product design with digital media competences
- Engineering with digital media competences and visual culture
- Architecture with digital media competences
Fluency in written and spoken English is also essential. French is not a requirement.
Our postgraduate programme enables students to develop knowledge in disciplines such as design research methodologies, prototyping tools, UX psychology practices and ethics, while working on a real-life research project. Joining a multi-functional team, they collaborate on a daily basis with senior designers, engineers and psychologists. Team spirit always matters at the lab! We look forward to hearing from you.