Admissions
Applicants of the doctoral program in Media & Design Innovation should have a demonstrated capacity to undertake advanced research and practice through completion of a master's degree (MFA, MDes, MA, MSc) or other masters degree in a relevant field with a minimum GPA of 3.33/4.33 (B+).
Applicants who did not complete their Bachelor's or Master's degree in the English Language will be required to submit an English Language Proficiency Test Score.
Admissions Deadlines
Domestic Applications
Applications for Fall 2025:
Full Time - OPEN
Part Time - OPEN
We recommend submitting your application, including all supporting documents, via the online portal before the First Consideration Deadline:
January 20, 2025.
Applications will be accepted until the program has filled all available spots in the program and the waitlist.
International Applications
Applications for Fall 2025:
Full Time - OPEN
Part Time - N/A
You should submit your application, including all supporting documents, via the online portal by the Preferred Deadline:
December 1, 2024.
Applications will be accepted until the First Consideration Deadline: January 20, 2025 or until the program is full.
Admissions Timeline
The program will begin reviewing applications as early as December for International applicants and January for Domestic applicants.
Offers of admission will begin mid-to-late-March and continue throughout the spring and summer until the program is full.
Program Information Session
When: November 28 at 5:30pm
Where: Virtual on Zoom
Admissions Q&A session
Do you have questions about applying to one of The Creative School graduate programs? Join our graduate program administration team to get answers.
Join us every Tuesday at 12 PM.
Sessions coming up:
- November: 5, 12, 19 & 26 at 12:00 PM
- December: 3, 10 & 17 at 12:00 PM
Program Information Session Recording | Nov 2023
Admission Requirements
A statement of 500-1000 words should address the following:
- Applicant’s reasons for pursuing doctoral studies in Media & Design Innovation
- A creative research project they wish to pursue in a practice-based dissertation.
- How their previous studies and experience have prepared them for this program
- Their career objectives and how this degree program relates to them
Include all applicable work experience and publications.
Letters of recommendation must come directly from the referee. At least one recommendation letter must be from a professor familiar with the student’s work. Student submitted copies will not be accepted.
Official transcripts are required from every degree granting institution the student has attended.
The interdisciplinary admissions committee requires documentation of both creative and written work as follows:
Visual samples of creative work not exceeding fifteen works/slides (jpegs) or documentation of project prototypes and online video samples of time-based work with links. Video clips are limited to a total of ten minutes in length.
Published articles, reports, a thesis chapter, book chapters, etc. Not to exceed 15 pages.
The examples of work submitted should be related to an investigation of the intended research problem as identified in the statement of interest. For guidelines on other forms of support material please contact the program director.
Applicants are advised to obtain the support of a potential supervisor before applying to the program OR to provide the names of one or two faculty members affiliated with the program that they would like to work with in their online application.
Financing your Studies
Admissions Awards
No application required, awarded based on your admissions application.
The program provides a minimum of $20,000 per year in funding to Full-Time students.
This funding is provided as a combination of one or more of the following:
- Awards or scholarships
- Graduate Assistantships
- Research Assistantships
- Other paid opportunities
Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) / Toronto Met Graduate Scholarship (TMGS)
- $15,000 award for one year.
- Eligible applicants will be notified by the program to submit an application around February/March.
- For students with an A- in each of the last two years of completed study.
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Canada Graduate Scholarship - Doctoral (CGS-D) and Postgraduate Scholarships - Doctoral (PGS D)
- CGS-D : $40,00 award per year for 36 months
- PGS -D : $40,000 per years for 12, 24, 36, or 48 months
- For Domestic applicants (visit website for full details)
- Application deadline is Oct 1, award is granted for the following Fall term.
Bridging Divides (BD) Entrance Scholarship
- Bridging Divides (BD) offers a limited number of stipends to full-time Master's and PhD students studying or applying to study at Toronto Metropolitan University on a topic related to one of Bridging Divide’s four research themes.
- Up to $30,000 per year for domestic and $40,000 for international.
- Renewable for up to a total of four years, subject to annual review of the student’s progress and the availability of funds.
- Available to current and incoming PhD students in a Toronto Metropolitan University PhD program.
- Application Deadline: February 1, 2025.
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship
- Up to $50,000 per year for three years to cover tuition and reasonable living expenses. Up to $20,000 per year for three years as a research, networking and travel allowance related to the Scholar's doctoral research.
- Awarded to students whose field of study is broadly related to the humanities and social sciences or human sciences and is directly relevant to the future of Canada.
- Available to Canadian students studying at a Canadian or international university, or international students studying at a Canadian university. At the time of application, you must be in the process of completing a Master's program (completed no later than summer 2025), or be in the first or second year of a doctoral program.
- Deadline to submit references: November 20, 2024.
- Deadline to apply directly to the Foundation: Novevmber 25, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
You Belong at The Creative School
As a student in the Media & Design Innovation PhD program, you'll be part of The Creative School, a dynamic faculty offering 27 degree programs in media, design and creative industries. Through global experiences and transdisciplinary opportunities, our students emerge as some of the most in demand and employable graduates anywhere.