Applicants must submit an online graduate admission application.

Students are admitted to the program only upon completion of a master's in architecture, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture, fine arts or upon the demonstration of equivalent standing. Students must be familiar with design and the arts and will be expected to demonstrate a high level of academic maturity before being admitted to the program.

The doctorate executive committee evaluates the applications and supporting materials during the spring for fall semester admissions. Admission decisions are based on the compatibility of the applicant's career goals with the purpose of the degree program, the research mission of the institute and the research interests of faculty, previous academic training and performance, GRE scores, recommendation letters and the ability of the potential mentor to devote time to the student.

The recommendations of the committee are forwarded to the program director for approval. Upon the written recommendation from the program director, the dean of the Division of Graduate Education will notify all applicants in writing of the admission decision.

In addition to submitting the online graduate admission application and meeting the Division of Graduate Education requirements, applicants must submit the following Doctorate of Philosophy application requirements online at the time of application. The application will be considered incomplete if one of these items is missing.

1. GRE scores
2. An indication of a potential mentor in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. We recommend that you email the faculty member that you feel have related research interests to introduce yourself and to inquire about their availability to be a mentor to you.
3. An indication of proposed area of concentration (design, history, theory, and criticism, or health care and healing environments).
4. A sample of sole-authored written work in English or any other evidence relevant to admission to the program (i.e., master's thesis, research paper or published articles).
5. A statement of purpose summarizing career objectives and the reasons for pursuing doctorate education.
6. Three letters of recommendation (preferably academic, although could be professional). Students will provide the names and contact information of three recommenders at the time of their online application. Recommenders will receive an e-mail with a link to the on line letter of recommendation to complete. Students are able to see which recommenders have already completed their recommendation by logging into the MyASU system and viewing their "To Do" list. Once a recommender has submitted the letter of recommendation, the recommender's name will be removed from the "To Do" list. All letters must be in English.

A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 100 iBT or 600 PBT or an overall International English Language Testing System (IELTS) band score of 7.50, with no individual band below 7.00, is required of all applicants whose native language is not English. International applicants who are interested in receiving funding as teaching assistants must take the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK), administered at ASU, and become certified. Additional information is available on the department website.

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Division of Graduate Education and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.