In New Design Studio, like many other labs in the Department of Design at UNIST, we aim to strike a balance between being excellent design practitioners and diligent design researchers. This means in practice that we work with various industry and governmental partners to create short- and long-term impact, while also striving to contribute to knowledge production by engaging with the academic community. This ambition is embedded in everything we do in NDS, but especially for the life of master’s students.
At UNIST, like other three public universities dedicated to research in science and technology in Korea, all master’s students are expected to be financially supported by their supervising professor (see below: financial support). This means that both the student and her or his professor make a two-year commitment to each other, creating a tight relationship that is perhaps not found in other schools where such commitment is not necessary.
For the aforementioned reasons, it is of utmost importance for prospective students to learn as much as possible about their potential supervising professor, their research interests, and their funding sources before applying. In other words, it is beneficial for both the student and professor to align their goals and interests and set shared expectations for the two years of study.
Please contact prof. Seungho Park-Lee if and when you’re interested in pursuing master’s study in NDS with your CV and/or portfolio. A prospective student is allowed to have one meeting – and one meeting only for fairness – so be ready to answer to questions related to study and future plans, and to ask informed questions.
New Design Studio only considers international applicants with TOPIK level 4 or higher (over 150 points) unless the applicant has a crystal clear and realistic academic-research plan with access to empirical data. TOPIK level 4 is a standard graduation requirement in many universities in Korea for international students, as this ensures basic comprehension in courses and project meetings.
Once accepted and enrolled, a master’s student receives financial support partially from UNIST and mostly by the professor. As of March 2023, the financial support for master’s students at UNIST is between 800,000 (minimum) and 2,200,000 KRW (maximum) per month, plus the stipend UNIST and/or your study program may support. The total amount per month varies depending on the number of projects and your involvement in them.
With the financial support comes students responsibilities. Students are required to work in one or more lab projects whether practical or academic throughout their master’s studies, as well as working as a teaching assistant at least for a semester.