- The province of the PhD is the exploration of new territories of design research, contributions to the knowledge base of the discipline, and steps toward the redefinition of aspects of design. The program also develops advanced technical research skills to prepare for a career in industry, academia and other settings in which systematic and critical analytical skills are required.
- Research is conducted through designing and the process of designing as a means of increasing knowledge. Candidates are supported and engaged in communities of practice where learning is fundamentally a social phenomenon; where knowledge is integrated in the life of these communities that share interests, ideas, discourses, ways of doing things and exploring the boundaries of design thinking.