BA/BS in Interdisciplinary Design (BDes) is a bachelor's degree in Arts, Design & Architecture programme offered by NSCAD University in Halifax, Canada. The programme runs for 4 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 827 per credit (CAD 352 per credit for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Bachelor's Degree
Field:Arts, Design & Architecture
Duration: 4 years
Local tuition: CAD 352 / credit
International tuition: CAD 827 / credit
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This Bachelor of Design program runs four years at NSCAD's Fountain Campus in Halifax and combines instructor-led coursework with individually directed research and study. It examines how people, technology, and aesthetics intersect to address social and environmental challenges, covering design thinking and visualization methods, user experience and interface strategies, typography, illustration, and both digital and physical prototyping across graphic, interactive, product, and service design. Student projects range from posters, logos, books, and animations to interactive websites, apps, physical products, packaging, and exhibits. All students begin with a foundation year introducing the disciplines taught across NSCAD, before moving into six major design studios that form the program's core, with electives allowing further specialization. It suits students drawn to a broad, cross-disciplinary approach to design rather than a single medium. Graduates go on to roles such as creative director, product or industrial designer, illustrator, advertising or marketing executive, and user experience or interface designer, and the degree is described as leading to leadership positions across creative and new-media industries.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:70.00 / %
Admission Requirements: The Interdisciplinary Design programme page defers to NSCAD University's general undergraduate admission requirements rather than stating separate criteria. Applicants completing high school need Grade 12 (or the highest grade required for secondary graduation) with an overall average of at least 70%, including a minimum of 70% in Grade 12 English; an International Baccalaureate Diploma of at least 24 points is accepted, and CEGEP applicants need one full year of a DEC with a 70% average. All applicants must submit a portfolio and sketchbook. Applicants whose prior schooling was not in English must demonstrate proficiency: TOEFL iBT 90 (no section below 20), IELTS Academic 6.5 (no band below 6.0), PTE Academic 70 (no score below 65), CAEL 69 (no part below 60), Duolingo English Test 120 (no sub-score below 110), or Oxford ELLT 7 (no band below 6).
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:NSCAD considers applications year-round but gives priority to applicants who meet its posted deadlines: for September 2027 (Fall) entry, applications open 1 October 2026, entrance-scholarship consideration requires applying by 1 March 2027, the extended international deadline is 1 May 2027, and the extended domestic deadline is 31 July 2027; transfer applicants have until 1 June 2027. For January 2027 (Winter) entry, international, domestic and transfer applications are due 1 October 2026, with an extended domestic deadline of 30 November 2026. Graduate programmes (MFA, MDes, MAAE) begin only in September, opening 1 October 2026, with early deadlines of 1 November 2026 and a final deadline of 15 January 2027. Late applications for any term may still be considered on request, making admission effectively rolling around these posted dates. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
