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Peyton Bond, CS 22/122: 3D Digital Modeling, 2023
ADMISSIONS
The deadline to apply for Fall 2026 is December 15, 2025.
The MSDA program is a two-year MS degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Digital Arts at Dartmouth College. Students in the MSDA program come from a wide variety of backgrounds, have at least a foundation in computation/computer science and a portfolio of art/research projects. Applicants must successfully complete an undergraduate degree at any four-year college/university. Students without a strong CS background may require extra terms to finish.
Current Dartmouth students are encouraged to apply for the accelerated 4+1 MS Program. All students must have completed the equivalent of Dartmouth's COSC 1 and COSC 10 courses with a grade of B+ or better—we additionally recommend more computer science courses such as discrete math, algorithms, and software engineering. Students without a strong CS background may require extra terms to finish.
Students are expected to have majored or minored in at least one of the areas we consider a foundational area of visual computing and digital arts. These include, but are not limited to:
Computer Science
Digital Arts
Engineering
Studio Art/Design
Digital Media/Film/Animation
Computational Photography
Physics or Mathematics
Architecture
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants will apply to the MS program in Computer Science within the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies at Dartmouth and indicate their interest in Digital Arts within the application. The application requirements are summarized below from the Computer Science department.
All application materials must be submitted directly through the online application system. We do not accept paper application materials. Official transcripts should not be sent to the Guarini School office during the application process. GRE scores are not accepted as part of the application. There is an application fee of $100.
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• Language proficiency test scores are required for non-US citizens, with the exception of those who are earning or have earned a degree from institutions in the US or Canada, or whose primary language of instruction at their non-US institution was English.
• We accept TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo
• The ETS code for the Guarini School is 3351
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The Guarini School values intellectual curiosity and passion for discovery. Please write a brief essay describing your motivation and preparation for pursuing a graduate degree at Dartmouth, what research interests or advanced topics excite you the most, and how a graduate degree will further your career goals. Be sure to describe any relevant research experience(s) and/or academic preparation that might not be detailed elsewhere in your application. (1000 words max)
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3 required, up to 4 accepted.
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A copy of your resume/CV.
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Your most recent unofficial transcripts should be uploaded as part of your application. Official transcripts are not needed during the application process.
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Upload a 100-line sample of code you have written in any language. Explain in one paragraph why you chose this code.
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A computer science paper you have written for a conference, a class, or out of personal interest. If the paper is a multi-author paper choose a section that is primarily your own work, and explain your contribution.
• PhD applicants should include the entire paper.
• MS CS applicants should include two pages.
• MS DA applicants may optionally include two pages.
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Students applying to the MS in Computer Science with a Concentration in Digital Arts are required to share their portfolio link.
See the Helpful Links below for FAQ and more information.
The deadline to apply for Fall 2026 is December 15, 2025.
4+1 MS PROGRAM
Current Dartmouth students who are doing the minor in Digital Arts and have completed COSC 1 and COSC 10 can earn an MS degree in four terms or 12 credits. Six of the credits are courses in computer science and art; the other six are independent research (complete details can be found in the ORC). Students are encouraged to contact the MSDA director in the spring of their junior year and apply in their senior year. Students are also encouraged to work on projects in the DALI Lab during the year to augment their skill set (dali.dartmouth.edu). Interested students should apply using the same application materials and portal as above. No GRE required and no charge to apply. Full scholarships are available to qualifying students.
If you are interested, please contact Lorie Loeb or Nikhil Singh.
Funding
Merit-based scholarships, partial to full, are available to all accepted students.