Computing Requirements for all VPA Students

Laptops capable of running Adobe Creative Suite are recommended.

Students in the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies are required to own a personal computer with specifications sufficient to conduct research on the web, check email, write papers, and perform related tasks. Syracuse University provides all students with licenses for both Microsoft 365, which includes the Microsoft Office suite of applications, and Google's G-Suite.

A laptop computer is expected for all students in the School of Design. The school recommends laptops for their easy portability between a residence and studio space. This computing flexibility is paired with access to the Warehouse computer lab for major-specific computer courses.

During the first year, students will be required and expected to have access to Adobe Creative Cloud and Trimble SketchUp Free. We recommend subscribing to Creative Cloud Student Edition. Syracuse University provides students with Microsoft Office 365 and Google G Suite. These services are ideal for backup, group work and file sharing.

Design Studies

Students in the design studies program should follow the computing requirements for communications design; please see below.

Communications Design

The communications design major— much like the communications design industry— uses Apple Macintosh computers as their primary tool platform for getting work done. Based on our experience we offer the following guidelines as a set of minimum requirements for student computers.

Minimum Guidelines

• Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription (Academic Pricing)

• Apple MacBook Pro with 13” – 16” Display

• Minimum 16GB RAM

• Minimum 1TB SSD Storage
  Configure your machine with the most RAM and storage your budget allows.

Additional Smart Computing Tools

• Encouraged: AppleCare+Extended Warranty and Support / Buying through University Bookstore offers extended warranty with longer coverage than AppleCare

• (2) USB 3.0 Flash drive — 64GB Min

• USB C to USB Dongle

• Dedicated, external hard drive for regular, local backups, 5TB

Optional Accessories

• External Mouse

• Protective Case

Fashion Design

In the fashion design industry, Apple Macintosh computers are used as a primary tool platform for getting work done. We offer these guidelines for minimum requirements for fashion design student computers.

Minimum Guidelines

• Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription (Academic Pricing)

• Apple MacBook Pro with 13” – 16” Display

• Minimum 16GB RAM

• Minimum 512GB Hard Drive (Internal)

Additional Smart Computing Tools

• AppleCare+Extended Warranty and Support / Buying through University Bookstore offers extended warranty with longer coverage than AppleCare

• (2) USB 3.0 Flash drive — 64GB Min

• USB C to USB Dongle

• Dedicated, external hard drive for regular, local backups, 5TB

Environmental and Interior Design

Students in the EDI program need laptops that can run Adobe Creative Cloud, Autodesk AutoCAD, McNeel Rhino 3D (Windows), Trimble SketchUp, Autodesk Revit, and rendering plug-ins like Enscape (Lumion or Keyshot), Ladybug and Grasshopper.

The program and Warehouse Lab are set up to support Microsoft Windows computers, and all students will need a Windows laptop that meets or exceeds the recommended specifications starting in their second year. International students are encouraged to purchase their computer in the U.S., as it makes warranty service and support easier.

First-Year Flexibility

• Students in their first year may use a Mac they already own, since the early curriculum does not rely heavily on resource-intensive software.

• New computers purchased for Fall 2026 should follow the recommended Windows specifications.

• By the second year, all students will need a Windows laptop that meets these recommendations.

Very Important

• Mac computers cannot reliably run all the Windows-based software required in the program.

• Students should not purchase or have Mac computers beyond the first year.

• Students must ensure their computer meets the recommended specifications by their second year.

Why These Specifications Matter

• They provide a balance of performance so students can efficiently complete assignments, projects and rendering tasks over 3-4 years of the program.

• Using a computer that is too weak or underpowered will limit your ability to work on complex models, large files or real-time rendering.

Software Versions: Students must use the same versions of software as installed in the computer labs to ensure compatibility and smooth collaboration.

Note: Software and hardware requirements may change over time. These recommendations reflect the current needs of the program for Fall 2026, but students should be aware that future updates to software or the curriculum may require adjustments.

Recommended Accessories

• Mouse: Strongly recommended for CAD and 3D modeling tasks (e.g., Logitech MX Master or similar ergonomic mouse).

• External Monitor (Optional): Helpful for dual-display workflows and large projects.

• External Hard Drive: Recommended for backups and storing large files, textures and render outputs.

• Warranty: Students should purchase a three- or four-year on-site or at-home service warranty that covers hardware failure and accidental damage. On-site coverage allows a technician to come to your home or campus to repair the laptop, rather than waiting for mail-in service. This helps reduce downtime and ensures students can continue working on time-sensitive projects.

• Battery / Portability (Guideline): Look for 6-8 hours of typical use. Keep in mind that rendering or 3D modeling reduces battery life; students should plan to have access to power in studio for intensive tasks.

The following table lists the recommended laptop specifications for CAD, 3D modeling, graphic design and rendering. Use this as a guide when selecting your Fall 2026 equipment. Students and families should expect to invest $1,800 – $2,800 to ensure the laptop can handle all required software and projects for the next 3-4 years.

Additional GPU Tier Guidance

The GPU (graphics processor) is a critical component for 3D modeling, real-time rendering, and viewport performance. It controls how smoothly 3D programs run, especially with large models and complex visuals. A more powerful GPU improves render speed, model responsiveness, and overall workflow efficiency, but can increase the cost of the laptop.

Industrial and Interaction Design

Students in the IID program typically use computers for various tasks, such as researching project topics, working collaboratively, creating posters that share information, digitally sketching and rendering, modeling in 3D (CAD-Computer Aided Design), and visualizing renderings and animations.

For digital sketching, it is recommended that students have a digital pen that works with a tablet or with their laptop and that they install Sketchbook Pro or Procreate.

A laptop (with Microsoft Windows OS) able to run applications such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Autodesk products, Figma, SolidWorks, Rhino 3D, and KeyShot supporting all design processes in the curriculum is needed.

An external three-button mouse for CAD and protective case complements the equipment.

Acting, Drama, Musical Theater, and Stage Management Majors 

• Computer (laptop or tablet) with good wireless and video conferencing capabilities. Audio and video recording and editing capability strongly recommended.

• Headphones, earbuds, or AirPods.

Theater Design and Technology Majors

Students may use either an Apple Mac or Windows PC with the specifications given below.

Windows PC

*Note: Higher core counts and higher CPU speeds mean faster performance.

Examples of PCs that meet these requirements:

• Dell XPS 15 (2024 model) – Intel Core i7-12800H, 16GB RAM, Nvidia RTX 3070, 512GB SSD - $2,099

• HP Spectre x360 (2024 model) – Intel Core i7-13800H, 16GB RAM, Nvidia RTX 3060, 512GB SSD - $1,899

• Lenovo Legion 7 (2024 model) – AMD Ryzen 7 7800H, 16GB RAM, Nvidia RTX 3080, 512GB SSD - $2,199

• ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024 model) – AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS, 16GB RAM, Nvidia RTX 3070, 512GB SSD - $1,999

• MSI GS66 Stealth (2024 model) – Intel Core i7-13800H, 16GB RAM, Nvidia RTX 3080, 512GB SSD - $2,299

Apple Mac

Examples of Apple Macs that meet these requirements:

• Apple MacBook Pro 14” - M3 Pro (11-core CPU, 14-core GPU), 18 GB Unified Memory (RAM), 512 GB SSD Storage - $1,849

• MacBook Air 13” - M3 chip (8‑core CPU, 10‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine), 16 GB Unified Memory (RAM), 512 GB SSD Storage - $1,499

• MacBook Air 15” - M3 chip (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine), 16 GB Unified Memory (RAM), 512 GB SSD Storage - $1,699

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you have questions, please contact your program coordinator or assistant program coordinator.

Acting

Katie McGerr kemcgerr@syr.edu

Thom Miller tmiller@syr.edu

Musical Theater

Brian Cimmet bcimmet@syr.edu

Kathleen Wrinn kawrinn@syr.edu

Stage Management

Don Buschmann dgbuschm@syr.edu

Theater Management

Jim Clark jaclark@syr.edu

Jill Anderson jianders@syr.edu

Theater Design & Technology

Carmen Martinez cmarti46@syr.edu

Rob Andrusko randrusk@syr.edu 

Students in the Setnor School of Music are required to own a personal laptop computer to access course materials, research music concepts, strengthen music theory and aural skills, collaborate with classmates, and communicate with faculty. Student computers should be capable of word processing, e-mail, internet browsing, music notation and audio/midi/video editing. While the school supports student use of both Apple Mac and Windows PC platforms, it is strongly recommended that students consider purchasing an Apple MacBook Pro. In terms of music notation, MuseScore (free) is recommended for all students, and composition students in particular are strongly encouraged to consider investing in a more professional program by their second year, such as Sibelius or Dorico. Syracuse University provides all students with a license to Microsoft 365 at no cost, which includes the Office suite, and students should have the Office software installed on their personal laptop.

All film and media arts majors receive a personal-device license of AdobeCreative Cloud to install and use the Creative Cloud software on a personally-owned computer while enrolled in FMA courses. Based on the current licensing agreement with Adobe, which is subject to change, enrolled students have year-round subscriptions. 

After the first year, some additional software purchases may be required based on course of study and are included in course syllabi. Apple and Adobe products are available at academic discounts from the SU Bookstore. 

The following are the minimum required computer specifications.

Art Photography Majors

• Required computer (minimum): Apple 14” or 16” MacBook Pro, 10 or 12-Core CPU

• Recommended external hard drive: 1 TB 

Computer Art and Animation Majors

• Required computer (minimum): Dell Alienware, G-Series or other PC gaming laptop with 16GB RAM, 1 TB internal storage, and NVidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics as minimum specs. 

• Autodesk Maya. Autodesk offers free software downloads to members of their Education Community.

Film Majors

• Required computer (minimum): Apple 14” or 16” MacBook Pro 10 or 12-Core CPU

• Recommended External Hard Drives: Rugged 1 TB Type-C interface

• Recommended Editing Hard Drive: 1 TB 7200 RPM Type-C interface 

• Additional Recommended Software: DaVinci Resolve (free download)