Course overview

The MA Design has design thinking and innovation at its centre. You develop key research methodologies exploring research and practice-based design solutions that respond to the changing needs of society. Students across all design disciplines and those from other disciplines are challenged in developing innovative solutions to real-world scenarios.

This interdisciplinary, intertextual course enables you to explore the skills you need right across design – you direct your own higher level study in your chosen field, from fashion to industrial design, through your own major project. The programme embeds your development through live projects or internships with optional modules in specific design areas.

You learn through initiatives and activities that stimulate and develop creative practice, problem-solving, manufacture and distribution. Thinking, making and observation are applied to practical and social contexts. Your playful and fictional approaches are encouraged through workshops and connections with international events and research projects. The course is delivered by a diverse range of staff with internationally recognised profiles in research and practice. You take an interdisciplinary approach to creative problem solving by sharing creative solutions with experienced practitioners across our School – from wearable tech in garments to growing fabrics – pushing the boundaries in design thinking. You consider the many opportunities to create impact though design, learning to mix contemporary practice and thinking to solve real-world problems.

The one-year programme is a great option if you want to gain a traditional master's qualification. The two-year master’s degree with advanced practice enhances your qualification by adding a vocational or research based internship to the one-year master’s programme. A vocational internship is a great way to gain work experience and give your CV a competitive edge. A research internship provides you with the opportunity to develop your analytical, team-working, research and academic skills by working alongside a research team in an academic setting. We guarantee a research internship, but cannot guarantee a vocational internship. We will, however, provide you with practical support and advice on how to find and secure your own vocational internship position should you prefer this type of internship.

How you are assessed

We use a variety of assessment methods throughout the modules, as specified in the module handbooks. These are primarily in-course assessments, where you submit work during the module rather than sit timed exams at the end.

The modules are generally project based and primarily assessed through appraising a portfolio of work, often accompanied by a verbal presentation. Design work is largely developmental – you are assessed on the process you use to achieve your solutions as well as the result, so it is essential that you provide clear evidence of your development work.

Career opportunities

As a graduate you have the opportunity to go on to a range of design-related employment, develop new enterprise propositions or receive project funding to take your ideas to market.

You can work across a broad range of design-related employment requiring specialist digital knowledge and skills. Further study at doctoral level is also an option.