The MA by Research in Design offers the opportunity to pursue research opportunities in all aspects of design practice, design scholarship, and research. The Lincoln School of Design provides a supportive academic environment in which to conduct postgraduate study and this course has been designed to prepare graduates to embark on further study at doctoral level, as well as for careers in teaching and a wide range of other fields.

The core of the programme is a design project, for which you will submit a proposal at application stage and identify two academic supervisors, with whom you'll meet regularly for feedback and advice. Due to the nature of postgraduate research, a significant amount of time will be spent in independent study. Your MA by Research project might cross disciplinary boundaries-design projects often do-and focus on multiple subject areas: in such cases, we will support you through the allocation of supervisors in relevant fields.

How You Study

The core of the programme is a design project, for which you will submit a proposal at application stage and identify two academic supervisors, with whom you'll meet regularly for feedback and advice. Due to the nature of postgraduate research, a significant amount of time will be spent in independent study. Your MA by Research project might cross disciplinary boundaries-design projects often do-and focus on multiple subject areas: in such cases, we will support you through the allocation of supervisors in relevant fields.

Due to the nature of postgraduate research programmes, the majority of time is spent in independent study and research. Students will have meetings with their academic supervisor at least once a month, but the precise frequency of these will vary depending on individual requirements, subject area, staff availability, and stage of programme. Students will also have the opportunity to attend talks and seminars, and to engage with other research-related activities throughout their degree.

How You Are Assessed

With the help of dedicated skills sessions, and under the guidance of academic supervisors, students will be expected to produce a body of practical design work and a supporting critical commentary of at least 10,000 words. We can support a wide range of practical design projects and examples may include a prototype for a product, a graphic advertising campaign, an app, furniture, clothing, or an interactive environment.

Career Opportunities