Develop insight into the use of design as a strategic resource to drive innovation and solve complex, global problems
MA Design Innovation considers how design acts as a catalyst for innovation, leading to new products, services and user experiences. It focusses on design thinking approaches, to address contemporary societal and business challenges to develop a rich understanding of where design can add value. It will provide you with the skills to ...
1 year full-time
MA Design Innovation comprises of five units, totalling 180 credits.
This unit introduces an applied understanding of how design can be used as an iterative process for creative problem solving. It will enable you to understand how to apply design thinking processes to your specialist area through understanding users, challenging assumptions, redefining problems and creating innovative solutions to prototype and test. The unit will also provide a broad introduction to research methodologies, strategic research planning and research design. A range of design thinking tools will be introduced and explored before you undertake an in-depth project that provides opportunities for experimentation leading to innovative solutions.
This unit introduces the core principles of design innovation and develops a broad understanding of how design can be used as a strategic resource to drive innovation. It will explore a range of design processes and expose their application in different project settings. An interrogation of the spectrum of design innovation approaches will enable you to develop knowledge and skills in their use in academic and professional contexts. It will also develop knowledge of how design strategy and management can be used as a strategic resource in the public and private sectors and as a result enable you to be able to critically analyse the role of design in potential political, economic, socio-cultural and technological futures.
This unit provides an in-depth understanding of the scope, nature and role of how design can be used to shape the future. A series of future-focussed tools will be explored from a creative perspective to understand how to employ design as a catalyst for new products, services and experiences that address contemporary societal and business-related challenges. It also will examine the role of design at strategic, tactical and operational levels and support an understanding of the relationship of the user to strategic goals over a range of time horizons. The unit will culminate in design provocations that demonstrate how design can engage with multiple futures that blend technology and business needs while providing user-focussed innovative solutions.
The self-directed unit provides opportunities for you to direct your own learning in line with personal interests and career aspirations. It enables you to initiate, develop, resolve and disseminate a significant body of work alongside opportunities for collaborative, outward facing, or international learning experiences. It provides a significant opportunity for you to synthesise prior learning and apply this in an ambitious way that will evidence their knowledge, skills and understanding of the role that design plays in innovation.
The unit extends the understanding of the complex and often conflicting requirements and constraints within the design of new products for volume industrial production.
This unit offers focussed opportunity for students to extend and enhance their practice by including working in a wider design research community. The study of the cultural and critical contexts of design practice is vital to any student of the creative disciplines, this unit will develop Master’s students’ abilities to contextualise their practice through a series of themes addressing contemporary issue in design.
10 credits equates to 100 hours of study, which is a combination of lectures, seminars and practical sessions, and independent study. A masters qualification typically comprises of 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits and an MFA 300 credits. The exact composition of your study time and assessments for the course will vary according to your option choices and style of learning, but it could be:
Whether you've already made your decision about what you want to study, or you're just considering whether postgraduate study is right for you, there are lots of ways you can meet us and find out more about postgraduate student life at Manchester Met.
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Your studies are supported by a department of committed and enthusiastic teachers and researchers, experts in their chosen field.
We often link up with external professionals too, helping to enhance your learning and build valuable connections to the working world.
A Bachelor degree in a relevant area with an upper-second class honours (2:1) classification is ideally required.
We require the submission of a digital portfolio to evidence design practice and research, and may request an interview as part of the application process.
Applicants who achieve a 2:2 in their Bachelor degree or who have degrees (or other equivalent qualifications) in unrelated areas may be considered based on their digital portfolio.
Overseas applicants will require IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in any category, or an equivalent accepted English qualification.
Full-time fee: £11,000 per year. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
Full-time fee: £20,500 per year. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
A masters qualification typically comprises 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits, and an MFA 300 credits. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of study provided the course is completed in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
All of the books required for the course are available from the library. The University also has PC labs and a laptop loan service. However, many students choose to buy some of the core textbooks for the course and/or a laptop. Students may also need to print their assignments and other documents. Campus printing costs start from 5p per page. Estimated costs are £300 for a laptop up to £100 for books and printing. Total optional cost: £400
The course aims to cultivate highly motivated, independent and creative thinkers who can transfer their skills into the creative marketplace, as entrepreneurial innovators, freelance practitioners and innovative team players.
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