Program Overview

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MA MSc Industrial Design

The Industrial Design course at Northumbria University is highly specialized in combining the creative elements of technology, engineering, creative expression, and business entrepreneurship into industrial design. It is designed to encourage a deep understanding of how our sustainable development challenges can be addressed by applying design-for-people-and-planet theory and methodologies to smart products and services supported by emerging technologies, with particular emphasis on AI.

Overview

On our Masters course, you will learn to create better products, services, and business models that are needed to meet changing priorities in society, and you will be assessed by your coursework for all modules.

Our course features two focused pathways:

• MA Industrial Design – Designing services and promoting behavior change
• MSc Industrial Design – Generative AI design and smart products

Designing Services and Promoting Behavior Change (MA)

• Service Design: better services and experiences are key to a better future. This module focuses on product development, our industrial design processes, and design thinking, as these skills are now just as sought-after in reshaping services and experiences.
• Design for Behavior Change: design changes behavior. Whether through an intuitive user interface, persuasive communications, or compelling product package, design can direct user action. In this module, you will explore how you can deliberately guide positive, ethical behavior change by understanding desires and motivations, or shaping capabilities, opportunities, and perceptions.

Generative AI Design and Smart Products (MSc)

• Experimental Generative Design: AI is driving a design revolution. The AI revolution is likely to change not just the way we work but perhaps also whether we can work at all. This module will introduce you to designing at a higher level with a cross-section of industry-leading artificial intelligence tools which help to boost design experimentation, iteration, and quality of final outcomes.
• Smart Product Design and Practice: smart products are the future. Smart product design involves creating products that leverage digital technology such as AI and Digital twins, connectivity, and intelligent features to enhance functionality, user experience, and overall value.

Entry Requirements

• Applicants should normally have a minimum of a 2:2 honors degree in design, Business, Engineering, and computing or a related discipline.
• Applicants with appropriate work experience and/or a relevant professional qualification will be considered.
• All students need to have some design communication skills to start the course. These skills include freehand sketching, digital sketching, 3D CAD modeling, and rendering, 2D/3D mark-ups, or design videos. Therefore, students need to submit a creative portfolio evidencing the above skills.
• International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent).

Fees and Funding

• Full UK Fee: £9,950
• Full International Fee: £19,850
• Scholarships and Discounts: Discover more about fees, scholarships, and other funding options available for UK and International applicants.

Modules Overview

• DE7037: Design Futures with Emerging Technologies
• DE7038: Research Through Design Practice (Studio)
• DE7039: Sustainable and Regenerative Design
• DE7040: Design Innovation and Management (Studio)
• DE7041: Service Design (Optional)
• DE7042: Design for Behavior Change (Optional)
• DE7043: Experimental Generative Design (Optional)
• DE7044: Smart Product Design and Practice (Studio) (Optional)
• DE7045: Major Service Design Project & Thesis (Optional)
• DE7061: Major Product Design Project & Thesis (Optional)
• YB7000: Academic Language Skills for Design & Fashion (Core – for International and EU students only)

Careers and Employability

This Industrial Design Masters is an innovative approach to taught postgraduate study, which develops your creative thinking and professional practice with emerging technology to support your personal career aspirations.

Our graduates can emerge with a broadened and enhanced research and design skillset, equipping them not only as accomplished practitioners but also as visionary design thinkers. This core knowledge can provide the base for a thriving creative career, positioning them to confidently lead design teams and manage innovative projects.

On graduation, you will be ready for employment, entrepreneurship, or doctoral research within areas such as service design and innovation, product design and innovation, manufacturing, health and wellbeing, industry innovation, and consultancy.

Student Work

Our Masters students are often heard talking about the creative freedom within the design faculty, and how they are always encouraged to run with their ideas, no matter how creative they might be. Your portfolio work will be a perfect place to encapsulate that and represent some of the exciting, unusual, and impactful projects that you have been working on over the past year.

Staff

You will be taught by a wide range of international leading design practitioners, researchers, and educators. Their expertise includes product design and innovation, service design, design for behavior change, creative computing and AI, designing thinking and innovation, research through design, sustainable design, engineering design and manufacturing, design for healthcare and wellbeing, and smart design.

Facilities

As an MA/MSc Industrial Design student, you will have shared use of a dedicated design studio. The Masters studio includes state-of-the-art computers and industry-standard software. You will also have access to a range of workshops including model-making, photography studio, virtual reality suite, and prototyping lab, Bio Design Lab, Creative Technology Hub for creative technology, physical computing, 3D printing, electronics, creative coding, and virtual reality.

If you have not used specialist equipment and workshops before, you will have the opportunity to be inducted by our expert technical staff. You will also have free access to online tutorials to familiarize yourself with new software.