Design - 1st Level Master Degree

Today’s business world, both within Italy and on an international scale, requires professionals who are able to take on design projects, not only from a technical/production standpoint, but also from a strategic and commercial perspective. The Academic Master in Design aims to train a new generation of designers who are ready to question every element of a design, be it through market analysis, analysis of contemporary consumer needs, or the consideration of possible future scenarios in order to deliver innovative design solutions. Design is evolving into a tool capable of changing strategic business objectives. The traditional user-centred approach (UCD) is being transformed from the principle of “designing for” to “designing with” people, adjusting to the evolution of today’s socio-economic and production systems. 

The Master is unique in terms of the IED training and offers an extraordinary collaboration with Continuum, one of the most innovative international realities in the world of design consultancy.

Professional opportunities: The Master course moulds students into professionals with vital skills in the fields of design, innovation and design systems who are capable of going on to fulfil roles across a variety of creative design and strategic/managerial settings. These roles may fall within areas of innovation studies, design agencies, commercial companies, institutions or students may even take on independent entrepreneurial or self-production roles.

Target: 

The Master in Design serves as a valuable specialization for Italian and international graduates who have completed a degree in one of the following disciplines: Architecture, Engineering, Design, Economics and Humanities subjects.

Methodology and structure: The Master course is based on an interdisciplinary working team approach and applies thought development processes and creative methodologies that are used by the best design agencies and think-tanks. It enables students to think collectively, through the sharing of knowledge and know-how and by taking advantage of all the skills present within the team.

The course philosophy is project- and client-based, meaning that students are able to experience and put into practice the mind-set and methodologies gained throughout the course (design thinking) by tackling real-life projects, applying principles of both teamwork and of learning by doing.

Strong ties with both Italian and international firms mean students have the opportunity to understand and tackle real-life business situations. These connections enable external knowledge and skills in terms of design, case-studies and business strategies to be brought into the institute.

All projects benefit from experts in specific fields who act as “lead advisors”. These experts are chosen for their specific knowledge and skills in the design field. Conferences and seminars give students the opportunity to come face to face with industry professionals and agencies, important figures in the fields of design, entrepreneurship, technology and economics.

The preliminary phases of the Master course will cover themes related to design thinking and to other relevant methodologies, through means of traditional lectures, workshops and laboratory sessions. 

Following on from this, students will tackle the different phases of the design process, consisting of experimental and interactive workflows (each with differing aims, complexity and objectives), but based on the principle of learning by doing.

Parallel to this are “nurture courses”, which integrate design strategy, technology and communications with production, and involve stimuli geared towards fostering the personal and professional growth of the entire team.

The Master in Design gives students the opportunity to examine different production systems. Students are continually stimulated and encouraged to develop their own design methodologies, allowing them to produce unique design concepts which respond to market demands through the use of contemporary language and expression.

During the second phase of the Master course students will take on a dissertation project alongside an internship, the results of which are presented to a commission comprising industry professionals and experts.

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