As a global design community, we share the values, principles, practices and processes that create pervasive acts and outputs which can address the crisis threatening the future of the planet and its peoples.
We must optimise the imagination, speculation and vision of our craft to bring together and activate scientists, technologists, ecologists and politicians in a mission to improve lives now.
Our MDes Global Design programme is for designers who want to play their part in that mission. We are looking for committed graduates who are passionate about activating global, local and individual change in order to build a sustainable and vibrant future for the planet, its ecologies and its people.
This programme allows students from both practice and non-practice backgrounds to explore sustainability, ethics, health, safety and the environment through a research culture that prioritises relationship building, trans- and inter-disciplinary exploration and stakeholder collaboration.
Working trans-collaboratively with local and global communities, you will develop a self-identified project, setting an intention to anticipate, enact and effect a transformation of global significance.
Throughout the programme you will engage with concepts, methods and practice that develop your understanding of how change happens. Our particular focus is on the future orientation of design and how alternative visions can be fashioned by human agency in a way that is simultaneously playful and speculative, as well as intensely rigorous.
Whether your interest is in research-led practice or practice-led research, we expect you to locate your research within the wider Global, Ethical, Social and Political contexts relevant to the landscape of contemporary Art & Design research.
Indicative course content includes:
The nature of the Global Design programme is such that it relies on the real-world experience of a core staff team and guest lecturers. These skilled practitioners are the key facilitators of your learning and reflecting this, a variety of delivery mechanisms will be deployed, with a common focus in that they will seek to develop your skills as proactive and reflective independent learners.
In addition, each student is allocated a Personal Tutor and in addition to subject-specialist members of staff from within the School. Together they form the supervisory team.
Methods of delivery will include studio-based assignments, lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, student-led presentations and discussion, experimental and live briefs, study trips, and reflective analysis. All projects start with a live briefing, and a briefing document available via our virtual learning environment (VLE), Moodle.
PDP (Personal Development Plan): You will maintain reflective journals which will be submitted as part of assessed bodies of work; academic tutorials and the termly pastoral tutorials will monitor and respond to concerns arising across your learning experience and will focus on helping you refine your overall personal development objectives and learning style.
Lectures: Lectures deliver a coherent programme of study and general inspiration. They are supported by visual material and/or texts. The content may be historical, theoretical, contextual or practical. Where appropriate, lectures are structured to involve you in discussion.
Tutorials: Tutorials are meetings of a student or groups of students with a lecturer or lecturers, and are used in two ways within the programme:
Seminars: Seminars are designed to encourage articulate and analytical presentation and, through group discussions, to develop an understanding of the subject and its context. This is a central teaching and learning method particularly when relating the learning gained to your personal research and back into the subject of Global Design.
Seminars can take three forms:
Those guided by staff where texts, images, or artefacts are provided for you to present an analysis to your group.
Those where you select texts, images, or artefacts for discussion within your group.
Those where you present your own work or research findings.
This strategy is used to extend specific theoretical or practical concepts as well as introducing problem solving exercises.
Seminars provide you with valuable experience in presentation skills, blogs, wikis or podcasts, as well as providing staff with a method or assessing student-centred learning.
Practical workshops: Practical workshops enable you to practice and refine your skills in a supportive environment where you receive feedback from members of staff. Practical workshops represent a valuable transition between theory and practice.
Practical studio sessions: Practical studio sessions, emphasising the application of fundamental principles of Global Design, focus on problem solving and development of creative and technical solutions to design problems. Simulation exercises and live projects provide a stimulating challenge for you working both independently and in groups to experience real business challenges.
You are encouraged to articulate your proposals in an objective and critical manner and to develop interpersonal communication skills that are vital to an entrepreneur or innovator.
E-Learning: The virtual learning environment (VLE) is extensively used on the programme to enhance the student learning experience. Apart from its widespread use as a repository for learning material and resources, the VLE is used to engage you in your own learning. It is also valuable as a means of communicating, offering feedback and additional learning materials. Electronic feedback is issued through the VLE.
Critiques: Discussions involving staff and students are a central feature of the critiques in assignments and project work organised within the studio programme. Critiques are held at each assessment stage (interim or final) of an assignment or project in the studio-based modules where you present your work to your year group and tutor for feedback and debate. This event is a cornerstone of the learning process. Assignments are designed to ensure that you tackle a wide range of case studies or precedent that illustrates a variety of situations or solutions. The critique process ensures you learn from work being done by others as well as through your own efforts.