MFA Lighting Design

Part of the MA/MFA Design Suite, the course benefits from bringing together designers from a range of disciplines into core modules, as well as modules specific to your chosen pathway such as 'Creative Lighting Design for Places and People' and 'Design for Heritage and Culture'. 

All students complete the Live Project and you'll study 'Thinking: Research for Creative Practice', which will help you to determine your Dissertation (MA and MFA) and Major Project (MFA) topics. 

The MFA is recognised as an advanced masters level degree and students already holding an appropriate MA can apply to enter the programme directly into the second year of study.

To ensure there is sufficient time to process your application, we encourage you to submit your application by 30th June.

Due to extremely high demand for our programmes starting in September 2022, we are no longer accepting applications from international applicants for this programme. We're sorry that you won't be able to join us in September.

The MFA Lighting Design will develop your skills and knowledge in the use of light and projection in designed spaces. You will learn how to exploit natural light, but also enhance interior and exterior spaces with the use of artificial lighting systems and art projections. 

The two year MFA offers students the opportunity to extend project work through an in depth, research-led creative enquiry. The first year of the programme is aligned to the MA and you will undertake six modules developing subject specific-skills and knowledge, external research and entrepreneurial collaboration, and practice-based research. 

In the second year, you will extend your practice with two large modules: the self-directed Major Project with specialist supervisors, and Professional Practice with portfolio mentors. You will end the programme with a highly professional portfolio that enhances industry and employment opportunities or (with an emphasis on research) offers a robust gateway into PhD-level study.

The programme is supported by the Edinburgh Napier University design team who are actively engaged in research, knowledge exchange and/or consultancy work as part of the Art & Design Research Centre (ADRC), as well as professional practice with Malcolm Innes' work particularly relevant to this specialism. Malcolm Innes is an artist by training and has extensive experience of architectural lighting design and light art. Malcolm's portfolio includes several multi-award winning projects including two IALD Radiance awards and nine IIDA awards. The programme also has input from industry based specialists and partners.

Malcolm Innes is a world-renowned expert in lighting design education. Euan Winton has expertise in digital imaging and light art and projection. They have both worked on a variety of heritage projects, most notably at the city's Botanic Gardens, and with Edinburgh World Heritage on the revitalisation of some of the “closesâ€‌ (the old medieval thoroughfares) that criss-cross the Royal Mile. Malcolm has also worked with Historic Scotland, most recently at Elgin Cathedral.

This pathway allows you to explore the application of lighting systems within new and existing spaces, both interior and exterior. You'll study a variety of modules during this course, including:

• Spatial Lighting Design
• Design for Heritage & Cultural Spaces
• Light Art & Projection

Entry requirements

Postgraduate

Students will be eligible to apply if they have gained a Bachelor degree with C+, GPA of 2.5/4.0 or Good or better

Graduates from this programme pathway can pursue careers in: 

• interior and spatial design
• lighting design
• urban design
• exhibition and museum design
• installation art