C03012v3 Master of Design (Research)

Note(s)

Research degrees are offered on a sponsored basis for permanent residents, or on a full-fee-paying basis for international students. Contact the Faculty or the University Graduate School for further details.

Overview

This degree is for graduates who want to deepen their understanding and hands-on skills in both research-for-design and research-by-design as a way to define the future of the design profession.

Design challenges are becoming more and more complex: digitisation, globalisation, the growing importance of services, and the shift towards culturally- and socially-intelligent design means that the profile and role of the designer are changing. Research for design and researching through design experiments are becoming part of new design practice. In this course, students are challenged to develop a deep understanding of what this means for them, as practicing designers, and they are trained in the insights and hands-on skills to do the various types of research that are becoming all-important in modern design practice.

Career options

Graduates are the new guard of academically trained designers who have deepened their insight into where design is going, and can offer employers the combination of design-and-research skills that they need for their long-term prosperity. There is also a clear path from this degree towards a more research focused career, either in industry or in academia.

Course duration and attendance

The maximum course duration is two years of full-time, or three years of part-time study.

Course structure

The requirement of this degree is the preparation of a thesis which is judged by its examiners to be a distinct contribution to the knowledge of the subject. The format of the body of work and the length of the written dissertation are determined after discussion with Faculty staff and must be approved by the Graduate Studies Committee.

Candidates may be required first to undertake coursework subjects in research methodology to gain experience with research methods and skills. They are also required to present papers, which form part of the preparation of their thesis, at the Faculty Postgraduate Seminars.

Specialisations are generally available within the areas of fashion and textile, industrial, interior and visual communication design, subject to supervisor availability.

Course completion requirements

Further study at UTS

This course can articulate into a PhD program of advanced research.

Other information

Further information is available from the Faculty Student Administration Unit on: