MDes in Design Thinking

The strategic use of creativity is crucial for the success of any business seeking to deliver innovative products and services. The competency of design thinking offers important insights and proficiencies to support the invention of original physical artefacts and business processes. This course integrates world-class, design-driven innovation, management and research activities through a unique applied teaching approach. We aim to provide students with up-to-date skills to pursue careers in a range of sectors including design, innovation, technology, consultancy, materials, and the circular economy. At Cranfield, we work closely with leading industry employers. This ensures that our students are fully trained as professional design thinkers and innovators; equipped with a unique skill set that meets the needs of industry now and in the future.

Overview

• Start date: October
• Duration: One year full-time. Up to three years part-time
• Delivery: Taught modules 40%, Group projects 20%, Individual project 40%
• Qualification: MDes
• Study type: Full-time/Part-time
• Campus: Cranfield campus

Who is it for?

The course is designed to suit creative individuals with business acumen who recognise the importance of how creative practice and process can improve product and service development. It aims to develop creative design literate engineers, scientists and management postgraduates providing tools and techniques to visualise complex data flows and strategic communication processes. It is suitable for graduates from a variety of disciplines.

Why this course?

Offered by our Centre for Competitive Creative Design (C4D), this masters in Design Thinking exploits existing expertise within Cranfield’s School of Water, Energy and Environment and School of Management.

This course is suitable for mid-career professionals in the creative industries sector looking to improve their skills in the strategic, tactical and implementation aspects of the management of creativity and innovation in business.

Informed by Industry

Our courses are designed to meet the training needs of industry and have a strong input from experts in the sector.

Course details

The MDes course comprises five assessed modules in which students engage in creative leadership, strategic design management, design thinking and innovation strategy, technology and prototyping and circular innovation. Modules are delivered in facilities in Cranfield, supported by seminars, workshops and lectures in creative and design agencies, providing a closer link to professional practice. Students also undertake a group project in which they apply their skills to real business challenges and complete an individual thesis project.

Group project

The group project experience is highly valued by both students and prospective employers. Teams of students work to solve an industrial problem. The project applies technical knowledge and provides training in teamwork and the opportunity to develop non-technical aspects of the taught programme. Part-time students can prepare a dissertation on an agreed topic in place of the group project.

Industrially-orientated, our team projects have support from external organisations.

As a result of the external engagement, Cranfield students enjoy a higher degree of success when it comes to securing employment. Prospective employers value the student experience where team working to find solutions to industrially based problems are concerned.

Individual project

The individual thesis project offers students the opportunity to develop their research capability, depth of understanding and ability to provide world-class solutions to real problems in design strategy and leadership.

Assessment

Taught modules 40%, Group projects 20%, Individual project 40%

Your career

Successful students develop diverse and rewarding careers in government ministries, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), environmental and business consultancies, public sector organisations such as environmental protection agencies, and the manufacturing and service industries in the private sector.

Cranfield Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you find the job you want after leaving Cranfield. We will work with you to identify suitable opportunities and support you in the job application process for up to three years after graduation. We have been providing Masters level training for over 20 years. Our strong reputation and links with potential employers provide you with outstanding opportunities to secure interesting jobs and develop successful careers. The increasing interest in sustainability and corporate and social responsibility has also enhanced the career prospects of our graduates.

Tuition

Cranfield University welcomes applications from students from all over the world for our postgraduate programmes. The Home/EU student fees listed continue to apply to EU students.

• Home-EU:
  • MDes Full-time £10,250
  • MDes Part-time £1,635*
• Overseas fees:
  • MDes Full-time £20,500
  • MDes Part-time £20,500**

* This course has an annual registration fee and a fee per taught module. The fee quoted above is the annual registration fee and this amount will be invoiced annually. The fee for each taught module is £1,340 and this amount will be payable on attendance. The course consists of a number of taught modules with each module usually worth 10 credits. MSc and PgDip awards consist of 8 taught modules and PgCert awards consist of 6 taught modules. Where a module is worth either 5 credits or 20 credits then the module fee will be adjusted accordingly (so a 5 credit module fee will be halved and a 20 credit module fee will be doubled).

** Fees can be paid in full up front, or in equal annual instalments. Students who complete their course before the initial end date will be invoiced the outstanding fee balance and must pay in full prior to graduation.

Fee notes:

• The fees outlined apply to all students whose initial date of registration falls on or between 1 August 2019 and 31 July 2020.
• All students pay the tuition fee set by the University for the full duration of their registration period agreed at their initial registration.
• A deposit may be payable, depending on your course.
• Additional fees for extensions to the agreed registration period may be charged.
• Fee eligibility at the Home/EU rate is determined with reference to UK Government regulations. As a guiding principle, EU nationals (including the UK) who are ordinarily resident in the EU pay Home/EU tuition fees, all other students (including those from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) pay Overseas fees.

Entry requirements

A first or second class UK Honours degree or the international equivalent of these UK qualifications. Other relevant qualifications, together with significant experience, may be considered.

English Language

If you are an international student you will need to provide evidence that you have achieved a satisfactory test result in an English qualification. Our minimum requirements are as follows:

• IELTS Academic - 6.5 overall
• TOEFL - 92
• Pearson PTE Academic - 65
• Cambridge English Scale - 180
• Cambridge English: Advanced - C
• Cambridge English: Proficiency - C
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English III - minimum overall score of pass

In addition to these minimum scores, you are also expected to achieve a balanced score across all elements of the test. We reserve the right to reject any test score if any one element of the test score is too low.

We can only accept tests taken within two years of your registration date (with the exception of Cambridge English tests which have no expiry date).

Students requiring a Tier 4 (General) visa must ensure they can meet the English language requirements set out by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and we recommend booking an IELTS for UKVI test.

Applicants who do not already meet the English language entry requirement for their chosen Cranfield course can apply to attend one of our Presessional English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses. We offer Winter/Spring and Summer programmes each year to offer holders.