Master of Design Innovation – MDI
Wellington, New Zealand
DURATION
1 up to 2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Feb 2025
TUITION FEES
NZD 16,387 / per course
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Introduction
Get the specialist skills and knowledge you need to be a successful professional in the design industry. In this three-trimester programme, you'll learn the art of bringing ideas to life—from conception to design to construction.
Delve into an area of your choice in this industry-focused, professional qualification with the School of Design Innovation. Assess new technologies and investigate the social, cultural, environmental and economic implications of design on our world.
Through a combination of coursework and supervised research, you'll gain a greater understanding of the process of creating value through design.
Research Groups
You’ll do much of your work as part of a group in the Design Research Innovation Laboratory (DRIL). These groups provide a stimulating and supportive environment for inspiration and discovery. Choose a research group that fits with your current knowledge, your career goals, and your intended research portfolio topic.
To find out about the School of Design Innovation’s research groups, main research areas, and supervising staff, visit the School's Research site.
Work with commercial and cultural organisations on applied research projects, build your communication and collaboration skills and get ready for an exciting career in design.
Duration and Workload
With full-time study, the MDI can be completed in 13 to 18 months. It’s possible to complete it in three trimesters, but most people submit their research portfolio after four trimesters. With part-time study, the MDI will take six trimesters to complete.
If you are studying full-time, you can expect a workload of 35 to 40 hours a week for much of the year. Part-time students will need to do around 20 to 23 hours of work a week. Make sure you take this into account if you are working.
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Gain valuable real-world experience as well as an insight into what research is all about with the Summer Research Scholarships.
You can also look for other scholarships based on your level of study, subject area and background.
Curriculum
What You'll Study
In Trimester 1, you'll study the 30-point Research Methods course and either the 30-point Contemporary Perspectives in Design Innovation course, or an appropriate elective. You will examine a variety of design research techniques and contemporary issues to help inform and guide your research project. You will gain the skills you need to identify a design research topic, frame a research question, define the scope, and develop your proposal.
In Trimester 2, you'll further develop your knowledge and expertise in design research. You will begin your 120-point Research Portfolio and work with a supervisor and a research group to continue developing your project. Research skills workshops and work-in-progress presentations will also support your journey as a design researcher.
In Trimester 3 and in Trimester 1 of the following year, you'll focus on completing your design research portfolio with the guidance and support of your supervisor and the whanaungatanga of an aligned cohort of students.
Design Research Innovation Laboratory (DRIL)
DRIL research groups receive support from government, industry, and external grants. They produce a range of commercially viable solutions that contribute to the advancement of design research.
There are seven research groups within DRIL:
- Critical Resilience
- Data.Mine
- Social Design Lab
- Multi-property Additive-manufacturing Design Experiments (MADE)
- More Than Human
- Smart Interactions
- Virtual World Lab
If you join a DRIL research group, you'll work closely with staff, students, and industry collaborators on research projects that address a wide range of contemporary design challenges.
Career Opportunities
You'll be ready for a career in many design-oriented fields within the public and private sectors. You might work as an industrial, interior or product designer, an art director, a visual effects artist, a jeweller, an exhibition designer, a digital animator or a web designer.
Because you'll gain a broad range of skills during your studies, you'll also be able to find opportunities for careers beyond the mainstream profession.