MA Design Thinking
Master of Research: Design Thinking

This programme provides an exciting opportunity for textual, theoretical and practical study in an area that is central to the Faculty's research expertise in Art & Design. It also provides high quality preparation for doctoral research through a focused and manageable project defined by the student. The course consists of a theoretical and conceptual grounding in approaches to postgraduate research in the arts and humanities in general. The theoretical and conceptual location of a specific project within the study of Three Dimensional Design, or a set of disciplines that includes and preferably coalesces around Three Dimensional Design. Practical training in appropriate research skills (e.g. in the definition of a project and appropriate methodologies; the identification and analysis of textual, visual and oral sources; the application of new technologies; the location of research material in relevant libraries and archives; ways of designing a project methodology.

Aims of the Programme
MA by Research (Design Thinking) will allow students to reflect upon and gain a deeper understanding of the new and exciting ecologies of design practice. Students will be encouraged to test out ideas and be aware of the implications of design in a wider perspective. Cultural, social, sustainable, managerial, technological and other aspects of design practice are considered in relationship to innovative concepts and new approaches to design thinking. Issues that will be covered in the subject-specific module include:
The historical context of Design, both through artefacts and their contexts (social, cultural, sustainable, political, technical and aesthetic); Design Theory and Evaluation: Critical theories and ideas about ideological and philosophical debate, emanating from notions of cultural and material concerns. Ranges of interpretation of product/object will be considered and explored in light of current debate.

Programme Structure
The discipline of Design is evolving and responding to rapid commercial and technological advances. We want to be part of that energy and evolution and have developed MA programmes that will allow us to spearhead new opportunities for our students, our staff and the university. These opportunities reflect current needs of design activities, businesses, and academic research requirements. Collaborative collectives will be established to allow students to explore the full range of media and new debates emerging in technologies. The MA by Research (Design Thinking) will run alongside two other new MAs in the department: MA Contemporary Designer Maker and MA Design. The MA by Research is for autonomous learners who wish to focus on a single extended research project (as opposed to an emphasis on the development of professional or creative practice). Together they will be progressive programmes, addressing real socio-economic issues within a dynamic, creative studio environment. This programme is specifically designed for people who wish to pursue a career in research (in the creative industries and/or in academia). It explicitly embeds training in the skills identified by the Joint Research Councils (and the AHRC in particular) and will prepare graduates for MPhil/PhD programmes. As it is increasingly unlikely that a candidate will receive funding for doctoral study without an M-level degree, the completion of this programme can be seen as particularly strategic for potential candidates. They should stand a significantly far greater chance of successfully competing for future funds from the AHRC's Doctoral Scheme.

Admission Requirements
Application is by written proposal for research and should consist of 500 words. The proposal should relate to one of the following areas (or to links across such areas):

Practice/Theory debates
Critical theories of Design and Culture
Histories of Design
Sustainability and New Practice

The proposal should be accompanied by visual samples of work, which may be from a previous course, business etc. These will determine the applicant's aptitude for the course and suitability of proposal in relation to level, interest, and the ability of course staff to supervise it. Applicants should normally provide satisfactory academic references and hold, or be in the process of gaining, a good honours degree in an area of study appropriate to the project proposal, or a degree of a comparable standard from a university or recognized degree awarding body in another country. In the case of business, a letter of recommendation should be included. In exceptional circumstances candidates may be considered under APEL/APCL provisions. These provisions will be applied on an individual case-by-case basis and will relate explicitly to specific module learning outcomes. Students for whom English is not their first language must have proficiency in written and spoken English. Normally applicants should attain minimum test scores of 7 for IELTS (International English Language Testing Scheme). However, candidates must be aware that, given the nature of the programme, students will be expected to read and engage with complex theoretical texts and debates for which fluency in English is essential.


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Contact Pete Davis, School of Architecture & Design, Faculty of Arts, University of Plymouth, Roland Levinsky Building, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1752 585 169
Email: pete.davis@plymouth.ac.uk






www.3Ddesign.org.uk

Updated 27 Jun 2008
Copyright Roy Tam 2006-8