Design MDes Master of Design - MDes

The MDes Design course will empower you to harness your creative, personal, and professional strengths.

You will develop a future-shaping vision. This will involve using design thinking, innovation, and sustainability. This will allow you to create meaningful value for society, business, and culture.

Our ethos is to equip you to turn your passion into impact. We will help you design not just for today’s needs, but for tomorrow’s opportunities and a lasting career.

If you want to use design to shape a better future, this course is for you.

Design today is about more than one discipline. It’s about combining creativity, strategy, technology, and sustainability to solve real-world challenges.

Design is an approach you can take whether your background is in product, textiles, graphic design. It can also be applied to fields like business, education, healthcare, or technology. You’ll learn how to apply design as a transformative tool across these industries and communities.

You’ll develop future-ready skills. These will include


- design thinking


- human–AI collaboration


- research


- entrepreneurship


You will do all of this while gaining the confidence to turn your ideas into meaningful impact.

By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped to launch a career that matters. This can be either be in industry, the public sector, academia, or your own independent venture.

In the first term, you’ll build expertise in topics such as design thinking, sustainability, innovation, and human–AI collaboration. This will be done through our core module Sustainable Innovation: Design with AI.

You will also develop essential research skills within DJCAD’s vibrant postgraduate community.

In the second term, you’ll deepen your personal design interests. This will be done through hands-on research. You will have the opportunity to work alongside expert academics on world-class projects at DJCAD.

You’ll also select optional modules that are aligned with your goals. Your goals could be things like creative making, service and experience design, or leadership. This will allow you to refine your strengths and shape your future direction.

In the final term, you’ll take full ownership of your learning. This will be done through either:


- an independent project that brings your design vision to life


- a professional placement with Dundee’s prestigious industry and cultural partners


This provides the opportunity to apply your skills in real-world contexts and prepare for your next career step.

Alongside academic teaching, you’ll benefit from tailored one-to-one consultations between terms. This will help you plan your studies effectively and align them with your evolving career aspirations.

At DJCAD, you’ll benefit from world-class design education at a school renowned for creativity, research, and innovation. Studying in Dundee, the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design, you’ll enjoy a vibrant cultural scene, rich creative resources, and strong industry connections, all within a safe, welcoming, and affordable city.

This course offers a unique combination of opportunities:


- Learning through practice: exceptional teaching combined with real-world projects


- Tailored career support: guidance across industry, public sector, and independent ventures


- Advanced research experience: hands-on projects that develop your academic potential


- Specialist facilities and studios: from digital fabrication labs to advanced prototyping workshops


- Supportive cross-disciplinary postgraduate community: collaborate and innovate across fields


- Immersive cultural environment and professional network: leverage Dundee’s creative ecosystem to build your career