MSc by Research in Design Sciences

To complete a postgraduate research programme, you’ll need to be dedicated and passionate about your area of study. But it’ll be well worth it. Being a doctoral student is challenging, yet incredibly rewarding. You are expected to carry out a programme of research in a particular area under the supervision of a primary supervisor and one or more co-supervisors.There are many stages in the life of an engineered product: from an initial idea through design, manufacture, use, maintenance and end of life processing. Design is where user and other stakeholder needs are established and innovative solutions proposed. The desirability of many of today’s leading products is often attributed to their design. In addition, design governs much of what is possible later in the life of a product. For example, if a product is designed to be manufactured from certain kinds of plastic then it will not be possible to recycle the product at the end of its life. Design Sciences are the theoretical frameworks that underpin the processes of designing. They include design theory and methodology, traditional engineering sciences and an emerging body of work that draws on the social, biological and physical sciences to underpin human-centred designing, meeting people’s physical, emotional and social needs.

You must have achieved a bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons), or equivalent, or a good performance in a Masters level course in a relevant subject. We also recognise relevant industrial and academic experience.The minimum University language requirement is IELTS band score 6.0 - with not less than 5.5 in any skill area or Internet based TOEFL 87 (with not less than 20 in listening, 20 in reading, 22 in speaking and 21 in writing).