Master of Design degree
Design
A course by
AUT
The Master of Design is a postgraduate degree that advances your design expertise, creative research skills, and empowers decision-making. Students can specialise in areas such as industrial, fashion, communication, digital, spatial, or textile design, working on interdisciplinary projects and a substantial research thesis.
In-person study
Face-to-face learning in a physical classroom setting
City Campus, Auckland
It will take a total of 18 months
Core skills this course teaches
Advanced Design Expertise
Develop in-depth knowledge and skills in your chosen design specialisation, enabling original practice and innovation.
Creative Research Skills
Demonstrate advanced creative research methods and design enquiry to inform and lead practice-based projects.
Ethical & Social Design Awareness
Identify and address ethical, cultural, and social implications in contemporary design across disciplines.
What You're Signing Up For
The Master of Design at AUT is an advanced postgraduate programme for designers wishing to deepen their expertise and develop their research and practical skills. You may specialise in a design field of your interest and undertake research projects tailored to your ambitions, supported by a collaborative academic design environment. The course fosters creative research abilities, ethical responsibility, and social awareness, equipping graduates for leadership in the design industry and academia.
Course Content
- Interdisciplinary design projects
- Specialisations in: Industrial Design, Fashion Design, Textile Design, Communication Design, Digital Design, Spatial Design, Strategic Leadership in Design
- 60 points of course work including:
- ARDN800 Te Ao Mahora Creative Practice Research Design
- ARDN808 Contextual Review
- Electives such as: Ethics in Research, Design Practice I and II, Design for Health and Wellbeing
- 120-point individual thesis in chosen field of design
- Practice-led and research-led projects
- Access to specialised facilities: digital fabrication, textile labs, 3D labs, print and screen facilities
- Collaborative and human-centred design approaches
What you need to know first
Bachelor of Design or equivalent with a B grade average or higher in Level 7 or above courses
What sort of industry will this job lead to
Design
Creative Industries
Fashion
Digital Media
Future employment opportunities might be
Senior designer
Design researcher