Master of Design Futures

Program Overview

The Master of Design Futures from RMIT University is an accelerated graduate program designed for professionals seeking to advance their careers in strategic design leadership. Through flexible online studies, students develop strategic skills and tools for problem-solving, including empathic research, journey mapping, and storytelling. The program features strong industry links, a global network of design professionals, and a focus on designing social, cultural, and economic futures.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Master of Design Futures - RMIT University

Overview:

The Master of Design Futures is an accelerated, graduate qualification for working professionals. It is suitable for both designers and non-designers who are looking to transition into new design practices and for those wanting to advance their careers in strategic leadership roles.

Objectives:

• Extend your practice in strategic, communication, and service design
• Frame this new practice in the context of designing social, cultural, and economic futures
• Introduce you to a close-knit global network of design professionals and different orders of design problems
• Help you identify and articulate contributions you make to organizations, as well as the value that design brings to business, government, and society.

Program Description:

In this flexible and self-directed degree, you will benefit from experiential learning practices as you develop the strategic skills and tools required for leadership. Empathic research, journey mapping, rapid prototyping, and storytelling are all tools that you will learn to use in your problem-solving process.

• Strong industry links: Engage with local and global designers, lecturers, and academics who have strong links to industry and the design community.
• Flexible study options: Learn through flexible online studies and enjoy the freedom of being able to study anytime, anywhere.
• Global network: Collaborate with peers and a close-knit network of design professionals across the globe, boosting employment opportunities.

Outline:

Content:

• Strategic Design
• Service Design
• Design Leadership
• Future Design Contexts
• Future Design Clients
• Future Design Leadership

Structure:

• 3 core subjects (24 credit points each)
• 3 electives (12 credit points each)
• Research project (36 credit points)

Course Schedule:

• Full-time: 1.5 years
• Part-time: 3 years

Individual Modules:

Core Subjects:

• Future Design Contexts: New modes of design practice, from social entrepreneurship to strategic design
• Future Design Clients: Techniques and skills for working with people in design
• Future Design Leadership: How design works inside organizations

Electives:

• Design Strategy
• Service Design
• Choose one equivalent subject offered by any school or university

Research Project:

• Research methods (12 credit points)
• Major project as capstone subject (24 credit points)

Assessment:

Assessment involves presentations, reports, solo projects, and group work.

Teaching:

• Online education with constructive and mutually beneficial conversations with peers via online video meetings and chat channels
• Early nomination of your own major research project topic
• Use of design skills and tackling real-world problems throughout the year
• Industry partners provide briefs

Careers:

• Design Leader
• Director, Human Centred Design
• Design Strategist
• Service Design Lead
• Chief Experience Officer

Careers exist under various job titles in many sectors including:

• Corporate
• Retail
• Banking
• Finance
• Health
• Government
• Not-for-profit
• Cultural organizations