Design Innovation and Management MA/MSc
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
MSc
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
AED 89,250
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
Course Overview
Whether your interests lie in retail or museums, product or interiors, fashion or visual communication, this course will equip you to create innovative designs alongside an understanding of business and management, making it an ideal platform to launch your own creative business.
With a flexible curriculum to accommodate your creative ambitions, this course will prepare you to take a critical position to forge a successful career in the globalised creative world. The key business skills that you will gain make this course the ideal platform for creative entrepreneurs to launch their own design businesses and consultancies, or for those who hope to take up senior roles in design strategy or brand management. The course is designed for students with a good working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite applications, such as Photoshop, Acrobat, and InDesign, and will develop these technical skills to an advanced level.
You will select a specialist area of study from diverse options, ranging from retail, museum and exhibition, and product design, to interior, fashion, visual communication, and design innovation. Learn to devise creative solutions to complex issues surrounding sustainability and explore the role of design and innovation as a driver for change. Your learning will culminate in either a work-based project or an individual major project (either creative practice-based or research-focused), drawing on the professional expertise and specialist knowledge of our academics.
Throughout the course, we will empower you to experiment boldly and support you to take risks. You will be encouraged to challenge conventions and develop innovative approaches to tackling contemporary design challenges, with the cutting-edge facilities for you to refine your talents and realise your creative visions.
Key features
- You can be awarded an MA or MSc depending on your route through your studies and final Major Project. You can also exit the course with a Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate award, depending on the credits you have successfully achieved.
- Specialise in varied design areas, from retail, museum and exhibition, and product design, to interior, fashion, visual communication, and design innovation.
- You will develop the design skills and innovative approach required to become a successful and impactful entrepreneur in the creative industries.
- You can tailor your course to develop your personal interests and support your career aspirations or establish the design concept for your own business.
- Gain expert knowledge from visiting guest lecturers and work on real-world live projects set by professionals from industry, museum, charity, and arts organisations.
- Join a community that is working together to co-design new ways of thinking to redefine the future of creative practice.
DMU Dubai offers a range of scholarships and discounts to eligible applicants, including:
Discounts
- Early Application Discounts
- Full Advance Payment Discount
- Corporate Discount
- Family Discount
- Students with Determination Discount
- Admissions Event Discounts
Scholarships and Awards
- International Year Zero Progression Award
- International Students Scholarship
- Sports Scholarship
- Community Engagement Scholarship
- Postgraduate Excellence Awards
- Alumni Scholarship
- Academic Merit Scholarship
What you will study
Block 1: Creative Design Research Studio
This module will introduce you to a critical appraisal of current creative and research processes in a professional multidisciplinary context, which will support you to move beyond design research skill development toward high-performance working and enable you to develop a range of applied skills that will boost your potential employability.
Block 2: Research Methods and Cultural Context
In the module you will be introduced to advanced research skills. You will consider the role of research within the context of design and management, and reflect on your personal attributes, skills, and values as a contemporary researcher. Typical content will include research design; gathering, managing and analysing data; developing critical and ethical practices; and reporting and presenting research findings.
Block 3: Select one from the following:
- Sustainability Strategy and Design
- Narrative Spaces
- UX and UI
- Technology for Design
Block 4: Select one from the following:
- Business and Marketing Strategies
- Design Problem Solving
Blocks 5 and 6: Select one from the following:
- Major Project – Dissertation
- Major Project – Design Innovation
- Work-based Project
Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, and workshops. Assessment methods are varied and are designed to enable you to develop different skills. Assessments include individual and group presentations, reports, literature reviews, essays, a business plan, dissertation and design concept presentation.
You will benefit from visiting lecturers who specialise in exhibition design, museum curation, retail design, sustainable design, business planning and creative digital design. At the same time, a range of industry, museum, charity, and arts organisation representatives regularly present and coordinate live projects.
Many of our graduates go on to launch their own design businesses and consultancies, take up roles as creative designers, or progress on to senior roles in design strategy or brand management.
Businesses started by DMU graduates include the Pooja Kapoor fashion brand, Whiteroom Media, Luidpro Design, and Cerebral Innovation.