LAB University of Applied Sciences

Master of Culture and Arts, Design for the Planet

Study Contents

The online master's degree program Design for the Planet emphasizes design thinking, systems design, and visualizations as means to tackle ambiguous, interconnected, and complex sustainability challenges.

The degree program is conducted online and as a part-time learning opportunity. The courses are mainly executed by the Institute of Design and Fine Arts, in collaboration with the LAB University of Applied Sciences Technology and International Business and schools of LUT University. Complementary studies can also be chosen from other LAB faculties or other relevant institutions, and they offer possibilities to build on each student’s personal interests.

Core Competence 20 ECTS

• Design Thinking in Sustainability (entrance examination course) 5 ECTS
• Organizational Transformation in Sustainability 5 ECTS
• Systems Thinking and Strategic Design in Sustainability 5 ECTS
• Designing explorative and experimental co-development 5 ECTS

Complementary Competence 10 ECTS

• Sustainable Service Design 5 ECTS
• Visual Thinking for Innovation 5 ECTS
• Competence deepening Book Club (reading and discussing, writing) 5 ECTS
• Competence deepening expertise 5 ECTS
• Possibility to choose courses from the Circular Economy Solutions MA program

Thesis 30 ECTS

• Thesis planning 10 ECTS
• Thesis project and reporting 20 ECTS

The basis for development is understanding the main challenges of the state of the planet and how to follow the evolving sustainability rules, regulations, and reporting requirements. Design thinking includes systems understanding and evidence-based, human-driven information acquisition for holistic understanding and multidisciplinary development. Visual information forms an integrated part of the communication and development tools and result-building. The development context is studied both at the strategic level and with concern about the place-based, concrete situation. The strategic approach is not left at the abstract level, but concrete activities are sought as results, often through the means of co-design.

The studies include teacher-led online sessions, project-based online work in student teams, and independent student work. Virtual sessions are conducted approximately every two weeks during the autumn and spring semesters for the compulsory core and central complementary studies. The program applies the flipped-classroom approach, where prework is required before online meetings and used for discussion and tasks.

The thesis work includes presentations in the online thesis seminars and joint online meetings. Individual, online mentoring from the teaching staff is available as an integral part of the thesis project.

Structure of Studies

The program is divided into core competence and complementary competence studies. The compulsory core competence studies equip the students for the development methods typical in systems and evidence-based design thinking and for the basis of issues necessary for sustainable solutions with an impact. The complementary competence studies consist of two optional study modules, allowing you to extend your expertise and specialize in an area of interest. Although the studies are generally conducted online, the complementary studies can also provide onsite contact possibilities.

Duration and scope of studies: 2 years, 60 ECTS including 30 ECTS thesis work.

• Core Competence 20 ECTS
• Complementary Competence 10 ECTS
• Thesis 30 ECTS

The duration of these MA studies is only 60 ECTS because the eligibility requirements include 2 years of work experience. No practical trainee period is included in the studies.

Thesis

The master’s degree program includes a thesis of 30 Ects conducted as development research. The thesis project aims to broaden and deepen your professional expertise and knowledge and provide you with the expertise needed to lead and operate relevant development research and manage projects for sustainability. The development case for the thesis can be from each student’s work organization or commissioned by an external organization in various countries. LAB also provides possibilities for conducting thesis work in LAB research, development, and innovation activities.

Internationalization

We offer you excellent opportunities to gain valuable international expertise and language skills for your future career. Future workplaces and positions require multicultural skills, language skills, and international understanding.

Learning takes place in an international, multicultural environment, as our degree students come from all over the world.

Co-operation with Other Parties

Your studies will be closely connected with the development of working-life practices, together with businesses and work communities. Multidisciplinary working-life projects and different learning environments, such as student cooperatives, will strengthen your connections with authentic working-life interactions throughout the program.

Research Focus

At LAB University of Applied Sciences, our goal is to renew the working life and ways of working. Together with our partners, we test new innovations and ways of doing things.

We focus on supporting responsible, regenerative growth through intangible value creation, multipurpose materials, and human well-being.

Design thinking provides a means to search for opportunities and create improvements toward sustainable futures. The interdisciplinary Master’s Degree Programme in Design for the Planet is based on the principles of ​meaningful, sufficiency, and place-based design. It emphasizes creative design thinking processes with human empathy for each other around real-world problems.

In this program, the students learn how to critically form and analyze evidence-based arguments and design activities that nudge forward meaningful and feasible environmentally and socially sustainable organizational transitions. They learn how to apply design thinking and systems thinking as frameworks and methods for this development. The studies equip the students to lead engaging customer, user, and employee-based co-design research processes. The aim is to design situated, contextual, and enabling processes, activity models, services, and/or product service systems for sustainable and fair transitions.

The Design for the Planet MA studies are meant for professionals with development work interests in applying design thinking to environmental and social sustainability. The program combines theory and practice and equips for a range of management and development roles in sustainable businesses and organizations. The graduates can work in different business fields, public sector, or in non-profit organizations as in-house developers or consulting entrepreneurs. In addition to diverse design and innovation tasks, future work can include marketing and communications.

Postgraduate Study Opportunities

After earning a master’s degree, you are eligible to apply to the universities’ doctoral degree programs.