MA Design
Singapore, Singapore
MA
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
About: MA Design at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore is a research-led, practice-based postgraduate programme that sharpens critical design practice and creative research. You’ll explore interdisciplinary design labs, contextual modules, and practice-led research to question conventions, prototype solutions, and develop design methodologies. The studio culture and learning community support professional development, collaboration, and an alumni network.
Career Outcomes: You’ll join a scarce pool of design researchers and innovators sought across creative industries. Potential roles include designer, design researcher, strategist, creative director, product designer, service designer, innovation consultant, and roles in cultural institutions, design education, startups, and design-led businesses.
Hone your critical design practice to create, challenge, and re-imagine the world we live in.
MA Design is a research-led practice programme that challenges current conventions of thinking, making, and communicating.
The design field is increasingly positioned at the forefront of innovative and new possibilities for humanity in a fast-changing world. As technologies progress, societies must evolve for communities to reimagine themselves. Design professionals are positioned to create solutions, preserving the values and thinking behind them in response to constrained resources and diverse needs. The programme encourages students to explore the impossible, question design principles, and propose new solutions.
The programme provides an independent and interdisciplinary learning environment for you to experiment and play. You will be part of a new generation of research-based creators, innovators, and inventors engaged in design research and practice through critical analysis, collaborative engagement, and intellectual argument.
You will be encouraged to explore complex research themes and topics through contextual modules, design methodologies, and interdisciplinary design labs. Artistic, design, and industry experts will provoke your critical thinking to identify problems and formulate solutions, increasing your agility to perform across the roles of thinker, researcher, strategist, and innovator.
The programme seeks to challenge those who want to be challenged to break out of conventional sociocultural and design thinking practices to mold new ways of imagining the world that are inspirational, applicable, and communicable.
Why apply
Professional development: Learn to push your capacities through interdisciplinary and research practices.
Design studio culture: Our strong making-learning culture enables you to be part of a community of artists, designers, scholars, and professionals.
Learning community: Gain access to activities planned just for our MA students.
Professional network and strong alumni: Gain the knowledge and contacts you need to succeed in the industry.
Full-time
- Design Lab 1: Design in Context and Integrated Design Practice (30 credits)
- Critical Discourse in Design (30 credits)
- Design Lab 2: Design Synthesis and Hypothesis (30 credits)
- The Agora (30 credits)
- Final Research (60 credits)
Note: The workload will be approximately half for MA programmes offered with the part-time mode.
Modes of assessment
- Written Assignment
- Seminar Presentation
- Thesis or Project Work
- Student-Designed Assessment
Curriculum framework
The LASALLE MA framework aims to provide graduates with a competitive edge that will meet the demands of the dynamic cultural and creative sector.
The MA framework has the following common structure:
Core modules
You will study three core modules* according to your chosen program of study. These modules aim to equip you with discipline-specific skills relevant to your area of research inquiry.
*For the MA Art Therapy and MA Music Therapy programs, there will be additional modules for clinical placements.
Common module – the Agora
The common module, the Agora, has been designed to prepare you for the intensely collaborative experience of a creative career. You will be guided to reflect on the ‘place’ of your particular discipline in society, the economy, and the environment. You will consider and experiment with combining your discipline with others (multidisciplinary), blending your skills and knowledge with those of other disciplines (interdisciplinary) or even discovering new ways of working together (transdisciplinary).
The Final Research module
Research methods will be embedded into the Final Research (thesis) module. Within this module, formal and dedicated ‘research weeks’ will occur in the first and second semesters. The research weeks will be distinctive points within your program to allow you to concentrate fully on your research. The spread of its delivery is intended to provide you time to reflect, synthesize and consolidate your learning, and develop your research questions. You will also be provided six hours of supervision of your research.
Besides the immersion in the postgraduate research culture built through shared learning modules, the MA framework provides a transformative educational experience designed to shape you into a future-ready professional, equipped with the skills and expertise demanded by the industry.
Sustainability and care
LASALLE recognizes the important role of artists and designers in creating a sustainable and caring world. The curriculum provides opportunities for students to identify and explore issues around sustainability (from ecology and global climate change to the sustainability of their own creative practices and wider cultural communities) and care (for the well-being and advancement of oneself and others).
The College actively encourages students to engage with and investigate these crucial contemporary issues as part of their studies, including through their projects, and critical and creative outputs. Through interdisciplinary learning and strong engagement with these topics, the aim is to empower students to lead the way towards sustainable practices and caring communities within the cultural and creative industries.
Materials
Basic learning materials are provided by the College.
As a developing artist, you are required to have certain items that are personal to you and cannot be shared. Such items include books, dance shoes, rehearsal clothes, safety boots, portable musical instruments, paints, canvas, basic tools, design software, cameras, etc., that will support you through your three-year learning journey. The College does not encourage the purchase of extravagant or costly materials or equipment. Our lecturers can provide you with affordable suggestions.
You are also encouraged to have your laptop for education. If you do not own one, computer labs are available on campus with the requisite software for you to undertake your work.
There may be opportunities for you to undertake extra-curricular study trips to enhance your overall learning. Trips are not compulsory and may incur additional costs.
In recognition of outstanding academic excellence, leadership potential, and a passion for creativity and innovation, LASALLE offers a variety of scholarships to new and current students.
Application dates for scholarships will be reflected in the various scholarship pages. Other externally sponsored scholarships are also available to students. Enquiries and applications may be directed to the respective organisations.
Find out more
As part of an increasingly important but scarce pool of talent, you will participate in the positioning of Singapore and Asia as a rigorous environment and connection point for innovative design-based education. You will be sought after for your ability to understand the multifaceted cultural, communication, production, management and business demands, so as to contribute across a spectrum of creative industries and business contexts.
