Master in Lighting Design & Technology

The lighting project must be understood as a service to promote well-being, personal, social, productive, relational and communicative activities throughout the whole range of human activities. Artificial lighting is in fact a primary asset of modern societies and it is one of the factors that has provided its contribution to the economic, commercial and social development of the most advanced nations in the world. The use of all the energy and expressive potential of the light requires the definition of professionalism and adequate design methods that are provided by the master.

Title Released

At the end of the course, upon passing the final exam, the first level Specializing Master’s degree of the Politecnico di Milano will be awarded in “Lighting Design and Technology”.

Lighting Design & Technology

The Specializing Master aims at forming professionals able to follow the productive process of lighting in interiors, urban exteriors, temporary and museum environments, residential and show, paying attention to the analysis of methods, organizating a realization of lighting considering the production process and the innovation of the field of application, with special attention to social and cultural behavior of artificial lighting.

Lighting Design intended as a service to enhance wellness, personal, social and productive activities, relationship and communication in all human activities. Artificial lighting is in fact a primal asset of modern society, and one of the factors that mainly contributed to economical, commercial and social evolution of the most advanced nations on earth. The energetic and expressive potential of light lead to the definition of a new profession and an adequate design methodology that will be treated in to the master.

The Number of Admitted Students is 30

The Master’s objective is the training of professional profiles able to follow the design and production process of lighting, in interior architecture, urban exteriors,museums, temporary installations, and the areas of hospitality, with particular attention to the analysis and synthesis of the new methodological processes of creativity, organization and realization of the lighting project in the BIM, in relation with the technological innovations of the sector and with and with particular attention to the IoT innovation in the home and building automation.

The result of the master is an innovative professional profile with advanced skills concerning the main lighting design activities in hospitality and commercial interiors, urban exteriors, museum and temporary installations.

This professional profile can be recruited by companies in the lighting sector and in professional firms and also in technical offices of public administration. In the technical-lighting companies, s/he will be included in the design, construction and control studies of lighting systems. In professional firms of architecture, industrial design and technical-lighting design, s/he will support the architectural design of residential, commercial, public, recreational, sport, museum and exhibit design buildings, with coordination and support tasks for design of artificial lighting.

In local authorities and public and private companies in the field of public lighting services, s/he can be included in the offices of design, installation, testing and management of public and private lighting, with duties concerning construction supervision and verification related to the problems coming from reference legislation and standards for public and private lighting.

The Specializing Master has a placement of more than 90% of participants who could fit into design firms and leading companies within one year after completion of studies.

Didactic Plan

The Specializing Master will be held in English. Any lecture in other languages will be translated simultaneously.

The specializing master has a duration of one year and issues 60 credits, equivalent to 60 ECTS.

Didactic Modules

The teaching activity will be held in person. The educational program is divided into 10 thematic modules plus an 11th module which is the internship. The teaching of the didactic modules will be in English. The first 4 didactic modules develop the basic skills in the field of theories, methods and tools for lighting Design; from the technical, methodological and cultural basics of the project to permanent innovation in the sector:

• Theory of lighting
• Lighting engineering
• Connected lighting
• Introduction to Lighting Design

The following 5 didactic modules develop advanced skills in the field of Lighting Design practice:

• Project work: lighting design with CAD and BIM
• Project work: lighting for the hospitality
• Project work: Lighting in exteriors
• Project work: lighting for cultural heritage
• Project work: lighting in commercial interiors

The 10th educational module develops empowerment skills for entering the world of working for corporate and professional training.

• 1st in Italy
• 4th in Europe
• 8th in the World

Politecnico di Milano - QS Ranking 2023 in Art&Design category