Scuola Politecnica di Design SPD

Scuola Politecnica di Design SPD

A creative workshop for discovery, understanding, and the exchange of ideas and experiences.

Founded in 1954, SPD is the very first school in Italy for communication and design disciplines. Over the decades, it has been instrumental in shaping and nurturing the evolution of Italian design into its current form. The visionary artist Nino di Salvatore established SPD in 1954, leveraging his skills as a painter and sculptor to bring together artists, designers, professionals, and students from across five different continents. Eminent figures such as Bruno Munari, Gio Ponti, Max Huber, Pino Tovaglia, and Isao Hosoe have graced its halls as educators, with Achille Castiglioni, Rodolfo Bonetto, Roberto Sambonet, Donald Norman, and Arnaldo Pomodoro among its distinguished guests.

Presently, SPD continues to foster talent, collaborating with emerging designers and engaging in practical projects, guided by industry luminaries such as Piero Lissoni, Stefano Giovannoni, Denis Santachiara, and Andrea Branzi.

In the vibrant city of Milan, renowned as the design capital, SPD offers Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts programs. With 70 years of experience in the field, our courses encompass a diverse spectrum, spanning from product design to interior design, and from communication design to digital design. Our teaching approach is characterized by personalized guidance within an intimate learning environment that facilitates close interaction with our esteemed faculty and staff. Our study programs are distinguished by their strong emphasis on real-world projects, fostering close collaboration with industry professionals and companies.

At SPD - Scuola Politecnica di Design, admission is highly competitive due to the limited number of available seats. Therefore, prospective students must successfully pass our rigorous selection process for enrollment.

For Bachelor of Arts Courses:

Candidates are eligible if the award of this qualification is subsequent to a comprehensive educational path of a minimum of 12 years.

If required in the country of origin, they shall pass the national examination for university entry. Students whose first language is not English will need to achieve an IELTS score of 5.5 or equivalent.

A motivational letter is required, and an admission interview is part of the admission process.

For Master of Arts Courses:

To be admitted into the MA course, students must have a second class (2.2) honours or higher in art, design, or other creative disciplines from any recognised ISCED level 6 programme.

Graduates in scientific disciplines, social sciences, and humanities can also be selected.

SPD also considers other relevant experience and/or the attendance of SPD Preparatory Courses. In addition, international students need an IELTS score of 6.0, with no component below 5.5.

Awards

An outstanding past has been extremely rewarding with exceptional recognition of the school: Boasting the exhibition at the Biennale di Venezia in 1986, at the Carrousel du Louvre and at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris; the ‘Medaglia d’Oro’ at the tenth Triennale in Milan and even the ‘Compasso d’Oro’ awarded by the ADI -Associazione Disegno Industriale in 1994; not to mention the honour of being granted twice the SMAU prize for Industrial Design.