MSc in Design Innovation and Technology
Southampton, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 28,700 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* EU and international students | £11,500 - UK students
On our MSc Design Innovation and Technology course, you'll learn to shape how we interact with emerging technologies and design human-centred solutions for the future.
Your learning will be informed by the research and practices of our two world-leading research labs: the Global SMART Lab and the Social Practices Lab. You'll develop expert knowledge of computational design and emerging digital and physical production processes. Through international research partnerships, you'll be connected with top institutions that offer unique collaborative opportunities and global insights.
Some of the other areas you'll explore include:
- artificial intelligence (AI)
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR)
- digital twins
- robotics
You'll have access to a maker lab and workshop facilities for the latest technologies in digital modelling, fabrication, and electronics. Using these resources, combined with our traditional art school facilities, you'll hone your technical skills in rapid prototyping and testing. You'll work directly with businesses, communities, and the public sector to deliver capstone projects, where you'll create meaningful impact and develop transferable skills.
In this course, you'll consider sustainability, ethics, and social impact, and be aware of the broader implications of your work. You'll learn to create innovative and ethically responsible solutions that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. You'll also get involved in co-designing with industry partners, academics, and other designers. Through collaboration, you'll gain diverse perspectives and subject insights.
As an MSc Design Innovation and Technology graduate, you'll be prepared for the design and technology innovation sector with the confidence to create impactful and sustainable solutions. There is a growing demand for professionals who can combine creative insight with technical skills. With your experience in CreaTech (Creative Technology), you'll be in a position to lead digital transformation and shape meaningful products and experiences.
Our MSc Design Innovation and Technology degree runs for 1 year and is split into 2 semesters. You'll study a combination of theoretical and practice-based modules where you'll engage with critical design debates, emerging technologies and societal shifts. Throughout the course, you'll be supported by leading academics and researchers working at the forefront of digital and physical production.
Modules
The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
You must study the following modules:
- Design Futures and Emerging Technologies
- Design Thinking for Complex Systems
- Final Project (Design Innovation and Technology)
- Global Contexts and Systems
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Strategies for Practice and Research
You must also choose from the following modules:
- Experimental Publishing
- Exploring the Visual Language of Display
- Visual Culture
Semester 1 Overview
In your first semester, you'll develop your knowledge of the complexity of real-world challenges and build on your ability to respond to them through design and technology.
Through collaborative projects, you’ll map and reframe complex systems, prototype innovative solutions, and engage with scenario planning.
You'll cover a variety of modules that explore the following themes in detail:
- globalisation
- climate change
- systems of power and infrastructure
- digital inequality
- emerging technologies and ethics
- diversity and accessibility
From designing resilient healthcare services to driving responsible digital transformation, you’ll develop the skills needed to lead meaningful change.
Semester 2 Overview
In your second semester, you'll develop in-depth expertise and knowledge of smart and emerging technology. You'll explore how these technologies and innovations can drive sustainable development, ethical decision-making, behavioural change, and social equity. You'll also look for ways to ensure that emerging technologies can contribute to sustainable futures.
Emerging technology you'll study includes:
- sensory processing
- the Internet of Things (IoT)
- augmented reality, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence
- creative coding
- smart processing
Your modules in this semester will also aim to build your entrepreneurial skills, so that you can build on your experience of presenting and pitching concepts. Through these studies, you'll further improve your collaborative, strategic, and professional communication skills.
During this semester, you'll have the opportunity to choose optional modules to either broaden your skillset or deepen your expertise in specific areas.
You'll also do your Final Project, which will demonstrate your ability to apply advanced design thinking and technical knowledge to a self-directed challenge. Through deep research, prototyping, and execution, you'll develop an original product or service that anticipates future societal and market needs.
Learning
This MSc Design Innovation and Technology course brings together students from diverse creative and scientific backgrounds. You'll co-design in interdisciplinary teams to encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange, as you would in the professional world.
Learning and teaching methods include:
- global networking & cultural exchange
- independent research and practice
- lectures and keynote talks
- workshops and demonstrations
- seminars and discussions
Through industry partnerships, there will be opportunities to collaborate with businesses, communities, and public sector organisations. You'll have the chance to get involved with live briefs and projects to gain experience in real-world applications. With this collaborative approach, you'll develop more inventive, comprehensive, and thoughtful solutions to complex design challenges.
Through workshops and keynote talks led by professionals, you'll expand your network and keep your learning aligned with the latest developments in this fast-evolving sector.
Assessment
Our assessment methods for MSc Design Innovation and Technology are designed to be authentic, accessible, and reflective of real-world practice.
Your assessments will be both formative and summative. Formative assessments are not graded and will provide ongoing feedback on the progress of your projects to support your development.
Formative assessment methods may include:
- written and illustrated reflective books or vlogs
- individual and group presentations
- seminars and tutorials
- critiques of ideas, prototypes and products
Summative assessments are graded and used to evaluate your achievement of the modules and learning outcomes.
Summative assessments can include:
- design research and analysis
- evidence of technical or idea development
- low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes
- written and illustrated evaluations and reports
- group and individual projects
- portfolios and viva voces
Through this variety of methods, you'll build the technical capabilities required to explore, prototype and implement innovative solutions using technologies and immersive media.