Design for Social Innovation and Sustainable Futures University of the Arts London (UAL)

Overview

The Design for Social Innovation and Sustainable Futures course at University of the Arts London (UAL) has been established as a collaborative, creative and generative studio for designers interested in working with complex global issues.

The course will explore the future of design practice and its interdependency with humanitarian and ecological concerns. Whether you are a graphic designer, systems designers, animator, filmmaker or architect, you will be invited to explore and question your design discipline in relation to the global systems you inhabit. Looking at the environment, materiality, empathy, ethics and responsibility within broad and dynamic socio-cultural, economic and political contexts. It is both a practical and thoughtful course with an emphasis on innovative practice, collective action, plurality and real-world change.

The MA will culminate in a final ‘Design in Action’, creating demonstrable eco-social impact.

What can you expect?

• You will work fast. You will work slow. You will think deeply. You will make quickly. You might fail periodically. You might play intensely. You should learn continuously.

• This course has been designed using principles from human-centred design, building on the concept of humanity-centred design. You will delve deeply into research methodologies, prototyping and experimentation, ideation, service design and systems thinking. 

• Through various forms of collaboration inside and outside the university, you will learn to connect, frame, re-imagine and build for more sustainable futures. You will be exposed to different theories in social innovation and sustainable practice. You will be invited to critique these and build your own knowledge.

• You’ll be given opportunities to participate in a diverse range of experiences including workshops, presentations, exhibitions, symposia, knowledge exchange and skills sharing. The course has been designed to be designed. All students involved will be shape-shifting this course through their own critical and practical work.

• The Design School at London College of Communication believes in ‘design as the site of action and agency to radically transform the world’. This course will be putting thinking into practice, giving you the chance to make real social impact through a Final Project.

Careers

Demand in the public, private and third sectors for professionals with this knowledge-set and experience means that career options are diverse. Therefore, graduates might join/work with:

• Creative practices and strategic design companies.

• Corporate social responsibility departments.

• Ethical businesses or social enterprises.

• Government, policy-makers and government agencies/advisors.

• Charities, NGOs and Not for Profits.