Postgraduate Design in North West England

Design is a wide-reaching subject that plays a role in many different industries and sectors. In essence, it is the art of planning and creating images, objects, systems or structures. This could be an advert or a household product, a bridge or a website.

Postgraduate students of design will typically build on their undergraduate studies in art, design, architecture or other creative disciplines, specialising in areas such as media, fashion, interior, graphic or architectural design. Graduate opportunities can be found in many industries.

There are over 280 postgraduate courses in design across more than 80 UK universities. They cover many specialist areas and course types, from postgraduate certificates to MA degrees and doctoral research pathways.

What to expect

With such a rich variety of courses to choose from, the entry requirements vary hugely but you will generally need an undergraduate degree to be considered. A relevant degree is given more importance but there is also emphasis on your portfolio of work and relevant work experience in the field so it’s worth doing some research when you have a course in mind.

Individual courses in design at this level will often cover specialist areas but in general some common topics include, design theory and practice, research methods, design thinking and innovation, user design, exploring sustainability, social impact and emerging technologies and design management and strategy.

Having a postgraduate qualification in design will help you stand out in an often limited job market. According to a report in the Complete University Guide, graduates with postgraduate degrees earned more than those with undergraduate degrees. You might use a postgraduate course to further your existing career in design or use it to get your first role.

Careers in design include product designer, web designer, User Experience (UX) designer, design manager and service designer among many others.