Postgraduate courses in

Design
2016-17

Innovation and Creativity in Industry

Design and Innovation for Sustainability
Design Strategy and Leadership

Cranfield University
We are an exclusively postgraduate
university located at the heart of the
UK. Our close collaboration with
industry means we offer relevant,
practical teaching that is firmly
based on our transformational
research.

Our students:

Our passion for the areas we

operate in and our long-standing
relationships with some of the most
prestigious companies in industry
mean that studying at Cranfield will
open doors for you.

UK
No1
for engineering
outside and
whilst
in

4,350+
4,350+
Over half:

81% of our research is world-leading

30+
or internationally excellent.
Study part-time

tech
postgrads
employment

Come from
the UK

Are over
30 years
of age

Our Alumni:

A professional network of

58,000+

Studying Design at Cranfield

From concept development to management, our graduates are equipped with a carefully
considered combination of skills in design, management, engineering and applied science. This
provides them with a unique understanding of working in multi-disciplinary teams and the ability
to build a culture of innovation in any organisation. During a time when employers are becoming
increasingly aware of the importance of integrating design thinking into all aspects of the business
these skills provide our graduates with a distinct advantage in the workplace.

Reasons to study
Design with us
1

Projects with industry

Learning from the

best academics

Group and individual projects are

supported by external organisations,
for example SABMiller, Cisco,
Dragon Rouge and Oxfam.

Award winning Centre

Facilities

Research networks

Design courses are taught by

subject specialists at Cranfield
and invited guest speakers from
industry.

3
4

Funding opportunities
We have generous bursaries
available for our programmes to
help support your development.

Global connections
We collaborate with international
best practice organisations
such as P&G, BSkyB and IBM to
develop new leading edge tools
and innovative product and service
solutions. This gives students the
opportunity to work nationally
and internationally on exciting
collaborative projects.

The Centre for Creative Competitive

Design (C4D) at Cranfield was named
one of the worlds best design schools
by BusinessWeek.

Our award-winning eco building

houses world-class facilities with a fully
interactive design studio which acts as a
hub of innovation between our industry
partners and other centres throughout
the University. The fully equipped
technical workshop includes lasercutters for metal and plastic engineering,
meeting students needs for building
and testing concepts through rapid
prototyping.

Our ground-breaking research in the

circular economy sets us apart. Students
can draw on our extensive research
networks, including being one of just
five international partner pioneer
universities working with the Ellen
McArthur Foundation.

The C4D group are extremely capable, very motivated and engaged.
Both as individuals and as a group they have added huge value to our
research and development in recycling technology as well as clearly
working very well together as a team and learning a huge amount. It
was a pleasure working with them!
Sean Feeney, CEO Environcom

Design courses
The strategic use of creativity is crucial for the success of any business and it
is often this which will provide competitive advantage across the market place.
At Cranfield we work closely with leading industry employers. This ensures that
our students are fully trained as professional design thinkers and innovators,
who are equipped with a unique skillset that meets the needs of industry now
and in the future.
We welcome students from a wide range of disciplines the most important
consideration is a passion for innovation and the desire to make a difference in
your chosen industry.

Career prospects:
Our alumni can be found around the world implementing design driven innovation for business success.
Here are some examples of the type of roles our graduates have gone on to, and the organisations they
work for:
Design and Innovation for Sustainability graduates:
Matilde Alonso, Sustainability Officer, IKEA
Barry Waddilove, Knowledge Transfer Manager for Design, Knowledge Transfer Network
Innovation and Creativity in Industry graduates:
Isla Sutherland, Product Analyst, Sky
Dale Walker, Researcher, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Design Strategy and Leadership graduates:
Tian Tan, UX/UI Designer, Microsoft
Sunny Wang, Concept Designer, Starbucks

Group projects:
To give you an idea of the range of clients and projects undertaken in this area, here are some recent
project titles:
Environcom: Development of WEEE material separation technology for the re-manufacture of
consumer goods
Cisco and Dragon Rouge: Transforming the landscape of consumer goods through big data and
redistributed manufacture
SABMiller: Fast moving consumer goods: Creative design and innovation project
IBM: The development of a new smart healthcare monitoring technology
P&G: Brand awareness: Building brand equity for oral care solutions
Oxfam: Development of innovative low-technology sanitation solutions for urban emergency
situations

Course information
Innovation and Creativity in Industry MDes
Industry and government recognise that modern business leaders need to be able to exploit creativity
to improve products and services and contribute to organisational success. On this course, developed
in collaboration with industry, you will gain the skills needed in multiple sectors. You will benefit from
applying your new knowledge in practical applications, and be ready to launch a successful career in
forward-thinking organisations; from emerging entrepreneurial businesses to multinational corporations.

Design and Innovation for Sustainability MDes

Sustainable development and innovation is of global importance. This course will give you the skills
in design that you need to address environmental impact while improving the competitiveness
of successful business. It will teach you to apply design-thinking across businesses to improve
organisational sustainability and meet consumer needs. You will consider the global context of design,
production and consumption, while working on practical solutions. You will leave equipped to work at
the forefront of sustainable innovation across many industries.

Design Strategy and Leadership MDes

This unique course integrates world-class design-driven innovation and strategic management research
and teaching. You will learn to combine design leadership with creative innovation strategies to deliver
the increased competitiveness desired by business across the world. Our teaching is closely aligned
with professional practice to ensure it is on the cutting edge and totally relevant to industry. Our
graduates are fit to fill the provision gap between creativity and commerce.

The course helps to open your mind and develop different

perspectives, whether you are interested in building your own business
or working in sustainability for an existing company. The course has a
perfect balance of different points of view. The modules give you the
skills to bring to industry during the group project and thesis. One of
my best moments was realising that the company with which I was
working would implement my ideas. It was simply spectacular.
Zaira Gonzlez Penilla, MDes Design and Innovation for sustainability, 2014

Key facts and statistics

Course structure:
Master of Design (MDes) courses comprise a
series of taught modules, an applied group project
and an individual thesis project.
Taught modules 40%
You will undertake eight taught modules which
run from October to February.
Providing you with
FULL
TIME
the essential knowledge
to undertake subsequent
project work.
Group project 20% PART
TIME
Group projects run from February to April and
provide teams of students with the opportunity to
take responsibility for a consultancy type project,
START
usually with an industrial
sponsor.

Key facts:
FULL
TIME

1 year

PART
TIME

Up to 3 years

START
DATE

October

MDes

DATE

Thesis project 40%

The final individual thesis project takes up the
remainder of the course to September. It allows
students to demonstrate their ability to think and
work in an original way and overcome genuine
problems in design, supported by external
organisations.

Full-time fees*:

Home/EU
MDes 8,000
PgDip 6,400
PgCert 3,200

AVERAGE
CLASS SIZE

Approx 8

CLASS SIZE

*Terms and conditions apply. Please see these and part-time

AVERAGE
CLASS AGE

AVERAGE
Across our design programmes: CLASS
SIZE

23% UK
33% EU
44% Rest of World

Overseas
17,500
14,000
7,000 AVERAGE

26 years
AVERAGE
CLASS AGE

65% Male
35% Female

Bursaries and Scholarships

University offers generous bursary and scholarship schemes with many students
benefitting from a full or part reduction in fees and/or contributions to their living expenses.
Students can apply for the Cranfield Design MDes Bursary which is awarded at the course directors
discretion and is based on merit as well as considerations of financial need. Students wishing to be
considered for a bursary should indicate so in the financial details section of their application. For
further information on the support that is available please visit our website at www.cranfield.ac.uk

AVERAGE
Cranfield
CLASS
AGE

Academic staff
You will be taught by a wide range of subject specialists drawn from the University staff and industry
professionals who draw on their research and industrial expertise to provide stimulating and informed
input to your learning experience. Here are some of the staff you will work with:
Dr Fiona Charnley Programme Director and Course Director for Design and
Innovation for Sustainability.
Fiona has worked and published within the field of design for a more sustainable
and circular economy (CE) since completing her PhD in Whole System Design.
Fiona leads the Schmidt-MacArthur Fellowship programme at Cranfield in
collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Fiona has collaborated with
over 200 organisations of varying sizes across industry sectors including Cisco,
Dragon Rouge, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Unilever and Coca-Cola Enterprises.
www.cranfield.ac.uk/fcharnley
Dr Leon Williams Head of C4D
Leon has successfully worked with globally acknowledged organisations such as
SABMiller, IBM, P&G and Whirlpool and has led more than 50+ research projects
funded by industry and/or government that operate on a global scale.
www.cranfield.ac.uk/lwilliams

Dr Mariale Moreno Beguerisse Research Fellow in Sustainable Production

Mariales work focuses on user-centered design, consumer behaviour, sustainable
production and consumption, and business opportunities towards achieving a
Circular Economy. She completed her PhD at Loughborough University on
User-Centred Design and Sustainable Consumption. She holds a Masters
Degree in Design and Innovation for Sustainability at Cranfield University. She
has also collaborated at the Royal Society of Arts and the Helen Hamlyn Centre
or Design on topics around behavioural change and sustainability.
www.cranfield.ac.uk/mmoreno
Dr Matt Collins Lecturer in Breakthrough Innovation
Matt is a Lecturer in Breakthrough Innovation within C4D at Cranfield University.
He is a highly experienced innovator; having provided expert advice and design
leadership to numerous UK and overseas multi-nationals on road, rail and aircraft
interiors, consumer products and production-line innovations over a 25-year career
in design and innovation. He is an expert in the development of medical devices
and consumer products and has also developed a number of his own best-selling
innovations which have created new product categories, new business models and
helped to found multi-million-pound start-up companies.
www.cranfield.ac.uk/mcollins

How to apply
The application process

Entry requirements:
Candidates must possess a UK Honours
degree from a range of disciplines from
management to engineering subjects, or
their international equivalent. Other relevant
qualifications together with considerable
industrial experience may be considered.

Visit www.cranfield.ac.uk/applications

Location

Check the full admissions

requirements and application deadlines

Your course will be held at the Cranfield campus

a tranquil environment offering just the place
to focus on your studies and work with a
professional and international community. We
are located just outside the village of Cranfield
between Bedford and Milton Keynes. There is
plenty to do in the area and many cities with a
rich history can easily be visited on day trips.
Several airports are easily accessible, offering a
gateway to explore Europe and afar. There are
also convenient transport links by rail and road.

Call us, meet us at an event or

email for advice on your suitability

Complete the online application form

Submit supporting admission

documentation with your application
or at a later date using our online portal

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35 minutes from London to Milton Keynes by train

55 minutes from Birmingham to Milton Keynes by train

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Cranfield University,
College Road, Cranfield,
Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK
T: +44 (0)1234 75 8008
E: enquiries@cranfield.ac.uk
W: www.cranfield.ac.uk/enquiries

Defence and Security

Energy
Environmental Technology
Leadership and Management
Manufacturing
Transport Systems
November 2015