Designers need to gain new knowledge and find a specialised area of their own.
Introduction
The Master of Design (Design Practices) is a hands-on, studio-based specialism directed at students who want to deepen their innovative abilities, who are curious about design and business integration, and who enjoy the creative form challenges of making objects and ideas that improve people’s lives. Designers with a Bachelor’s degree in product design, fashion design, interaction design, architecture, product engineering, interior design or communication design may find Design Practices to be a logical next step in their professional development.
This specialism focuses on design as a strategic tool for the consumer economy. Interdisciplinary projects embrace business strategy and brand development, identifying opportunities for innovation and user experience. This full-time international programme responds to the world’s industrial and technological transformation. The development of a high level of research, analysis, strategic vision, aesthetics, and technical mastery in development, fabrication and commercialisation of design prepares students for leadership roles.
Our students are not only trained to develop products, they are also taught to create solutions for clients along with business strategies and related products and services.
Programme structure
Primarily a studio experience, some projects will be sponsored by leading companies with real business context provided as the base for collaborative workshops. This is a full-time, intensive one-year programme. Theory and method subjects are delivered during weekends over four consecutive weeks each. A "capstone project" concludes the year with an experience that synthesizes learning in a real-world setting.
Common Core Subjects (compulsory) (1 credits) SD5400 Vision and Change (1 credit)
Specialism Core Subjects (compulsory) (32 credits) Theory/Method Subjects (9 credits) SD5018 Research and Analysis for Design (3 credits) SD5104 Branding: From Local to Global Strategies (3 credits) SD5202 Innovative Products and Services Development (3 credits)
Workshop Subjects (23 credits) SD5401 Value Strategies for China (4 credits) SD5405 China Lifestyle Transformation (4 credits) SD5406 Design Experience (4 credits) SD5409 Capstone Research (4 credits) SD5410 Design and Make Capstone Project (7 credits)
Electives* (3 credits) These will be drawn from regularly occurring subjects within the MDes Scheme, including: SD5012 Future Contexts for Design (3 credits) SD5014 Consumer as Producer: Critical Trends in Product Development and Consumer Culture (3 credits) SD5015 Globalization and Design (3 credits) SD5019 Design Criticism and Visual Arguments (3 credits) SD5021 Chinese Traditions and the 21st Century (3 credits) SD5022 Special Topics in Contemporary Design I (3 credits) SD5023 Special Topics in Contemporary Design II (3 credits) SD5112 Strategic Design: Regional Case Studies (3 credits) SD5113 Strategies for Sustainable Product-Service Systems (3 credits) SD5163 Managing Value Creation (3 credits) SD5201 Collaborative Design and Technology (3 credits) SD5215 Introduction to Ergonomics (3 credits) SD5216 Introduction to Intellectual Property: Fundamentals and Strategy (3 credits) AF5340 Finance and Accounting for Design Business (3 credits) MM5761 Marketing Management (3 credits)
* Remarks: Not all elective subjects are offered every year. Time table will be provided by individual MDes Specialism before the academic year begins. Students should refer to the Scheme Definitive Document and may consult Specialism Leader when choosing electives.
Class delivery mode & duration
Classes are normally held during daytime on weekdays except for three subjects, which will be delivered during weekends. Each of these weekend subjects requires three weekends spread over 4–5 weeks.
Normally it takes 1 year to complete the specialism.
Specialism leaders
Philippe Casens — Assistant Professor, BA, MA
Philippe Casens has experienced different approaches and developed specific methodologies within the field of industrial production, interior design and their communication, throughout a professional collaboration with Italian designers and architects like Andrea Branzi, Clino Trini Castelli, Pierluigi Cerri, and Isao Hosoe.
His teaching career started in Domus Academy in 1995, where he directed Master in Product Design, and in Car Design & Mobility. He co-directed Master in Interior Design for Vehicle at the École Nationale Supérieure des Ingénieurs de Haute Alsace (France). He also collaborated with Domus Academy Research Center (DARC) on research projects and training workshops for Hyundai Kia designers.
His current research focus is on multi-disciplinarity and design for social innovation.
Three letters of recommendation (Academic/ Profession)
Evidence of academic qualification, i.e. Official Full Transcripts and Degree Certificates
Portfolio (refer to FAQ for requirements and submission)
IELTS/ TOEFL report*
* If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the following minimum English language requirement for admission purpose: A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 80 for the Internet-based test or 550 for the paper-based test; OR An overall Band Score of at least 6 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Interview All admissions must go through the interview process. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview in person (for local applicants) or over internet video calls (for non-local applicants).
Number of credits: 36
Normal Period of Study: 1 Year (full-time)
Tuition: HK$162,000 (local) / HK$183,600 (non-local); Initial Programme Fee: Local student HK$18,000 (4 credits x HK$4,500)/ Non-local student HK$51,000 (10 credits x HK$5,100)
Financial Aid
No scholarship is available for non-local students for 2019/20 admissions.
For local residents, two types of financial aid are available through the Government's Student Finance Office: (1) Continuing Education Fund and (2) Extended Non-means-Tested Loan Scheme (ENLS).
Some subjects in MDes scheme are included on the Continuing Education Fund (CEF) list of reimbursable courses for local residents. For further information on CEF or reimbursable courses list, please visit CEF official website.
Extended Non-means Tested Loan Scheme (ENLS) offers interest-bearing loans to eligible students for covering tuition fees. For details of the scheme, please refer to the Government’s website.
Type of VISA (for International Students)
People’s Republic of China and foreign nationals, and those who are holding a valid employment or working holiday visa/ entry permit may apply to this programme as non-locals. You will need a student visa to take this full-time programme.
Applicants will be informed by the University’s Academic Secretariat about the visa application process when receiving the Notice of Offer.
Visa applications are processed and determined by the Immigration Department of the Government of the HK SAR. The process normally takes six weeks upon receipt of all the required documents.
Enquiry
Should you require further assistance, feel free to contact us by email at sdsteph@polyu.edu.hk or by phone +852 3400 3440.
