Key information
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time, Part Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Dubai
- Start date
- September, January
Our MSc Design Management postgraduate programme blends practical and theoretical capabilities, showcasing design as a transformative force for business innovation. You’ll master advanced design thinking, UX design, strategic change, sustainable design and management, and research methods.
This program will empower you to address today's significant global challenges—like decarbonisation, poverty, and net-zero emissions—by working towards solutions not only in traditional creative fields like architecture, fashion, branding, and product design but also in emerging design markets such as finance, health, hospitality, and medical care.
Designed to meet the rising demand for creative management in Middle Eastern businesses, particularly in the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, this programme helps diversify economies beyond oil and gas. Our mission is to inspire a new generation of graduates to encourage imaginative interdisciplinary collaboration.
As the first postgraduate teaching programme launched in the MENA region, we're leading the way in fostering innovative, sustainable thinking.
Your student experience
This programme is accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the UAE and the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in the United Kingdom.
Read more about the UAE Federal Accreditation.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way. You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
Inter-Campus Transfer: United Kingdom
Course content
September Intake
Mandatory September
- Design Thinking and Innovation
- Strategic Design
- Sustainable Design & Management
Mandatory January
- Change Management
- Research Methodologies
Optional January
- Design Technologies
- User Experience Design
Mandatory May
- Masters Project: Academic Paper
January Intake
Mandatory January
- Change Management
- Research Methodologies
Optional January
- Design Technologies
- User Experience Design
Mandatory September
- Design Thinking and Innovation
- Strategic Design
- Sustainable Design & Management
Mandatory Secondary January
- Masters Project: Academic Paper
Student testimonials
Suzanna Thankam Jacob
Student, MSc Design Management
The MSc in Design Management programme has provided me with the opportunity to explore novel concepts in innovation and management and further develop my areas of interest.
Fees and funding
AED 95,700 per year
- All tuition fees inclusive of VAT.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
For MSc entry, a good relevant Honours degree (first or second class) or equivalent overseas qualifications will be considered. Given the clear practical element of the programmes, we will also consider non-graduate candidates holding less than a good Honours degree, or its equivalent, but with compensating qualifications or experience may be admitted to the Postgraduate Diploma programme. Transfer to the MSc will be possible later on if exams and course work are at MSc level.
To find out more about the specific entry requirements for your country, please refer to our International Entry Requirements.
To find out about the entry requirements for this programme, please send an email to dubaienquiries@hw.ac.uk
Why Heriot-Watt
As the first British university to set up a campus in Dubai in 2005, we have established ourselves as a pioneer in the higher education market in the UAE. The three consecutive five-star ratings by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is a testament to our reputation for world-class teaching.
The futuristic Dubai campus is designed to offer interactive and collaborative learning experiences with innovative classroom styles fostering group work and engagement like Collaborative lecture theatres, Digitally Classrooms and Seminar rooms. The campus also has dedicated cutting-edge laboratories and workshops that span various engineering disciplines along with Psychology, IT, Photography, Design and Architecture.
Our practical, leading-edge research combined with strong links to business and industry, have made our graduates highly employable and sought after by the best organisations worldwide, with over 90% in graduate-level jobs or further study within six months of graduation. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education through our Go Global programme.
Student life
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