Key information
MSc Design Management has been developed for those already within a creative industry who are looking to gain core and relevant skills of business and management, and for those in an established business environment looking to gain experience and knowledge in developing creative strategies.
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time, Part Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Scottish Borders
- Start date
- September, January
- Next intake
- September
Our MSc Design Management will provide those already within the creative industry with the opportunity to gain core and relevant skills in business and management and for those working in an established business environment looking to gain experience and knowledge in developing creative strategies. The postgraduate master’s degree will develop your skills and knowledge to enable you to produce insightful projects and instigate problem-solving across all departments and stakeholders that support the product in areas of services, communications, technology, and brand entity.
You’ll approach design management by applying innovative process analysis, a new way of thinking and professional application to current industry problems to achieve positive outcomes. The programme will enable you to confidently deliver innovative business strategy, whilst producing innovatively designed products through creative teams and creative problem-solving.
MSc Design Management will allow you to develop productive working cultures whilst remaining focused on the customer and staff journey, enabling businesses to acquire the strategy goals via effective design. It blends creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, and management.
The programme offers specialised courses in strategic design, sustainable design and management, change management, and user experience design. You’ll develop decision making skills and understand how design is used in the organisation for product development and associated departments. You’ll apply your learned skills, techniques, and knowledge to undertake your masters project and fine-tune your expertise within the industry.
Upon completion of the programme, you’ll be able to effectively manage design and creative strategies and communicate ideas critically and effectively to a wide range of individuals and organisations, through professional visual, written, and verbal communication.
Your student experience
Your learning will be informed by our Fashion and Textiles faculty and staff, whose work covers many key areas including:
- Smart Nanotextiles – Nanofibres and Nanoyarns
- Fashion Technology
- Fashion Sustainability
- Design Innovation
- Printed Textile Design
- Medical Compression Design
- Textile and Apparel Supply Chain Management
- Brand Management and Marketing
- Garment Making and Pattern Cutting
Course content
September Intake
Year 1
Mandatory September
- Design Thinking
- 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
Year 1
Mandatory January
- Change Management
- Research Methodologies
Optional January
- Design Technologies
- User Experience Design
Mandatory September
- Design Thinking
- Strategic Design
- Sustainable Design & Management
Mandatory Secondary January
- Masters Project: Academic Paper
Disclaimer
The courses mentioned above may change between now and the time that you study. For more information, please view our Terms and Conditions.
Teaching staff
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time | Part Time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | £10,864 | £5,432 |
| International | £20,456 | £10,228 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Scholarships and bursaries
Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.
Alumni Discount - 20% fee discount
A 20% discount is applicable to postgraduate taught courses across all of our global campuses for all Heriot-Watt alumni who have previously been registered for one year or more on a Heriot-Watt degree programme.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Year 1
A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or its non-UK equivalent, in any subject provided that it includes evidence of management, creative subjects or engineering, and a personal statement demonstrating an interest in the subject.
In addition, work or project experience in a related company role will be taken into consideration, please include your CV as part of your application.
We welcome applications from international students and accept qualifications from around the world. Please refer to the entry requirements for your country for more details.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English, we'll need to see evidence of your English language ability.
The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 5.5 except for writing which must be at 6.0 minimum.
If you do not have IELTS 6.0, we offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement for this programme prior to commencing your studies.
Please see our detailed English language requirements.
Why Heriot-Watt
We have been producing career-ready graduates since 1821. With our roots as the world’s first Mechanics Institute, Heriot-Watt is a pioneering university with a global reach.
At Heriot-Watt, learning goes beyond the lecture theatre. We tackle real world challenges through extraordinary research – from climate change to protecting our oceans, to advancing life-saving medical breakthroughs and shaping the next generation of AI. We are also committed to developing forward-thinking design and sustainable business practices that impact industries worldwide. On our campuses you’ll find some of the world’s most advanced facilities, while our strong industry links set you up for career success. This is why almost 90% of our graduates are in employment or further education (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024).
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