Course units
We are committed to ensuring that your skills are set within an ethical framework, and we have worked to embed UAL’s Principles for Climate, Racial and Social Justice Principles into the curriculum and in everything we do.
As part of this initiative, we’ve shaped our courses around principles of social justice and environmental sustainability to ensure learning outcomes reflect the urgent need to equip you with the understanding, skills, and values to foster a more sustainable planet and equitable society. Our aim is to empower you to work towards an inclusive and sustainable future.
Year 1: Production and Process
Introduction to Design Management (20 credits)
This unit introduces some of the traditional research methods and processes that are involved in study in higher education, bringing a critical enquiry to areas of innovation and increased inclusivity. You will focus on the relationship between theory, practice and peer learning as a social act. You will be encouraged to consider how you might move with urgency in aspects of social, climate and justice advocacy in your design practice.
Design Management Production (40 credits)
This unit introduces foundational knowledge, essential skills and practices in the field of design management. You will develop visual communication and design research skills and basic project management and production skills and begin your journey of cultivating systems thinking and practices.
Design Management Process (40 units)
Building from the previous Design Management Production unit, you will further gain knowledge and an understanding of the theoretical and contextual frameworks for design management and processes of design management. This will equip you for organising for design innovation, whilst also helping you prepare enabling and instigating your own future projects.
Responsible Design (20 credits)
In this unit, you will learn to understand, recognise and describe how to create a
‘responsible’ approach to design management, and why we expect this approach to infiltrate every aspect of your university life and future career.
Year 2: Facilitation
People and Planet: Marketing and Branding (40 credits)
During this unit, you will develop an understanding of the landscape of audiences, futures thinking and trend forecasting. You will begin to consider the strategic role of design management in creative design practice and foster futures thinking in your practice.
Professional Practices (20 credits)
This unit seeks to extend your knowledge of the creative, cultural and design industries, providing you with opportunities to collaborate with design students from other courses on live projects as you continue to develop your design practice in mixed-discipline teams.
Design Cultures (20 Credits)
In this unit, you will explore a thematic area of your choice within Design Cultures, questioning established narratives and developing your critical voice. You will explore knowledge at the boundary of your design discipline, evaluating diverse ideas and practices in relation to your chosen thematic area.
Product and Planet: Innovation and Enterprise (40 credits)
You will consider the role of design management practices as being an ‘enabler’ to organising ‘blue sky thinking’ by reviewing our relationship to thinking in systems and facilitating and managing processes and teams. You will continue to foster futures thinking, designing for human equity, social and racial justice.
Year 3: Strategy
Self-Initiated Research Project (40 credits)
This unit gives you an opportunity to engage with an in-depth research project on a topic of your choice. You will bring together the skills, knowledge and experience you have developed during your study to carry out an ethical approach to an in-depth research project that connects theory and practice.
Industry Contexts and Connections (20 credits)
This unit allows for further understanding of the industry by connecting and communicating your practice to design opportunities that show your agility and resilience in professional practice and scoping and researching for your major project from an industry perspective.
Major Project (60 credits)
Your studies culminate in the creation of an independent realised design opportunity, either conducted by yourself as instigator or further enabling an existing opportunity for change.
Optional Diploma between Years 2 and 3
Between Years 2 and 3 of your course, you’ll also have the opportunity to undertake one of the following qualifications:
Diploma in Professional Studies (DPS) (Optional)
This optional diploma can be taken between years 2 and 3. With support from your tutors, you’ll undertake an industry placement for a minimum of 100 days/20 weeks. As well as developing industry skills, you’ll gain an additional qualification upon successful completion.
Diploma in Creative Computing (Optional)
Between Years 2 and 3, you can undertake the year-long Diploma in Creative Computing. This will develop your skills in creative computing alongside your degree. After successfully completing the diploma and your undergraduate degree, you’ll graduate with an enhanced degree: BA (Hons) Design Management (with Creative Computing).
