Design and Innovation

Master of Science

Course Details

Course Code	GA_EDESG_V09
Level	9
Duration	2 years
Credits	90
Method of Delivery	Blended
Campus Locations	Galway City – Dublin Road
Mode of Delivery	Part Time

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Course Overview

Do you want to become a leader in designing, and implementing, innovative solutions to real world problems?

This part-time, blended delivery, masters programme is designed to develop key skills in innovation, design, management and leadership.

Why Study Design and Innovation?

Expertise developed through the programme will develop critical innovation, design & leadership skills which are relevant and necessary across fields from public services through to small businesses and high-tech multi-nationals. Skills valuable to those in technical posts as well as those in service, business and customer facing roles.

This Masters programme is ideal if you want to:

– Upskill for leadership roles

– Enhance your organisations capacity to innovate in products, services, or processes.

– Collaborate with peers from a range of professional experiences and backgrounds

– Future-proof your career and your organisation The course content has been inspired by the Stanford d. School’s Design Thinking philosophy and is universally applicable.

Learning Approach:

“Learning by doing”
Team-based Learning and Flexible Learning
Assessment is 100% Project based Online/media/15951 self-directed learning

Funding opportunity

Applicants may be eligible for funding with IRDG Innovation Skillnet. For further details please contact Emer Cahill, Course Co-ordinator,

emer.cahill@atu.ie .

The MSc in Design and Innovation was awarded Best Masters Programme at the Education Awards 2022

Course Details

Year 1

Semester	Module Details	Credits	Mandatory / Elective
1	Applied Design Thinking Principles and Processes This module will develop core skills in problem solving using design thinking processes, with an emphasis on empathetic and human centred design, concept generation and prototyping, testing and implementation. Learning Outcomes 1. Define a real-world challenge, problem or opportunity. 2. Apply design thinking processes to the development and evaluation of various solutions. 3. Validate proposed design solutions with various forms of human-centred research 4. Develop high quality and fast prototypes using a variety of materials and techniques 5. Demonstrate the application of various design thinking methodologies to the development of innovative and sustainable solutions	10	Mandatory
1	Product and Service Processes Learners completing this module will participate in a team project to develop a solution to a design brief that will result in: a product design, a service design and/or a product-service system (PSS). Learning Outcomes 1. Develop sustainable design solutions for products, services and product service systems (PSS) 2. Design a Product Development Process. 3. Design a Service Development Process. 4. Design a product-service system (PSS) that delivers capabilities and advanced services. 5. Develop prototype artefact models either physically or virtually. 6. Lead cross-functional teams to develop the solutions as responsible innovations. 7. Develop communication strategies for presenting the design solutions.	10	Mandatory
2	Research Methods for Design and Innovation This ten-credit module will provide students with the required knowledge and understanding of the theoretical foundations of research, research methodologies and methods of data collection to develop their research skills and provide evidence to support their design and innovation decisions. A particular focus will be action-oriented research methodologies such as action research and case studies to support the subsequent dissertation which will entail an individual action orientated project in the learner's organisation. Learning Outcomes 1. Apply knowledge of research methods and principles to design research, data collection and analysis 2. Identify and assess ethical issues, including sustainability,related to research on human behaviour in a design context 3. Demonstrate the ability to source, obtain, organise, evaluate, and present appropriate information proficiently 4. Critically analyse and discuss the literature and major works related to international practice in your area 5. Develop a plan and success metrics for the individual Dissertation in Design and Innovation	10	Mandatory

Year 2

Semester	Module Details	Credits	Mandatory / Elective
1	Design Innovation Project The module will provide learners with the mind-set, solutions, and tools to build teams that will drive design and innovation in their organisations. Increasingly, design and innovation is distributed, global, and highly collaborative. The module project will encompass the entire design and innovation development process, from vision and formation, through the test and validation of new business opportunities. While working in teams, each learner will research and present an individual minor thesis based on their functional responsibilities within the team. This module is modelled on the Stanford ME310 Module which is now delivered in a growing number of third-level Institutes and Universities across the world. Learning Outcomes 1. Identify real-world problems and develop innovative and sustainable solutions from concept to implementation. 2. Work in multi-disciplinary teams on challenging projects. 3. Deliver high quality prototypes/artefacts of products and/or services. 4. Identify potential market and societal benefits of the proposed solutions 5. Become a leader and champion of design and innovation in their organization. 6. Communicate their proposed solutions to academics, practitioners and the general public. 7. Reflect on their individual contribution and present their research and solution in an individual thesis. 8. Describe how their individual research and contribution to the development of a product/service meets the ethical criteria of being \”Responsible Innovation\”.	30	Mandatory
Year	Dissertation in Design and Innovation The Dissertation in Design and Innovation module will provide participants with an opportunity to conduct research in Design and Innovation and associated organisational realignment that is relevant and applicable to their place of work or other approved setting. The research will use action-orientated methodologies, such as Action Research. Participants will have previously chosen a research topic in the prerequisite Research Methods module with the purpose of applying Design and Innovation to a specified situation within their work environment. The individual dissertation will be of approximately 20,000/30,000 words in length (core text). The assessment for this module will include the following elements: Completed dissertation that is relevant and applicable to the working environment of the individual participant. Preparation and presentation of a research poster, succinctly encompassing the key elements of the dissertation. Attend for viva voce examination of their work, normally held in person within GMIT (a short introductory presentation will be made). In this module participants will be assigned a supervisor of studies who will guide them in their research activity. The participant will meet regularly on a one-to-one basis with their supervisor. Participants will also engage in research circle groups with their academic peers and supervisors, to critically review the progress of all dissertation research and to support all aspects of the research process. Circles may be amended due to confidentiality/IP concerns. This module will be completed by the end of the second academic year. Learning Outcomes 1. Develop and deliver a research dissertation relevant to design and innovation in a specified workplace context. 2. Analyse and critically evaluate published literature in design, innovation and organisational change. 3. Identify, plan for and manage the challenges associated with independent research. 4. Identify and select appropriate data analysis methods that are applicable to developing new insights into design, innovation and organisational change. 5. Disseminate and debate design and innovation research amongst academic peers and with managers and other relevant personnel within their own organisation. 6. Draw conclusions from the research conducted and make a critical assessment of the findings. 7. Develop recommendations for their organisation informed by a body of research that is at the forefront of knowledge in the field of Design, Innovation, Sustainability and Organisational Change. 8. Prepare and write an academic dissertation to a Level 9 standard 9. Prepare an appropriate academic research poster and present the contents. 10. Engage in discussion/defence of the conduct and outcome of the research dissertation	30	Mandatory

Examination and Assessment

100% project-based with no exams.

On-Campus Attendance Requirement

Classes will run on every second Saturday morning. These classes will be online, apart from 2 classes each semester which will be on campus in Galway. There will also be 2 one-hour classes online on weekday evenings.
Note: Check programme Examination and Assessment requirements, as they may involve examinations to be taken on campus.

Download a prospectus

Postgraduate Prospectus Online, Flexible & Professional Development Prospectus

Entry Requirements

This course is open to applicants with a Level 8 degree, in any discipline, of 2.2 or higher. Applicants with other qualifications and with relevant work experience may also be considered through ATUs Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.

Applicants with other qualifications and with relevant work experience may also be considered through ATU’s Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) process. RPL is a process that may allow you to gain admission to a programme or to receive exemptions / credit from some parts of a programme based on demonstrated learning that you may have achieved through another programme of study or through your work and career. Further information is available through www.atu.ie/recognition-of-prior-learning which is our dedicated RPL portal or by contacting our admissions team.

Fees

Total Fees EU: €6,300

Applicants may be eligible for funding with IRDG Innovation Skillnet.

Further information on fees

Careers

The course has been designed to meet both national and international needs. As a result, opportunities exist in leadership roles in design and innovation, new product or service introduction management, product, service, or process management, project management in product and service sectors, strategic marketing and market research, innovation management, and research and development management.

Further Information

Who Should Apply?

This Masters programme is ideal for those who want to upskill for leadership roles in design and innovation; enhance their organisation’s capacity to innovate in products, services and processes; collaborate with peers from a range of professional experiences and backgrounds and those seeking to future-proof their career and their organisation.