About This Course
The world is changing, you can either allow change to happen to you or you can be a key part of the change. The Applied Innovation Design course will prepare you to take a leading/active role in enabling a change in whatever field you choose, through the experiential application of current theory and commercial practices.
There are many definitions of the word ‘innovation’ and whether you chose to define it as a leap or a hop, innovation is a novel way of realising value. This could be through a new product or service, organisational change, new processes, facilitating creative practice or establishing and leading on strategic direction. The world needs people who are able to approach an ever changing landscape of social, business and sustainability needs, armed with design thinking processes and collaborative approaches, to create real value.
Design thinking skills are eminently transferrable and can be used to help understand and approach a diverse variety of human centred challenges, and have the potential to create significant change. This course will introduce you to the skills and knowledge needed to steer, row and rock the boat in relation to applied innovation activities.Ìý
Research Opportunities
The academics involved with this programme have extensive links with design and manufacture companies locally and globally, which are utilised to ensure that modules are relevant for the modern roles in innovation design, and used as a basis for professional development through work placements, and to promote an innovative and commercially focused mindset.
Student Experiences
[0:03] So on this course we can actually work with companies, industries...That Â鶹´«Ã½¸ßÇå°æ is offering a course which actually allowed me to work with an actual industrial problemÌý
[0:12] I did my Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering at an University in India so I'm currently doing my second MSc in in Applied Innovation Design.Ìý
[0:20] I would say I've developed myself a lot after coming to this course. I've developed my CAD skills, the design software skills, my finite analysis and also the thinking
±è°ù´Ç³¦±ð²õ²õ.Ìý
[0:33] This course actually taught me how to think how to approach a problem
and the lecturers! Other universities if you want to go and meet lecturers or
professors you have to send them an email you have to ask for permission.Ìý
[0:46] Here you just have to you just have to come in and then you can meet them whenever you want and then like they'll talk to you like more than one hour explaining very clearly what you need to do what you should not do I've never found it in any any of the previous
degree I've done yeah it's completely different.
[1:04] In the last 6 months I took two projects in two different industries - the first project is with a company called International Safety Components. They are based in Bangor so they are a safety equipment manufacturing company.
[1:16] The project that that I'm currently doing is with a company called Key
Optic. Key Optic is is a military based company but now they want to expand into commercial market so the the first product they want to launch is a thermal image camera so I am currently designing a concept design for the for them and we actually want to design a
product for firefighters.
[1:36] ÌýSo now we are designing a thermal image camera for firefighters. So how this goes actually helped me in in securing a job... As I said earlier, at the group stage we have to work with other people we, have to work with strangers, to come up with a solution for the problem like in this course, in this Applied Innovation Design course, we actually have some of the tasks like that, so that's that really helped me in the group stage and in the interview stage.Ìý
[2:06] And the presentation stage they almost focused on the strategy of the
company so I've done the strategy course - it actually helped me to prepare for that presentation and the interview. [Music]
[0:04] After I finished my levels I went to ÌýÂ鶹´«Ã½¸ßÇå°æ to study Product Design, Ìý
during those three years we worked on various Ìýprojects, live projects with real companies. Ìý
[0:12] Before graduating then I got the offer to come and Ìýwork here at 5th wheel from one of my lecturers, went for an interview and got the job luckily and Ìýthen after further discussions then the company offered to sponsor the Master's course which Ìýobviously was a great bonus [Music] ÌýÌý
[0:29] So, 5th wheel is a family based company in Rhuallt North ÌýWales. We manufacture electric caravans, touring Ìýcaravans. Caravans are exported all across Europe, ÌýNew Zealand, Australia. ÌýÌý
[0:40] It's grown massively over the years. The Master's course allowed me to bring Ìýthe skills I already had but take the next step Ìýand bringing kind of maybe a more managerial side Ìýas well. You know, design thinking is it kind of changes your perspective of how you look at things where maybe before I would just do a task in one Ìý
[0:55] way but now I see kind of variations of different Ìýways to do it. I work here you know Monday to ÌýThursday and then on the Friday I'm in University Ìýlearning and then expanding all my skills. There's Ìýobviously that jump from University life to Ìýworking life. The company here, 5th wheel, made me feel comfortable instantly. I'm a Welsh Ìýfirst speaker - being able to speak through medium of Welsh was always a bonus and comfortable Ìýthing for me supported by all the lecturers. Ìý
[1:18] They've got so much vast expertise in so many Ìýdifferent industries, you know and bringing those together, yeah, it's like the dream thing really. ÌýYou're always looking for talented people to join the business that's the big thing trying to find Ìýlocal talent especially so when you bring someone in that's that's that's got that talent you want Ìýto try and keep encouraging them and helping them Ìý
[1:38] develop even more. The culmination of Ciron's Ìýwork came into looking at GRP mouldings and Ìýworking with GRP, bringing manufacturing in-house. ÌýIn all fairness he actually has been paramount to Ìýthe success of that as a project, especially with Ìýthe design thinking side of things, you know, he's Ìý
[1:51] done a course on innovation and I'm starting to Ìýsee that innovative thinking in how he approaches Ìýtasks, how he reports to us and how he he talks Ìýabout the things that he's found and he's been Ìýreally instrumental in developing a design process Ìýthat we've used now across all the models. When Ìýyou look at what he can do and what he can bring Ìýto the business it's a two-way thing -we've got Ìý
[2:12] to help him and he's got to work with us and bring Ìýthat talent and show what he can do to us as well. I say the highlight of the course for me was Ìýthe kind of the last module which was the Ìýdissertation or the artefact and reports. In Ìýthat kind of module I got the opportunity to Ìý
[2:27] kind of work on something I wanted to work on but Ìýas well this, it kind of fitted with the company ÌýI was working for. Thank you to 5th wheel, I Ìýcould work and concentrate on what I want to Ìýdo and also develop the company's needs. In Ìýthat module I learned so much new skills you know thanks again to the lecturers, you know Ìýthat transition from theory to practical was Ìý
[2:45] really nice. I think the main advice is to kind Ìýof look around first, kind of do your research, don't stick to one place or one idea Ìýfirst you know we've got plenty of time, Ìýdon't rush and there's so many opportunities Ìýlocally or maybe further away in the UK [Music].
Course Content
What will you study on this course?
The course is designed to challenge students to engage with design at all levels, from understanding its wider role and value in organisations, to applying this understanding alongside creativity and innovation tools in the roles of leader, facilitator and practitioner.
The course consists of two semesters of study, which includes design based projects; academic study; and the option to undertake a research focused industrial placement, leading to a final, stand-alone research project. The final research project can follow three paths, with a focus on commercial delivery, entrepreneurship or commercial consultancy, based on an individual’s career aspirations and area of interest.Ìý
Content modules are split between essential core modules, which provide an in-depth understanding of tools and techniques used to apply innovative design thinking, whilst optional modules offer opportunities to pursue specialist areas of interest in more depth and include introductions to key design industry standard software such as Solidworks, Adobe Indesign, Photoshop and Illustrator, as well as influential design related subjects: Consumer Psychology and Behaviour Change. We strive to provide you with an excellent teaching and learning environment through a diverse range of assessment methods and the use of experiential teaching tools, technology, media and environments.Ìý
Core Modules
- Design Thinking - Process and Facilitation
- Design Thinking - Strategy
- Research Methods for Design
- Design Project
- MSc Dissertation (with Research, Artefact & Report, and Strategic Planning routes)Ìý
Optional Modules may include:
- Parametric CAD with Advanced Surface Modelling
- CAD Finite Element Analysis for Industry
- Applied Digital Graphics
- CAD
- Physical and Digital Prototyping
- Design Factors
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Applied Innovation Design Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Entry Requirements
Ideally applicants should have a first or a high second class honours degree in a related subject such as Design, Psychology or Business, or equivalent qualifications / experience.ÌýApplicants should also have a background or proven interest in design, or design related activity.
For International applicants IELTS: 6.5.
Careers
The Masters in Applied Innovation Design is intended to enhance your career prospects and opportunities, whilst offering the flexibility to adapt the course to your own area or industry of interest, through the selection of projects and assignment focus.Ìý Students may choose to study either full or part-time, which may include studying alongside employment in a related role.Ìý
Graduates from the course will be able lead on design innovation and change, in commercial contexts; pursue roles as design practitioners, as well as launch entrepreneurial ventures.