Design Management

BA (Hons) Design Management offers a creative and experiential approach to the study of design, problem-solving, business and leadership, global cultures, innovation and sustainability. We apply design thinking to live industry collaborations, addressing complex problems with empathy, insight, collaboration, agility, ethics and contextual intelligence. We believe that design management plays a strategic role in shaping better futures. This course is taught at London College of Communication, at Elephant and Castle, part of University of the Arts London (UAL).

Why choose this course at London College of Communication

• The only undergraduate design management course of its kind delivered at a world-leading creative institution located in central London, with excellent links to the creative and cultural industries.
• A course with human-centred values, sustainability and design thinking at the core of subject delivery. Design thinking involves an approach to innovation and problem solving that takes into account “the needs of people, the possibilities of technology and the requirements for business success” (Tim Brown, IDEO).
• Real-world multidisciplinary design projects - work with a diverse team of industry active educators, professionals, creatives, external collaborators and visiting practitioners.
• Strong industry links - recent project briefs from design and branding agencies, non-profit organisations, research, strategy and marketing departments, start-ups, financial tech companies and competitions.
• Opportunities for international exchanges with Paris College of Art (PCA), Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU) and IADE European Design School in Lisbon, Portugal.
• With over 95% graduate employment and postgraduate progression since 2015, with active alumni, we are a course that produces highly employable graduates, strategic thinkers, communicators, change makers and entrepreneurs.
• A focus on developing leadership and entrepreneurial mindsets, emotional intelligence and design competencies especially to support final year students.

What to expect

Seminars investigate the role of design in society, networks, business, organisations, cultures and contexts that give design its multiple meanings. Practical projects and workshops provide immersive experiences of the design process: from research methods to defining and reframing problems, developing briefs, brainstorming, prototyping, testing, delivery and assessing effectiveness. Theory, frameworks and strategic tools drawn from a broad range of design, business and humanities disciplines mean that you'll build your practice with hands-on projects, crits and collaborations.Management skills: communication, presentation, critical reflection, scoping briefs, live research and feedback, budgeting, time management, team working. Design principles: visual thinking, ideation, working with multiple mediums (print, objects, images, video, sound, web) and exhibitions. Industry Projects – There is an emphasis on strategic and socially engaged design and real-world projects with agencies, research and strategy organisations, non-profits and councils

About London College of Communication

London College of Communication is for the curious, the brave and the committed: those who want to transform themselves and the world around them. Through a diverse, world-leading community of teaching, research and partnerships with industry, we enable our students to succeed as future-facing creatives in the always-evolving design, media and screen industries. The London College of Communication experience is all about learning by doing. Our students get their hands dirty and develop their skills through the exploration of our facilities and technical spaces. Students work on live briefs and commissions, with everything from independent start-ups and charities in Southwark, through to major global companies, including Penguin, the National Trust and Royal Mail, to name a few.