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“DESIGN AND RESEARCH”
Design that aptly responds to the challenges of today must be research-based. Only in this way are we able to carry out projects that are really needed and worthy of our joint commitment.
The new master’s programme also fits in with the tradition and identity of the Faculty of Design, which has always been based on the social engagement of design, openness to other disciplines and the humanities and social sciences. The programme is also based on the three pillars of the Faculty – theory, artistic practice and, of course, design. The teaching team includes practising designers, artists, theorists and researchers, as well as invited guest speakers and external guests each year to work on specific projects with MA students.
The study programme is based on two supporting pillars – design and research. For the first semester, students participate in research and design workshops. The second semester is mainly devoted to three research platforms carried out by lecturers and active designers as well as invited guests from outside the faculty (sociologists, landscape architects, anthropologists, economists, psychologists, artists, researchers). These platforms correspond to three very important research areas – society, environment and economy – the three fundamental pillars of sustainable development. The third and fourth semesters of study are mainly devoted to the realisation of the thesis. Each student chooses two supervisors – for the research part and for the design part. Work on the diploma therefore takes place in parallel with two supervisors. The research part supports the design part, but also the design part supports the research part.
We would like the areas and topics of the diploma projects undertaken to respond to contemporary social, environmental and economic challenges. The research and project workshops and research platforms conducted in the first year of study are also intended to give the students the courage to take on important and interesting diploma topics, which are often also a definition of the area our graduates want to pursue after graduation.
Main teaching and research objectives:
- Educating conscious, sensitive and open-minded designers.
- Teaching research methods and using them in design.
- Exploring processes and a variety of design methodologies.
- Opening up and expanding the field of design, initiating interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary activities in design.
- Expanding the role of design to include initiating and creating activities that respond to contemporary social and environmental challenges.
Programme delivery methods:
- Inviting external institutional partners to co-facilitate and support research and design workshops.
- Inviting experts from diverse fields to co-lead research platforms.
- Co-delivery of the thesis by two supervisors – a theoretician and a researcher and a designer (for the research part and the design part of the thesis).
- Conduct activities using workshop and interdisciplinary methods to support team action.
- Supporting the design and research interests of each student.
Paweł Grobelny PhD
Head of the MA programme