Master's Degree Programme in Product Design – Design in Complexity Programme description

In this master's program you will be challenged to take a role as a facilitator and designer, and sometimes even as a project leader, developing strategies, services, systems and product solutions. The skills, knowledge and insight you will attain during this study are regarded valuable in private and public sector within product, service and systems design, as well as design Research.  

We do not seek to explain what design is neither from a practical, theoretical, or idealistic point of view; rather we recognize that our society and environment represent complex networks of relations. 

To design for the shift towards sustainable societies, increased populations, digitalization of professional, social and private life, demands thus professional designers that can comprehend and visualize the grand picture, define scopes for work, and develop solutions in relation to different strategic levels.

On successful completion of this program, students are able to design for complexity. The complexity relates to the social/political, environmental, economic and technological contexts in which the designer as well as the product and service that they create, will perform and influence. 

The programme leads to the Master's degree in Product Design.

Complexity of nature, people, and industry and society.

The design methods that you will explore society and environment through are therefore linked to complexity, and in extension systems theory and design. Thus, the Design in Complexity program offers courses that provide you with tools, methodology and new perspectives towards problem solving, innovation, as well as research. The Design in Complexity education offers the opportunity to practice analytical and research dimensions of design. Design Research, products and services can serve as catalysts for change in human behaviour, security, sustainability, perceived meaning, and quality of life. System-oriented approaches are specifically developed to recognize and handle such connections. Skills in handling these approaches gives insight to work on various strategic levels. You will be able to processes comprehensible amount of data, contexts and people in complex situations which may relate to market mechanisms, health and social services, elicitation of engagement and experiences, circular economy and the closing of material loops, as well as designing for sustainable living - in both local and global perspectives.

Designers for the future contexts - Mission oriented design 

The goals of governments, international corporations and society in a broader context, are increasingly in line with the UN Sustainability Goals and the Paris Agreement. The EU strategy report on research (2018) expresses the need of mission-oriented approaches towards new knowledge and solutions.

By mission-oriented research, EU asks for solutions that solve essential problems causing global trends. The Design in Complexity master program will introduce to you these contexts and trends where you may explore connected tools and themes of research, as well as building your own identity and qualities as a designer, and thus be prepared for the next decades. You will be challenged to seek your mission and orient yourself along these tasks, both in an industrial context as well as for organizations and public institutions.

This education is for you who want to contribute to ongoing national and international design research projects, connected to institutions and industry. During the study, you will be involved in design processes that are synthesized from the research front in design for complexity, culture, and aesthetics in contexts along with beautiful international and Norwegian students and staff.

Admission requirements for the Master`s Degree Program in Product Design. Requirements are determined by the general regulation for master`s degree at OsloMet. In order to be admitted you need to have finalized a bachelor's degree which must include:  

• in-depth design study or education equivalent to at least 80 ECTS or 
• an integrated design program of at least 120 ECTS  
• A portfolio that documents of your design skills and experience, through a carefully selection of your own design work. Please include a short text that explains the project.  
• and lastly a letter that describes your motivation for applying the master program Design in Complexity. Your letter of motivation must also include your choice of specialization. 

The two latter documentations, will be assessed by an academic committee at Department of Product Design which will evaluate the candidates academic level within product and service design within dimensions such as data gathering, design theory, process documentation, visualization, experience with materials and processing/production techniques. 

Applicants with foreign qualifications  

Applicants with foreign qualifications compete for places with applicants with Norwegian qualifications on equal terms, providing the foreign qualification is comparable to the Norwegian qualification. Applicants from outside Norway, Sweden or Denmark must be able to document sufficient skills in written and spoken English.

Language skill requirements  

For admission to a masters degree program students must fulfill the requirements in the GSU-list (can be found on the website).  

(Please refer to the learning outcomes for each course for a more detailed information.)

On successful completion of this programme, you will have attained the following knowledge, skills, and general competence on advanced level that again prepares you for a professional life within design and research in the field of product design in complexity.

Knowledge:

• in the understanding and adjusting of practice- and scientific originated methods for designing
• critically analyse and apply relevant theory and research methods from other disciplines in design contexts 
• in understanding, performing, evaluating, and adjusting own design processes in complex contexts 
• about the broad spectrum of methodology that comes with product and service design in complexity in general and in depth knowledge within area of interests
• critically analyse, apply, and evaluate communication, sustainability, culture, change, and aesthetics as part of design contexts

Skills:

• in design for complex contexts
• synthesizing relevant theory from other disciplines for application, altering, and creating design methods
• in the practice and application of methods and theory particularly associated with the discipline of Design in Complexity and Systems oriented Design (GIGA-mapping, systems oriented design, co-creational methods, foresight, workshop facilitation, data gathering and analysis, leverage points, blueprinting/service design documentation/visualizations, visual interviewing, design- and play probes, among others which vary with your main emphasis) 
• develop innovative design solutions for society by applying accumulated knowledge from the research front, theory, experiments, and practice
• critically analyse the role of design and design for various contexts on a strategic and global level
• communicate, facilitate, and manage design processes in complex settings 
• performing and evaluating own design processes in relation to communication, culture and aesthetics in complex contexts

General competenceThe complexity in this education relates to the societal/political, environmental, economic and technological contexts in which the designer as well as the product and service that they create, will perform and influence. To perform in this context your general competence will consist of the following outcomes:

• design self-efficacy for complex contexts
• management and facilitatation of projects and processes for design in complexity
• critically reflect on the design role in analytic and development settings for public and private sector
• able to work throughout interdisciplinary processes with other professionals as well as lay-people
• qualified to enter PhD studies in product design for complexity

The Master's Degree in Product runs for two years (60 ECTS per academic year) and is divided into several courses. The program is organized as a full-time study. All courses except from Practical Training (20 ECTS) and the Master's Project (30 ECTS) has a value of 10 ECTS credits. You may choose between the courses Technology and Design (MAPD5100) and Aesthetics of Materiality (MAPD5200), all other courses are compulsory in order to complete the master Design in Complexity. You will attend specialization courses in all semesters.

Practical Training (MAPDPRA) 

In this (12 week) course you have the chance to find a practice that is relevant for your study. We will also offer practical training positions through our network of institutions and businesses. However, most students find their own partner for this course (In Norway or internationally).

Specialization  

You have the opening to choose between three additional specialization sub-programs. These are: 

• Game Dynamics in Design: emphasizes on how game mechanics merged into product and service design may activate and engage users
• Service Design: emphasizes on the development of services for public, market, and industrial contexts
• Aesthetic Lab: emphasizes on exploring aesthetic perspectives in complex settings 

The intention with the specialization is to afford additional insights and methods in line with your interest and choice of professional goals.

Courses  

First and second semester : 

In the courses: Sustainable Design Approaches (MAPD4100) and Philosophy of Science and Design Research (MAPD4000) you will be able to achieve a fundament for the study of complexity specific theory and methods in the later courses. Design and Culture (MAPD4200) broadens the context of design into cultural and social contexts. Product Design, Psychology and Market (MAPD 4300) introduce methods for designing for material agency, affordance and experiences. MAPDPRA is the Practical training course where you have the chance to expand the knowledge and skills attained during the master study in practice. 

Third and fourth semester: 

In the course Strategies in product communication (MAPD5100) you will explore various typologies of communication through design. In the course; Visualizing (MAPD 5200), you will attain skills and knowledge in designing for complexity in systems and products through systems oriented design, emergence, and co-creation. In Technology and Design (MAPD 5000) and Aesthetics of Materiality (MAPD 5300) are elective courses. In MAPD5000 you can explore the vast and rapid development of technology as a dimension in design and in MAPD5300 challenges students to experiment with materials in specific contexts.  

All the prior courses add up to the final Master's Project (MAPD5900), in which you will be able to study an area in depth, preferably in cooperation with industry or public sector. 

All courses in Design in Complexity are project based in which workshop learning is emphasized. Workshop learning may be arranged in the various labs (physical and virtual) and workshops at OsloMet. However, all teaching methods involve learning in real life contexts by for example field studies, in accordance with research, industry, and public sector which describe complex settings. Project/problem based learning involves a further development of verbal and visual communication as a facet of reflection, exploration, cooperation, adjustment and alterations of methods. There will be lectures, exercises with individual and group supervision, coursework requirements (compulsory assignments), group projects, contact with the business community (including guest lectures) and self-study to mention some of the most common working methods.

During the second semester, students will be required to complete practical training. This training has a value of 20 ECTS credits and is designed to give students real work experience in private business or the public sector. Students will acquire knowledge of relevant organisational models, decision-making mechanisms and gain experience of the methods used in the organisation. The goal is that students will be able to further develop their skills in the product design environment.

Individual cooperation agreements are entered into between the University College and relevant businesses, municipalities and other public sector bodies regarding the practical organisation of specific student assignments which can be completed at the cooperation partner's location within a period of three months. The assignments will tend to involve research and development tasks at the cooperation partner's location. Practice in public sector may be that students assign to ongoing research projects within the institution. The student is assigned a contact person with the cooperation partner or the research project for the agreed time period. Guidance will come from both the staff working at the place of practical training as well as the University College teaching staff.

As some businesses prefer that students complete a placement of between three to six months, the location of the practical training the study programme has been so positioned that students may extend their practical placement into the summer months. Placement that exceeds three months is a volunteer option, and is not a part of the formal study programme. Practice training more than three months do not account for more ECTS credits.

It is possible to exchange with foreign universities and university colleges in the second semester. We advise you to choose between one of the institutions with whom we have established agreements. It is possible to study abroad for one year as part of the master's education (60 ECTS credits). 

Since the design-subject in itself focuses and evolves in an international context, the programme also includes activities with international lecturers, teachers, researchers and companies. Usually there are between a couple and ten international students in the class.  

Coursework assignments

Coursework assignments are defined in the individual course descriptions and further requirements are described in the work and teaching plan for the course. Assignments are carried out individually and in groups. 

Coursework assignments are given the assessment Approved/Not approved. In courses with coursework assignments, the students must receive an Approved assessment¿on the coursework assignments in order to be able¿to¿take examinations and be given a final assessment of the course. 

Not approved¿coursework requirements

Legitimate absence based on e.g. a medical certificate, does not exempt students from meeting the coursework requirements. Students who due to illness or any other documented legitimate absence, who do not meet the coursework requirements within the appointed deadline, should as far as possible, be given a new attempt to meet the requirements, before the relevant examination.

Provisions governing examinations are laid down in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet . The form of assessments will be approved/not approved for compulsory assignments, and Pass/Fail for the exam in the MAPD Practical Placement or in the other exams a graded scale from A (highest) to F (lowest) where A to E is a pass grade and F is a fail grade. The grade achieved in each course will be stated on the diploma.

Assessment methods vary between courses. They include written reports, oral presentations, physical models, prototypes, videos, portfolio assessments and oral examinations.

A portfolio assessment provides an overall assessment awarding one grade for the whole portfolio. Students may only appeal against the determination of the examination grade awarded for the whole portfolio.

If the portfolio consists of elements such as an oral presentation, practical work etc., the examination result cannot be appealed against. The right to appeal is stated in the individual course descriptions.

If the examination in a course consists of more than one part, all parts of the examination must be passed in order to pass the course.

Normally each course has two internal examiners to assess students' work. Each semester one course will be chosen to include an external examiner, thus the students' work will be assessed by one external and one internal examiner. The Master's thesis is assessed by the two external examiners.

The purpose of the Quality Assurance System at OsloMet is to strengthen the students learning outcome and development by increasing the quality throughout. OsloMet wants to cooperate with its students and their participation in the Quality Assurance System is crucial. Some of the overall goals of the Quality Assurance System are:

• Ensuring that the educational institution, including practical training, learning and study environment keep a high quality
• Ensuring the relevance of the study programmes for the professional field
• Ensuring a continuously improving quality development

Student evaluations:

• Course evaluations
• Annual student survey among the students at OsloMet

For more information about the Quality Assurance System, please see our website (available in Norwegian only): https://student.oslomet.no/regelverk#etablering-studium-evaluering-kvalitetssystem 

External programme supervisors

External programme supervisors are a part of ensuring the quality of the individual study programmes. An external programme supervisor is not an examiner, but someone who supervises the quality of the study programmes. All study programmes at OsloMet shall be supervised by an external programme supervisor. However, how the external programme supervisors are used may vary. Reference is made to Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet: https://student.oslomet.no/retningslinjer-sensorer