Professional Doctorate in Design

About the programme

The Professional Doctorate in Design (DDes) is aimed at candidates who currently work in a design discipline, and who wish to engage in research that relates to their professional role. It is also appropriate for candidates who wish to enhance their experience and employability through research training in Design, including those who wish to pursue an academic career. Fields of study may include, but are not limited to:

• Graphic Design and Typography
• Digital Design
• Interaction Design
• 3D printing/additive manufacture
• Architecture
• Product Design
• Interior Design
• Fashion

The DDes is a structured doctorate that can be undertaken part-time using a combination of online and on-campus research activities and supervision. This allows candidates to study in their home countries and to attend at the University only once per year. Candidates can also choose to attend for blocks of full-time study at the University, thereby shortening the overall duration of their studies, and playing an active role in the university’s research community.

The course philosophy is that practice and research cannot be separated. Candidates will be expected to continue with their professional practice and to bring this to bear upon the research questions in the professional doctorate. Most candidates will have established workplaces. For those who do not, or for self-employed or studio practitioners, we offer blocks of time at the University with studio and workshop space provided. At the end of the course we expect that candidates will present a portfolio of both textual and non-textual work, including a written thesis and supporting artefacts that tell a comprehensive story about the research project, its context, its methods and for whom the outcomes will have impact.

Teaching methods

The course begins with a series of online study and research skills, which provide a thorough grounding in the philosophical and theoretical issues surrounding notions of so-called practice-based research and the relationship between academic and professional values. At the end of Year 1 when this Phase has been successfully completed, the candidate then undertakes an individual supervised research project in his or her own professional discipline. During this second Phase there are online study materials and structured learning experiences that guide the candidate towards the presentation of a comprehensive outline of the doctoral research. Once the second Phase has been successfully completed (normally during Year 3), the candidate focuses on the production of a written thesis and accompanying artefacts that communicate the content of the research project. Throughout the whole programme we expect both practice and theoretical research to be completely integrated.