SPECIALISATION
Social Design

DEPARTMENT
Design and Applied Arts

INSTITUTION
NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti - Milan Campus

ACCREDITED BY
Italian Ministry of Education and Research

TITLE AWARDED
Second Level Academic Degree

CFA
120

LANGUAGE OF TUITION
Italian or English

COURSE DURATION
2 years

When aimed at the definition of social development strategies, design can enhance both human and natural resources, create sustainable innovation, promote the development of local communities and identities, and start new dynamics of social evolution as well as of small or large scale economies. Social design can create a better future through a “coopetitive” global approach. The programme of the Master of Arts in Design - Social Design, allows the students to understand the new needs of our society, and to investigate the possible professional outcomes for global designers in today’s and tomorrow’s world. The goal is to develop the right skills to make these mature, mindful, reliable and flexible professional profiles, capable of successfully express themselves in an international, multi-discipline professional context. Talking about Social Design doesn’t only mean taking in consideration more sustainable products and services, but also social and environmental transformations in consideration of what production and life will be like in the near future. Starting from these founding elements, all projects and the activation of relationships, processes, spaces, objects and services are seen and understood as integrated scopes and competences.

The ideal student profile doesn’t need to have links with design-related disciplines. The Master of Arts in Design - Social Design is open to diverse profiles, coming from different backgrounds: design, architecture, urban architecture, science of communication, science of education, political science, etc. Candidates must be strongly motivated, with a passion for Social Design themes, predisposition to work and availability to debate. Basic competence in the use of digital technologies is required, but it is not necessary to be acquainted with 3D modelling techniques. For admission procedures, please refer to the Academic Regulations.

This Master of Arts degree course aims at providing the students with advanced training to fully master the methods and artistic techniques leading to the acquisition of high professional competences. The course supports the development of knowledgeable professional profiles in Social design, based on:

• Sensible and mindful understanding of a methodological approach which enables the future professional to deal with any project complexity level through a consistent vision, as well as to successfully manage the many parameters, variables and competences needed to develop cross-discipline, complex projects.

• The ability to use personal competences in a flexible way, to grant adaptability and efficacy in any professional context both locally and globally. Also, the ability to confidently deal with any unforeseen development of the professional scenario over time.

• The investigation of limits and boundaries in Social Design projects thanks to critical awareness, understanding of meanings, creative and experimental thinking, inclusive and multidisciplinary approach, as well as self-expression through the project.

During the course, students are engaged in different kinds of activities, according to the specific learning goals. The activities may include:

• Front lectures

• Use of tutorials, videos or other multi-media material

• Development of individual or group projects

• Individual or group study and research

• Active participation to classes through debates and presentations

• Exercises and revisions

• Workshops

• Laboratories

• Classroom demonstrations

• Visits to companies and organisations in the relevant professional field

• Intensive seminars on specific topics

• Individual sessions and tutoring

The achievement of the learning goals is generally assessed at the end of the term, although intermediate evaluations may occur. Assessment methods vary according to the learning goals being assessed, and may include:

• Oral exams

• Written exams

• Practical demonstrations

• Graded exercises

• Graded revisions

• Papers

• Comprehensive projects

• Submission of papers, projects or research work

The Master of Arts in Design - Social Design, is divided into 4 semesters of didactic activities, followed by a period dedicated to extra-didactic activities (internship, study abroad) and research for the thesis work. Each semester revolves around a design workshop, which approaches research and project themes in a cross-disciplinary way.

The Design 1 course develops a project in the field of community design, with a supplementary module that provides basic education in cultural anthropology. Design 2 deals with environmental design in urban or natural contexts, with an integration of contents in the field of sociology. Design 3 and Design 4 are conceived as project and research laboratories, open to collaborations with companies and associations on actual projects. The Social Design Lab 1 and 2 modules are supported by didactic modules about ecology and economics of participative projects and public policies.

To integrate and complete the design laboratories activity, the programme includes courses and/or didactic modules focused on the development of specific approach methods and technical skills, with regard to both interior design and the visual communication of the project. The course in Project Methodology guides the students into the development of product design and communication design projects. The Brand Design course investigates the theme of social responsibility of companies in the contemporary world, together with the study of existing themes and opportunities in the field of international cooperation. The Lighting Design course provides theoretical and design tools for light engineering applied to environments, temporary events and public areas. The Design Management course offers research experiences in the culture of innovation field, and of the possible business models linked to social design activities.

The theoretical courses guide the students into the learning of historic and contemporary cultural references, starting with History of Italian Art and History of Italian Design - with a focus on public art and co-design - and ending with the acquisition of specific competences in visual and multimedia Art Direction, more and more oriented towards social communication and social media. With an eye to the understanding of the past and the anticipation of the future, our theoretical courses provide the students with conceptual and operational skills for their designing and professional activity.

The programme of this Master of Arts is completed by a wide range of opportunities for extra-curricular projects and educational experiences (workshops, collaboration with companies, etc.), that can be carried out starting from the third semester.

Also, starting from the fourth semester, the students are bound to individually and independently develop research projects on themes of personal interest. The research can involve abroad studies aimed at the completion of the final project for their Master of Arts Degree. Based on NABA’s academic calendar, the students have about 10 months’ time from the end of the didactic activities to prepare their Thesis and to present their final project. Over the same period of time, the students can complete their study itinerary with vocational experiences (internships) at associations, agencies or companies, or through similar experiences in the professional world thanks to NABA’s partnership projects (field learning experience).

Students who graduate from the Master of Arts in Design - Social Design, hold all the theoretical, technical and design skills to start a professional career in different areas of space design, both within a studio or office, or as freelance professionals, such as:

• Social designers

• Community designers

• Environmental designers

• Communication designers

• Product designers

• Temporary events or installation designers

• Strategic planners

• Social projects managers

• Public policies managers

• Corporate or institutional consultants

• Public administrations consultants

• Professors at higher education institutes or universities.

Students who graduate from the Master of Arts in Design - Social Design, can undertake Doctoral studies in the fields of design and social sciences.

At the end of the course, successful students will be able to:

• Prove their knowledge and understanding at a deeper level than what typically associated to lower courses of study, as well as their ability to devise and/or apply original ideas, often in the scope of research.

• Develop thorough knowledge of the historic, artistic, cultural, social and economic roots of social projects and of their cultural, social and anthropological reference models.

• Develop thorough knowledge of digital and analogic tools for design.

• Check the individual learning skills that may allow for further self-guided or independent study.

At the end of the course, successful students will be able to:

• Efficiently organise their individual or team work, as required for the conception of social design projects

• Develop and carry out projects of different nature, in the fields of product, space, events, and communication design.

• Adopt the most efficient techniques and strategies to identify the necessary resources for the development and actualization of projects.

• Adopt the most efficient visual and multimedia strategies to communicate their projects.

• Adopt the most efficient strategies to promote their projects and/or personal profiles.

At the end of the course, successful students will be able to:

Successfully work individually and as a group, interacting with different professional figures.

Efficiently communicate their ideas, in a clear and straightforward fashion, as well as the knowledge and ratio related to them, to specialised and non-specialised people, verbally or on graphic and multimedia supports.

Identify and properly address their professional aspirations, also evaluating the necessary tools and strategies to develop an independent professional career.

Assess their own competence and identify, if any, further study itineraries in the academic or professional environment.

At the end of the course, successful students will be able to:

• Apply their knowledge, understanding skills and problem solving ability to new or unfamiliar situations, in wider (or cross-disciplinary) contexts related to their scope of study.

• Integrate knowledge and manage complexities, and evaluate scenarios even when information is limited or incomplete, also assessing social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgement.

• Analyse contemporary design scenarios through mindful interpretation.

• Understand the evolution and innovation phenomena of contemporary societies.

• Understand project briefs within a wide and complex range of social and cultural references, and take into account the multiple instances that are the theme of a project.

• Assess tools and strategies to research and innovate in the design field, in order to conceive and anticipate new strategic visions and new project scenarios.

• Develop a personal and mindful approach to projects, based on a strict proceeding method and on the consistent use of critical thinking about the values and meanings of the project.

• Develop an innovative and experimental approach to projects, by identifying new possible relations and links among the project itself and its socio-cultural context.

• Develop an aptitude to be flexible and adaptable in their design duties.