This Master’s programme trains designers to conduct rigorous research through the act of designing. It foregrounds a practice in which making and reflection alternate: designs are created, tested, and then critically situated within existing theories and discourses. The course emphasizes that design only qualifies as research when it both produces new knowledge and fosters a substantive dialogue between creative practice and theory, with outcomes documented and communicated clearly.
Students work in lab-like settings to develop concrete design and research methods that address ethical, functional and aesthetic dimensions of artefacts, systems and processes. The programme stresses problem framing and requirement definition, encourages peer-to-peer critique as a mode of knowledge production, and supports interdisciplinary and intercultural collaboration. Projects often have social impact, and many are carried out together with non-academic partners in cultural, civic, urban or economic fields.
The Master’s thesis is the central element and follows a “research through design” approach within one of four thematic clusters:
Transdisciplinary work is encouraged and there is an option to take a double degree with one of two international partner schools, which extends the programme by one semester.
The curriculum centers on practice-led, academically rigorous design research drawn from KISD’s thematic clusters. In the Module Research, you choose projects and scientific seminars that investigate design-research topics, methods and potentials. Work is shaped by targeted research and critical evaluation, with emphasis on multiple disciplinary perspectives (social, cultural, political, ecological). You will learn to analyse phenomena relevant to Integrated Design, and to articulate findings through appropriate academic and design-specific formats—oral presentations, written texts and visual elaborations—while engaging with theories, heuristics and models that underpin systematic design processes.
The Module Elaboration is realised as the “Master’s Self‑Initiated Project” (MIP): a team-based, experimental research and drafting project that often acts as preparation for your thesis. MIPs can be developed with external partners (research institutions, organisations, companies, etc.), and are expected to sit in the same thematic cluster you will later choose for your thesis; ideally the same lecturer supervises both MIP and final thesis. This stage develops your practical project management, collaborative and applied research skills, and experience working across institutional boundaries.
The “Proposals” stage transitions you from project work to thesis-ready research: you formulate and investigate two topics within your chosen cluster, create critical research questions, and explicitly connect these inquiries to design practice on a methodological level. A rigorous written paper is required and the results are presented and defended in a colloquium. The Master’s thesis itself is the programme’s capstone—either a draft project with a substantial written elaboration (description, analysis, interpretation) or a theory paper grounded in cultural studies that retains a clear design-oriented dimension. The final thesis, completed in your selected cluster, serves as the key demonstration of your integrated research and design competencies.
Key learning outcomes
Requirements (concise)
You must hold an undergraduate degree (BA or above) with a standard study duration of three-and-a-half years (180 ECTS). If your qualification does not meet this exact profile, you may request individual consideration — relevant professional experience can be taken into account on a case-by-case basis. International applicants should ensure their prior degree is comparable to the 180 ECTS / 3.5-year requirement when applying.
All application materials must be submitted as PDFs (each file no larger than 4 MB). There is no prescribed layout for your documents — this is your chance to demonstrate your design skills, how you present ideas, and what you want from the programme. Prepare and design the materials yourself, be clear and comprehensive in explaining your interests and expectations.
Required application documents (submit as PDFs, max 4 MB each)
Additional notes
Winter Semester (International)
31 March 2026
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
30 April 2026
Graduates are prepared for roles that bridge design, research and development: positions in design research and innovation teams, R&D at creative agencies or industry, roles in cultural institutions and urban/civic projects, and research-oriented careers that may lead to doctoral studies. The programme’s emphasis on transdisciplinary collaboration and applied projects also suits careers in consultancies, NGOs, startups and organisations that require design-led problem framing and evidence-based prototyping.
The Master’s thesis and project work develop skills in critical analysis, visual and written communication, and stakeholder collaboration—competencies valued by employers seeking practitioners who can translate theoretical insight into tangible, socially relevant design interventions.