Innovation Design Engineering
Develop the skills required to become a leader in creative, entrepreneurial design.
Develop the skills required to become a leader in creative, entrepreneurial design
Understand the integrated relationships between creative engineering and the interplay of form, aesthetics and style
Gain real-world experience of design and engineering practice across solo and group projects
Course key facts
-
Qualification
-
MA/MSc
-
-
Duration
21 months
-
Start date
September 2025
-
Study mode
Full-time
-
Fees
Set by RCA Home
Set by RCA Overseas
-
Delivered by
-
Location
-
Battersea
-
South Kensington
-
Minimum entry standard
-
2:1 in any subject. Applicants must show an aptitude in Design or Technology-led Innovation. Inclusive of industry experience and/or apprenticeships – please contact us for details
Course overview
Acquire the skills to become a leader in creative entrepreneurial design on this joint Master's course, which leads to the award of the MA (Royal College of Art) and MSc (Imperial College London).
Renowned for producing world-leading designers for companies including Apple, Sony and Samsung, this programme provides rigorous training in key aspects of design innovation and entrepreneurship.
Both individually and within teams, you'll work at the centre of complex projects. These will be focused on prototyping and proving design and enterprise propositions.
You'll also apply your learning to “real world” design and engineering practice. This includes building familiarity with commercialisation and funding opportunities, licensing and intellectual property, startups, and the role of the entrepreneur.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
In the first year, you’ll embark on a range of taught modules, workshops and masterclasses to develop skills and experience.
Year 1
Build your confidence through project-based learning in the key differentiating IDE concepts.
Critically explore how skills, mindsets, knowledge and practices from different disciplines can be combined to form new holistic practices that enhance innovation.
Learn how physical computing, connected systems, data science and machine learning can tackle complex problems. A foundational course building knowledge in areas such as mechanical design, control & feedback systems, electronics and coding.
Embark on a ambitious interdisciplinary RCA College-wide unit that supports how you respond to the challenges of complex, uncertain and changing physical and digital worlds through engagement in global creative networks that draws on expertise within and beyond the institution and seeks to provoke critical reflection of students' creative practice.
Learn how to develop creatively driven and innovative solutions to a new and emerging major global issue (a Grand Challenge) through working in interdisciplinary creative teams across the Royal College of Art School of Design.
Delve into materials and their materiality in terms of their behaviours, capabilities and environmental impact through critical analysis and experimentation.
Explore and evaluate how context (cultural, geographic, social and economic) can frame and highlight opportunities for innovation and impact through collaborative contextual study projects with external stakeholders.
Build skills in systems level approaches to innovation and transitioning products, services and systems to circular and regenerative outcomes, including developing capabilities in utilising expert networks for transdisciplinary practice.
Develop agency and vision in scoping, planning and design in an area of individual interest and focus together with a design concept with associated emergent specialist skills to high levels of practical resolution including testing and validation.
Undergo a process of development and consolidation of external experience relating to professional pathways in organisations, own ventures or research fields.
Develop personal-professional agency to define and plan individual and team-based directions to commence the second year of study.
The second year programme of work sees you working independently, developing your individual and professional agency.
Year 2
Learn to create innovation design engineering value with validated potential impact through effective team working in a defined area of contextual need or opportunity.
Self-directed project: identify and investigate a context for study through a process of planning, primary and secondary research to discover important issues and opportunities for innovation design engineering.
Self-directed project: build on the issues and opportunities uncovered in ‘Context Exploration’ with a focus on synthesis and evaluation of innovation design engineering opportunities, followed by iterative creation and evaluation of a range of ideas, concepts and embodiments with key stakeholders in terms of their potential impact from social, cultural, economic, ethical and environmental perspectives.
Self-directed project: build on the insights gained from the ‘Iterative Development’ with a focus on the iterative design, development and evaluation of the proposed innovation with key stakeholders for validation, communication and diffusion.
A range of Elective modules drawn from across the Dyson School of Design Engineering – more details to follow.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning methods
-
Personal and group tutorials
-
Seminars
-
Lectures
-
Workshops
-
Formal reviews
Balance of assessment
Key
- Group project
- Solo project
- 33% Group project
- 67% Solo project
Assessment methods
-
Individual and group coursework
-
Written reports and portfolios
-
Movies
-
Practicals and demonstrations
-
Oral presentation
-
Oral exam
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply online
You apply directly to the Royal College of Art (RCA) who jointly deliver this course.
We advise that you apply as soon as possible. Find out about application deadlines to avoid disappointment.
Visit the RCA website to read more about how to apply.
Entrance exam part 1: Candidates must submit a portfolio of work. See the RCA's website for guidance on the portfolio.
Entrance exam part 2: Selected applicants are invited for an interview (by MS Teams, Zoom and/or accessibility positive options) with staff and a student representative and to participate in a creative exercise.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
Tuition fees
Home fee
2025 entry
Set by RCA
The tuition fees for this course are set and charged by the RCA.
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For courses starting on or after 1 August 2024, the maximum amount is £12,471.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Overseas fee
2025 entry
Set by RCA
The tuition fees for this course are set and charged by the RCA.
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
How will studying at Imperial help my career?
Integrate Imperial's science, technology and engineering expertise with Royal College of Art's creative design skills.
We have been offering this degree programme for over 40 years.
Graduates of Innovation Design Engineering are thought leaders on an international scale.
Many end up in creative, design, or engineering directorships.
On leaving the programme, many graduates start their own businesses.
Further links
Contact the department
- Telephone: +44 (0)20 7594 8888
- Email: design.engineering@imperial.ac.uk
Course Directors: Dr Stephen Green (Imperial) and Professor Gareth Louden (RCA)
Visit the Dyson School of Design Engineering and the Royal College of Art websites.
/fit-in/1440x9999999/prod01/channel_3/media/study---restricted-images/180112_robot_intelligence_lab_060.jpg)
Request info
Find out more about studying at Imperial. Receive updates about life in our community, including event invites and download our latest Study guide.
/fit-in/1440x9999999/prod01/channel_3/media/study---restricted-images/Newsletter.jpg)
Events, tasters and talks
Meet us and find out more about studying at Imperial.
/fit-in/1440x9999999/prod01/channel_3/media/study---restricted-images/UG---Events.jpg)
Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications