Overview
The Masters in Design for Smart Cities are a 2-year, postgraduate programmes, developed by globally renowned design school, Strate School of Design.
Singapore, on many accounts, is setting the present and future standards of a liveable environment for city dwellers in Asia. Education, Industry, Urban Planning, Sustainability, Research: on all these strategic issues, Singapore has always been at the forefront and two steps ahead even of the most advanced nations. Design has clearly been identified as the strategic force by the government and all industrial players.
As much as our above illustration reveals, Singapore and the Region will need 21st-century designers capable of tackling complexity and conceive life scenarios in Smart Cities, putting enhanced human experience at the core and above the sea-level line of the necessary technological tools.
Singapore is the natural place to host the first Asia Master in Design for Smart Cities
The Master Degrees will train Design Managers and Smart City experts. The multidisciplinary approach of combining design, humanities, technology and management, is taught through the model of Design Thinking and Design Doing, where students craft innovative mindsets based on design methodology and extensive hands-on practice.
Using their creativity, students develop sustainable urban solutions, services and products that address human issues and transforming everyday lives for the better through human-centric user interface and interaction design.
Introduction
Reasons to study at Strate School of Design
- Strong recognition and connection to the industry through active design professionals, industry sponsored projects and mandatory internship.
- Access to the strong Strate alumni network of more than 1,400 members comprising professionals and large companies for an international career.
Objectives
- Strong multi-disciplinary approach mixing technologies, human sciences, marketing, culture, 3D modelling, design methodology
- Solve problems and address any human issue in a creative and efficient way to enable better lives in a smarter city
- Be creative professionals trained to develop innovative and disruptive solutions
- Strong connection to the industry through coaching by professional designers and industry-sponsored projects
Career Prospects
- Head of Design
- Head of Innovation
- Project Leader
- Experience Designer
- Service Designer
- Interaction Designer
- Intelligent Object Designer
- Immersive Designer (Augmented/Virtual Reality)
- IoT Projects Manager
- Urban Innovation Lead
Programme Full Time or Part Time
Programme Structure
Calendar
Course duration : 24 months
Intakes : October and January
Modes of Study : Full-time / Part-time
Teaching Resources/Lecturers
Modules in these programmes will be taught and delivered by Strate
- All modules will be taught and delivered by the Strate School of Design faculty (France) and by active industry professionals for the purpose of imparting state-of-the-art knowledge, methodologies and practices.
Mode of Delivery
In a design school, most of the pedagogy is project driven. Program modules are designed in the following modalities:
- Project: students are grouped in teams of 3 to 4, and are coached by a professional designer. Assessment is continuous and ends with an oral defence.
- Session: students work on technical issues (software, representation techniques), do case-studies during the class. Assessment is continuous.
- Lecture: experts deliver knowledge and explain theories. No assessment.
- Face to Face (contact hours): students are working directly with a tutor or a mentor. Assessment is continuous.
Programme Duration
- 24 months (full-time) including 3 - 6 months of internship.
- 24 months (part-time)
Modules (full-time version)
YEAR 1
1st Semester (5 months)
Design Projects & Methodology (9 credits)
- Design Workshop
- Methodology Project
- Long Design Project (Design Projects & Methodology)
- Internet of Things Project
Design Culture 1 (6 credits)
- Design Culture
- Interaction Design Culture
- Service Design Culture
- Experience Design Culture
- Big Data And Data Visualization
General Culture 1 (6 credits)
- Introduction to Complexity
- Introduction to Sociology
- Technological Culture (IT, AI, Robotics, Media)
- Urban Planning
- Transportation And Mobility
- Marketing (General Culture 1)
Representation & Visualization 1 (9 credits)
- Video and Story Boarding
- 3D (Modelizing/Simulating)
- Wireframe Design
- Graphic Facilitation
2nd Semester (5 months)
Industry Sponsored Projects (7 credits)
- Industry Sponsored Design Workshop
- Short Industry Sponsored Design Project
- Long Design Project (Industry Sponsored Projects)
Design Culture 2 (3 credits)
- Design And Philosophy
- Participation And Co-design
- Design And Environment
General Culture 2 (6 credits)
- Marketing (General Culture 2)
- Ethnography
- Professionalization 1
- Communication 1
- New Industry Technologies (3D Printing…)
Representation & Visualization 2 (9 credits)
- 3D (Virtual reality/Augmented reality/Immersion)
- Video (Special Effects)
- Apps And Services (HTML5/Css)
- Programming And Coding
Thesis 1 (5 credits)
- Initial Question Building
- Research And Bibliography
- Writing Methodology
YEAR 2
3rd Semester (3 months)
Thesis 2 (15 credits)
- Writing
- Problematization
- Publishing And Editing
Inter-disciplinary Industry Sponsored Project (3 credits)
- Inter-disciplinary Industry Sponsored Project
Humanities (2 credits)
- Entrepreneurship
- Cognitive Sciences
- Leadership
4th Semester (5 months)
Professionalization (2 credits)
- Professionalization
Preparation of Oral Defence (2 credits)
- Preparation of Oral Defence
Degree Project Follow-Up (26 credits)
- Degree Project Follow-Up
5th Semester (3 - 6 months)
Internship (10 credits)
Admission criteria
Bachelor’s degree (Upper 2nd Class Honours degree or equivalent) in Design or Engineering or in Science; or candidates with other qualifications will be assessed based on individual merits:
- Bachelor graduates in non-Design or Science fields (e.g. Management or Arts) can apply;
- One academic satisfactory reference
- Local Polytechnic diploma or advanced diploma holders with a minimum of 5 years of post-qualification relevant industrial experience can apply;
- Three satisfactory references, of which one academic reference
Motivation and eligibility of applicants are measured through an interview with the Programme Director, where they will have to elaborate and illustrate their interest in joining the programme and how they connect to the disciplines related to Design and Smart Cities.
English Proficiency Requirements
- TOEFL iBT – 88 overall;
- IELTS 6.0 overall;
- Pearson Test in English with a minimum score of 59 in all four skills; or
- 'O' level equivalent
All admissions will be based on merit and is subject to the final approval of the Programme Director.
Minimum Class Size
Minimum class size to commence: 5 students
If the class fails to commence due to low take-up rate, applicants will be informed within one month before programme commencement.
Programme fee: S$42,800.00 inclusive of GST, payable in two installments:
- Installment 1: S$21,400.00
- Installment 2: S$21,400.00
Application Fee : S$ 200 (Non-refundable)
All fees inclusive of prevailing GST and exclude textbooks, course materials and consumables.
Scholarships & Awards
Profiles
Lecturers’ Profile & Teaching Modules
Average teacher-student ratio – 1:20
Assessment
- Project: Assessment is continuous and ends with an oral defence.
- Session: Assessment is continuous.
- Lecture: Attendance, no assessment.
- Face to Face (contact hours): Assessment is continuous.
- Internship: Hosting company
Award & Graduation
The degree is identical to that of graduates who study the programmes on home campus.
Legal Information
Strate School of Design Singapore
CPE registration no: 201809077E Period of registration: 25/6/2018- 24/6/2022
For more information regarding the Committee for Private Education (CPE), (https://www.ssg.gov.sg/cpe/pei.html)
Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) Information
*Please note that International Students are not eligible to part-time programs in Singapore.
