The School of Design Innovation offers a range of postgraduate qualifications, including certificates, diplomas, Master’s programmes, and a PhD degree.
Stand out, get ahead, or change career
Each programme is tailored to best fit a particular area of advanced design education. Our postgraduate programmes take full advantage of the world-class facilities the campus has to offer. This enables students to realise every element of their designs, challenge theories, and present products ready for the industry.
Get the postgraduate Design handbook
Find out more about your study options. Fill in a form to download our Wellington Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation handbook.
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Master of Design (MDes)
Advance your knowledge in the area of design that interests you, and enhance your theoretical and practical design expertise. Master of Design is a research degree for students who already have a solid understanding of design research methodology.
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Master of Design Innovation (MDI)
Expand on your Bachelor's degree and get a head start in your career with advanced study and research in design. Master of Design Innovation is ideal for students interested in independent research—in the form of a research portfolio—and some coursework, that aims to change the status quo of design through disruptive or breakthrough innovation. Students can choose the area of research and design from our list of available disiplines so you can choose the area of research and design that interests you.
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Master of Design Technology (MDT)
Become an expert in digital technologies so you can tell stories with animation and visual effects (VFX). The Master of Design Technology is an intensive programme ideal for students holding a Bachelor’s degree in Design who are looking to upskill with advanced techniques and high-tech professional practice.
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Master of Fine Arts (Creative Practice) (MFA(CP))
Master the art of visual storytelling and explore the expressive possibilities of narrative through design. The MFA(CP) in Design is ideal for those passionate about comics, hybrid literature, narrative games, concept art, production design, and TTRPGs. This programme combines coursework and creative practice, developing your storytelling chops in the visual medium of your choice. Collaborate with students from Film, Theatre, Music, or Animation and VFX. Author a final creative work with the help of award-winning faculty staff. The MFA(CP) in Design is your portal to envisioning the stories of tomorrow.
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Master of User Experience Design (MUXD)
Boost your skills in how people interact and experience products and services. These experiences could be on a screen, like a website or an app, or in a physical space, like wayfinding in a museum. The Master of User Experience Design is a conversion degree with some coursework. It is aimed at industry professionals and recent graduates—you don’t have to have an undergraduate Design degree to apply.
Research
The School of Design Innovation is involved in cutting-edge local and international design and research.
Certificates and Diplomas in Design Innovation
Not ready for a Master's just yet? Or perhaps you want to pursue professional development or advanced study in an area or your interest. We have other offerings that could be perfect for you.
Our certificate and diploma qualifications let you select courses based on your needs and interests, spanning all the specialisations we offer.
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Graduate Diploma in Design Innovation (GDipDI)
Graduate Diploma in Design Innovation is a programme offered in seven specialisations. The Graduate Diploma in Design Innovation is ideal for students and practitioners who hold a first degree in a design discipline and wish to add a further professional qualification. Your course of study is integrated with the Bachelor of Design Innovation (BDI).
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Postgraduate Diploma in Design Innovation (PGDipDI)
The Postgraduate Diploma in Design Innovation requires you to select 120 points from a cohesive set of courses from the schedules of the Master of Design Innovation, Master of Design Technology, Master of Fine Arts (Creative Practice), and Master of User Experience Design. The Postgraduate Diploma in Design Innovation is ideal for students and practitioners who hold a first degree in a design discipline and wish to add a further professional qualification. Email edgar.rodriguez@vuw.ac.nz for more details.
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Postgraduate Certificate in Design Innovation (PGCertDI)
The Postgraduate Certificate in Design Innovation requires you to select 60 points from a cohesive set of courses from the schedules of the Master of Design Innovation, Master of Design Technology, Master of Fine Arts (Creative Practice), and Master of User Experience Design. The Postgraduate Certificate in Design Innovation is ideal for students and practitioners who hold a first degree in a design discipline and wish to add a further professional qualification. Email edgar.rodriguez@vuw.ac.nz for more details.
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Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies (PGCertPS)
The Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies is a 60-point programme that gives you the flexibility to mix courses from many different areas or focus on one of six areas. The Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies is a good choice if you have a Bachelor’s degree and wish to add a further qualification that you can customise to your needs.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in our School focuses on a thesis that produces an original body of research that expands the design discipline. Students work closely with two supervisors on largely independently driven work. Typically on-site, the PhD may be studied by distance in suitable cases.
Image attributions
The image in the banner at the top of this page is from Algorithmic Thinking, experiments with procedural modelling workflows in Houdini to create abstract 3D images, a work by Master of Design Technology student Philip Matich for MDDN 451 - Creative Coding for Digital Content.
Master of Design image: The Circular Economy Sofa, for Master of Design thesis, by Steven Almond.
Master of Design Innovation image: An upright, head-only MRI system designed by an international, multidisciplinary research team with Master of Design Innovation student Christy Wells in the team.
Master of Design Technology image: Still from Tapestry, created by Kevin Arias, Rebecca Hand, Peter Hillier, Jackson Preston, Zachary Thompson, and Harry Walker. This film was part of the official selection for the Byron Bay Film Festival.
Master of Fine Arts (Creative Practice) image: Human History comic, for Visual Narrative, by Lilana Mañetto-Quick.
Master of User Experience Design image: B/LL—Split and Pay, for MDDN 415 Information Design Practice, by Joyce Kim.
Doctor of Philosophy image: Cloud Computing as Digital Imaginary, for Doctor of Philosophy in Design, by Jayn Verkerk.