The master at a glance

The Master in Product Design program combines a unique cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural approach with a hands-on experience in collaboration with companies that are at the front line of design, engineering and business. This challenging method advances the knowledge on what is currently happening in the industry, and consequently enhances the ability of anticipating the future. Designing a product is creating opportunities that enhance and modify our daily performance in order to explore novel interactions among multiple disciplines giving a unique approach to the collaboration among the research, industry and education fields. The Master in Product Design explores new territories for embedding design, technology and novel methods for fabrication and construction.

The Master in Product Design program program is workshop-based, supported by seminars, lectures, tutorials, and fieldwork. Industry professionals, the program leader, and project leaders guide students via individual coaching and project mentorship.
The program consists of four main modules including DNA kicks, courses and workshops, followed by a fifth module providing a professional experience period and a final portfolio presentation.

The modular structure is customizable, allowing flexibility and variety to better serve each student’s needs and goals.

DNA kicks
The DNA kick explores the ways in which good ideas can be designed. Through lectures and intensive worktables theorists, designers, and intellectuals, it will help the students see the design practice in the widest possible terms without ever losing sight of the pragmatic nature of the craft.

Structure

Courses

Coursework focuses on:

• Exploring the nature, languages, and values of the contemporary design scene
• Analyzing new aesthetic and behavioral trends in the marketplace
• Identifying key factors that make a successful design solution
• Defining and solving design problems
• Branding your own work

Workshops

Guided by industry professionals and faculty project leaders, you will work in cooperation with leading companies on practical projects relating to product design. Some possible workshop topics include the following:

• Analyze user activity and social behavior to solve product design problems; use narrative design tools, such as storytelling, storyboards, and video.
• Investigate ways in which a company can ignite innovations in product design and industrial processes by adopting advanced production technologies and utilizing new materials.
• Develop a proposal that combines design approaches in a new, innovative, and surprising way. Your project might involve an established brand, an emerging company, a company that wishes to reposition its business, or a new venture.
• As you explore the relationship between people and spatial systems, develop concepts that address design for social/personal spaces, business and retail spaces, or public spaces.

Portfolio

The final element of the program is the portfolio review. You will present your portfolio of work completed during the year in front of an exam board for evaluation.

There is no better way for you to gain experience in your field than actually working in it.  The Professional Experience is the key step of a process that matches your skills and aspirations with the needs of design and service companies, public institutions, design studios and creative consultants. You will have the opportunity to practice what you have learned during the academic year in a real working environment.
You can choose one of these three Professional Experiences:

• Internship in a Company/Firm: you will be hosted in a work environment developing assignments on real projects.
• Field Learning Experience: a work project carried out on campus in collaboration with a company and supervised by a project leader. You will approach contemporary themes and explore a wide range of design subjects in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Entrepreneurship Module: an entrepreneurial journey in order to develop business and managerial skills. You will be given a specific toolbox of frameworks and approaches both in theory and practice.
In each case, you will be mentored on a step-by-step basis, get an inside perspective on how your industry of choice works and make valuable connections that will further your career.

Several prestigious companies and design studios collaborate with the Master in Product Design program, actively participating in courses, workshops, internships, and international competitions organized by the department. Students have the opportunity to work directly with companies like these in their workshop projects and internships. This direct collaboration facilitates mentorship and gives students access to a wide network of professional connections. Companies involved in this program include:

3M, Alpi, Artemide, Bayer MaterialScience, BLM, Brix, Candy, Canon, Confindustria Ceramica, Electrolux, Elica, Fondazione Bracco, Gufram, Hager Group, IKEA, illywords, IMRA Aisin, Industreal, Leroy Merlin, LG, Material ConneXion, Pirelli, Rotaliana, Samsung, Swarovski, Teuco, TOTO, Veneta Cucine, Veuve Clicquot, Wega, Olivetti, Infinity Design, Bastard, Plust collection, Museum of Cycladic Art, MAGIS, ADEO, Inspire.

Upon graduation from Domus Academy, you’ll earn a degree that’s recognized around Europe and the world—an Academic Master’s Degree (60 ECTS credits) accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR)*. You’ll also earn a second valuable qualification: the Domus Academy Master’s Diploma.

Our accreditation has helped Domus Academy build relationships with prestigious companies, so you have the chance to gain practical work experience during your course of study. An accredited degree, plus the practical experience you gain through an internship, shows employers that you received a top-quality education and that you bring industry-relevant knowledge and skills to the table when you join their team.

Our accreditation also means that the relevant academic credits you earn at Domus Academy will transfer to other institutions if you choose to work toward another master’s or a doctoral-level degree.

*The Academic Master’s Degree is validated through NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano.

To find out more about our programs, accreditation, and admission requirements, complete this  contact form. Our educational advisors will be happy to answer questions and help you choose the best program for your career goals.

The Program Leader of the Master in Product Design is Emmanuel Ruffo Calderon.

Other visiting professors and collaborators in this program include:

Carlo Altera, Ron Arad, Atelier Van Lieshout, Karim Azzabi, Ales Bonaccorsi, Camilla Bonzanigo, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, François Burkhardt, Giulio Cappellini, Daria Casciani, Matali Crasset, Michele De Lucchi, Droog Design, Stefano Giovannoni, Costantin Grcic, Kazuo Kawasaki, Franco La Cecla, Piero Lissoni, Ross Lovegrove, Anthony Marasco, Enzo Mari, Javier Mariscal, Stefano Marzano, Alessandro Mendini, Paola Navone, Christophe Pillet, Matteo Ragni, Claudia Reder, Eleonora Ricca, Paolo Rizzatto, Claudio Silvestrin, Philippe Tabet, Hagit Pincovici, Shigeru Uchida, Patricia Urquiola, Alessandro Zomparelli.

The Master in Product Design trains professionals to design and create products for various sectors of industry on both a local and international scale. Graduates may go on to careers in design firms, in architecture and design studios, or in research environments, or they may choose an entrepreneurial path.

Spaces in this program are limited. Participants will be selected based on their applications.

We have a dedicated team of educational advisors who will be happy to help you with completing your application. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Check Entry Requirements

When considering candidates for admission, the Admissions Manager looks at the applicant’s entire profile, including their academic records, work experience (if any), extracurricular activities, test scores, and recommendations.

Prepare Supporting Documents

• Curriculum vitae/résumé
• Artistic and/or professional portfolio of projects
• Letter of motivation
• An English translation of the academic transcript, listing courses and exams, noting the number of hours per credit and giving a brief description of each course
• Copy of bachelor’s degree/academic diploma translated into English
• Documentation regarding further courses or seminars attended (if available)
• Certificate of English language proficiency
• Copy of passport
• Receipt for payment of the €100 application fee

Submit Your Application

Upon receiving your application and required documents, each course leader and the Admissions Committee will evaluate your application to determine whether your degree and experience correspond to Domus Academy requirements. They also identify credit deficits and/or credits that could be transferred.

If you are accepted to Domus Academy, you will receive an admissions letter and package.

Enrollment

Our sister school, NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano), which shares our campus, awards the Academic Master’s Degrees. In order to receive this degree, the qualification recognized by the Ministry of Italian Education (MIUR), you must enroll at NABA.

When your admission to Domus Academy is confirmed, you must secure your place by filling out and returning your enrollment form, along with your receipt for payment of the pre-enrollment fee, within 30 days of the date on your admission letter.

Upon receiving these items, Domus Academy will provide non-EU applicants with all necessary assistance in order to apply for the student visa.

After you are formally enrolled, you are requested to pay the total tuition fee by the starting date of the course.

Payment Methods

1. Pay by bank transfer.
   Account holder: NUOVA ACCADEMIA SRL, Via C. Darwin 20, 20143 Milano, Italy
   Bank name and agency: Gruppo Banco BPM – Milano Ag 10 – Via Ariosto 1/A, 20145 Milano
   International bank details: SWIFT code: BAPPIT22. IBAN code: IT36U0503401610000000000251
   Reason for payment: Clearly specify the name of the student and the master’s program chosen.
2. Pay by credit card using our online application.
3. Note that you can use this method only to pay the application fee and pre-enrollment fee—not to pay the tuition fee.
4. Pay by peerTransfer.
   Domus Academy partners with peerTransfer to streamline the process of international payments. peerTransfer allows you to pay securely from any country and any bank, typically in your home currency. If you choose to make your payment with peerTransfer, you can:
   -Track your payments from start to finish.
   -Save on bank fees and exchange rates.
   -Contact their multilingual customer support team with any questions, day or night.
   To get started, go to: domusacademy.peertransfer.com to begin the payment process.
5. In person by credit card.
   You can make payments by Visa and MasterCard directly at the Domus Academy Accounting Office.

Please note that all bank, credit card, and third-party transfer fees must be covered by the applicant. Also note that the application fee is not refundable for any reason.

The tuition fee for the one-year Academic Master’s program is:

For students from EU countries and Switzerland, €16,990 (full fee, including pre-enrolment and tuition), to be paid as follows:

For non-EU students, €28,600 (full fee, including pre-enrollment and tuition), to be paid as follows:

Matriculation Fee

For each student: € 520.

Students who meet the relevant entry requirements and are interested in pursuing the Academic Master’s Degree (60 ECTS), which is recognized by MIUR and awarded by NABA, must pay the matriculation fee by the first day of the course.