Semester in Design Futures
The semester in Design Futures equips participants with the necessary skills to design AI-enhanced products and services that are innovative, purpose-driven, and ethically responsible.
Duration: 16 weeks | Language: English | Start: February, September, November
Are you willing to deepen your design knowledge in few weeks with a high-standard programme?
This approx. 16-week journey will lead you to join selected theoretical courses with professionals, active learning sessions and workshops working in international and cross disciplinary teams and taking advantage of many networking occasions.
Get a taste of the unique Domus Academy experience.
The Semester in Design Futures will lead you to join selected theoretical courses with professionals, active learning sessions and workshops working in international and cross disciplinary teams and taking advantage of many networking occasions.
After successfully completing the Semester Course, eligible students will be recognised 24 CFA/ECTS and will obtain a Certificate of Completion.
The 24 CFA/ECTS credits will be delivered upon successful completion of the course to students enrolled in the accredited path only; they will be used in case of progression to a Master’s Programme inside Domus Academy and might be validated at the option of the chosen University of reference in case of a transfer’s request to a postgraduate programme.
Participants are expected to have a first level academic degree or a previous professional experience in the related field of study.
IELTS 5.0 certificate or equivalent is required.
All courses are taught in English. A high level of proficiency in the English language is required.
The Semester Course structure is organized in two modules.
Each module includes one theoretical course and one workshop in the specific area of interest.
SPECULATIVE FICTIONS
The module explores narrative-based approaches to futuring, focusing on how storytelling and speculative fiction can serve as powerful tools for envisioning and interrogating possible futures.
DESIGN FUTURES RESEARCH
This course equips you with research skills and methodologies to gather and make sense of signals of change, drawing on ethnographic approaches to investigate marginal practices and overlooked rituals. Using a transdisciplinary approach, you will critically analyse existing methodologies and processes, exploring how these can be applied to envision future scenarios.
PARTICIPATORY FUTURES
This studio-based workshop focuses on speculative design and collective visioning as a means to imagine and create alternative futures through participatory design practices. You will explore how design can nurture collective imagination and become a catalyst for social innovation and common action.
PROTOTYPING INTERVENTIONS
This studio-based workshop guides you in translating future possibilities into tangible artefacts and contextualised experiences. Through hands-on exploration, you will prototype and strategically situate future artefacts within everyday settings.
The Semester’s programme involves the following costs:
Semester Course Tuition
€ 10.000
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Norway
- Holland
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
The Semester Programme in Design Futures lasts approximately 16 weeks and is divided into two modules with theoretical courses and experiential workshops. The theoretical component explores speculative storytelling as a tool for imagining possible futures (Speculative Fictions) and research methodologies for identifying signals of change (Design Futures Research). The workshops focus on collective visioning and participatory design (Participatory Futures) and on prototyping future artefacts placed within everyday contexts (Prototyping Interventions).
The course is particularly suited to profiles with an interest in research, social sciences, and critical thinking. Applicants must hold a first-level academic degree or diploma and/or have relevant professional experience in design or related disciplines. A good command of English, both written and spoken, is required in order to participate effectively in lectures and workshops. Please check the accepted language certifications and any applicable exemptions at this link.
Yes. Upon successful completion, students earn 24 ECTS credits and a certificate of completion, which may provide access to the Master’s Degree in Design Futures at Domus Academy. ECTS credits may also be recognised, at the discretion of the relevant institution, when transferring to a postgraduate programme.