IIE Masters in Design Leadership - Distance

Overview

The IIE Masters in Design Leadership is a coursework Masters directed at people who wish to deepen and enhance their strategic thinking and leadership capabilities by integrating design, innovation and entrepreneurship, business, and research. The purpose of this programme is to equip designers and design thinkers with an understanding of the innovative and integrative potential of design and business planning skills, making it the ideal platform to become a strategic design lead in a design or other enterprise or launch one's own business in the design and creative industries. The qualification allows flexible development of individual design fields while also providing a cross-disciplinary vision for areas of forward-thinking design. Graduates will develop skills to work independently and collaboratively, propose and develop strategic and innovative design-led solutions based on analysis and research evidence, communicate these to different audiences and provide guidance and leadership to project teams, design teams, juniors, and non-designers.

Structure

The IIE Masters in Design Leadership consists of five modules.

Year one modules

• Design, Innovation and Leadership Discourse
• Design Research Practice
• Design Management and Leadership Practice

Year two modules

• Design Leadership Challenge
• Minor Dissertation

The two theory modules Design, Innovation and Leadership Discourse and Design Management and Leadership Practice, further students’ specialist knowledge in design, with a focus on leadership and management skills and insights that should enable students to become thought leaders and develop design-led solutions.

The Design Research Practice module provides theoretical and practical exposure to the latest processes of enquiry used in design and design research.

The Design Leadership Challenge provides a practical opportunity for students to advance their design thinking skills when planning and developing solutions and insights that address complex and challenging problems in business and society. Students work in their own design areas at the appropriate levels within a system and need to demonstrate the ability to address the intended and unintended consequences of interventions and solutions. This module allows for experimentation and innovative development.

In the Minor Dissertation, students use academic and professional discourses to investigate, communicate and defend research ideas and findings that contribute to their own research skills, and their area of specialisation. Both research modules contribute to equip students with the ability to research and communicate evidence-based design decisions and solutions to different audiences. All the modules develop independent and critical thinking, accountability for self and teams and the level of ethical professional practice required at managerial levels.

Distance delivery includes:

• An online learning system that leads students through the content, prescribed material and activities.
• Online academic navigators (tutors) who are subject experts and maintain the human experience of the learning process.
• Regular live online sessions with your distance navigators throughout the semester.
• Online dissertation supervisors who guide students’ research design, development and learning.
• A dedicated success navigator who supports students throughout the learning journey.
• Access to our online information centre and resources.

Note:

While you can generally structure your study time as you need, there are scheduled online sessions during which you will get mediated support. Scheduled assessments in the form of online activities, assignments and practical projects are paced to ensure your studies progress.

What you need in terms of time and materials

• Prescribed textbooks are available for online purchase.
• Distance students need to commit to approximately 12-15 hours a week for distance engagement (most of which is after hours) with material and assessments to succeed.

Please note synchronous sessions generally take place after hours.

To succeed in your distance journey, you need to be

• Self-motivated and invested in your learning journey.
• Disciplined and able to balance studying with work and family commitments.
• Able to direct your own studies, maintaining a diligent pace.

To assist you in succeeding in your distance journey, our teaching approach is

• Student-centric: we facilitate your thought processes to foster innovative ideas and creative solutions.
• Authentic: we use real-life examples and case studies.
• Activity-based: We move your learning forward through applied activities and assessments.
• Discussion-based: we ask you questions and stimulate debate to provoke deep thought and insights about course content.

Device and Connectivity Specifications Required for Online Study:

• Reliable internet connection (we recommend 5-10 GB of data per month and an internet speed of at least 0.15 Mbps).
• Desktop PC or laptop with at least an i3 processor and 4GB RAM memory.
• Windows 8 or macOS 10.15 (Microsoft Office 365 is available as a free download for IIE students), and Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge Chromium or Firefox.
• A working webcam and microphone.
• An uninterrupted power supply is also highly recommended.

Entry Requirements

Minimum Admission Requirements

• An appropriate HEQSF Level 8 Honours degree; OR
• A relevant Postgraduate Diploma or appropriate equivalent; OR
• An appropriate Level 8 Bachelor’s Degree (480 credits) may also be recognised as meeting the minimum entry requirements to a cognate Master’s Degree programme.
• An overall qualification average of at least 65%.
• For international qualifications: A SAQA NQF L8 Evaluation Certificate in an appropriate field

Additional Admission Requirements:

• Students need to have completed an NQF level 8 qualification in a design related field e.g. Design Leadership, Communication Design, Digital/Multimedia Design, Experience Design, Interaction Design, Fashion Design, Design Thinking, Future Studies and Social Innovation Design.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

• Where candidates do not satisfy the formal admission requirements for this qualification, The IIE may consider an admission application in terms of the Credit Accumulation and Transfer, Recognition of Prior Learning and Qualification Completion Policy (IIE010).
• If applicant does not meet minimum admission requirements and there is no alternative (such as completion of NQP modules) but they have relevant experience, the following must be requested:

1. Certificates for all formal (Accredited Higher Education qualifications) and/or informal qualifications/modules (SLP’s, Microcredentials etc). SAQA certificates must be provided for any international qualifications.
2. CV to determine whether the following are related to the qualification that the applicant is applying for:

• a. Formal (Accredited Higher Education qualifications) and/or informal qualifications/modules (SLP’s, Microcredentials etc).
• b. Relevant work experience.

Career opportunities

• Design leads and managers in design businesses and advertising agencies
• Design leads, project leads, or senior In-house designers in "non-design" sectors such as finance, engineering, NGOs, education, government
• Owners of design enterprises
• Design and creative entrepreneurs
• Freelancers
• Design-based entrepreneurs
• Design lecturers and supervisors
• Design researchers
• Social innovators
• Managers applying design thinking
• Developers of design-led solutions

The programme is approved by the CHE and pending registration with SAQA and the Department of Higher Education and Training.