Master of Arts - Service Design
- 1,5 years
- Duration
- 30,890 GBP
- Price
- September
- Start
- June
- Deadline
- Master
- Degree
- Campus
- Format
- London / United Kingdom
- Location
Program description
The MA Service Design programme at London College of Communication is a human‑centred discipline focused on designing public and private sector services through participatory, iterative methods and systemic thinking. It guides you from local, user‑scale challenges to futures and systems‑level projects, emphasising making and design‑based methods throughout.
You will work collaboratively on live projects, engaging with stakeholders and experts to address 21st‑century social, corporate, and environmental challenges. Practice and theory are fully integrated - each project is underpinned by theory, and each theoretical assignment involves practice or research‑through‑design. The course culminates in a self‑directed Major Project, which has previously ranged from redesigning educational systems in India to creating services for refugee camp volunteers.
Aimed at applicants from design, social sciences, business, and related fields, the programme prepares you to use design strategically in interdisciplinary, collaborative contexts.
Program structure
Autumn, Term 1
- User-Centred Project (40 credits)
- Ways of Working (20 credits)
Spring, Term 2
- User-Centred Project (continued)
- Design Futures (20 credits)
- Collaborative Unit (20 credits)
Summer, Term 3
- Design Futures (continued)
- Proposal Development (20 credits)
- Major Project (60 credits)
Autumn, Term 4
- Major Project (continued)
Price
Tuition fee:
- 30,890 GBP per education*
*Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.
You may need to cover additional costs which are not included in your tuition fees, such as materials and equipment specific to your course.
Requirements for applicants
MA Service Design welcomes applicants from a broad range of backgrounds, from all over the world. Applicants may have an Honours degree in a field relevant to design or may have other, equivalent qualifications.
The course also welcomes students with good degrees from social science, business and other backgrounds, those who have previously worked in the industry, or those with relevant experience in non-traditional backgrounds, as well as those already within employment.
Your educational level may be demonstrated by:
- Honours degree (named above);
- Possession of equivalent qualifications;
- Prior experiential learning, the outcome of which can be demonstrated to be equivalent to formal qualifications otherwise required;
- Or a combination of formal qualifications and experiential learning which, taken together, can be demonstrated to be equivalent to formal qualifications otherwise required.
If you do not meet these entry requirements but your application demonstrates additional strengths and alternative relevant experience, you may still be considered. This could include:
- Related academic or work experience
- The quality of the personal statement
- A strong academic or other professional reference
- OR a combination of these factors
Each application will be considered on its own merit. We cannot guarantee an offer in each case.
English language requirements
- IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) is required, with a minimum of 6.0 in each of the four skills.
About the university
The University of the Arts London (UAL) produces and encourages the creativity essential for a better future. Its colleges have been at the forefront of innovative education since 1842, creating work with a lasting impact on people and the planet, driven by curiosity, imagination, and purpose.
London is fundamental to UAL's identity, providing a vital context where the university connects and exchanges ideas with individuals from all walks of life. Globally, its creative network influences education, culture, business, and society.
Through innovative research and creative instruction, UAL's faculty and staff bring fresh perspectives to education. The university enables students to build the careers they desire by working with them at every level - from pre-degree to postgraduate, and from short courses to online learning.
UAL's colleges
Ranked second in the world for art and design, UAL comprises six distinct colleges:
- Camberwell College of Arts
- Central Saint Martins
- Chelsea College of Arts
- London College of Communication
- London College of Fashion
- Wimbledon College of Arts
Together, they form a community of creatives, innovators, trailblazers, and storytellers, united in their mission to reimagine the future.
Courses in the visual arts, animation, screen, communication, fashion, media, and performance are available at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
