on ba (hons) design management, you'll learn to understand and apply a wide range of contemporary design tools, processes and mindsets to solve problems, apply creativity and think strategically. you'll apply design management cornerstones of production and process, facilitation, and strategy to work in many different areas, from helping to problem-solve social and global challenges to branding, marketing, start-ups and entrepreneurial innovation. design management stems from a range of disciplines throughout history including industrial design, computing science in the 1950s, through to architecture in the 1960s, social design in the 1970s, and latterly marketing and brand management in the 1990s and early 2000s. today, design management embraces design thinking to facilitate creative problem-solving and address complex design challenges of climate, racial and social justice. design management is now a creative process-driven activity that isn’t just a job title: it’s an overarching outlook that enables and instigates enterprise and innovation for change. what to expect foundational knowledge and skills: develop essential skills for design management practice including visual communication, design research, basic project management and production. explore critical and reflective practices and gain knowledge and understanding of the theories, frameworks and processes at work in design management. topics include systems thinking, design thinking, human and planet-centred design and creative economy analysis. experimentation and innovation: you'll experiment and engage with emerging practices as you develop skills in insights and trend forecasting to understand how contemporary branding and marketing relate. collaboration: work collaboratively, co-designing and understanding cultures and client and user needs through the lens of socially responsible enterprise, innovation and organisational change. you will understand how design management acts as an enabler and instigator. strategic problem-solving: with enterprise and innovation in mind you'll research and create an independent project to instigate change, acknowledging industry contexts and connections and embodying sustainable and ethical practices. practical projects and workshops: engage in immersive experiences of the design process, including research methods, defining and reframing problems, developing briefs, brainstorming, prototyping, testing, delivery and assessing effectiveness. hands-on experience: you'll use theoretical frameworks and strategic tools drawn from a broad range of design, business and humanities disciplines so that you can build your practice through hands-on projects and collaborations. industry experience and opportunities we are an industry-focused course and regularly set projects that enable you to work with professionals, diverse organisations and companies. industry involvement is vital to the course. we undertake industry live briefs, particularly in year 2, with industry involvement in tutorials for final-year students. we also hold regular guest lectures from industry guests for all three years of the course. design management informs many roles including studio and project manager, account and client manager, brand manager, researcher, strategist, creative director, social designer, strategic designer, ceo and founder as well as marketing, entrepreneurship and business development, corporate social responsibility (csr) and operational roles in the creative industries and beyond. we use this breadth of industry coverage to inform our choice of guests and tutors to ensure a wide variety of experiences for our students. at the end of your second year of study you’ll have the opportunity to undertake the diploma in professional studies or the diploma in creative computing between years 2 and 3 to enhance your learning experience and employability skills. mode of study ba (hons) design management runs for 93 weeks in full-time mode. it is divided into 3 stages over 3 academic years. each stage lasts 31 weeks.