PhD in Design Innovation

3 years full-time; 5 years part-time

Entry Requirements: An honours degree [2:1 or above] or equivalent overseas qualification.

The research agenda of the Institute for Design Innovation builds on the idea that design contributes to and enables innovation in multiple ways and on various levels.

The Institute for Design Innovation welcomes explorative research proposals with novel methodologies and creative approaches to the grey areas of design research.

The Institute for Design Innovation has an interest in the issues of design that have received scant attention to date, but have the potential to deliver outstanding outcomes for design. These issues include Design Value, Design Delivery, Design Exploration, Design Meaning and Design Practice.

Through pursuing one of our postgraduate research programmes, research students will have the opportunity to work with top researchers and industry leaders, and gain first-hand experience of real-life problem solving. The aim is to create a vibrant, enthusiastic, and forward-thinking community, where world-leading academics and talented students work closely together to research world leading inventions.

Research at Loughborough University London

Loughborough University London continues Loughborough's success as one of the country's top research-led universities; bringing benefit to local and international communities through applied research and sociocultural, interdisciplinary thinking.

Students who choose to undertake a research programme with us will have the opportunity to work with top researchers and industry leaders, and gain first-hand experience of industry centred problem solving. You will be actively encouraged to engage with research communities across the globe and you will become part of a talented research community within the University.

Research Areas:

• Design Value

This area of research is focused on value creation perspectives in and through the application of design into multiple contexts involving users, organizations, ecosystems and society at large.

• Design Meaning

This research area examines design – driven innovation of meaning, with a focus on the role and impact of design and designers as cultural intermediaries, examining the creation of meaning, culture and materiality-related perspectives in multiple contexts and environments.

• Design Delivery

This research area links the study of the development of innovative policies to the research on delivery of relevant and coherent services that help to deliver innovation that matters. The area furthermore examines the role of design and designers in sustainable product service systems, social enterprise and services, and the circular economy.

• Design Practice

This area of research investigates teams and groups in creativity and design driven contexts, through exploring collaborative, interdisciplinary and multicultural practices and approaches.

• Design Exploration

This research area aims to give space to and explore the grey areas of design research that have received scant attention to date but represent potentially valuable avenues of investigation.

How to apply

All applications should be made online. Under programme name, select London Campus, and Institute for Design Innovation.

Please submit the minimum supporting documents including a research proposal. Applications without a proposal can't be considered.

Your research proposal should:

• Be approximately 1000-2000 words
• Include an outline of your research interests
• Detail your initial thoughts about the topic
• Have references to previous work
• Discuss the proposed methodology and general approach you wish to take
• Indicate how your research will make an original contribution to knowledge.

The following selection criteria will be used to make a decision on your application.