MA Service Design

NCAD’s award-winning, part-time, 24 month MA Service Design programme teaches students the application of service design methods, tools, and thinking in real-world contexts. Through a series of live design projects, students will engage with complex economic, technological, political, and social issues, creating new service solutions that revolutionise everyday experiences. 

One of the key strengths of our programme is the opportunity for students to learn from and be mentored by industry experts from across the public and private sectors. Our guest lecturers include designers from leading organisations such as AndThen, Verizon Connect, Optum, Pfizer, Scottish Government, Avanade, Context Studio, and Deloitte Digital.

Students develop a deep understanding of the service design process, from research and ideation, to prototyping and implementation. They learn how to apply design thinking to identify and solve complex problems, communicate their solutions effectively to stakeholders, and create tangible, testable service solutions that have potential for meaningful impact on all involved in the service ecosystem. The programme attracts students from fields such as healthcare, design, business, sociology, systems thinking, urban planning, banking, customer service, technology and the public sector. Our graduates go on to work in a variety of industries and sectors, from healthcare and finance to transportation and education. They are equipped with the skills and knowledge to make a real impact in their chosen fields and to drive positive change through service design.

The MA Service Design exhibition presents work that explores how service design methods, tools, and systems thinking can be applied to real, active design challenges. Current Year 2 students collaborated with FoodCloud and the Courts Service to address complex societal challenges including community involvement in circular food systems, access to justice for vulnerable witnesses, and traffic fine payment. The work exhibited by our graduates of the programme reflects a diverse range of interests and applications, with projects spanning paediatric healthcare experiences and arts funding application processes. Across both cohorts, students have developed tangible and testable service solutions that aim to improve and transform everyday experiences for service providers and users alike.