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This course is now closed for entry in January 2021
MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries will help you become a problem-finder and change-maker. You will apply your imagination and question existing assumptions in the creative disciplines. This course is part of the Culture and Enterprise programme.
In their final year, students from MA Arts and Cultural Enterprise collaborate on an online intervention. This year the projects ran from “audio remedies” for the global pandemic to exploring the impact of live-streaming improvised performance.
We take a look at the 2020 graduating students exploring the meanings of work.
Graduating from BA Culture, Criticism and Curation, Damilola Ayo-Vaughan talks to us about his photographic practice which synthesises personal and collective memory.
Saatchi Gallery invited the College to take part in its celebration of the 2020 class graduating from London’s art schools. We speak to students Mazzy-Mae Green and Greta Voeller who took on the challenge to produce an exhibition in a matter of
In October 2016, Stéphanie Thomson of the World Economic Forum noted that: “The world of work is changing faster and more drastically than at perhaps any other time in recent history. According to research from the World Economic Forum, 35% of the skills necessary to thrive in a job today will be different five years from now. How can we prepare for a workplace of the future if we’re not quite sure what it will look like?”
MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries will encourage you to use research as a creative tool, with the goal of asking better questions. Rather than discipline-related skills and processes, the course focuses on developing student-specific interventions, which can be tested and developed through real-world applications. These research topics vary greatly and are dictated by your skills and interests.
Students studying MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries have previously used the course as an opportunity to develop creative entrepreneurship projects – from establishing new start-ups to working with creative-sector organisations. The course foregrounds iterative testing, entrepreneurship and stakeholder engagement. It also adopts a critical stance towards cultural, economic, social and political inquiry, using discourses taken from a wide range of disciplines including: anthropology, critical theory, management theory, social enterprise, performance and technology among others.
Rather than limiting its scope to the tradition of mono-disciplinary inquiry, MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries embraces multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural collaboration. This is reflected in the wide diversity of our student intake – in addition to conventionally art and design-trained students, our previous student groups have included a large proportion of students from other disciplines including: anthropology, philosophy, law, business and finance, performance, literature, history and science.
Our students evolve as flexible and reflexive practitioners. They have the skills to both adapt to the changing demands of the workplace and to become agents of positive change in the complex world in which we live. Graduates of MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries are able to function in a wide variety of professional and entrepreneurial situations. Our alumni have gone on to join organisations such as ASOS, Google, Hewlett-Packard, IDEO, MUJI, Pratt Institute, TFL, ad agencies Bartle Bogle Hegarty, J. Walter Thompson and Ketchum and the production company for Amazon’s The Grand Tour.
On MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries, we use a three-step strategy to enable you to develop and apply new creative knowledge. The first unit works to open and inform your imagination. This learning strategy involves individual projects and teamwork. You will work with your peers in rotating groups, responding to projects devised to stimulate and reinvigorate the imagination. New briefs are created each year in response to the contemporary climate. The second unit becomes a more personal journey in which you begin your own research project. The final unit comprises the conclusion of this project, your reflections on your learning and the steps you will take to share your outcomes with others.
In Unit 1, you will be immersed in a series of short, individual and team-based projects, designed to interrogate contemporary global agendas. You will use your peers as primary sources of knowledge and gain skills from external stakeholders.
The projects in this unit pose questions which defy predictable answers – for example, we might ask you to construct and test a fully operational time machine. They are devised to take you outside of the familiar conventions of creativity. This helps to locate resistance to change, often established through specific disciplinary backgrounds and cultural conditioning. We aim to build awareness of personal and collective resistances which may inhibit the creation of new paradigms.
In Unit 2, you will be asked to define your research proposal. You will also be required to establish the networks required for stakeholder engagement and external verification. You are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the methodologies of action research, in order to interrogate your research question and obtain new knowledge.
In this unit, the course team will support you in finding your “best way” forward, without predicting or prescribing your next steps.
Unit 3 requires you to complete the external verification of your research question. The unit comprises the completion of your research outcomes, as well as your presentation for assessment. This will also be shown to the public as part of the Festival of Applied Imagination.
MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries is offered in both full-time and part-time mode. Full-time mode runs for 45 weeks over 12 months. You will be expected to commit 40 hours per week to study, which includes teaching time and independent study. Part-time mode runs for 90 weeks over two academic years. You will be expected to commit 20 hours per week to study, which includes teaching time and independent study.
The course is credit-rated at 180 credits.
On successfully completing the course, you will gain a Master of Arts (MA degree).
Under the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, an MA is Level 7. All units must be passed in order to achieve the MA but the classification of the award is derived from the mark for the final unit only.
If you are unable to continue on the course, a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) will normally be offered following the successful completion of 60 credits, or a Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) following the successful completion of 120 credits.
Course Leader, MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries.
Richard Reynolds
Acting Programme Director, Culture and Enterprise; Tutor, MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries
Richie Manu
Co-Course Leader; Course Tutor, MA Innovation Management
Lorna Jean Dallas-Conte
Tutor, MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries
Aisha Richards
Tutor (Full Time Mode): Diana Donaldson
Tutor (Full Time Mode): Dr Cvetana Ivanova
Tutor (Full Time Mode): David Mills
Tutors (Part Time Mode): Paul Colbeck
Tutors (Part Time Mode): Jasminka Letzas
Tutors (Part Time Mode): Elizabeth Wright
Course Librarian: Viv Eades
We are committed to making university education an achievable option for a wider range of people and to supporting all of our students in achieving their potential both during and after their courses.
We welcome applications from people with disabilities. If you have a disability (e.g. mobility difficulties, sensory impairments, medical or mental health conditions or Asperger’s syndrome) we strongly encourage you to contact us on disability@arts.ac.uk or +44 (0)20 7514 6156 so that we can plan the right support for you. All enquiries are treated confidentially. To find out more, visit our Disability & Dyslexia webpages.
The standard entry requirements for this course are as follows:
Exceptionally applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:
Or a combination of these factors.
Each application will be considered on its own merit but cannot guarantee an offer in each case.
IELTS level 6.5 or above, with at least 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking (please check our main English language requirements webpage).
We select applicants according to potential and current ability in the following areas:
MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries is aimed at graduates with a suitable background in any creative discipline. This includes all the established areas of design, but also the fine arts, performance art, curation and art business, journalism, advertising and marketing, management, economics, and potentially also science and technology. We are looking for talented, ambitious and open-minded students who enjoy working with others, but who are also capable of planning and completing a self-directed major project.
Above all, we are looking for creative thinkers who wish to channel their talents in order to achieve their personal goals – and are ready to accept the challenge of a student-centred curriculum in which they are able to define and pursue their own programme of study. Our cohort reflects this recruitment policy, and represents a very broad cultural, educational and professional mix.
This course is now closed for entry in January 2021.
You should apply by clicking on the link to the direct form below. The application form can be saved as you fill it out, so you do not need to complete it all at once. You will also have the chance to review all the information and make any necessary amendments before you submit the application form.
Before you apply, please take time to read the guidance below. You will be asked to provide the following information when completing the online application form:
Personal details (including legal full name, date of birth, nationality, addresses)
Current English language level
Current and/or previous education and qualification details
Employment history
Please give your reasons for applying to your chosen course (provide details of your particular subject interests, relevant experience or abilities, what you wish to achieve on the course, and your career aspirations).
In 500 words, explain how you think creativity can make the world a better place and how the course will help you achieve this.
We cannot consider your application if you do not provide all of the information above.
This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.
If you are an EU offer holder, it is important to consider that, from 2021-22, you may be charged International fees, which are higher. Read our Coronavirus guidance for prospective students for details.
19 November 2021
We recommend you apply by the end of October to avoid disappointment. We reserve the right to close applications earlier than the deadline above subject to spaces available.
This course is now closed for entry in January 2021.
There are two ways international students can apply:
If you are applying directly you click on the link to the direct form below. The application form can be saved as you fill it out, so you do not need to complete it all at once. You will also have the chance to review all the information and make any necessary amendments before you submit the application form.
Before you apply, please take time to read the guidance below. You will be asked to provide the following information when completing the online application form:
Personal details (including legal full name, date of birth, nationality, addresses)
Current English language level
Current and/or previous education and qualification details
Employment history
Please give your reasons for applying to your chosen course (provide details of your particular subject interests, relevant experience or abilities, what you wish to achieve on the course, and your career aspirations).
In 500 words, explain how you think creativity can make the world a better place and how the course will help you achieve this.
Whether you are applying online or through a UAL representative you will need to complete an immigration history check to establish whether you are eligible to study at UAL. If you do not complete the check we will not be able to proceed with your application.
We cannot consider your application if you do not provide all of the information above.
This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.
19 November 2021
We recommend you apply by the end of October to avoid disappointment. We reserve the right to close applications earlier than the deadline above subject to spaces available.
After you have successfully submitted your application, you will receive an email confirming we have successfully received your application and providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We will request any additional information from you, including inviting you to upload documents or book an audition, through the portal. You should check your UAL Portal regularly for any important updates and requests.
We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course. Following a review of the application documents, successful applicants will be invited to an interview, either in person or by skype.
We normally interview in person or by skype and the interview may last up to 40 minutes. The interview focuses on your background and interests. You don't have to bring examples of your work unless you feel they will help you demonstrate your interests.
You will receive the outcome of your application through the UAL Portal.
£11,220 (Full time), £5,610 per year (Part time)
This fee is correct for 2021/22 entry and is subject to change for 2022/23 entry. 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.
Home fees are currently charged to UK resident nationals. However, the rules are complex and you can find out more on our tuition fees pages.
From 2021/22 entry, most EU students will be charged the International tuition fee rate, although this may depend on your individual circumstances. If you started your course in October 2020 or earlier, you’ll continue to pay Home (UK) fees for the duration of your course. Read more advice for EU students on our Brexit information webpage
£22,920 (Full time), £11,460 per year (Part time)
This fee is correct for 2021/22 entry and is subject to change for 2022/23 entry. Tuition fees for international students may increase by up to 5% in each future year of your course. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.
International fees are currently charged to students from countries outside of the UK. However, the rules are complex and more information can be found on our tuition fees pages.
From 2021/22 entry, most EU students will be charged the International tuition fee rate, although this may depend on your individual circumstances. If you started your course in October 2020 or earlier, you’ll continue to pay Home (UK) fees for the duration of your course. Read more advice for EU students on our Brexit information webpage
Students graduating from MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries have taken up employment in almost every part of the creative sector in the world economy. Our alumni have diversified to become actors, architects, broadcasters, creative managers, entrepreneurs, film-makers, inventors, journalists, musicians, social innovators, web designers – and academics. Many have also moved on to PhD programmes. Others have returned to – or entered for the first time – fields such as advertising, curation, exhibition and museum design, film and television, fashion design and retailing, graphic design, marketing, product design, public relations, publishing (both print and digital), and web design.
The course has links with outstanding practitioners across the spectrum of the creative sector. These include: architecture and interior design; advertising and branding; design against crime; film; fashion design; furniture and textile design; graphic and communication design; the music business; photography; product design; museums and galleries; television.
Numerous leading international companies and institutions have been collaborators with, or sponsors of, MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries. These include: AiG; The Big Issue; Calvin Klein; Camberwell College of Arts and Design; Cosmopolitan; Camden Council; Cranfield University; The Design Museum; Dolce & Gabbana; Gloss Interior Design; Ideo; Jam Design; Kingston University; Nokia; Pentagram; PKF International; RIBA (The Royal Institute of British Architects); St Lukes; Swatch; Tangerine Design – and many others.
