MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries
Course summary
This course is now closed for January 2019 entry. Applications for 2020 entry will reopen at the end of February.
Apply your imagination by framing an original and personal research project and question existing assumptions and boundaries in one or more of the creative disciplines.
Investigate your ideas through a series of real-world interventions and obtain feedback from end-users and key practitioners.
This course is part of the Culture and Enterprise Programme.
Great reasons to apply
- You’ll embark on a learning journey that concludes with a very personal research project that has the potential to change your life
- You’ll develop your teamwork through the interdisciplinary and cultural cross-fertilization that our programme provides, working in groups to respond to projects that are deliberately created to get your adrenalin pumping
- You’ll be challenged by short and demanding projects that deliberately ask questions that defy predictable answers such as, 'Can you design and test a fully operational time machine?’
- If you are already working, you’ll have the option to study the course part time and test your ideas within your own professional practice as well as with other students
- You’ll participate in a Festival of Applied Imagination at the end of your MA journey, presenting your project outcomes to your peers, to professionals, and to the public.
Open days
Email Richard Reynolds to book an appointment (term time only).
Scholarships
Jane Rapley Scholarships
Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships:
Home/EU | International
Postgraduate loans of up to £10,000 are now available for eligible UK and EU students. A full list of eligibility criteria and information on applying can be found on the postgraduate loans webpage.
UAL International Postgraduate £25,000 plus International Student House (ISH) Scholarships
Meet the Course Leader and students
Course catalogues
Culture and Enterprise stories
Facilities
Digital Media
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Library
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LVMH Lecture Theatre
Find out more about the LVMH Lecture Theatre.
Course details
MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries is a one-year full-time or two-year part-time multidisciplinary masters course. The course invites its students to apply their creative ideas to the real world. It encourages its students to become problem-finders and change-makers, who are able to function in a wide variety of professional and entrepreneurial situations. The course attracts students from a wide variety of educational and professional backgrounds.
MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries is a January start/December finish course. This arrangement allows us to fit eleven months of intensive study and research into a twelve-month period. The summer period is used primarily for independent study, although there are tutorial touch points during this time.
MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries students learn to use a full range of research processes. These include primary and secondary research, and also intensive practice in action research and in the related skills of reflection, analysis, and project iteration. Students learn to plan interventions, and to record and reflect on new evidence that they have thereby obtained. At the core of what we expect from our students is a process of engagement and testing with external partners and stakeholders. We are a multi-disciplinary course, so the subject matter of the major project is left to the student – what the course team look for is rigour and commitment in the research process.
Course units
We utilise a three-step strategy to enable you to develop and apply new creative knowledge.
Unit one requires students to challenge their world view and reconsider their values, while simultaneously becoming aware of the potential of external, action-based research to uncover new questions and new levels of insight and understanding.
Students are immersed in a series of short, individual and team-based projects, designed to interrogate contemporary global agendas while using each other as primary sources of knowledge and challenge, as well as developing skills in contacting and learning from external stakeholders. Students are encouraged to give form to their conclusions in provocative and imaginative ways.
Multi- and inter-disciplinary teamwork is encouraged and a system of rotation is used to ensure that students can work with as many of their peers as possible. Projects in Unit One may be internally driven by the course, or may involve external clients and stakeholders.
Unit two requires students to define and redefine their research proposal, establish the networks they will need to use for stakeholder engagement and external verification, and demonstrate that they both understand and are able and ready to use the methodologies of action research - through creative intervention with stakeholders, reflective practice, and iterative project development and management – in order to interrogate their research question and obtain new knowledge.
Unit three requires students to complete the external verification of their research question, and their reflections on and analysis of its outcomes. The Unit comprises the completion, reflection on and ordering of the research outcomes, and the preparation of the presentation of the student’s conclusions for assessment at the conclusion of the Unit – as well as for public presentation at the Festival.
About the course
- MA Applied Imagination lasts 45 weeks full-time or 90 weeks part time over two years
- MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries is credit rated at 180 credits, and comprises three units. Unit One (60 credits) runs for 15 weeks full time, 30 weeks part time. Unit Two (60 credits) runs 15 weeks full time, 30 weeks part time. Unit Three (60 credits) runs 15 weeks full time, 30 weeks part time
- All three units must be passed in order to achieve the MA, but the classification of the award of MA derives from your mark for unit three only
- The difference between the two modes of study is that full time students are involved in more intensive study and, because they are not engaged in full time employment, test their ideas, research and working methods within the College environment with their peers as well as seeking out external verification and challenge
- Part-time students spend less time in formal peer interaction but are expected to test their ideas within their own professional practice as well as with each other as much as is possible. For part time students, the developmental process is less intense during the first year but timetables are constructed to provide maximum opportunity for reflection and critical engagement.
Industry collaborations
Working with paying clients on live briefs will give you valuable commercial experience which may mean your work being taken forward for production or, if so desired, in the purchase of your intellectual property. All paid projects are conducted within a carefully developed legal framework, which includes student agreements to protect your work and help you realise its commercial value.
Once you’ve graduated, you may be picked as part of a small team to work on a live creative brief, organised by our Business and Innovation department, under the supervision of an experienced tutor. This can be a valuable first step in working professionally in a chosen discipline and has resulted in graduates being hired by clients.
Staff
Richard Reynolds
Course Leader, MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries.
Richie Manu
Tutor, MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries.
Lorna Jean Dallas-Conte
Course Tutor, MA Innovation Management
Aisha Richards
Tutor, MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries.
Tutor (Full Time Mode): Diana Donaldson
Tutor (Full Time Mode): 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
How to apply
Opportunities for all
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.
Entry requirements
Applicants should have:
- Honours degree; OR
- Evidence of experiential learning equivalent to a degree; OR
- 3 years relevant professional experience.
For the part-time mode you'd need to be working in a design-related profession. Your research interests, professional experience and personal goals are more important than the quality of your portfolio.
English language requirements
All classes are conducted in English. If English is not your first language you will be asked to provide evidence of your English language ability in order to apply for a visa, enrol, and start your course. The English language requirement for entry for this course is:
IELTS Academic 6.5 or above.
For further information visit the English Language requirements page.
What we look for
- Interest in and understanding of history, culture, and/or arts and design;
- Reflexive and critical thinking;
- Experience of collaborative work;
- Self-motivation, ambition, and interest in research.
Selection criteria
Applicants will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:
- A BA qualification or equivalent level of skills and knowledge in their discipline;
- A Personal Statement and Study Proposal;
- Self-motivation, ambition and a commitment to the postgraduate programme;
- A readiness to engage in collaborative and reflective practice, and in externally-targeted action research;
- A readiness to engage with students from a very wide variety of cultural, educational and professional backgrounds.
Making your application
This course is now closed for January 2019 entry. Applications for 2020 entry will reopen at the end of February.
For EU applicants concerned about Brexit, please see our dedicated page: Brexit Information for Students.
When to apply
We recommend you apply by the end of September at the very latest to avoid disappointment. Your application will only be considered after you have successfully completed an online application, submitted required documents and a digital portfolio.
We reserve the right to close applications earlier than the deadline above subject to spaces available.
Required information for all postgraduate courses
Before you apply, please take time to read the guidance below. You will be asked to provide the following items and upload documents when completing the online application form:
General Information
- 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;
Personal Statement
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).
Study proposal
In 500 words, explain how you think creativity can make the world a better place and how the course will help you achieve this.
Do complete all the required information and/or upload the necessary documents, otherwise we will not be able to proceed with your application.
What happens next
We read and consider all applications. Subject to your meeting the entry requirements and consideration of supporting documentation, you then may then be invited participate in an interview, either in person or by telephone/skype.
How we notify you of the outcome of your application
You will receive the outcome of your application through the UAL Applicant Portal.
Deferred entry
Please note that CSM does not accept application for deferred entry.
This course is now closed for January 2019 entry. Applications for 2020 entry will reopen at the end of February.
When to apply
We recommend you apply by the end of September at the very latest to avoid disappointment. Your application will only be considered after you have successfully completed an online application, submitted required documents and a digital portfolio.
We reserve the right to close applications earlier than the deadline above subject to spaces available.
Required information for all postgraduate courses
Before you apply, please take time to read the guidance below. You will be asked to provide the following items and upload documents when completing the online application form:
General information
- 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;
Personal statement
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).
Study proposal
In 500 words, explain how you think creativity can make the world a better place and how the course will help you achieve this.
Do complete all the required information and/or upload the necessary documents, otherwise we will not be able to proceed with your application.
Start your application now
Please note, International applications to this course for 2019 entry are now closed. Applications will reopen in February for 2020 entry.
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.
For further advice on how to apply please visit the UAL International Application page.
Alternatively, international applicants can apply through an overseas representative in your country.
After you have successfully submitted your application online, you will receive an email confirming your application and providing your login details for the UAL Applicant Portal. Please do log into your applicant portal as this is where we will send you important updates and requests, as well as allowing you to contact us with any questions you may have about your application.
Immigration History Check (for International Applications only)
Whether you are applying through a UAL representative or direct application you will need to complete an Immigration History Check. If you do not complete the Immigration History Check we will not be able to proceed with your application and portfolio review.
What happens next
We read and consider all applications. Subject to your meeting the entry requirements and consideration of supporting documentation, you then may then be invited participate in an interview, either in person or by telephone/Skype.
How we notify you of the outcome of your application
You will receive the outcome of your application through the UAL Applicant Portal.
Deferred entry
Please note that CSM does not accept application for deferred entry.
After you apply
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.
Our students come from all over the world and we celebrate and include their diverse cultural knowledge in our quest to create alternative paradigms. Students draw on each other’s professional and diverse cultural experience to provide critical and constructive insights that open up new ways of thinking and doing.
Selection criteria
Applicants will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:
- A BA qualification or equivalent level of skills and knowledge in your own discipline;
- A Personal Statement and Study Proposal;
- Self-motivation, ambition and a commitment to the postgraduate programme;
- A readiness to engage in collaborative and reflective practice, and in externally-targeted action research;
- A readiness to engage with students from a very wide variety of cultural, educational and professional backgrounds.
Fees & Funding
Home/EU fee
Full time tuition fees: £9,500 (2018/19). £1,000 discount for all students who have completed a PG Dip/Cert or an undergraduate course including Grad Dip/Cert, at UAL.
Part time tuition fees: £4,750 per year (2018/19). £500 per annum discount for students who have completed a PG Dip/Cert or an undergraduate course including Grad Dip/Cert, at UAL.
You can pay course tuition fees in instalments for this course.
ELQ
Home/EU students whose chosen course is at a level equivalent to, or lower than, a qualification that they already hold, would will be charged the fees shown above, plus an additional £1,100 (called the 'ELQ' fee). Students in receipt of Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) are exempt from ELQ fees and will pay the original fee, regardless of the highest qualification held. If you have a query regarding the ELQ fee, please use this register your interest form.
International fee
Full time tuition fees: £19,350 (2018/19). £1,000 discount for all students who have completed a PG Dip/Cert or an undergraduate course including Grad Dip/Cert, at UAL.
Part time tuition fees: £9,675 per year (2018/19). £500 per annum discount for students who have completed a PG Dip/Cert or an undergraduate course including Grad Dip/Cert, at UAL.
You can pay course tuition fees in instalments for this course.
Additional costs
In addition to tuition fees you are very likely to incur additional costs such as travel expenses and the cost of materials. Please read the information on our additional costs page.
Accommodation
Find out about the accommodation options available and how much they will cost.
Scholarships and awards
There are a number of scholarships and awards available to students on this course. Use our search tool to find out more information.
Careers and alumni
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.
