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Postgraduate

MA Biodesign

Sheathed pink beads on a bed of pink grain
Malu Luecking
College
Central Saint Martins Start date
September 2023 Course length
Two years (60 weeks)
Extended full-time

MA Biodesign explores bio-informed design strategies as a driver for sustainable innovation.

The course incorporates the inherent life-conducive principles of biological living systems into the design process. It is part Jewellery, Textiles and Materials programme.

Why choose this course at Central Saint Martins

  • Emergent discipline: You can be part of the emergent biodesign movement, targeting contemporary challenges such as climate change, low energy manufacturing, natural resources depletion, human and environmental health.
  • Grow Lab: You will have access to the Grow Lab, a new bio laboratory facility at Central Saint Martins with full technical support.
  • Research networks: You will benefit from the College’s pioneering, extensive body of research and international scientific networks, including the Design and Living Systems Lab.
  • Knowledge exchange: There will be opportunities to work with industry partners on knowledge exchange and research-oriented projects in the rapidly emerging field of biodesign.

Open days

There are currently no open days scheduled for this course, please check back at a later date.

Scholarships, bursaries and awards

Course overview

Biodesign is an emerging discipline. Despite a growing number of publications and exhibitions, there is no universal definition of biodesign as such. Other terminologies exist, such as biophilic design, bio-integrated design, biomimetic design and bio-informed design. While they vary in definition, they all relate to a similar principle: that we can learn from nature to create more sustainable ways of living. The MA Biodesign at Central Saint Martins specifically understands biodesign as a means to incorporate the inherent life-conducive principles of biological living systems into design processes – to transition into a more holistic, sustainable future.  

MA Biodesign explores bio-informed design strategies as a driver for sustainable innovation. You will articulate alternative and new innovative design propositions for the emerging bio-circular economy. Through this work, you will redefine the use of energy, water, air, waste and materials. The course proposes questions such as:  

  • How can we collaborate with living systems to prototype new sustainable materials? 
  • How can we incorporate life-conducive values in the design process towards biocompatible solutions with surrounding ecosystems? 
  • How can we engineer biological systems in order to tackle contemporary challenges, such as urban resilience, human and environmental health? 
  • How can biodesign contribute to the circular economy? 
  • Can bio-computation simulate and model living systems towards energy and material efficiency? 

The course will introduce designers from multidisciplinary design backgrounds to whole system thinking, biomimicry principles, biological systems, bio-computational design, digital and bio-fabrication techniques. You will apply these principles to designing new sustainable materials, products, services, systems and architectural propositions. There is a strong emphasis on ethical issues and on learning through making. Theoretical, global cultural and socio-environmental contexts will inform the development of your personal biodesign agenda. 

Contact us

Register your interest to receive information and updates about studying at UAL.

Contact us to make an enquiry.

Course units

MA Biodesign guides you towards a design enquiry. You will develop a personal biodesign agenda which can facilitate our transition to a sustainable way of life. As such, you will be expected to engage with relevant theoretical, scientific and cultural references. Throughout the course, there is a strong emphasis on ethical issues related to sustainability and biodesign practice. The units are designed to allow you to become more and more independent in the development of your practice. 

Unit 1: Seed 

This unit establishes the foundations of biodesign. You will explore a range of bio-informed design strategies. This will be done via a series of laboratory and studio workshops, inductions, lectures and design projects. The course begins with a significant level of teaching and will require both individual and group work. You will be expected to be proactive, responsive and collaborative in your learning.  

Some projects in this unit may incorporate external scientific or industrial partners. Others will be focused on your own learning and development. You will also undertake a series of knowledge-gathering and mapping workshops. These will help you to integrate and discuss relevant theoretical and contextual references. They will also guide you towards the development of an annotated bibliography. Unit 1 concludes with the submission of a biodesign portfolio which will evidence your learning. You will also submit an oral and visual presentation which will test how you articulate and communicate your work. 

Unit 2: Grow 

Unit 2 allows you to build on the foundations in Unit 1. You will develop your personal biodesign agenda. This will culminate in the submission of your MA Biodesign project proposal. You will submit this along with relevant ethics and risk assessment forms and a research and development portfolio. We will encourage you to be proactive and to seek relevant external expertise or collaborations. This will allow you to test your ideas and enrich your learning against external stakeholders.  

In this unit, there will be a range of design and research methodologies workshops. These are designed to support and challenge the development and delivery of your project proposal. While self-directed study will be prominent in this unit, peer-learning activities will also encourage you to articulate and discuss your personal agenda.  

Unit 3: Harvest 

Unit 3 is dedicated to the creative production and communication of your final MA Biodesign project. The MA Biodesign project proposal submitted in Unit 2 will provide the framework for the development of your project. You will discuss and report on your progress in regular tutorials and group critiques.  

In this unit, there is a strong emphasis on communication. You will be expected to submit a short film or animation which will articulate the sustainable issues you are addressing. This will also showcase your research, development and final design outputs. You will also present your final project in an oral and visual presentation format. This will be followed by a Q&A session, in which you will be expected to clearly situate and debate related sustainability issues.  

Mode of study 

MA Biodesign is offered in extended full-time mode which runs for 60 weeks over two academic years. You will be expected to commit 30 hours per week to study, which includes teaching time and independent study.  

The course has been designed in this way to enable you to pursue studies, while also undertaking part-time employment, internships or care responsibilities.  

Credit and award requirements 

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. 

Learning and teaching methods

The learning and teaching methods devised for this course include:

  • Lectures 
  • Tutorials 
  • Group critique  
  • Workshops 
  • Field studies 
  • Technical demonstrations 
  • Lab work 
  • Making and prototyping 
  • Collaboration 
  • Debate 
  • Observation 

Graduate Showcase

Explore work by our recent students on the UAL Graduate Showcase

Facilities

Staff

Associate Lecturer in Sustainability and Circular Economy: Dr Anouk Zeeum Van Der Lann
Director of Maison/0: Carole Collet
Multimedia Designer, Associate Lecturer: Vassilis Skandalis

Fees and funding

Home fee

£7,315 per year

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 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 nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

International fee

£18,640 per year

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 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.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

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Entry requirements

The standard entry requirements for this course are as follows:

  • An honours degree in a relevant design subject area 
  • Or an equivalent EU/international qualification

And normally at least one year of professional experience.

AP(E)L – Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning

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:

  • Related academic or work experience
  • The quality of the personal statement
  • A strong academic or other professional reference

​Or a combination of these factors.

Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English language requirements

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).

Selection criteria

We select applicants according to potential and current ability in the following areas:

  • Personal and professional aspirations are compatible with the aims and objectives of MA Biodesign (Personal Statement/Interview)
  • The necessary skill and fluency in your own design thinking and processes to benefit from the course (Portfolio Review/Personal Statement/Interview)
  • A strong personal commitment to sustainable change and an ability to articulate and reflect on issues relating to sustainability (Portfolio review/Personal Statement/Interview).

These criteria are assessed through a review of the Personal Statement, Portfolio and Interview. Interviews are only arranged on the basis that the Portfolio demonstrates the applicant’s ability to skilfully generate and communicate a range of ideas addressing problems relevant to the discipline of biodesign.

What we are looking for

We are looking for people who are personally committed to contributing to sustainable change through their own design practice and who are excited about the potential of biodesign practices to contribute to this. Successful applicants will be able to embrace iterative, speculative and experimental approaches to developing biodesign practices and will relish the opportunity to articulate and debate how their work can contribute to the wider issues relating to sustainability.

Apply now

Home International

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.

Deferred entry

Central Saint Martins does not accept applications for deferred entry. You should therefore apply in the year you wish to study.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units and modules on your current postgraduate course and wish to continue your studies at Central Saint Martins, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible.

Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and unit transcripts.

You will need to provide an official document (translated into English) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Start your application now

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:

General information

  • Personal details (including legal full name, preferred name, date of birth, nationality, addresses)
  • Current English language level
  • Current and/or previous education and qualification details
  • Employment history

Personal statement

You will need to submit a short statement about why you want to study MA Biodesign. This gives us a clear sense of your interests and your suitability for our course.

Here are some tips for what should include:

  • Please give your reasons for applying to this course
  • Please provide details of your particular subject interests, relevant experience or abilities
  • Provide details of your engagement with sustainable issues and debates in your educational and professional experience to date and describe how these have informed your design process
  • Describe what you wish to achieve on the course, and how you intend to use the experience to advance your career aspirations.

We cannot consider your application if you do not provide all the information above.

Communicating with you

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 / portfolio / book an interview, through the portal.  You should check your UAL Portal regularly for any important updates and requests.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 2023

Our equal consideration deadlines have now passed. This course will remain open to applications for 2023 entry until places have been filled. Please be aware that courses can close without notice.

We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to resolve any initial queries about your application as quickly as possible.

When you'll hear from us

If this course requires a digital portfolio as part of the application process, we will contact you to invite you to submit this through UAL’s online submission tool, PebblePad. For Round 1 applications, you will need to submit your portfolio by 9 January 2023 at the latest and by 20 April 2023 for Round 2.

This course receives a high volume of applications. We need to make sure that we give all applications equal consideration, so the course team will review them in 2 rounds, after each application deadline date. This means you won’t hear from us about the outcome of your application until after the relevant application deadline date. Outcomes for Round 1 will be released by (at the latest) end of March and outcomes for Round 2 will be released by end of June 2023.

Remember to check the outcome of your application in the UAL Portal. If you apply in Round 1 and don’t hear back from us, we will consider your application within Round 2.

Find out more about what happens after you apply.

There are two ways international students can apply:

You can only apply to the same course once per year.

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.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units and modules on your current postgraduate course and wish to continue your studies at Central Saint Martins, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible.

Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and unit transcripts.

You will need to provide an official document (translated into English) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Deferred entry

Central Saint Martins does not accept applications for deferred entry. You should therefore apply in the year you wish to study.

Visas

Read our visit our immigration and visa advice page to find out whether you need a visa to study.

Start your application now

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:

General information

  • Personal details (including legal full name, preferred name, date of birth, nationality, addresses)
  • Current English language level
  • Current and/or previous education and qualification details
  • Employment history

Personal statement

You will need to submit a short statement about why you want to study MA Biodesign. This gives us a clear sense of your interests and your suitability for our course.

Here are some tips for what should include:

  • Please give your reasons for applying to this course
  • Please provide details of your particular subject interests, relevant experience or abilities
  • Provide details of your engagement with sustainable issues and debates in your educational and professional experience to date and describe how these have informed your design process
  • Describe what you wish to achieve on the course, and how you intend to use the experience to advance your career aspirations.

Immigration history check

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 the information above.

Communicating with you

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 / portfolio / book an interview, through the portal.  You should check your UAL Portal regularly for any important updates and requests.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 2023

Our equal consideration deadlines have now passed. This course will remain open to applications for 2023 entry until places have been filled. Please be aware that courses can close without notice.

We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to resolve any initial queries about your application as quickly as possible.

When you'll hear from us

This course receives a high volume of applications. We need to make sure that we give all applications equal consideration, so the course team will review them in two rounds. This means that offers won’t be sent to successful applicants until after the relevant application deadline date. Outcomes for Round 1 will be released by 31 March 2022 and outcomes for Round 2 will be released by 30 June 2022.

Remember to check the outcome of your application in the UAL Portal. If you apply in Round 1 and don’t hear back from us, we will consider your application within Round 2.

Find out more about what happens after you apply.

After you apply

What happens next

Initial application check

We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course.  If you do, you will be invited to submit a portfolio through your UAL Portal.

Digital portfolio

Your portfolio should be up to 25 pages and demonstrate that:

  • You have the necessary skill and fluency in your own design thinking and processes to benefit from the course
  • You have a strong personal commitment to sustainable change and an ability to articulate and reflect on issues relating to biodesign practices.

For more portfolio advice please visit our portfolio advice page.

Interview

Following the review of the portfolio we select a small number of applicants to move on to the next stage of the process.  These applicants will be invited to an online interview of 15 to 20 minutes.  In addition to the skills demonstrated in the portfolio and in the written statement, the applicant’s potential ability will be assessed using the following criteria during the interview:

  • Demonstrate that your personal and professional aspirations are compatible with the aims and objectives of MA Biodesign (Personal Statement/Interview)
  • You can demonstrate the necessary skill and fluency in your own design thinking and making processes to benefit from the course (Portfolio review/Personal Statement/Interview)
  • You can demonstrate a strong personal commitment to interdisciplinary design research (science and design) and an ability to articulate and reflect on issues relating to climate crisis and sustainable innovation (Portfolio review/Personal Statement/Interview).

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

You will receive the outcome of your application through the UAL Portal.

Feedback

This course receives a high number of applications, and unfortunately we cannot provide feedback to everyone who is unsuccessful. We can only provide feedback after you have had an interview.

If you would like to request feedback, please contact us via your portal.

Each and every application is carefully considered by a member(s) of our academic team. With so many strong applicants to choose from, it is often a very difficult decision to make. If you are unsuccessful, you are welcome to apply to us again in the future.

Deferring your place

This course accepts requests from offer holders to defer their place for one academic year. Deferral requests are granted on a first-come, first served basis until all deferral places are filled, or a deadline has been reached, whichever is sooner.

Alumni

Central Saint Martins

Contact

Telephone

+44 (0)20 7514 7444
Address
1 Granary Square
King's Cross
London
N1C 4AA