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MBDesign

MBDesign

The Interuniversity master’s degree in Advanced Studies in Design-Barcelona (UPC‐UB) is a multidisciplinary master’s degree in which creativity, innovation and research are applied as tools of knowledge and proposition for the design of the future. It arises in an integral, broad and cross-disciplinary sense, characteristic of the design made in Barcelona, which has become an international benchmark in recent decades. In a propositional approach, it provides new perspectives on theoretical reflection, participatory networking strategies and the most innovative trends in new products. Tasks are carried out through design workshops, thematic projects, collaborative work, materials and technology research laboratories and a digital manufacturing laboratory.

The master’s degree lasts one academic year, is worth 60 ECTS credits and consists of a compulsory common stage of 15 ECTS credits that takes a cross-disciplinary approach, and a second elective stage of 30 ECTS credits that includes five specialisations taught by expert teaching staff from various benchmark schools, such as the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB), Vilanova i la Geltrú School of Engineering (EPSEVG), Terrassa School of Industrial, Aerospace and Audiovisual Engineering (ESEIAAT) by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya ∙ BarcelonaTech (UPC); and the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Universitat de Barcelona (UB). The specializations are:

  • Contemporary Design (taught in English)
  • Design, Innovation and Technology (taught in English)
  • Industrial Design Engineering (taught in Spanish)
  • Art Direction in Design (taught in Spanish)
  • Design Research (a crosscutting specialisation that deals with the previous forur).

All the specialisations end with a specific master’s thesis worth 15 ECTS credits, which can involve a project or research. In addition to these five pathways, there are also common optional subjects dealing with business, intellectual property and entrepreneurship topics.


Language. Each specialisation, including the common subjects and the master’s thesis, is taught in English or Spanish (see above). For the Design Research specialisation, since all its subjects are part of the other four specialisations both languages are required.

Click here to download the MBDesign leaflet