who should apply?

ma industrial design at Central Saint Martins is primarily intended for those with a first degree in product design, three dimensional design, furniture design or related 3D discipline (e.g. architecture, sculpture, jewellery design, engineering, ergonomics). Students from these areas help to enrich the learning environment and reinforce our philosophy that design is a diverse and multi-layered activity.

how do i apply?

an application pack may be downloaded through the college website. Follow links from here.

alternatively, please contact the information office during office hours to request a form in the post:

+44 (0)20 7514 7022

+44 (0)20 7514 7023

or via email: information office.

if you require specific information about the course, you may also contact the course administrator via email.

procedure

Early application is encouraged (before the end of April)

Once an application is made, offers are generally made after an interview process (portfolio review for overseas students).

criteria for selection

At interview and/or portfolio review, we are looking for the following:

A range of skills, expertise and experience relevant to the discipline (e.g. reseach methods, understanding of materials and processes, form generation, computer skills, project management).

The ability to communicate and debate design issues and ideas.

A critical self-awareness towards one's own practice.

Evidence of discipline, focus and self-motivation.

An awareness of how the completion of the course might impact upon one's professional aspirations.

What should you include in your portfolio?

There are no definitive rules about portfolio layout; we encourage you to develop a format that you find most appropriate. In general, though, we would expect to see 5 or 6 projects that demonstrate the range of work you have done in the past. These will serve you best if they also show a flexible approach to design and a range of presentation skills. We normally recommend an A3 format, although A4 is fine, particularly if you are sending it from overseas. Please don’t send work on a disk unless it is necessary to demonstrate interactive or moving-image work.  If it can’t be read quickly and easily on a Macintosh, it won’t be read. Give some careful thought as to what you are going to put in and what to leave out. If your previous course involved a lot of life drawing or graphics, by all means include one or two pieces – but bear in mind that we are most interested in projects with an industrial or 3D element. If you don’t think that previous coursework does justice to your skills, you might consider instigating a new project just for your portfolio. This is often a good idea, as it shows that you are ambitious, but also able to define and manage your work effectively.

Please don’t send your portfolio on a disk. Please don’t send your portfolio on a disk. Please don’t send your portfolio on a disk. Please don’t send your portfolio on a disk.Please don’t send your portfolio on a disk.Please don’t send your portfolio on a disk.

project proposal

Part of the application consists of a project proposal. This is so that the course team can see how you would structure a long, complex project lasting up to a year. If you have a question or issue which you are keen to explore, you should base the project proposal around this. If you do not have such an interest, you need to propose an area of study that you think would be suitable. The parameters of the project in terms of research, output, evaluation etc. are all up to you. There are some headings on the application form for guidance, but you should feel free to adapt these if necessary.
If you are successful in gaining a place on the course, you are not necessarily required to pursue this proposed area of study - the first year consists of projects structured and briefed by the course, which tend to influence students' focus in the second year.
All suitable European applicants are invited for interview. If there are any potential problems with the project proposal, we are able to discuss them at this interview.


funding

Successful UK and EU applicants are eligible to bid for an award from the Arts Humanities Research Council for funding the first year of the course. For further information, please see AHRC website: http://www.ahrc.ac.uk

Successful applicants from the UK with a first degree in a science or engineering field are also eligible to bid for an award from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1951. This provides tuition fees, a stipend of £8,500 p.a. and a materials allowance of £750 p.a.

For futher details please see their website: http://www.royalcommission1851.org.uk

India scholarship

From 2008 we are pleased to offer a scholarship (fees only), to an Indian Student who wishes to study Industrial Design in the UK. Selection is via portfolio submission and interview. Further details can be found here.