As design, in all disciplines, evolves to cope with new developments in technology (artificial intelligence, immersive virtual environments, digital identities, etc.), the urgency of climate crisis, and changing legal, social and ethical contexts, it is vital that designers continue to upskill and future proof their practice. Designers are problem solvers and creative solution proposers who make a difference to people’s daily life, environment, and interactions.

Our postgraduate certificate course is suitable for designers from all disciplines interested in learning how to tackle the challenges of designing for uncertain futures. The course will equip designers with the skills to critically engage with complexity and uncertainty and to create speculative design prototypes, narratives and probes that give them the confidence to address future design challenges.

During the course, you will:

• Be guided through a range of different speculative and critical design thinking, approaches, processes and methods as you learn about how to map time and describe future design contexts.
• Explore new ways to practice as you critically explore changing and evolving human, ecological and technological perspectives.
• Apply a range of interdisciplinary research methods to question and analyse the social, environmental, economic and political impact of predicted future trends and emerging technologies.

Note: course is subject to validation.

Course content will include:

• Introduction to Speculative Design, approaches, philosophies and case studies
• Defining speculative goals and values
• Scoping a speculative design futures project
• Speculative and Critical Design principles
• Futures research
• Design Fiction principles
• Mapping time and systems
• World building
• Emotional design
• Experimental design prototypes
• Participatory group exercises and charette
• Project presentations

You will be assessed through:

• Class engagement and two assignments. There are no written examinations.
• Participation and review in a group design charette (online or in person).
• Speculative design futures project and prototype.

Independent learning will be approx. 50 hours approx.

The course will be delivered on a blended format.

Dates will be confirmed here soon.

Undergraduate qualification of 2nd Class Honours or higher at Honours Degree level in design or a related discipline.

Applicants may also be considered provided that they can demonstrate Honours Degree equivalence, which can be verified through our RPL [recognition of prior learning] process.

You will need to have a laptop and Adobe Creative Suite.

Please register your interest by emailing iadt@creativefutures.ie

Link to application form will then be emailed to you.

As part of the application, you will be required to provide a CV with details of:

• Education / Qualifications,
• Professional experience, and
• Creative work (e.g., a link to a portfolio website).

Please note:

IADT operates a rolling admissions policy for graduate taught courses, with decisions issued in 4 weeks after a submitted and complete application is received. An application is incomplete until you provide all required items on the checklist (including the application fee, if applicable).

Generally, courses will remain open to applications until all places are filled.

Fees for this course are €1,100.

CFA Scholarship:

A CFA scholarship encourages the participation of learners from sections of society that are significantly under-represented in higher education by offering one free place on all of our CFA short courses.

Find out if you are eligible to apply HERE 

Fill in the CFA@IADT scholarship application form HERE

Please email any queries to Elena Somoza, IADT Creative Futures Academy Co-ordinator, at iadt@creativefutures.ie