Candidates for all MA courses are assessed on their existing qualities as demonstrated in their work and in their interview, as well as on their potential to benefit from the programme and to achieve MA standards overall. The assessment will consider: creativity, imagination and innovation evident in the work; ability to articulate the intentions of the work; intellectual engagement in relevant areas; appropriate technical skills; overall interview performance, including oral use of English.

The Innovation Design Engineering MA/MSc programme accepts a multidisciplinary range of applicants – we want diversity of expertise, culture and experience. We are interested in engineers and technologists, we are looking for designers from all aspects of the subject area and we welcome applicants from other diverse fields such as business, social science, and the arts. In fact successful IDE applicants can come from many fields: anyone with outstanding skills in their current activities that has an excellent aptitude for innovation and team working and has a fundamental belief that design can make a direct contribution to the quality of life. Engineers, designers, scientists, technologist, artists, social scientists, business people, if you have intelligence, curiosity, passion and a drive to improve the world then IDE is interested in you.

IMPORTANT: IDE is a double Master's course run jointly with Imperial College London, and consequently applicants need to have a degree at 2:1 level or higher (or the equivalent). In exceptional circumstances applicants without this degree qualification will be considered (for example, excellent professional experience or outstanding creative or technical abilities).

Portfolio: Entrance Examination Part 1

All candidates are required to submit a portfolio of work to be assessed by the programme team. Candidates have the choice of either an online portfolio or physical portfolio. The portfolio should show:

• the excellence of your current expertise, study area or professional activity
• evidence of your interest or ability in the fields of innovation, design and engineering
• samples of your creative abilities or relevant personal interests.

The portfolio could include: projects and exercises from previous degree courses; where relevant, examples of professional work; personal sketchbooks; self-generated projects; evidence of an ability to make in 3D; as well as examples of creative work in any other areas. NB: If you send digital work in a physical portfolio (e.g. DVD or USB drive) then please also send as a hard-copy format. If your work is largely digital then you might want to consider the online portfolio submission option.

Please download the IDE Portfolio Guidelines.

Interview: (if invited) Entrance Examination Part 2

Selected applicants are invited to the programme for an entrance examination which comprises of an interview (15 minutes in duration, with staff and a student representative) and a creative exercise (one hour).

IMPORTANT: If you applied using the online portfolio option then you will need to bring with you a physical portfolio containing the contents of your online submission.