Design Thinking for Sustainability University College Dublin

Overview

Every aspect of the global economy is changing rapidly due to the effects of climate change. As a result, employers need people who are agile and innovative,  who understand sustainability challenges and crucially, are capable of taking action.

Students learn the Design Thinking process, a human centred problem solving methodology that originated in Stanford University, to create innovative, sustainable solutions to complex, real-world problems. In tandem, students develop a sustainability mindset through sustainability literacy including a working knowledge of sustainability systems, issues and tools, framed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Career options

Decision makers in government, enterprise and civil society now recognise that learners must have not just the knowledge to act on sustainability, but also the skills to act quickly. The MSc in Design Thinking for Sustainability is a unique programme that bridges knowledge and skills, ensuring students begin to affect change within the programme and are ready to quickly transition to new roles and opportunities upon graduation.

The Design Thinking for Sustainability University College Dublin students an opportunity to apply, test and master their learnings individually with a high degree of autonomy in a high stakes, real world context. Students must design innovative implementation plans and individually lead a complex and ambitious sustainability project, managing multiple stakeholders and competing needs to deliver an actionable solution.

As a result of the highly applied nature of this MSc in Design Thinking for Sustainability, students may leverage the project for future career opportunities.

Ireland’s ‘Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030: “Learners must acquire the knowledge, skills, values and dispositions needed to promote sustainable development.

Student testimonials:

“The course was such a refreshing format — so much more engaging and real-life focused. One of the things that really drew me in was how creative and collaborative it was. It’s completely different from big lecture halls, long essays, and tests. Instead, I was part of a dynamic, flourishing group of people with facilitators from various backgrounds and expertise - it’s so dynamic. I’d never considered pursuing a graduate program before, and coming here is truly a testament to the course’s format." Jessica Lagreid, 2024 Graduate

“My experience on the Design Thinking for Sustainability course has been truly life-changing. After 25 years in a structured corporate environment, I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone into a more flexible, hands-on setting. The diverse cohort and immersive, practical learning style—where we immediately apply theory with real-world projects—have made this experience transformative.” Oscar Carolan, 2024 Graduate

"This course was life changing for me. I was a change maker before doing small things when it comes to sustainability but this course has given me the connections and the skills to do bigger things and have the impact I want." Ciara O'Flaherty, 2023 Graduate

"It was a fantastic experience. I came into this course feeling a bit lost, not quite sure what direction to go in but now I feel so confident going into a job in industry, in sustainability." Lucy Shah, 2023 Graduate

“It's fun, it's challenging and it got me out of my comfort zone, I've seen myself grow in many ways and I couldn't recommend the course more highly." Richie Denieffe, 2023 Graduate

“I highly recommend taking this course, no matter what background you come from, because we don't have a future if we don't make the world a more sustainable place. When you get here, the pedagogical approach is very different; stick with it, you'll love it. It will unfurl your creativity and allow you to develop design thinking and problem-solving skills that can be used in the context of sustainability and for many obstacles you may encounter in life.” Bláithín Gallagher, 2023 Graduate

"I learned skills I could bring to the table very quickly. Almost immediately after finishing this course I was awarded a contract that I would never have had the confidence to take up if I hadn’t done the course." Jean Cox Kearns, Chief Sustainability Officer for TES – Sustainable Technology Solutions, 2021 Graduate

“We proposed to our industry partner that they create an opening for a community liaison officer. They liked the idea and created the role. In fact, they offered me the position. I got to create the job and now I’m doing it.” Mae Ly Lim, 2021 Graduate

Some key statistics from the Design Thinking for Sustainability class of 2022/23:

• 90% of survey respondents found that the Programme has been helpful to their career progression

• 93.3% of survey respondents found that the Programme has helped them to develop a sustainability mindset and literacy.

• 84% said the Programme has significantly developed their ability and confidence to communicate and collaborate with diverse stakeholders and within multi-disciplinary teams.

• 92% are more proficient and confident with applying creative thinking and tolerating differences in real-life problem-solving#

•  Students agreed/strongly agreed that the facilitators worked hard to make their studies interesting (91.7%), motivated them to do their best (91.7%), were extremely good at explaining things (91.7%), and made a real effort to understand difficulties students might be having with their work (100%).