Innovation through Design Thinking

Course Outline
Even though there is a constant focus on innovation within business, few possess the know-how to make it a reliable and repeatable practice. As businesses are facing significant challenges to build sustainability into their future business models and practices, the need to be innovative has increased further. As a result, new approaches to tackling this innovation dilemma are needed across all sectors.

Design Thinking is one of the world's most popular approaches to establishing dynamic, human-centred, goal-oriented innovation. This programme creates a new generation of design thinkers to work across a wide spectrum of settings and sectors.

In addressing the skill needs of the future workforce (skills to adapt to the changing workforce and business models of the future), this programme enhances the data, digital, and design literacies of the participants, thereby ensuring they develop new ways of doing business. We ensure the relevance of skills development and provision by facilitating active engagement with industry partners.

The programme's content and its delivery are tailored to personal and professional impact. Industry engagement is core to the programme USP as it ensures continuous applied learning addressing live issues encountered within a business context. Our objective is that all participants are immersed in a hands-on, real-world, work-ready learning experience.

Programme participants will learn how to:

Apply design thinking in organisational settings to address real world challenges

Use tools and frameworks for implementing and scaling human centred change in complex environments

Develop data and digital literacy competencies required for innovation

Identify and analyse trends driving change in an increasingly digital age

Adopt the principles of an action design approach in praxis

Demonstrate an ability to clearly present and discuss ideas, designs and solutions

Manage the practicalities of working within teams charged with designing, prototyping, and evaluating solutions

Additional Teaching Mode Information
Modules for this programme will be delivered online. The sessions will take place 10-4pm Fridays over 12 weeks in Semester 1 (Sept-Dec) and 16 weeks in Semester 2 (Jan-May). This will be complemented with additional sessions on one Thursday in each month. The sessions include lectures, seminars from invited experts, interactive workshops, peer support learning sessions, and input from artists in residence to help foster creative thinking. These sessions will help students connect with each other and with their lecturers, reinforce module content and build transferable skills, and interact with industry leaders and other experts. We look forward to providing students with a high-quality learning experience that will help them to learn, grow, and build their professional networks, and finish the programme ready to take the next step in their careers.

Course Practicalities
Participants will be expected to dedicate at least 24 hours per week to the programme (across two semesters). This time will be allocated to lectures and other self-directed activities.

The programme modules are as follows:

ED6076 Innovation, Creativity and Design Thinking [15 credits]
BU6008 Data and Digital Literacy [15 credits]
BU6009 Industry-in-the-Classroom Work-based Learning Project [30 credits]

Applicants must have a Second Class Honours in a primary honours degree (NFQ Level 8) or equivalent in any discipline.

A quota will be allocated to applicants who do not meet these entry requirements. These applicants will be considered under Recognition of Prior Learning and assessed on the following factors:

Academic achievement
Prior Work Experience
Letter of Reference
Personal Statement

All applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of English language proficiency. See our English language proficiency requirements.

Applications for 2023 will open shortly.

Candidates are advised to apply early as high demand is anticipated and places are limited.

Applications will only be assessed when all supporting documentation has been received. Please ensure that you have the documentation below available at the time of application.

For mainstream applications, you will need:

Copies of transcripts and parchments for any previous relevant educational qualifications

Personal / Motivation Statement - In 300 words or less, please state:
1) Why you wish to study this programme at University College Cork
2) How you meet the programme entry requirements.
Current CV

Copy of an up-to-date University-approved English language exam e.g. IELTS, TOFEL, Duolingo etc., for non-native English speakers

For applications considered under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), you will need:

Copies of transcripts and parchments for any previous relevant educational qualifications

Current CV

References where applicable

Personal / Motivation Statement - In 500 words or less, please state:
1) Why you wish to study this programme at University College Cork
2) How you meet the programme entry requirements.

Copy of an up-to-date University-approved English language exam e.g. IELTS, TOFEL, Duolingo etc., for non-native English speakers

1 year full-time.

Skills and Careers Information
As part of this skills-focused programme, we aim to design the student learning experience in accordance with participants' ambition and situation. Adopting this approach ensures that each participant is afforded a student learning experience that meets their employability needs. In addition, you will learn how to inspire, lead and facilitate diverse teams to innovate through design thinking

We envisage that graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma in Innovation through Design Thinking programme will become future change makers, who have the ability to change conversations within organisations and have the confidence to lead change thereafter.

The demand for innovative thinkers with design, data and digital literacy skills is growing. Business have no shortage of problems that need to be solved but there is a shortage of talent with this unique blend of literacies to be the "agents of change" who will take a lead role in solving these problems.

Are there any career workshops included as part of this course?

Students will have access to the UCC career services. Main activities will include:

1. Career coaching to formulate individual career action plans leading to employment, reflecting on:

Where are they now in their careers?

Where do they want to be?
Strategies for gaining employment on completion of the programme.

2. Job readiness workshops will be built into the programme as outlined below:

Positioning oneself for job readiness: Setting realistic career objectives; Understanding strengths and skills; Learning from successful role models; Developing a career management strategy.
Moving forward into a job: Taking action by developing career goals and implementing them;

Creative job-hunting both on-line and off-line; Written applications, CVs and interview preparation and implementing career plans.

3. Participants will be given the opportunity to meet employers by attending UCC organised recruitment fairs, jobs roadshows and other events where employers will be invited on campus to meet students.