The Possibility to Offer a Master’s Degree Course in Industrial Design

Abstract

           According to Thailand’s national strategic plan for 2017-2036, one of its focuses is on research and innovation to answer the needs of the country, society and private sector with commercial possibilities, and most importantly, to achieve value creation in research. Measures adopted to support and promote research and innovation center in order to accommodate the 10 targeted industries leads to the demand in employee competencies, while the economic recessed in 2020 also prompts the next generation to seek a reskill for better job opportunities. Department of Industrial Design, therefore, plans to offer a Master’s degree in Industrial Design to respond to the above criteria.

          A study in the possibility to offer a Master’s degree course in Industrial Design is a research project based on a survey of associated parties including university students, younger workforce and  representatives from both the government and private sectors with a need to recruit new graduates. The goal is to explore the needs of students and graduates in furthering their study and acquiring a Master’s degree in Industrial Design as well as those of the government and private sector in opening a new Master’s degree program in Industrial Design. The research team gathers primary quantitative data by launching a survey for those preferring to do an electronic survey which involves 259 participants, and qualitative research which includes meetings and interviews with 15 representatives from both the government and private sector and 23 students. Four meetings were arranged in July 2018. The program structure requires a total of 36 credits within a period of 1.5 years.

          According to the analysis, it can be concluded that 1) the drafted course outline is in accordance with the national strategic plan. It also answers to the need of the industrial 4.0 development plan, most notably, design thinking as a strategy for innovation. 2) it responds to labour market trend in the next 2-5 years which will look for a designer with an ability to design for his/her target customers' specific needs and preferences and management thinking, and it also finds out that the outside organizations are willing to support the program by offering scholarships for their employees and/or recruit a job candidate directly from the program. 3) the integrated course structure which involves real industry project, internship and international research project as well as the program name, period and course outline respond to the real needs 4) There is a demand for short courses. 5) Certain expectations regarding applying for a Master’s degree in Industrial Design include gaining in-depth knowledge in Design Management and creating connection with different levels in an organization in order to acquire an insight into specialized design and an opportunity for an internship or work placement.