OCAD - Graduate Studies - Inclusive Design

Graduate Studies

Master of Design in Inclusive Design

Inclusive Design is design that is inclusive of the full range of human diversity with respect to ability, language, culture, gender, age and other forms of human difference. The focus of the Master of Design (MDes) in Inclusive Design will be on building expertise in inclusive digital media, information communication technologies (ICT) and practices. This innovative program will produce graduates with the capacity to form, lead and sustain a much-needed community of expertise on digital inclusion, which will span multiple sectors.

The MDes in Inclusive Design is a full-time, low-residency, two-year program with an executive style delivery format to accommodate the needs of working professionals and international students.

Program Guide

The Master of Design (MDes) in Inclusive Design will initially focus on building expertise in ICT and practices, with gradual expansion to incorporate larger components of industrial and environmental design, graphic communication and relevant arts/design areas with connection to digital technologies and ICT systems.

Graduates will apply their studies in all sectors that engage digital media and ICT systems, including government and education sectors, digital industries, entertainment, arts, culture, health, communication design, wayfinding, architectural systems design, mobile and interactive industries and many others.

The program is comprised of:

Two, two-week summer residencies
Seminar courses delivered in a highly interactive online format throughout the year
A major research project
A culminating festival and graduate symposium

Objectives

The Master of Design in Inclusive Design has the following objectives:

To graduate professionals with the necessary knowledge, skills, creativity, resourcefulness and intellectual agility to lead and support the critically important transition to inclusive information and communication systems and practices globally.
To equip graduates to excel in a diverse and evolving new professional field in the Inclusive Design of ICT with a growing labour market in work domains, including health, education, government and other public and private sectors.
To increase the human capacity to meet legal, policy and societal commitments to accessibility, diversity and inclusion at a local, national and global level.
To produce graduates who can help to address the growing global demand for inclusively-designed digital technologies, products and services and the challenges faced by individuals who currently face barriers to participation in society, including barriers to meaningful economic contribution and well-being.
To equip graduates with a systematic understanding of knowledge regarding inclusive design of ICT systems and processes, including relevant knowledge in a wide variety of related fields and a critical awareness of current problems and new insights.
To develop graduates with the conceptual understanding and methodological competence in inclusive design needed to create, interpret, critically evaluate and advance knowledge in the field.
To prepare potential academics to participate in future doctoral programs in inclusive design, for the furthering of leading-edge research and development in this area.
To expand notions of design, development and research in disciplines involved in producing ICT systems and practices to be inclusive of the full range of human diversity.
To expand the research community and the community of practice devoted to informing and designing our IT systems for diversity and accessibility, and to fuel an economic cluster and a centre of excellence in inclusive design of ICT systems and practices.
To expand the OCAD University community to include students, faculty and researchers with backgrounds in computer sciences, applied sciences and other digital media and information and communication technology disciplines.

Key Features

The program is designed to be fully accessible to students and faculty with diverse needs, including students with disabilities and students for whom English is a second language. The mode of delivery and all materials will be accessible and augmented with language supports.
Two on-site intensive summer sessions each year in which students will be engaged in intensive academic programming and collaborative experiences to familiarize themselves with fellow students, faculty members and researchers.
Innovative online courses which use highly interactive and engaging instructional design techniques. These include online collaborative group activities, discussion forums with guest experts, moderated synchronous chats, and guided online tours of both online and physical sites and examples.
Multidisciplinary seminars co-taught by world leaders in inclusive design and emerging information and communication technologies and practices.
Student engagement in successful, open source, open access international research projects addressing a rich diversity of issues and challenges related to inclusive design of ICT systems and practices.
A major culminating project relating to a real-world issue that both develops and demonstrates the knowledge and skills gained during the course of the program.

Last Modified:1/24/2012 12:57:32 PM

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

MA in Contemporary Art, Design and New Media Art Histories

Digital Futures (MA, MFA, MDes, Graduate Diploma)

Interdisciplinary Master's in Art Media and Design

MDes in Strategic Foresight and Innovation

Master of Design in Inclusive Design

Objectives

Key Features

HEADLINES

GRADUATE PROGRAMS