Course Overview

This Master’s course was created as IAAD’s response to a job market that, especially in recent years, requires workers capable of designing, creating and coordinating digital content and products, including photos, videos and texts. These are the elements that work in synergy to communicate a brand’s values and mission online.

Considering this, and in full agreement with the statistics identifying the professions most highly in demand, IAAD. has decided to be the first player dedicated to the training of digital designers and content creators.

The Master’s educational approach is based on a cross-cutting vision that combines marketing principles and techniques with a knowledge of graphics and video tools and best practices in communication. With this training, graduates will be able to start their careers as professionals in the world of digital content communication.

By the end of the Master’s programme students will be able to:

• design an entire online digital marketing and communication activity;
• independently create and produce communication content such as photos, videos and advertising materials;
• use data analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies to be implemented;
• coordinate a multimedia online marketing and communication project.

Why study Digital Design at IAAD. Bologna?

The Master’s integrated and project-based teaching approach offers the ideal solution for professionals who want to work in the field of Digital Design, considering that:

• market research clearly indicates a growing demand for professions such as digital designer;
• it is a course of design study that offers multiple collaborative experiences with professionals, studios and companies;
• the Master’s students have the opportunity to work with experts in the field who will guide them as they progressively acquire the skills necessary to quickly and effectively start their professional careers;
• professionals with these skills are highly in demand both among IAAD.’s network of partner companies and beyond;
• IAAD. offers headhunting and advanced career services;
• IAAD. is part of the AD Education group, which, with 66 locations throughout Europe, is one of the most important networks for design education.

Course Overview

The Master’s in Event Design & Management was created by IAAD. as a response to recent social and organizational changes, in which events have become important not only for commercial purposes but also for brand awareness and brand narration.

Event planning ecompasses many types of content and formats, from live to virtual or blended delivery, in addition to other variables that make events more and more complex to organize, requiring art direction, project management and communication skills.

The Master’s aligns perfectly with the event planner’s professional needs and offers training focused on three event types:

• cultural/artistic events, in which artistic competence is developed;
• corporate events, which focuses on brand perception in relation to the relevant market;
• virtual or blended formats, which concentrates on practices that offer the maximum benefit to marketing campaigns. 

In fact, recent technology is able to reach a wider audience by mixing “live” and virtual elements, with ample room for development and innovation. The course analyzes virtual and blended design that extends to the most innovative frontiers, linked to emerging social or gaming platforms, real virtual arenas in which brands and institution consolidate their awareness.

The Master’s in Event Design & Management was created for those who want to acquire or enhance the range of skills necessary to design and manage corporate or cultural events with diverse characteristics at various levels of complexity.

Why study Event Design & Management at IAAD. Bologna?

The integrated educational approach of this course is ideal for those who want to work in the world of events, considering that:

• the professional field of event design and management requires complex, multidisciplinary skills;
• it offers a practical course of study with a lot of field experience;
• the demand for employees with these skills among IAAD.’s network of partner companies and the larger job market is steadily increasing;
• the world of events is constantly growing and the professional skills required are always more specialized;
• Bologna is a city that by tradition offers experience in all categories of events that will be subjects of the Master’s course; 
• IAAD. offers an advanced career service that includes headhunting;
• IAAD. is part of the AD Education group that, with 66 campuses throughout Europe, is one of the most important networks for training in design fields.

Course Overview

The Master’s in Interior Design aims to train professionals who are able to interpret and design space and implement creative solutions, and who know how to design enclosed spaces, private homes, commercial establishments, workplaces and exhibition spaces.

The Master’s programme responds to the training needs that are increasingly in demand in workplaces that value a systemic design approach, and therefore has as its objectives:

• the acquisition and refinement of analytical and personal skills to investigate the relationships connecting space and the physical realm, between the three-dimensional context and inhabitant;
• the creation of a “critical consciousness” toward the principal formal, compositional and material contents of a space that can be defined by the generic term “interior”; 
• the development of a precise awareness in merit of the psychological and behavioral repercussions generated by the compositional and technical choices of the project;
• the development of the faculties inherent in the intellectual conception of a space and its architectural composition;
• the identification and enrichment of individual talents and preferences in the creation of personal, autonomous and strongly identity-based courses of study;

The evolution of how we live and work as a result of the pandemic requires a different approach; movements such as digital nomads or city depopulation open up new perspectives in new contexts and consequently new opportunities for those who design spaces.

Why study Interior Design at IAAD. Bologna?

The Master’s programme’s integrated and project-based educational approach is an ideal training solution for those who want to work in the world of Interior Design, given that:

• this field requires complex and multidisciplinary skills;
• it is a project-based course that offers significant collaboration with professionals, companies and studios;
• students participate actively in the most important events in the field, such as the Milan Furniture Fair and Cersaie;
• the skills acquired are highly in demand both among IAAD.’s network of partner companies and beyond;
• Bologna and Emilia-Romagna offer many opportunities in this area thanks to the presence of studios, companies and districts that are leading players in contemporary architecture and design;
• IAAD. offers headhunting and advanced career services;
• IAAD. is part of the AD Education group, which, with 66 locations throughout Europe, is one of the most important networks for design education.

Why study Communication & Branding Design for Food Design at IAAD. Bologna?

The Master’s programme’s integrated and project-based educational approach is an ideal training solution for those who want to work in communication as it applies to food design, given that:

• this field of work requires integrated, cross-cutting skills;
• it is a course of study that alternates data analysis and communication with field experience in collaboration with professionals and companies;
• students participate in a week of full immersion in collaboration with one of IAAD.’s partners;
• the job market increasingly requires professionals with these skills;
• Bologna and Emilia-Romagna, given their tradition in this field, are home to many companies and districts operating in the food sector that provide multiple opportunities for students;
• IAAD. offers head-hunting and advanced career services;
• IAAD. is part of the AD Education group, which, with 66 locations throughout Europe, is one of the most important networks for design education.

One of the hallmarks of the IAAD. method is ongoing collaboration with industry leaders on joint projects. In meeting the needs of both the partner companies and the students’ educational objectives, these projects generate a doubly favorable situation: aspiring designers have the opportunity to work with industry leaders and at the same time the latter can keep an eye out for future talent to be included in their companies.

This system also makes it possible to simulate working conditions in a professional setting: operating under strict deadlines, correcting projects in progress following client feedback, working in teams and by objectives. During the Master’s programme, the emphasis is on presentations and design competitions: students are guided and supervised in the presentations of their projects and are supported in their participation in national and international competitions.

The programme’s lecturers are crucial figures who are the connection between IAAD. and companies. All are professionals in their respective fields of study who know the companies in their field and know what it takes to become competitive young designers in the job market. The lecturers offer students valuable perspective and guidance to help identify which of their professional skills need to be improved and perfected so that they can enter the working world as key players.

Why study Transportation Design – Motorcycles & Personal Mobility at IAAD. Bologna?

In line with the strategic decision to open the Bologna branch, IAAD. has expanded its educational offerings with the first Master’s degree in Design of two-wheeled vehicles, whether motorized such as motorcycles and scooters, or manual or assisted such as bicycles and e-bikes.

Emilia Romagna is historically a land of motors, known in Italy and internationally as a place where the culture of technology and passion for mechanics have been cultivated and developed, creating vehicles that move not only the body but also the soul of the rider.

In recent decades, several “outposts” have been strategically positioned in the region by international brands interested in reaping the benefits of the highly specialized cultural and industrial offerings in the sector, effectively creating a growing demand for skilled personnel.

Overview

The interior designer’s scope of work is broad and can include residential living spaces, commercial spaces, such as shops and hospitals, and temporary spaces such as fairs, events, exhibitions and installations

Educational Objectives

Developing a high level of critical thinking is one of the program’s main goals. 
In addition to the development of excellent creative skills, priority is given to an understanding of the processes that lead to the formulation of projects that meet the highest standards of contemporary living while aligning with the growing needs of sustainability, inclusivity and interactivity.

The study plan begins with humanistic subjects such as art history, the history of architecture and of design, sociology and the semiotics of design. More specific subjects are then explored, such as the design of rooms and furnishings, home design, exhibit design, the design of sustainable processes, ergonomics and  the science and technology of materials. These subjects are supported by modelling laboratories and digital representation techniques, strengthening skills in technical design, parametric modeling, rendering and video-making.

Throughout the course, students have the opportunity to interact with the most important national and international businesses and organizations operating in the design fields, thanks to the partner network that IAAD. has developed over the years. 

A stimulating learning environment is cultivated by the teachers who are established professionals working in design fields. The course features presentations, company visits, workshops, seminars, internships and special projects, some of which are connected to educationally valuable important international events, such as those connected to the annual Milan Furniture Fair and Design Week.

Educational Objectives

The Textile & Fashion Design course aims to train a new generation of professionals who care about sustainability, inclusion and ethics, themes that IAAD. considers a priority in their courses.
The program develops the design dimension, a multidisciplinary approach to creating an integrated project that starts with a concept and finishes with the communication of the product.

Creativity is of the upmost importance; the instructors dedicate their time and effort to developing students’ individual expression so that their unique characteristics emerge as they develop their talents.
Understanding how trends are formed and what factors influence the evolution of taste, interpreting the signs and languages of fashion and design, interacting with creative designers and communication and style directors – these are among the main skills that a professional in this field requires.
In addition to these compentencies, students are taught specific techniques of drawing and representation (both traditional and using new technologies), to contribute to their understanding of the relationship between images and graphic representation and how they are used to communicate ideas.

During the three-year period, company visits, workshops, seminars, internships and special projects are organized to establish a network of relationships within the world of fashion design. Students have the possibility to fully participate in national and international events. They are able to gain first-hand knowledge of the fashion industry while exploring which career paths are most in line with their talents and aspirations.

Educational Objectives

IAAD.’s Product Design course aims to train a new generation of designers who are able to anticipate the needs of the consumer, creating and disseminating new products and services for future use.
The product designer is challenged to find new solutions that respect the environment, work ethic and process optimization while working within the limits set by the market and systems of production.

Taking this into account, designers must be able to work on multi-disciplinary teams and develop overall design visions.
At the same time, they should present and communicate their own ideas in the best way possible, an increasingly important skill for product designers.
During the three-year program, maximum attention is given to mastering diverse means of communication, from basic skills such as sketching as an instrument to transmit ideas to the use of software such as Rhinoceros and Keyshot for modeling and photorealistic rendering of projects. Graphics software is also used to define the visual container for presenting projects.

The last year of the program features close collaboration with companies that perform the dual role of client and tutor. This first encounter with the professional world and the needs of the market provides real work experience that faithfully simulates the dynamics of real projects.
In this phase the instructors, who are highly qualified professionals in the field of design, create opportunities for students to try their hand alongside important designers from national and international companies, in special lessons, workplace visits, workshops, seminars, internships, projects and master classes. Students actively participate in projects connected to international events such as the Milan Furniture Fair.

Overview

In a field as complex and constantly evolving as communication, the designer needs an approach that can be adapted to a multitude of opportunities.

The course’s multidisciplinary training allows the communication designer to explore the synthesis between theoretical-humanistic and technical-scientific knowledge. Its goal is to train designers who can manage a communication project in its entirety with a new sensibility, attentive to issues of inclusivity and sustainability.

Educational Objectives

During the three-year course, students will receive cross-cutting training in diverse areas of communication that interact with each other, from advertising in the strict sense (large ad campaigns, television commercials, etc.) to graphic design, branding, web design, marketing, and mobile applications.

The first year is dedicated to the basics. Students will become proficient in the main Adobe suite software (Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign) while mastering the fundamentals of advertising, graphic design and social marketing. These subjects will be complemented by more theoretical coursework focusing on creativity, strategy and history.

The second year explores these areas more in depth and is also oriented toward experimentation, with particular attention to design, research, and creativity. While analyzing the contemporary media world, students acquire the skills and methodology needed to develop complex and well-articulated communication projects (branding, advertising, publishing, exhibit design) that strengthen the visual and strategic image of a brand.

The final year solidifies what the students have learned. Their design skills and knowledge will have real-world significance and meaning as they are tested in thesis projects, workshops and internships with the advertising companies and studios that collaborate with IAAD.

The result of this solid preparation is a new generation of professionals who are aware of the context of their work, are curious about what they encounter, and are able to adapt to diverse work environments.

Educational Objectives

The Digital Communication Design course uses a multidisciplinary approach to train professionals who at the end of the program will be able to demonstrate mastery of digital tools and will be prepared to face the new challenges of a sector in continuous evolution.
The course aims to instruct students in the:
– Acquisition of basic technical and theoretic skills
– Development of individual talent and design skills
– Ability to develop a strategic vision

The first year is dedicated to instruction in the basic technical knowledge of photography, illustration and layout using major software programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Premiere. These technical skills are accompanied by instruction in communication theory, history and strategy, to provide students with the planning skills and language they will need to face the digital world.
The second year moves on to the development of planning and design skills, with a strong focus on digital tools that support IT and web development, including UX/UI design, After Effects, the Semantic Web,digital art direction and marketing, project management, media writing skills and mobile apps. It is a year dedicated to experimentation, in which practical exercises in individual and group projects offer continuous inspiration during the learning process.
In the third year, students will refine their skills from a strategic perspective as they orient themselves toward the professional world.

Various aspects of the digital world will be explored in depth: sound design, event design, digital strategy and virtual and augmented reality, with particular emphasis given to innovative technologies such as the Internet of Things, Big Data and artificial intelligence.
During this final year, students will work on projects in collaboration with leading companies, addressing topics both from a theoretical-conceptual perspective, with the guidance of their instructors, and from a concrete, practical perspective, as they will be given the possibility to experience the market demands first-hand.