MDEF 02Master in Design for Emergent Futures + Thesis Project (2 year programme)
| Study location | Spain, Barcelona |
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| Type | Master, full-time |
| Nominal duration | 18 months (120 ECTS) |
| Study language | English |
| Awards | MDEF 02 |
| Tuition fee | €28,000 per year IAAC determines tuition fees based on passport fee status. Please make sure to select your citizenship/nationality to display the corresponding tuition fee. Tuitoin fees do not include an enrolment deposit of 3,800€ required to secure your place in the programme after being offered an acceptance. The enrolment deposit is non-refundable. |
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| Application fee | €50 one-time |
| Deposit | €3,800 one-time Non refundable |
| Entry qualification | Bachelor diploma (or higher) The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English. Often you can get a suitable transcript from your school. If this is not the case, you will need official translations along with verified copies of the original. You must take verified copies of the entry qualification documents along with you when you finally go to the university. Accepted students whose Bachelor’s degree is not issued in Spanish must 1) legalise and 2) translate their documents before their arrival to Spain. More information will be provided upon acceptance |
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| Language requirements | English All IAAC activities and academic programmes (with the exception of Maestría en Urbanismo Próximo (MaUP) are conducted in English. Therefore, applicants are expected to be proficient in their use of this language. Applicants do not need to submit an English proficiency certificate for their application. Their language skills will be assessed during the admissions interview. Note: Applicants in possession of an English proficiency certificate are welcomed to submit it as a supporting document (not mandatory). |
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| Other requirements | At least 2 reference(s) should be provided. Applicants must submit two (2) letters of recommendation to apply. Recommendations can come from either academic or professional sources. Applicants may choose from the following options to submit their recommendation letters: 1. Provide referee information: Enter the name and contact information (email) of each referee in the application system. IAAC will send an automated email to the referee to request their recommendation. 2. Upload letters directly: Applicants who already have their recommendation letters may upload them in the designated upload field. A motivation letter must be added to your application. Your letter of intent, or motivation statement should be written in English detailing your motivation and adequacy for the programme you are applying to. Tips: A relevant portfolio is required. A Portfolio showcasing samples of your work in English. Note: Specific requirements for Non-EU applicants: Non-EU citizens who plan to study in Spain for a period of more than three months must apply for an “open”, multiple-entry student visa. This type of visa (Visado de Estudios) is valid for entering the European Union’s Schengen Area for three months from the date of issue. Visa applications are processed by the Spanish consulate(s) in the country of residence of the applicant. We strongly encourage applicants from outside the EU to apply well in advance to allow for sufficient time to process their Spanish student visa. Note: To apply for your student visa, you will need to submit some apostilled or legalised documents. To avoid delays with your visa application, please start researching the required list of documents as soon as possible. |
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Overview
The Master in Design for Emergent Futures (MDEF) transforms the current state of society by turning ideas into prototypes, platforms, actions, and interventions.
Through digital fabrication, synthetic biology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), hardware design, computational thinking, blockchain and more, MDEF is dedicated to scaling the impact of maker practices, encouraging participants to reimagine how design can drive a paradigm shift toward preferred plural futures.
Organised by IAAC and ELISAVA Barcelona School of Design and Engineering, in collaboration with Fab Lab Barcelona and the Fab Academy, MDEF integrates theory and practice in a multidisciplinary approach. It pushes design beyond aesthetics to tackle complex systemic challenges with a multiscalar and hands-on methodology.
The programme is built on four pillars—Exploration, Instrumentation, Reflection, and Application—guiding students in developing a strategic vision and flexible skill set for uncertain futures. It culminates in a design intervention that addresses hyperlocal needs in Barcelona while engaging with global trends. Graduates apply their expertise across a wide range of fields, from governance and new materials to sustainable food systems.
Programme structure
MDEF offers advanced instruction in digital fabrication through collaborative courses with Fab Academy, led by Neil Gershenfeld of MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms. Fab Academy is grounded in the MIT rapid prototyping course, MAS 863: How to Make (Almost) Anything, providing students with a unique, hands-on learning experience and access to cutting-edge tools through a distributed educational model.
MDEF is structured into three terms, each featuring design studios, seminars, workshops, and masterclasses with industry experts. Students also have the opportunity to participate in a research trip, with past destinations including China, Cuba, Mallorca, the Canary Islands, and France.
The program has four conceptual pillars:
Instrumentation: Students learn a modular set of maker skills and tools and how these can be used in the design process to translate their ideas into prototypes and prototypes into products. Skills include coding, digital fabrication, hardware design, synthetic biology, and computational thinking.
Exploration: Students are exposed to a set of technologies and sociocultural phenomena that have the capacity to disrupt our present understanding of society, industry, and the economy.
Reflection: Students are supported through individual and group reflection sessions to develop their own identity and skill set, knowledge, and attitude as designers.
Application: Students create design responses to explore their curiosities through innovation. They are encouraged to be creative and follow a culture of making where prototyping acts as a generator of knowledge and experimentation is crucial for problem-solving.
MDEF + Thesis Project (Two-Year)
The second year of MDEF focuses on advancing the Thesis Project initiated in the first year. Students refine their research and innovation agendas using an experimental, multiscalar approach, turning their final projects into viable platforms for academic research, business development, or contributions to open-source communities.
At the heart of the second year there’s the Thesis Project Design Workshop, which is composed by three steps each aligned with specific objectives for each quarter: Implementation, Validation, Dissemination
The Thesis Project is complemented by seminars and workshops to support the development of the thesis by deepening in the fields of Research Methodologies, Emergent Technologies and Emerging Economies. MDEF02 students can select elective courses among a great variety of seminars and workshops shared with other second-year students from IAAC masters.
To learn more about MDEF ´s academic structure, courses, faculty and career prospectus please visit our website: