CAMPUSES IN ROME
TRIESTE + SAN LORENZO + OSTIENSE

Design Management

The Master in Design Management is RUFA’s programme dedicated to design-driven innovation. You will learn to understand complex systems and transform needs, behaviours and emerging scenarios aimed at regenerating the environment and creating prosperity.

TAUGHT IN
ENGLISH

CAMPUS
ROME

COURSE DURATION
12 MONTHS

COURSE START
JANUARY

A Master’s programme for designing meaningful lives

You will tackle real-life business challenges, transforming research and insights into actual solutions. You will work across design, business and technology to build experiences that are impactful, accessible and sustainable.

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CLASS HOURS
500

INTERNSHIP HOURS
250

VISITING PROFESSORS
+ 20

CULTURAL PARTNERS
+ 100

Master’s objectives and skills

In an era marked by by climate, environmental and social challenges, design takes on a crucial responsibility: creating sustainable, inclusive and competitive solutions to improve society and organisations.

Now is the most exhilarating time to be an innovator. Why, what’s changed?

The scale of what we’re designing has shifted from products to companies, to economic systems. Who we’re designing for has expanded from a solitary user to an intimately connected web of people, spanning the globe” Tim Brown, Founder, IDEO

You will develop a systemic, regenerative and biomimicry vision to guide innovation processes and support organizations through change.

You will learn to analyse contexts and users, define priorities, coordinate different skills and translate design into measurable and achievable strategic decisions.

You will learn how to assess and forecast the climate and environmental impacts of a product or an organization and how to improve it with design.

The objective is to develop professionals capable of integrating research, design and strategy processes, operating at every stage of the life cycle: from the conception of products and services to the industrialization and production phase, to communication, distribution and after-sales management.

QUALIFICATION

First-Level Academic Master’s Diploma
60 CFA

FUTURE CAREERS

Startup Founder
Visual Designer
Design Manager
Service Design Strategist
Research & Development analyst
Business Development Manager
UX/Experience Designer
User Interface (UI) Designer
Brand Analyst
Project Manager (Design & Innovation)
Sustainability analyst
Organizational Change Manager
Innovation analyst

MAIN DISCIPLINES

Branding
Design Management
Innovation management
Service Design & Systemic Design
Project Management
Business models
Design Thinking & Human-Centered Design
UX & UI Design
Design for Sustainability & Social Innovation
Circular economy
Ecodesign

A 12-month experiential programme

The course includes 500 hours of teaching and 250 hours of curricular internship, organised into consecutive modules with real-world projects in collaboration with museums, galleries and cultural institutions.

Attendance is compulsory.

Applications are currently open for entry in January 2027.

REGISTER FOR THE ADMISSION TEST

SUBJECTS	ECTS	HOURS
Methods and techniques to tackle complex problems through a creative iterative approach, combining qualitative research, ideation, design and co-design, prototyping and testing phases to launch new businesses, new products and new services, in any sector and market.	8	100
Methodology for analysing user needs to develop accessible and engaging experiences, with a focus on methods for identifying user needs and functional requirements, information architecture and design, wireframe creation tools and graphic design techniques to design the user interface websites, APPs, and games.	8	100
Marketing and business communication. Strategic brand management methods and tools. Principles of neuro-marketing to develop an effective and consistent customer experience. Ideation, design, and planning digital and content marketing.	8	100
Methods and techniques that leverage the design principles and approach to manage the main business strategic challenges. Design to analyze and rethink internal processes, activating, planning and assessing disruptive and incremental innovation projects for private companies, public administration and NGO's. Project management tools, both traditional (Gantt) and agile (Scrum, Kanban), including performance evaluation practices (KPIs).	10	125
Fundamentals of strategic and operational business management for large organizations and SMEs, including value chain dynamics, business modelling, business planning and return on investment veluation, ESG factors, open innovation, entrepreneurship and crowdfunding.	8	60
	10	250
	8	/
Total Credits	60

Labs and project work

During the programme, students explore:

Human-Centered Design applied to art, healthcare, tourism, education and public policies;
Systemic and Strategic Design, to understand business models and complex organisational processes;
Design Thinking, to interpret future scenarios and generate innovation;
User Experience and Engagement Design, to create meaningful experiences with digital technologies;
Strategic Brand Management, to build strong brand identities and authentic communication with users and stakeholders.

Thanks to an interdisciplinary approach, the Master’s programme transforms ideas into sustainable design strategies capable of regenerating the environment, improving quality of life and competitiveness of organisations.

Internships and partnerships

The RUFA Master in Design Management benefits from a network of more than 100 partners, including design studios, innovative agencies, sturtup incubators.
Main partners include:
5A Design, AMKA Onlus, Ashtart Consultancy S.r.l., Baas Box, Cappelli Design, Creation, Fifth Beat, FolkFunding – Produzioni dal Basso, ILI Editore, Iperdesign, Lopelab, Particle, Ragù Communication, TWM Factory, WeManage.

Each student completes a 250-hour curricular internship, providing the opportunity to apply what they have learned in practice and establish direct contact with the professional world.

Admissions, Documents, Fees and Financial Support

Admission to RUFA first-level Academic Master’s programmes requires a three-year Academic Diploma under the new system, a four-year Academic Diploma under the previous system, a university degree, or another qualification obtained abroad and recognised as suitable by the Academy in accordance with international agreements.

Admission is based on an entrance assessment designed to evaluate the applicant’s motivation and suitability for their chosen course of study. The application must include a curriculum vitae, a personal statement of at least 500 words, and proof of English language proficiency at B2 level or above. Applicants may also submit a portfolio, a summary of their dissertation, or any other relevant documents demonstrating their skills and experience.

The entrance assessment consists of a motivational interview, which may include the presentation of a portfolio of work, projects and/or any other documentation considered useful for admission. The interview may also be conducted online.

ADMISSION TO THE ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS

Applications for admission in January 2027 are now open.

APPLY FOR THE ENTRANCE ASSESSMENT

ADMISSIONS

Online Application Form
Copy of an identity document and Italian tax code (for Italian applicants only).
Bachelor’s degree certificate, original copy or self-certification – Download the template
CV
Personal statement
Portfolio or other documents (optional)

ENROLMENT

Online enrolment application
Two passport-sized photographs
Receipt of payment of the enrolment fee
English language certificate or other proof of English proficiency at B2 level, required for all students
For non-EU students: a study visa/residence permit is required in order to attend academic programmes
For international or Italian students who obtained their qualification abroad: a Declaration of Value issued in the country where the qualification was awarded, or Statements of Verification and Comparability issued by CIMEA.

For each Academic Master’s programme, RUFA offers two scholarships to Italian and international students enrolling on any Academic Master’s programme.

For each programme, RUFA awards one scholarship covering 50% of the tuition fee and one scholarship covering 30%. The amount is deducted directly from the tuition fee. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic and artistic merit.

A panel of experts assesses scholarship applicants by considering the strength and consistency of their academic profile, dissertation, portfolio, projects submitted and, where applicable, the outcome of the interview.

Applications for a scholarship must be submitted at the same time as registration for the entrance assessment by selecting the relevant option when completing the form.

CALLS AND APPLICATIONS

RUFA believes in the value of accessible and inclusive education. For this reason, it supports students experiencing financial hardship or coming from diverse backgrounds by offering solutions designed to facilitate access to academic programmes and help every talent build their professional future:

• 12-month interest-free payment plan (Terms and Conditions);
• “Per Merito” student loan, which requires no guarantor for students who are up to date with the requirements of their chosen programme;
• €2,000 fee exemption for students with a certified disability of over 66%;
• 5% reduction for payment in a single instalment by 31 January (Italian nationals only);
• 10% reduction for enrolled siblings;
• 20% reduction for RUFA graduates.