Program Overview
The Design master’s program at East China University of Science and Technology leverages the university’s strong science and engineering background and pursues an interdisciplinary integration approach, which has forged unique advantages. The program is built in collaboration with disciplines such as materials science, information technology, and mechanical engineering, and it houses a first-class design laboratory center that converts research outcomes—such as those in human factors and ergonomics—into teaching resources. The curriculum emphasizes a “broad scope, solid foundation, and emphasis on practice” to align with the evolving needs of the creative industries’ upgrading and development. It aims to cultivate high-caliber design professionals who have mastered modern design methodologies and thinking and who possess research & development as well as management capabilities. The program offers multiple research directions, covering fields such as design theory, new media art, urban landscape, and cultural and creative planning. Backed by a solid foundation and clear focus, it emphasizes aesthetic education and social application and is distinguished by its unique characteristics.
Faculty Strength
This program boasts a high-caliber faculty team composed of both on-campus and off-campus experts. On-campus faculty pursue rigorous scholarship and have achieved outstanding results, while off-campus mentors are veteran experts from the design industry. The program implements a dual-advisor system, whereby students receive joint guidance in theoretical study and practical projects from both academic advisors and industry mentors. The faculty team is highly educated, with roughly two-thirds holding doctoral degrees, and the program flexibly recruits leading industry figures as visiting professors to bring the latest practical perspectives. The School places great importance on faculty ethics and professionalism, as well as the development of young instructors, continuously enhancing teaching and research capabilities through regular training and exchange activities. This strong faculty and excellent teaching ethos provide solid support for talent cultivation.
Teaching Philosophy
The program upholds a teaching philosophy of integrating science and art, with a pronounced focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative practice. It adheres to a student-centered approach, incorporating ideological and political education into specialized teaching by implementing curriculum-based ideological instruction, thereby guiding students to establish proper values and a strong sense of social responsibility. Equal emphasis is placed on a broad, solid foundation in design theory and on rich practical training, while cross-boundary exploration of new technologies, new forms, and new services is actively encouraged. By integrating industry with education and bringing real projects into the classroom, the program has built a collaborative education system linking government, industry, academia, research, and application, which comprehensively enhances students’ hands-on skills, innovative mindset, and aesthetic literacy.
Moreover, the program actively builds an open and diverse platform for academic exchange. It regularly invites renowned domestic and international experts for lectures, carries out collaborative university–enterprise practical projects, and organizes international design exhibitions as well as cross-university research collaborations, thereby broadening the international horizons of both faculty and students.
Teaching Achievements
The program has undertaken numerous national and provincial teaching reform projects, optimizing the curriculum system and promoting interdisciplinary integration, which has led to continuous improvements in teaching quality. Multiple courses have been selected as first-class courses at the national and Shanghai municipal level, and in 2023 the program received a National Teaching Achievement Award. Students have repeatedly achieved outstanding results in various professional competitions at home and abroad. The program has established several on-campus and off-campus practice bases and studios, creating innovative platforms that integrate industry, academia, research, and application. Faculty and student works have won important awards in international design exhibitions and competitions, and a high-profile joint Chinese–foreign exhibition was successfully held. By implementing initiatives that leverage design to empower local development, faculty and students—together with industry partners—have developed hundreds of design products which have been successfully translated into real-world applications, yielding significant social benefits.
