UCD Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability

Students who have successfully completed the Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability will: 

• Gain an in-depth understanding and appreciation of the design thinking and related system thinking processes for creating innovative user-centric solutions to complex real-world problems across a wide variety of domains and sectors, in particular as applied to the challenges of sustainability. 
• Develop a sustainability mindset – Gain a broad perspective of the wider context around sustainability (from environmental, business and societal perspectives) including key trends and underlying issues, an appreciation of synergies and conflicting approaches across sectors, an understanding of the systemic nature of the challenges and need for systemic solutions. 

• Develop their ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team to apply a user-centred design approach to develop and test a viable, sustainable solution for a client organisation. 
• Develop their supporting career, communication, creative, entrepreneurial, leadership, learning agility and teamwork skills. 
• Create a diverse network of peers from across multiple backgrounds and disciplines and meet with leading practitioners across Ireland and the world. 
• Gain an awareness of relevant and possible career pathways and the skills and tools required to effectively navigate a way ahead. 

This full time, in-person programme is currently closed for applications.

Why not take a look at our 2025/26 MSc in Design Thinking for Sustainability here. Applications open on October 1st 2024. 

Your success throughout this course will be assessed through a number of presentations, team projects, and your individual reflections and self-evaluation. 

With the help of the Academy’s educators, guest speakers and your fellow learners, you’ll receive constructive feedback to improve throughout the course.

Module after module, your learning will build iteratively as you progress through the course. You’ll carry forward the insights, mindset, and skills you’ve learned into the central module, ‘Design for User-Centric, Sustainable Solutions’. Here you’ll have the opportunity to apply everything you have learnt throughout the rest of the course. 

Learners will receive a pass/fail grade for each of the seven modules, and an overall grade for the Graduate Diploma qualification.

As the course involves continuous assessment, students must attend all class sessions.

All courses at the Innovation Academy are developed and facilitated by our exceptional team of educators. 

The team boasts a wealth of experience from a wide variety of backgrounds. They are international entrepreneurs, doctors (both medical and academic), robotics experts, storytellers, conservationists, campaigners, and creatives. 

What they all have in common is their love of the innovative, learning-by-doing approach to learning and their devotion to delivering a world-class student experience. 

Read more about the people behind this course.

• Dr. Thomas Macagno Entrepreneurial Innovation Lead - Sustainability
• Ann Foulds Facilitation Specialist
• Dr. Jakub Urbaniak Facilitation Specialist

This Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability now has a Masters pathway option. Visit our MSc in Design Thinking for Sustainability page to learn more. 

“The Irish economy will need to fill more than 20,000 jobs by 2030 just to support green economy sectors.” IDA Ireland

“Key to guaranteeing a more sustainable and secure future is ensuring we have the right green skills to power the transition to net zero” Minister for Transport, Climate, Environment and Communications Eamon Ryan, TD

Decision makers in government, enterprise and civil society now recognise that learners must have not just the knowledge to act on sustainability, but also the skills to act quickly. The Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability is a unique programme that bridges knowledge and skills, ensuring students begin to affect change within the programme and are ready to quickly transition to new roles and opportunities upon graduation.

The programme offers students an opportunity to apply, test and master their learnings individually with a high degree of autonomy in a high stakes, real world context. Students must design innovative implementation plans and individually lead a complex and ambitious sustainability project, managing multiple stakeholders and competing needs to deliver an actionable solution.

As a result of the highly applied nature of this Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability, students may leverage the project for future career opportunities.

Survey Findings from 2020-2021 Graduate Diploma Class:

• 71% of respondents were employed, and 9% pursued further study or training. 7% were job seekers.
•  Among those who were employed:
• Most were working in Ireland (90%).
• 60% worked under a permanent contract; 17.5% worked under a fixed-term contract, either lasting more than 12 months (10%) or shorter than 12 months (7.5%).
• In relation to occupation, 25% worked as associate professional (legal/business) or technical (science/IT). 52% worked at a more senior level as professionals; 10% held a manager or director position (e.g., chief executive, senior functional manager/proprietor).
• Employers include different industries including consultancy, accountancy, education, innovation, creative culture and arts; sustainable construction.
• Graduates found employment in sustainability-related roles such as Sustainability Analyst, Sustainability Events and Festivals Lead, Sustainability Specialist.

Here’s a flavour of what some of our graduates went on to do:

• Chief Sustainability Officer
• Community Liaison Officer
• Social Entrepreneur
• Educator
• Event Production Manager
• Operations Manager

Ireland’s ‘Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030: “Learners must acquire the knowledge, skills, values and dispositions needed to promote sustainable development.