Design and Technology Future (D&TF) is built on the notion that a deep understanding of modern technology, an appreciation of cultural diversity, and a creative mind-set are the main driving forces of any successful innovation. It is a transdisciplinary programme merging the competencies and skills of technology and design.

Apply Here

Students for TalTech international study programmes are admitted based on the admission threshold. The maximum score for all examination parts is 10 points. An applicant who receives the minimum of 5 points is admitted.

 

Programme Specific Requirements

ADMISSION DEADLINES AND HOW TO APPLY

 

Design and Technology Futures is combining education and innovation into an enabling platform which at one hand collaborates with industry and government partners to search new ways out from the modern complex challenges and on the other hand, engages students with new and unique experiences out of their comfort zones in order to create innovation and new thinking. To find out what the future might be.

The challenges in the program are presented in an open format, encouraging students’ personal creative development and self-expression.

Keep eye on their projects, events, and news at www.design-engineering.eu

Why this programme?

• The programme offers an opportunity to acquire integrated practical and theoretical knowledge in design-driven innovation with an ability to spark, lead and perform future-oriented tech-intensive product, and service concept development;

• Exiting cooperation projects with industry, government partners or society looking for new opportunities for technology development into promising product-service systems;

• Teaching staff with high theoretical and practical experience.

CURRICULUM OUTLINE (120 ECTS)

• General studies - cover cultural theory and visual literacy that helps to understand inter-relationship of culture, science, technology and economic development.

• Core studies - include courses about design (human-centred design, corporate entrepreneurship and design), engineering (production digitalisation, concurrent product development), entrepreneurship (entrepreneurship and business planning), etc.

• Special studies - students learn about service systems design tools, methods and practices that are tested and polished in action during real development projects.

• Free choice courses - students can choose from a wide variety of courses offered at the university.

• Graduation thesis - a research project that will define problems and offer a set of innovative methods and scientific principles to solve them.

Entrepreneurs, innovation leaders, product and service developers and managers who are able to work in a wide scope of creative integrated development teams and run design-driven innovation projects integrating together the technological possibilities provided by industry with opportunities found on the market and in the society.

Tinatin Dzirkvadze

Georgia

Design and Technology futures is a truly interesting but also challenging course. As it's a joint programme of Taltech and Estonian Academy of Arts, you will get to study and work with lecturers from both engineering and design faculties. As a designer, I really value that this programme helped me to understand engineers better and gave me a more profound understanding of technologies, especially through the many group works and projects we had to do, which created a lot of synergy. I was also given the opportunity to study as an exchange student at TalTech's partner university in Barcelona, which broadened my experiences even more.

---

Aigar Tälli 

Estonia - Alumnus of Design and Engineering

Straight after defending his master thesis in June 2016, Aigar Tälli was hired by the leading supplier of car safety systems Autoliv R&D department. Now he works as a product development engineer in Hamburg

For me, this programme was a real eye-opener regarding various topics from user-centred design, product branding, user interfaces to innovation management processes and many more. All of these which are necessary for a person who wants to call himself a designer engineer - a multidisciplinary approacher with innovative ideas. All of the courses are led by professionals in their field with real-life experiences and are an absolute pleasure to hear and discuss with. Students with various backgrounds bring different ideas and perspectives to all of the works and discussions. I would recommend this programme to people who are fond of product and service development, are open-minded and would like to experience a world where design and engineering work together for creating a better tomorrow.
 

---

Tea Tüür 

Estonia - An alumna of Design and Engineering

From the fashion industry to satellites: our graduate Tea Tüür started to work as a Design Thinker in Catapult Satellite Applications in Harwell, Oxford this April, just after graduating in January.

Design and Engineering is a truly unique study programme in Estonia, transmitting skills and knowledge that are relevant and sought-after in many modern international companies. It opened up my worldview, enabled me to gain international contacts and cross-disciplinary teamwork experience. I loved the topicality and diversity of the projects we could work on – no semester was alike. I was uncertain about my career path when I started the programme. The most important thing I gained from D&E is the discovery of what I’m good or not-so-good at and what are the things in life I really care about. In addition to learning to analyse the cultural, social and economic changes in society, every student received feedback and support to assess their personal development. I would definitely recommend D&E to a wide variety of people – whether at the start of their career or well-established; passionate about tech, design, business, psychology or all four. You are guaranteed to get a new perspective on things, learn a lot and meet a bunch of great people along the way!