Norwegian version

Product Design – Design in Complexity

Master's degree

The program considers design to explore complex issues faced by individuals, industries, and society. Design offers you the tools and methods to provoke new thought, initiate social and cultural change and meet environmental issues.

  • Admission requirements

    To apply for this programme you must have:

    • A bachelor’s degree or equivalent, including at least 80 ECTS within the field of design. This may include product design, industrial design, service design, interaction design, furniture and interior design, design-oriented anthropology, universal design, inclusive design, medical / health design, game design, material culture and experimentation, or consumption and consumer behaviour, architecture or design engineering.
    • An average grade of at least C (according to the ECTS grading scale) on your bachelor's degree.
    • A portfolio consisting of documented design works related to products, systems or services  and a letter of motivation. The portfolio must demonstrate skills of visualisation and form development in a creative design process, the ability to define and analyse a design problem, general competence in using design methodology and design thinking, and the ability to demonstrate different holistic design solutions to a problem.
    • Proof of your English proficiency (at least a grade of 4 from Norwegian high school, or equivalent).

    More about admission to master's programmes.

  • How to apply

    You apply via Søknadsweb, where you fill in your details and upload all the required documents.

    There are different application deadlines based on which country you apply from:

    • 1 November: for applicants from countries outside of the European Union / the European Economic Area (EEA) / Switzerland (1 November is the deadline for submitting a portfolio and a letter of motivation)
    • 1 March: ordinary admission for applicants from the European Union, the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, and for non-EU/EEA citizens with a Norwegian national ID number residing in Norway
    • 5-15 March: period for submitting portfolio and letter of motivation for applicants from the European Union, the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, and for non-EU/EEA citizens with a Norwegian national ID number residing in Norway
  • Programme cost

    For students from the EU/EEA/EFTA the only cost of this programme is the semester fee (student.oslomet.no) of approximately NOK 1,000, which you pay each semester of the programme. For these students there are no tuition fees.

    For students from countries outside the EU/EEA/EFTA there are tuition fees in addition to the semester fee (student.oslomet.no).

  • Mandatory course for new OsloMet students

    The Master of Product Design at OsloMet requires all students to be Health, Security, and Environment (HSE) certified to access the various workshops. This course is mandatory and will be held the week before the start of the fall-semester. For students who have been certified in the Bachelor of Product Design at OsloMet it is not necessary to attend.

    The course is held at the Department of Product Design at Kjeller Campus.

  • Programme content

    The program builds on a foundation that design can build bridges between individual and collective interests. It is a challenging program that focuses on developing design solutions centered around human beings and their environment.

    During the two-year degree program, you will be challenged both in design practice and discussion of design and its role in societies.

    The different courses expose you to several design methodologies that help enhance and expand your individual design expression.

    Each course offers you the possibility to develop your own design projects within a set theme or methodology. This helps you in defining your personal value system and working methods.

    Particularly the second semester internship course or the third semester exchange offers you the possibility to connect to relevant networks within design, craft, and industry in Norway or abroad.

    Throughout the two years the course encourages you to consider and develop design solution that meet current and future societal challenges.

    Programme description (student.oslomet.no)

  • How the programme is taught

    This program offers you the possibility to meet and work with people from backgrounds other than product design, including architecture, engineering, fine arts, graphic design, marketing, and more.

    They share a passion for critical thinking, design, and a wish to pursue graduate-level research and production.

    The program is organised with learning activities in a two-year full-time study in an international environment with students and teaching staff from across the world. The master students work sharing their studio space with full access to the workshops, which include wood, metal, textiles, ceramics, DLM and VR.

    As master students you are expected to show independence, motivation, and competence in developing your work within the courses offered in the program. You can look forward to a variation of learning experiences such as, discussions, lectures, group work, field trips and co-operations with other design schools and businesses.

    Thesis project

    In your thesis project you will be able to build on the methods and themes you have been exposed to throughout the two years, while building your unique project. For a whole semester you can explore your own experimental creativity, advanced problem-solving skills and critical inquiry and excel in areas that you strive to make a difference in.

    Thesis topics cover a broad range of fields, from product and furniture explorations to systemic design approaches for industry or government and medical applications.

  • Programme structure

    Optional course Spans multiple semesters

    1st year of study

    2nd semester

    2nd year of study

    3rd semester
    4th semester
  • Exchange

    During the second and third semester, you can go on an exchange to a variety of countries.

    You can find information about exchange on our student website

  • Career

    Our graduates are prized for their ability to critically think outside the box, and their unique trans-disciplinary ability to work across different fields.

    You will meet them in areas such as service and systems design companies, design for policy or public sector, but also in places such as furniture or sporting goods companies.

    Some graduates establish their own companies, focusing on exceptional expressions in crafts or hand made goods or high-tech solutions for industry. A few of our graduates seek to advance their academic career by pursuing a PhD at OsloMet.

Questions about studying at OsloMet

You can contact us by e-mail with any questions about studying at OsloMet, applying and life as a student.

If you have specific questions about the degree you can contact the faculty directly.

Social media and graduation exhibition

Follow us on Instagram @oslometproduktdesign.

Bachelor's and master's digital graduation exhibition (productdesignarchive.com).

Academic coordinator

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Student stories and news

Girl doing crafts in a classroom
It takes courage to create

Resistance and obstacles are needed to unlock creativity, according to Arild Berg, artist and professor at OsloMet.

The students sit and stand around on the grass, out in the yard of the farm. We are seeing tools and machines. In the background we see a storehouse and a barn..
An experience of a lifetime!

The international product design students at OsloMet got off to a flying start with a three day excursion in August.

Nadiya, fellow student Elias, and Mari
Solving future challenges with design

"Product design is exciting: You don’t have to stick with one thing, you work across disciplines and I think that’s the way everyone should work", says Nadiya.

Rob Starling standing in the stairs of a tall building.
Design students aim to solve problems and improve people’s lives

Rob Starling chose OsloMet for his master’s degree in product design because he wanted to expand his digital toolkit and explore the department’s impressive workshop facilities. Now he has embarked on a whole new career within service design.