MSc Medical Device Design

The MSc in Medical Device Design is a one-year full time taught masters delivered in NCAD in conjunction with TCD. The course is based in a dedicated Medical Device Design Studio on the NCAD campus. The programme consists of a combination of taught modules and studio-based project work. Basic Medical Science is taught at TCD, while modules covering Research Methods, Human Factors, and Fundamentals of Medical Device Design are delivered at NCAD. Bioinstrumentation is provided by the team of the Medical Physics Department in St James’s Hospital. Fundamentals of Medical Device Design modules cover diverse topics from the History of Medicine to Biomechanics and Biomaterials. In parallel with the taught modules, a series of studio-based projects are run at NCAD in conjunction with industrial and clinical partners. Industry partners include US multinationals with a base in Ireland along with Irish start-up companies.

In all cases, the design briefs are on live industry projects on which the companies are working. Students present their work to engineers and scientists from the companies at the research, concept and final design stage. This is a great opportunity for students to produce significant work in a real world product design and development environment. Feedback from industry, tutors and practitioners is an invaluable part of the learning process.

The creative, collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of medical device design is emphasised. Students from different disciplines share their research in the early stage of each project. Each student generates their own concepts and final designs, learning how to generate creative ideas and how to analyse and validate them in an iterative cycle of analysis and synthesis. This is all done in a supportive studio environment where peer-to-peer learning is facilitated.