Disability, Design and Innovation MSc - Virtual Open Day

Hosted by UCL and delivered in collaboration with Loughborough University London (LUL) and the London College of Fashion (LCF - part of University of the Arts London), this degree blends research, engineering, and design skills with the societal context of disability.

You will learn how to tackle complex problems faced by people with a range of disabilities and develop relevant skills to work in this rapidly expanding field. Sitting at the leading edge of disability innovation, this degree will enable you to become a specialist in accessible and assistive technology and inclusive design.

You will join other students from incredibly diverse backgrounds to consider the interaction of everything from computer science to policy making, to understand and respond to real issues.

As well as learning from our world-renowned academics – some of whom are responsible for making the London 2012 Paralympic Games the most accessible games ever – you will hear from guest speakers from international organisations with which the leading academics collaborate closely.

As the flagship programme of the UCL Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) – the official WHO Collaborating Centre for Research on Assistive Technology – you will also become part of one of the largest networks for disability innovation, which is responsible for working on disability innovation projects in 35 countries with more than 70 partners. 

Why study this programme?

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities. 

• Recognition from a top-ranked university: UCL is consistently ranked among the best universities globally (ranked 9th in the QS World University Rankings 2025), providing you with a prestigious qualification that is highly regarded by employers worldwide. UCL was named The Times and Sunday Times University of the Year 2024.
• An interdisciplinary ethos: The Disability, Design and Innovation MSc is run by UCL Computer Science, Loughborough University (London), and London College of Fashion at the ground-breaking UCL East campus, which brings together an interdisciplinary ethos, connections to the community and cutting-edge facilities.
• High-quality education from leading experts: Learn from world-renowned academics who are at the forefront of computer science innovation. UCL Computer Science is recognised for its research excellence, ranked first in England and second in the UK for research power in Computer Science and Informatics in the UK's most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021). 
• Become part of the Global Disability Innovation Hub community: As a graduate of this programme, you will benefit from being part of the GDI Hub community, with its experience, ethos, and the combined knowledge necessary to identify barriers and improve design in the disability context.
• Develop the ability to research and design disability innovations: You will gain the ability to research and design disability innovations and apply your skills in both low fidelity and high-fidelity prototyping for building your innovative assistive technology and accessible products. You will understand the challenges of developing technologies in different contexts and gain in-depth knowledge about accessible and assistive technology, interaction, design thinking, international development, and marketing and business strategies.
• Real-world experience through project work: Apply your knowledge and skills in practical settings with a substantial research project. Some of these projects are conducted in collaboration with industry partners (e.g., GDI partners, the IXN Industry Exchange Network), giving you valuable hands-on experience and industry insights. 
• Strong employability with high employment rates and starting salaries: Our graduates are highly sought after in the job market, thanks to UCL's strong reputation and the practical, industry-focused skills gained during the programme. You'll be well-prepared to enter a variety of roles in disability innovation, assistive technology, and research-driven design.
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities: Study at UCL’s new and innovative campus, UCL East — home to the Global Disability Innovation lab space, featuring rapid prototyping facilities and a variety of sensor equipment (e.g., Physiological sensors including EEG, fNIRs).
• Problem-solving techniques: As a graduate, you will be able to apply technology, engineering design and systems thinking to difficult problems and apply theories of appropriate technology production to disability-focused projects.

Register for Postgraduate Virtual or In-Person Open Day 

Join us from wherever you are in the world for our Virtual Open Day to hear from our friendly academic staff, students and alumni on Wednesday 22 January 2025.

Get to know what's like to study in our unique multidisciplinary department, as well as get useful information about careers and financial support.

Register for both below!

Register now

Modules

Compulsory modules

• Future Global Technologies for Disability and Development
• Research Methods and Making Skills
• MSc Disability, Design and Innovation Dissertation
• Loughborough University: Design Thinking
• Loughborough University: Collaborative Unit
• London College of Fashion: Applied Business and Marketing Strategy for Disability Developments

Optional modules may include:

• Inclusive Design and Environments
• Innovation for a Fairer World
• Disability Interaction

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment, and module content and availability are subject to change.

Who is the programme for?

Entry requirements

This programme is for you if:

• you have a minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree (or international qualification of an equivalent standard) in engineering, social sciences, or other relevant subject areas, or over three years' experience of working in international development, UX/ product design or assistive technology development, or clinical settings.
• you want to contribute to a fairer world through disability innovation.

If you don't have an engineering background, you will need to complete a mandatory online preparatory short course delivered over the summer before enrolment. This will help prepare you for the technical components of the programme.

Employability 

As a graduate of the Disability, Design and Innovation MSc programme, you will bring a variety of in-demand skills to future employers.

You will understand the great complexities of disability inclusion. This ranges from the theory of disability to access issues related to assistive technologies and the intrinsic links between disability and poverty. Not only will you be able to innovate with technology to create solutions through research and in-depth practical engagement, but you will also learn about innovating in fields such as policymaking to address specific aspects of disability inclusion.

The hands-on experience this degree offers gives you an opportunity to become a pioneer in the disability innovation and assistive technology fields. 

Computer Science Postgraduate students earned on average £52,101* per year.  

(*This figure is the mean salary taken from the most recent aggregated Graduate Outcomes Data (2017-2022) for postgraduate taught graduates from UCL Computer Science.)

Career destinations

Alumni work in a diverse range of sectors, including health, accessibility, finance, IT and international development. This includes product and UX designers, innovators, policymakers and health professionals (e.g., NHS, JP Morgan, Huawei, and start-ups to name a few.)

Some of our alumni also continue their journey in academia - to pursue PhD study or a professional career in academia - or work with us at the Global Disability Innovation Hub.

Register below to receive further information.

Register for Virtual or In-Person Open Day 

Sign up below to attend:

Virtual Open Day (Graduate Open Events: Computer Science)

• Date: Wednesday 22 January 2025
• Time: Choose a session: 12:00 noon OR 5:00 pm (UK time)
• Content: Discover the department, our careers support, scholarships, opportunities with industry and more. Ask your questions to staff, students and alumni.

Both sessions are identical - pick the one that suits your time zone best.

We’ll send you more information about the department, your programme, and the next steps after you register.

To see full information about this programme, including its structure, detailed module descriptions, fees and funding, full entry requirements and more, please visit the UCL Graduate Prospectus