Health by Design explores how design, art, and technology can contribute to healthier and happier lives and more equitable futures. In this interdisciplinary master’s track, you develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to apply transdisciplinary approaches and co-design methodsto complex challenges in health and wellbeing.
Across the world, perspectives on health are shifting. People are increasingly being recognised as more than their disease or physical condition. In response to this development, Health by Design positions art and design as catalysts for imagining and co-creating ethical innovations in healthcare and wellbeing.
Within this program, you learn how to engage with the challenges of today while identifying opportunities for tomorrow. You develop a research-driven design practice that allows you to contribute meaningful value to complex health issues and build a career in a rapidly evolving field.
Program Overview
- Master of Arts in Fine Art & Design Pathway: Health by Design
- Duration: 24 months (4 semesters)
- Mode: Full-time
- Language: English / Nederlands
- Location: Breda, the Netherlands
- Credits: 120 ECTS
- Degree: Master of Fine Art and Design
- Institution: Avans University of Applied Sciences
- Accreditation: Fully accredited by NVAO
Program
Health by Design is a transdisciplinary track focused on health and wellbeing. You develop a practice-based research approach grounded in art and design, while connecting to science and technology. By combining theory and practice, you explore urgent societal challenges and use critical design as a driver for social change.
Each semester focuses on a different perspective; human-centred design, systemic design, and speculative design. You collaborate with healthcare organisations and work in a diverse group of students from different backgrounds, learning from each other while applying your ideas in real-world contexts.
Year 1
During the first year of Health by Design, you will work independently as well as in multidisciplinary teams. You explore the complexity of the healthcare context while developing your own position as a health designer.
The program focuses on how human-centered design and systemic design can be applied within healthcare. Through studio projects, you investigate real-world challenges and learn how design can contribute to meaningful change in health and wellbeing. You will also attend inspiring guest lectures from professionals working in health, art, and technology, and develop academic skills in design research.
A core component of the first year is the Rethinking the Artist Economy Residency. In this program, all Master in Fine Art and Design students explore how to make their practice both socially engaged and ecologically grounded. By providing the tools to move beyond extractive systems, we help you transition toward ways of working rooted in care, reciprocity, and connection. Ultimately, the residency supports you in building a sustainable livelihood based on what you value and find meaningful.
Year 2
In the second year, the focus shifts towards defining your future career as a health designer and exploring the future of the healthcare landscape using a speculative approach. You will refine your research topic and develop a clear vision of how you want to shape health and wellbeing through design.
The final semester centres on your thesis and graduation project within a self-chosen healthcare context. This is your opportunity to answer: How will you shape the healthcare of the future? Your project integrates your skills, insights, and critical thinking to create meaningful interventions in real-world settings.
Furthermore, professional practice modules prepare you to enter the professional field and establish your career after completing the Master’s program. You will be trained in writing funding applications, developing a professional portfolio, and building a comprehensive CV.
