Master of Arts in Design for Social Impact

Do you want to contribute to societal change? Do you see issues around you that you think could be improved or solved? Are you creative and entrepreneurial? Are you looking to work with like-minded people? Paris College of Art joins forces with MakeSense in this one-year Master’s program (MA) in Design for Social Impact that equips citizen designers with the critical thinking (ethics, research methods), practical (design thinking, entrepreneurship, prototyping), and soft (governance, leadership, networking) skills to successfully lead design projects that will bring positive societal changes. The guiding question for this program is:

How can design change the world?

Students work with faculty and partner organizations to research and design a solution to a societal problem that they have identified. Each student develops an individual project to research and prototype a solution for. Students have worked on issues as varied as plastic recycling in the home, refugee integration through sports, promoting ethical consumer choices, reducing food waste, designing inclusive clothing, promoting slow fashion, or developing curricula to raise awareness of mental health.

In the first semester, students develop problem-solving skills (design thinking, social entrepreneurship, ethical reasoning, leadership, prototyping) and research the issue that they have identified, and in the second semester, they will develop a design solution that can be tested and implemented.

The MA in Design for Social Impact draws from the expertise of international faculty members and the network of the MakeSense community of social entrepreneurs.

About MakeSense

MakeSense is an international organization bringing together 2,000 social entrepreneurs with 30,000 volunteers from over 100 cities in 70 countries. By putting together volunteers’ skills and ideas, MakeSense’s aim is to help social entrepreneurs create and develop their businesses and solve the most pressing issues faced by society in such areas as education, health, environment, food, etc. SenseCampus is the educational arm of MakeSense, offering dedicated pedagogical programs to get students to achieve the 17 sustainable development goals defined by the UN. Founded in 2012, it counts over 4,000 alumni and 20 academic partners, including the highest-ranked business schools in France.

Paris College of Art is a dynamic forum for exchanging ideas, methods, and professional experience. Our students and faculty combine curiosity, experimentation, and enthusiasm in the pursuit of learning.

At Paris College of Art, we believe that finding a design solution, creating a work of art, and facilitating the production of a creative team are intellectual processes of undeniable value. Developing critical awareness through hands-on research and discussion is essential to professional maturation and individual growth. Artistic practice demands a high level of personal commitment and discipline, and we expect our students to participate actively in class so that they can explore differing points of view and engage our creative resources.

Paris College of Art is rooted in a city of primary art and design production. Experiencing the uniqueness of the Parisian metropolis provides a rich source of visual inspiration. Sharing this experience with individuals from over 40 different countries gives our students a unique perspective on the variety of expressions existing throughout the world.

Paris College of Art is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment, and prohibits discrimination against and harassment of any student, applicant, employee, or community member because of race; color; national or ethnic origin; age; religion; disability; sexual orientation; gender; gender identity and expression; genetics; veteran status; and any other characteristic protected under applicable law. We expect all PCA employees, students, and community members to join with and uphold this commitment.

The legacy of Paris College of Art and its successful graduates is something to be proud of and to contribute to in the years to come.

Mission

Paris College of Art, a new name for a college with over 30 years of experience, promotes the artistic and intellectual maturation of promising students into exceptional artists, art historians, photographers, designers, and design managers.

Grounded in the Parisian landscape, informed by the European art and design world, nourished by a faculty of leaders in the creative industries from the world over, and replenished by students from over 50 countries, Paris College of Art is a truly international college.

Paris College of Art was established as an independent degree-granting institution with the mission to:

• Provide the highest international standard of art and design education taught within an American pedagogical paradigm while being influenced, informed, and drawing from our French/European environment;
• Open up French educational opportunities to the world and international education to the French.

Vision for 2023

Paris College of Art serves a multi-national student body that enriches the educational experience by bringing the values and experiences of their respective traditions to the studio/classroom and assures that each graduate will understand herself in a global context and be prepared for the contemporary professional marketplace in art and design.