Master of Design Administration (MDA)

The Master of Design Administration, or MDA, is a new programme that aims to equip you with the expertise necessary for the successful administration and management of the design process in the procurement of buildings.

The MDA is designed to be undertaken while in employment, and may be taken on a blended learning or 100% distance learning basis, using a wide range of innovative and interactive teaching methods, designed to ensure all students maintain close links with the school and each other.

The programme has been developed to meet the growing need for experts in design management, both within client bodies, consultancies, and within contractors and specialist sub-contractor firms. A key challenge facing the construction industry is the successful integration and management of the design process, which can run from project inception through to handover and post occupancy feedback.

This challenge applies both to the demand side, i.e. to clients seeking to establish accountable and efficient procurement arrangements, and to the supply side, i.e. firms working with clients to provide design services and/or combined design and construction packages that deliver optimal design solutions.

Essential to meet this challenge is the use of innovative processes for the identification, communication and realisation of design intent. These processes must be supported by clear contractual frameworks that accurately reflect the participants’ independent and shared responsibilities for achieving the design requirements in practice.

The MDA is delivered through a series of single and two day teaching events, plus regular lunch-time webinars, online workshops given by leading experts, and a weekly blog updating you on course events and current industry developments relevant to the course.  For the blended learning version, some events are planned to be on campus (in our newly refurbished premises), but will also be live streamed. These events will be supplemented by discussion boards relating to specific topics, regular written feedback on your work, and individual and group on-line tutorials. Supporting course material will be available in the form of detailed course notes and pre-recorded video presentations.

How to apply

For more information on course content, structure, fees and how to apply, please visit our Master of Design Administration course information page.

Key events

Provisional dates for key MDA events are listed below. Those marked (C) are planned to be on-campus, but will be live streamed for Distance Learners and those who prefer not to attend in person. All others will be online.

News items on short course events run in 2020/21 can be found for October, January and March. Articles for 2019/20 can be found on the Welsh School of Architecture news pages for October, January and March.  You can also read about our first MDA graduate in our School news.

Course team

The course is directed by Professor Sarah Lupton. Key to the course are the two expert consultants (Manos Stellakis and Robert Firth), who are external to the School but have ongoing input, advising on strategic matters, delivering seminars and workshops, and providing feedback to students. We also engage a team of tutors, all alumni of the course, to help with workshops and provide feedback. We invite many industry experts to give guest talks and seminars.

Course Director

Consultants

Robert Firth BSc (Hons) BArch (Dist) MSc (Project Management), FRSA, FFB, RIBA (Partner, RDMF Consultancy, Expert Consultant, WSA)

Manos Stellakis BSc, DipArch, MSc (Econ) RIBA, (Partner, Lupton Stellakis architects; Expert Consultant, WSA)

Admissions support