Research Master in Art and Design (MURAD)

The aim of the University Master's Degree in Research in Art and Design by UAB is to equip students with abilities related to skills for researching, thinking, rethinking, arguing and writing on current issues and problems in the theory and practice of art and design. It also promotes the production of creative processes through artistic research and the practice of design.

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→ 6 October 2025 to 4 September 2026
→ Monday to Thursday, from 4 pm to 8 pm
→ Onsite - 60 ECTS
→ 10.020 € for students from EU countries and foreign nationals with residence. 11.220 € for foreign students who are not nationals of EU member states

Presentation of the Master's Degree in Research in Art and Design (MURAD) 

The MURAD program aims to provide an experimental space for study, work, and exchange in which each student can develop their design and/or art research project. During the course, the skills and methodological and conceptual tools necessary to carry out this project at a level of excellence are offered and practiced, taking into account the unique characteristics of each student. Competencies in argumentation, writing, and academic publication are promoted, as are the creative processes of practice-based research. The thematic approaches respond to the areas of Visual Creation, Project Culture, and Aesthetics Applied to Artistic and Design Research. 

Access to the Doctorate

The Master's Degree in Research in Art and Design (MURAD) from Eina and the University of Barcelona (UAB) provides access to a doctorate and the development of doctoral thesis research in the fields of Visual Creation and Project Culture, as well as in the field of Aesthetics Applied to Artistic and Design Research. 

The MURAD offers the possibility of continuing studies in the doctoral program "Applied Aesthetics in Artistic and Design Research," as part of the Doctoral Program of the Department of Philosophy at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. MURAD teaching sessions are organized into four types: A) Research Activities, B) Workshops, C) Seminars, and D) Visits/Interviews, and are mostly linked to research projects and cultural institutions. The ultimate goal of the sessions, as well as the overall Master's curriculum, is to contribute to the personal development of each research project, which will be presented at the end of the course as a Master's Final Project.

What you will learn

During the Master's Degree in Research in Art and Design (MURAD), you will acquire the fundamental skills to research, write, and critically discuss contemporary art and design practices. You will learn to develop your own research project from a methodological, conceptual, and creative perspective, combining theory and practice. 

You will be trained in artistic research techniques, criticism, curatorship, speculative design, applied aesthetics, and visual narrative. In addition, you will work with renowned teachers and participate in seminars, workshops, and collaborations with prestigious cultural institutions such as MACBA, CCCB, the Museu del Disseny, and Hangar. All of this will lead to the development of a Master's Thesis that reflects your personal approach to design research or art research.  

Why study the Master's in Research in Art and Design at Eina?

Studying the Master's in Research in Art and Design at Eina allows you to be part of a multidisciplinary and innovative environment, where critical thinking, contemporary creation, and advanced research methodologies converge. 

Located in Barcelona, Eina offers you a unique setting for connecting with international creation and research networks, accessing specialized facilities, and collaborating with centers such as the Santa Mònica Art Center, the Joan Miró Foundation, and partner European universities. In addition, you will have the support of a teaching team with extensive research and professional experience. 

The MURAD program is oriented both toward doctoral initiation and professional development in fields such as university teaching, criticism, curatorship, cultural management, and the development of research projects in art and design.  

Collaborations and agreements

The benefits of the experience gained from five editions of the Master's Degree in Research in Art and Design have been strengthened by the research agreements, collaborations and exchanges undertaken with various cultural institutions and universities. To date, students from the different editions have had the opportunity to undertake projects, take part in joint sessions and collaborate with the following institutions:

• Barcelona Design Museum, EDIVI
• Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona
• Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, MACBA
• CCCB. Centro de Cultura Contemporánea de Barcelona
• Espacio exotérico, MACBA
• La Escocesa. Centre of Creation, Barcelona.
• Hangar. Visual Arts Production and Research Center, Barcelona
• Fabra i Coats. Art Factory, Barcelona.
• Idensitat, Barcelona
• Cercle Artistic Sant Lluc, Barcelona
• Centre d'Arts Santa Mònica, Barcelona
• Carnegie Mellon University, CM

Experimentation and Multidisciplinarity

The Master's Degree in Research in Art and Design fosters experimentation in emerging fields of art and design, ensuring that the Final Master’s Degree Project is a construction of a unique and original itinerary where theory and practice are able to converge. Of paramount interest is the continuity between the two, which are always viewed as forms of knowledge production resulting from a process of enquiry.

To achieve this, the master’s degree has an extensive staff of lecturers and tutors who are experts in numerous aspects of innovative art and design practices and in current trends in thought and aesthetics. This multidisciplinarity is divided into five fields of research, with their convergences and developments:

• Art and Design Research Methodology
• Contemporary Art and Design Practices
• Food Design, Edible Art and the Aesthetics of Taste / Transition Design and Contextual and Relationship Artistic Practices / Design, Art and Critical Cartography / Game Design and Design Fiction / Bioart and Biodesign / Sound Design and Art / Big Data & Social Media / Post-digital Design and Art / Sustainable Design and Art / Multiculturalism in Art and Design.
• Critiquing and Curating in Art and Design.
• Narrative in Art and Design: construction of pasts and futures. The project as a story.
• Knowledge Design, Data Display and Interfaces

Curriculum for the Master's Degree in Research in Art and Design

You can download the teaching guides in the following section, "Teaching guides and report". 

Compulsory modules:

• M1. Contemporary Thought I (6 ECTS, Obligatory)
• M2. Contemporary Art (6 ECTS, Obligatory)
• M3. Contemporary Design (6 ECTS, Obligatory)
• M4. Artistic Research I (6 ECTS, Obligatory)
• M5. Design Research I (6 ECTS, Obligatory)
• M6. Critique Workshop (6 ECTS, Obligatory)
• M11. Final Master's Degree Project (12 ECTS, Obligatory)

Optional modules:
Speciality in Design Culture

• M7. Design Culture (6 ECTS, Optional)
• M8. Design Research II (6 ECTS, Optional)

Speciality in Visual Creation

• M9. Contemporary Thought II (6 ECTS, Optional)
• M10. Artistic Research II (6 ECTS, Optional)

Module description

Module 1: Contemporary Thought I

Review of some of the theories and discussions on philosophy and the theory of art and design, of contemporary sociology and cultural anthropology, particularly the more relevant ones for a correct understanding and updating of the crossroads at which contemporary art and design find themselves.

Module 2: Contemporary Art

Critical examination of some of the most significant recent artistic phenomena and their relationship to the cultural practices of the last century, paying attention to all those that exemplify the transition from avant-garde experimentation to contemporary artistic research. The course will revolve around three concepts: time, art and taste.

Module 3: Contemporary Design

Research seminar on creation and innovation processes in relation to techno-cultural and socio-economic transformations that comprise current design. Particular attention will be given to the appearance of new fields within design practice, their presence in emerging economic sectors related to services and knowledge, and the hybridisation of design with cultural practices and the creative industries as a whole.

Module 4: Artistic Research I

Seminars and workshops with artists and about artists and contemporary art movements given by well-known creators and specialists. The main theme is art as a form of thought and research into all types of anthropological, political and social questions which provides students with an overall cartography of these kinds of cognitive practices and how they function.

Module 5: Design Research I

Critical analysis of new trends in design processes and their expansion into emerging fields and practices based on classification and valuation criteria constructed from institutions (museums, collections, publications).

Module 6: Critique Workshop

Art and design critique workshop run by professional critics, the curator's department and other professionals in the art of writing. During the workshop, art and design critique analysis exercises will be conducted by well-known professionals and, most especially, weekly critique writing and review practices by the students.

Module 7: Design Culture

Review of certain theories and authors, who, from the theory of design, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, psychology and other social sciences have helped enrich the theoretical frameworks of current design.

Module 8: Design Research II

Conferences, workshops and seminars which take a critical look at the new trends in design processes and their expansion into emerging fields and practices. Specific fields will be studied which favour the confluence of thought, scientific knowledge, artistic proposals and everyday practices. We will look at how these make us review aesthetic concepts and how they are creating new professional categories.

Module 9: Contemporary Thought II

A selective and critical study of some of the discussions about the philosophy and theory of art and design that highlight the most distinctive traits of contemporary artistic practices, such as creativity, performativity, postmediality, intellectualisation and participation.

Module 10: Artistic Research II

Seminar on contemporary artists and artistic movements given by specialist creators and leading figures. The main topic is case analysis through which students learn how to distinguish when a project contributes to knowledge and to what extent.

Module 11: Final Master's Degree Project (FMP)

This consists of research work into art and/or design of a theoretical and/or practical nature with an original focus that may be considered to contribute to the knowledge about its subject.

The Final Master’s Degree Project is supervised by one of the master’s degree lecturers. The Final Master’s Degree Project will consist of the writing and viva voce of the result of an original research project. The Final Master’s Degree Project can be in two formats: ‘paper’ or project.

‘Paper’ format
If it is a ‘paper’ project, it must focus on a specific research question and discuss the importance of this question in academic debates. This involves demonstrating:

• knowledge and critical understanding of the academic debates about a subject
• the capacity to focus the project on one specific question
• the ability to establish connections between the theory and the examples or specific cases

The Final Master’s Degree Project must be submitted in the appropriate format to be presented as a ‘paper’ to an academic publication. Attached to this document will be a report detailing the research process followed, highlighting the contribution made by procedure and content that enables the quality of the research presented to be assessed. Overall, it will be a minimum of 30,000 words.

Project format
Given its nature, the Master's Degree in Research in Art and Design promotes artistic research and/or creative design research projects as Final Master’s Degree Projects with a level of completion and resolution that allow them to be displayed publicly. This work must be accompanied by a reasoned report on the project (including the proposal, the references cited and the detailed description of the production process) of a minimum of 17,000 words. Possibly, with the agreement of the Master’s Degree Coordinator, the project supervisor will decide the suitability and characteristics of the work chosen by the student.

Guide TFM 2023-2024

Master's Objectives 

The Master's program aims to open an experimental space for study, work, and exchange in which each student can develop their design and/or art research project. During the course, the skills and methodological and conceptual tools necessary to carry out this project at a level of excellence are offered and practiced, taking into account the unique characteristics of each student. Competencies in argumentation, writing, and academic publication are promoted, as well as the creative processes of practice-based research. Thematic approaches respond to the areas of Visual Creation, Project Culture, and Aesthetics applied to artistic and design research. 

MURAD offers the possibility of continuing studies along the PhD in Design and Art Research track, as part of the Doctoral Program of the Department of Philosophy at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. The MURAD lecture sessions are organized into four types: A) Research Activities, B) Workshops, C) Seminars, and D) Visits/Interviews. Most of them are linked to research projects and cultural institutions. The ultimate goal of the sessions, as well as the overall Master's curriculum, is to contribute to the personal development of each research project, which will be presented at the end of the course as a Master's Final Project. 

All the details of the MURAD can be found on the UAB website.

Student profile

Higher Graduates or Graduates in Fine Arts, Design, Architecture, History of Art, Philosophy, Communication Sciences, Humanities and related subjects. It is an official qualification adapted to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) with two orientations:

• an initiation to useful research for people planning on studying for a doctorate
• professional development in different fields of work in art and design

Career opportunities

As indicated by its name and description, this is a Research Master's degree, and its purpose is to provide training to consolidate its students' research capabilities and position them at a level of excellence and innovation. 

On the one hand, students develop knowledge, methodologies, and skills to carry out research work aligned with current standards: papers, publications, theses, archives, research sources, statements, seminars, etc. On the other hand, the practical aspect of artistic and design research is enhanced through the exercise of creative processes tailored to each student's interests and, in many cases, developed in collaboration with related institutions: prototypes, exhibition devices, performance projects, visual and audiovisual arts, diegetic prototypes, narratives, etc. 

All of this prepares students to begin a doctorate with a solid methodological and content foundation; to apply it to the field of education and university teaching; to lead the coordination of research groups and projects; work in various areas of cultural management and perform critical and curatorial duties; direct think tanks and art and/or design creation centers, as well as coordinate and develop educational, research, and cultural programs; participate in research or cultural institutes and funded R&D programs; etc.   

In addition, of course, the Master's degree aims to nurture, strengthen, expand, and contextualize the work of art or design historians, artists, designers, philosophers, curators, critics, professors, etc. so that they can approach their profession with an excellent level of training. Some of the career opportunities offered by this Master's degree in art and design research include: 

• Management and curatorship in museums, foundations and art galleries.
• Freelance curatorship.
• Art collections consultant and manager.
• Art and design criticism.
• Cultural journalism.
• Teaching in art and contemporary aesthetics.
• PhD studies in the different master fields of knowledge. 

Teaching Staff

The master's program boasts a highly qualified teaching team comprised of practicing professionals and researchers specializing in different fields of art and design. Their experience and support guarantee rigorous, up-to-date training that is connected to the industry's professional landscape. 

• Rubén Alcaraz  
• Pol Capdevila  
• David Casacuberta  
• Tània Costa  
• Rafael de Balanzó  
• Jordi Ferreiro  
• Oriol Fontdevila  
• Salvador Huertas  
• Jèssica Jaques  
• Rosa Llop  
• Anna Majó  
• Àlex Mitrani  
• Raúl Oliva  
• Oriol Pibernat  
• Bàrbara Raubert Nonell  
• Anna Roblas Pujol  
• Andrea Soto Calderón  
• Gerard Vilar  
• Laura Vilar Dolç  
• Josefina Zuain 

Payment options

Place reservation
4.000€: 10 days after acceptance (this advance is offset against the final tuition fee).  

Enrolment
Remaining part of the enrolment fee, once the enrolment has been formalised.

Discounts
10% discount for former students of Eina's Bachelor's, Master's or Postgraduate degrees.

• LAMURAD, Southern Journal of Research in Art and Design
  Journal of the Master's Degree in Research in Art and Design (MURAD) of EINA and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), a platform for the dissemination and exhibition of research and reflections on art and design generated by the work experiences of the entire group involved in the programme.
• Instagram: @murad_eina
• Email: postgraus@eina.cat
• Telephone: +34 93 203 09 23