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An image to illustrate the Diploma of Higher Education in Design
Our Diploma of Higher Education in Design builds and enhances your design skills, empowering you to apply a design-led creative approach to today’s social, ecological, and technological challenges. It explores design theory and practice, portraying design as a catalyst for change and its potential to tackle issues across various domains. Through project-based learning, you’ll develop core professional design competencies, participate in activities that refine your skills, integrate knowledge from a spectrum of disciplines, and gain valuable collaborative experiences. Moreover, you’ll have opportunities to craft design projects and develop your unique design identity, working towards collating a professional portfolio.
This Diploma of Higher Education is the same as Stages 1 and 2 of our Bachelor of Design (Honours) (R63). Stage 1 is the same as our Certificate of Higher Education in Design (T54).
This design diploma has two stages, each comprising 120 credits.
Stage 1 provides a solid foundation by developing your creativity, knowledge and skills in various design disciplines. You’ll gain design experience by completing short projects and building a portfolio.

ModulesCreditsStart month
You'll study both of the following:
Design thinking: creativity for the 21st century (U101)60Oct | Feb
Design practices (T190)60Oct | Feb

In Stage 2, you’ll advance your skills and your understanding of a wider range of professional roles that apply design to social and ecological challenges. You’ll engage in projects to further build your practice and enhance your design identity and portfolio.

ModulesCreditsStart month
You'll study both of the following:
Design for impact (T240) – planned for October 2026
60Oct
Design projects (T290)60Oct

By studying this diploma, you’ll:
You’ll be supported by tutors, rich learning materials, an online studio, and regular feedback.
You’ll be awarded a Diploma of Higher Education in Design upon successful completion.
You'll also have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.
If you plan to work or study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether this qualification meets local requirements. Find out more about the international recognition of Open University qualifications.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
We regularly review our curriculum to keep it up to date. This means the structure, availability, and content of the course or modules may change. We’ll update this page as soon as possible if there are any changes. If you have already registered for this qualification, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes where practicable. For more details, see our Academic Regulations or contact us.
Our module-by-module approach gives you the flexibility to complete your qualification at a pace that works best for you.
You can complete this diploma in four years by studying part-time. That’s roughly half the rate of a student on a full-time course at a campus-based university.
You have up to 12 years to finish your diploma.
At the OU, flexibility and support go hand in hand. You’ll be in control of when and where you study, with clear deadlines to guide your progress. Whether you’re balancing work, family or other commitments, our approach helps you fit learning into your life. Students consistently praise the support we provide, and from the very start, you’ll be part of a vibrant OU learning community.
As you progress through your qualification, you’ll have access to a dedicated online study space, expert tutor guidance, optional live tutorials, and a wide range of resources to help you succeed. The sections below outline what you can expect.
Your module website will be a central hub for your learning, giving you easy access to:
Discover how the OU’s module websites, course materials, and support tools help you study online with confidence.
Each module has a dedicated tutor who will guide you through your studies. They’ll provide feedback, help you find resources, mark your assignments and support your learning journey.
For extra support, you can attend optional live tutorials with your tutor. These are usually conducted online, and most are recorded so you can review them later.
See how OU tutors and tutorials help you build confidence, connect with others, and get the support you need to succeed in your studies.
Our assessments reinforce what you’ve learned and show your understanding. Assessment types vary by module and may include:
Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to a wide range of support services and be part of a vibrant learning community. Our subject-specific Student Support Teams can help with general queries and any updates to your OU account. You’ll also benefit from:
Discover more about design and innovation at The Open University on our Design Hub. Explore tasters of OU design teaching materials as well as a wide range of design-related articles.
Hear first-hand from OU students as they talk about how studying design developed their creative skills and changed how they see the world.
There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification.
If you’ve studied at university level before, you may be able to transfer the academic credit you've been awarded towards an OU qualification. This could save you time and money by reducing the modules you need to study.
It’s not just university study that can be considered; you can also transfer study from a wide range of professional or vocational qualifications, such as HNCs and HNDs.
You should apply to transfer credit before registering, at least four weeks before the registration closing date. We will need to know what you studied, where, and when, and you will need to provide evidence of your previous study.
For more details and to download an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.
The fees and funding information shown below relate to the 2025/26 academic year and are provided for guidance only. Updated 2026/27 information will be published on the 25th of March, when this qualification next opens for registration.
£15,568*
Your course fees cover your tuition, assessment and study materials, but there are still a few additional costs that can come with studying. For this qualification, you'll need:
*The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. In England, fees are subject to the part-time fee limit, as set out in section 5 of the University's Fee Rules.
Pay nothing upfront – over 85% of our students in England fund their studies with a Part-Time Tuition Fee Loan (sometimes called a student loan), meaning they pay nothing upfront.
Learn more about this and our other funding options below.
Repay in monthly instalments while you study.
Pay for each module with a debit or credit card in one quick, simple payment.
More than 1 in 10 OU students are sponsored by their employer.
Combine your payment options to fund your studies the way you want.
If you’re a serving member of the British Armed Forces (or you’ve recently left), you may be eligible to use ELCs to cover up to 100% of your course fees.
You may be eligible for:
Our Diploma of Higher Education in Design provides expertise in design as a way of thinking and creative practice that you can apply in different contexts. These contexts might be within different types of organisations, across communities or in individual practice. This expertise may include the ability to use design to:
Our DipHE in Design offers valuable skills and knowledge that can enhance your career in private, public, and third-sector organisations, as well as in establishing your own practice. This qualification allows you to develop knowledge, skills, working practices and a portfolio of work relevant to a range of sectors within service and manufacturing industries, including creative and design-focused sectors such as product, spatial and service design, but also non-design-focused sectors such as health, education, environment, media, retail, housing, transport, leisure or telecommunications.
Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice – including online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service, as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.
In the meantime, if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point (note that some careers may require further study, training or work experience beyond your diploma):
This course will next start in the 2026/27 academic year and will open for registration on the 25th of March. If you’d like us to keep you updated, register your interest.
Ask a question
Our prospectus will help you explore your course options, get a feel for life as an OU student, and register for study.
Request a prospectus
This course will next start in the 2026/27 academic year and will open for registration on the 25th of March. If you’d like us to keep you updated, register your interest.
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