Master in Product and Service Design at Sapienza University of Rome
Two-year English-taught LM-12 design master's at Sapienza in Rome, with studios and labs on smart objects, phygital prototyping, service innovation and sustainability, plus 12 ECTS of work experience.
Master
2 years
Rome
English
Sapienza University of Rome
Product and Service Design is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-12) taught in English at Sapienza University of Rome, built around design studios and labs on smart objects, prototyping and the green transition. Students with income abroad pay a flat fee by country band, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
- A bachelor's degree in design, architecture, industrial or information engineering, civil engineering, economics or a related field (the 2026/27 call lists Italian classes L-4, L-7, L-8, L-9, L-17, L-18 and L-23, or equivalent foreign degrees).
- English at B2 level of the CEFR.
- A portfolio, scored with your dissertation, postgraduate certificates or workshops, and prizes or patents (up to 50 points).
- An online interview on your portfolio (up to 10 points); the minimum total in 2026/27 was 15 out of 60.
- Final-year students could apply if they graduated by 31 December 2026.
- If you need a visa, MoveIn pre-selection and Universitaly pre-enrolment before applying under the call.
About the programme
Product and Service Design is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-12, design) worth 120 ECTS, taught in English in Rome. It is an interfaculty degree of Sapienza's Faculty of Architecture and Faculty of Information Engineering, Informatics and Statistics, based in the Department of Planning, Design and Technology of Architecture.
It prepares designers to lead innovation in products and services in a post-industrial economy shaped by the digital and ecological transitions. The class is built to mix people from design, engineering and economics, so it suits graduates from any of these fields who want to work on design-driven innovation at an international level.
What you will study
The first year combines theory with laboratories; the second year is built around design studios, electives, work experience and the thesis. The 2026/27 plan includes:
- Design-Driven Innovation Studio (9 ECTS)
- Aesthetics, Human Factors and Ergonomics, and Contemporary Design Issues (6 ECTS each)
- Laboratory of Digital Representation and Laboratory of Smart Object (9 ECTS each)
- Laboratory of Phygital Prototyping and Laboratory of Green Transition (6 ECTS each)
- A choice between the Service and Social Innovation Design Studio and the Product and Process Innovation Design Studio
- A choice between the Digital Society Design Studio and the Sustainability Design Studio
- 12 ECTS of electives and a 15 ECTS thesis
How the programme is taught
Teaching is project-based, with intense studio work. A block of 12 ECTS of further learning is carried out at companies, professional design studios and research centres that work internationally. Together with the electives and the thesis, this lets each student shape a personal path within product and service design.
Career paths
The degree prepares two professional profiles:
- Design strategist: leads design thinking across the whole cycle of a product or service, in fields such as smart objects, IoT, robotics, healthcare, design for emergency, sustainability and the sharing economy. Work settings include freelance practice and start-ups, design studios, public and private bodies, and companies of every size.
- Design researcher: works on applied research in design-driven innovation, for example digital transition, digital fabrication and Industry 4.0, or green transition, in research institutes and corporate R&D divisions.
Graduates can also continue to a PhD in design in Italy or abroad.
Fees and scholarships
The admission call carries a €35 participation fee. Tuition for students with income abroad is a flat yearly amount by country band: under the 2025/26 rules, the latest published, €300 for Band A (which includes countries like India and Pakistan), €700 for Band B and €1,500 for Band C. Winners of a DiSCo Lazio grant, and students who meet its requirements, pay €30, so the degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
This degree has its own admission call. For 2026/27 it offered 30 places for EU and equivalent candidates and 40 for non-EU visa applicants, two of them for Marco Polo students. Visa applicants first cleared MoveIn pre-selection (€30) by 15 May 2026 and pre-enrolled on Universitaly, then applied under the call from 16 to 30 June 2026. Online interviews ran on 6, 8 and 9 July, rankings came by 17 July and enrolment ran through September, ahead of the type D study visa.
How ApplyAZ helps
If this programme fits your goals, ApplyAZ can include it in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities. We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose, submit your applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU scholarship application and prepare your visa file, with a named person on each stage. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
Questions and answers
Is Product and Service Design taught in English?
Yes. The course is delivered in English and designed for a multicultural class with backgrounds in design, engineering and economics.
Which bachelor's degrees are accepted?
The 2026/27 call accepted Italian classes in design, architecture, industrial and information engineering, civil engineering, economics and related fields. Foreign degrees in design, industrial engineering, computer science, architecture or economics were also considered.
How are applicants selected?
Out of 60 points: up to 50 for qualifications, including 20 for the portfolio, and up to 10 for an online interview about the portfolio. The minimum score in 2026/27 was 15.
How many places are there for non-EU students?
The 2026/27 call offered 40 places for non-EU applicants needing a visa, two of them for the Marco Polo programme, plus 30 places for EU and equivalent candidates.
When can I apply for 2027/28?
The 2027/28 call is not out yet. For 2026/27, visa applicants passed MoveIn pre-selection by 15 May 2026 and then applied under the call from 16 to 30 June 2026.
What careers does it lead to?
Sapienza names two profiles: design strategist, leading innovation in products and services, and design researcher, working in applied research and corporate research and development. A design PhD is another option.
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