Master Sciences Sociales — Design social et transformations sociétales

Offered by the Institut catholique de Lille in Lille, France, this master's program in social sciences carries the specialization "Design social et transformations sociétales," focused on social design and broader societal change. Social design applies design thinking and participatory methods to social and public problems, involving the people affected by an issue in the process of understanding it and shaping possible responses, rather than treating design purely as a matter of aesthetics or product development. The societal transformation angle looks at longer-term shifts in how communities, institutions, and social systems function, including questions of inequality, sustainability, and civic participation. Students in this field commonly study sociology, design methodology, project facilitation, and methods for prototyping and testing social interventions, alongside case studies of social innovation initiatives. Coursework often combines theoretical study of social change with practical workshops in which students work directly with communities, associations, or public bodies on real social issues. Graduates from programs of this kind typically work as social innovation consultants, project designers within nonprofit or public organizations, facilitators for participatory community projects, or advisors supporting institutions through periods of social or organizational change. The program leads to a master's degree over two years, taught in French, and is scheduled to start in September, with yearly tuition of 250 EUR. It suits students interested in using design and participatory approaches to address social challenges rather than following a strictly academic sociology track.