Postgraduate Degree in Accessibility: Universal Design Specialist
13th Edition
As a society we are ageing and aspire to improve our quality of life. This widespread trend has given rise to one of today's most dynamic industries: accessibility and design for all is now practically a requirement for a growing number of sectors. As a result, the market demand for companies and professionals capable of responding to people's accessibility needs and assuring quality of life is also increasing.
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Additional information
Presentation
With the Postgraduate Degree in Accessibility and Design for All at UIC Barcelona School of Architecture, you will become an expert in accessibility and help to provide equal opportunities for all citizens, regardless of whether they have a disability or not. The teaching programme will help you analyse and understand the accessibility criteria governing the spaces, routes, elements, products and services that surround us. You will find out how to apply so-called unnoticed accessibility, with standardisation criteria and designs for all. You will become familiar with the necessary details, learn how to develop affordable projects and take a critical look at the main laws and regulations on accessibility.
In short, a specialised programme that teaches students to understand, identify, design, market and facilitate accessible design for all.
Prospective students
There is a social demand and a very large market demand for companies and professionals who respond to everyone's design needs.
This social and business reality suggests the need to open up new avenues of specialisation for professionals to develop both areas of knowledge, comprehensively collecting the different techniques and skills that make this union one of the activities with the most potential for jobs and development.
These professionals are located in a key sector for the future and carry out their activities in companies and public and private organizations with essential training to develop their activities. This is how the concept of the "accessibility consultant" arose.
- The course is aimed at municipal officials, government departments, private companies and those responsible for occupational hazards, in which accessibility is a priority.
- It is also aimed at technical professionals such as architects, engineers, interior designers, decorators, experts, academics, developers, builders, etc..
- Health professionals: doctors, psychologists, nurses, physiotherapists, clinical assistants, prevention of occupational hazards staff, and so on.
- Tourism professionals working in hotels, restaurants, customer service, travel agencies, tourism officers, human resource officers, etc.
- Professionals from the social sector, such as NGOs and foundations, social workers, caregivers, etc.
- Communication professionals: journalists, public relations staff, teachers, event management and organisation staff, marketing and advertising professionals, etc.
- Independent professionals: lawyers, economists, business managers, ergonomists, estate managers, educators.
- Ultimately the course is aimed at society as a whole.
Those enrolling will be graduates in:
- Architecture
- Engineering
- Interior design
- Decoration
- Medicine
- Health Sciences
- Psychology
- Economics
- Law
- Communication
- Education, etc.
Development of classes, content and exercises
The teaching body consists of a variety of professionals who specialise in the different modules and thematic areas, with the aim of offering quality content that works on accessibility in a holistic and cross-disciplinary way.
The official language in which the course will be taught is Spanish, both for classes, notes and practical work.
The classes will be theoretical-practical, combining teacher's presentations with exercises and an exchange of opinions. Dynamic classes will be used when students are expected to participate actively. This will be done by asking questions, pooling information, commenting on image, idea development, graph analysis, etc.
The classes will be recorded and will be available outside the established class time. However, attendance is recommended, as participation is one of the key values of the course.
The programme consists of several modules, with accessibility to information and communication being a cross-cutting theme in all of them.
Modules
- Module 1: General Principles. People and their needs
- Module 2: Design of products and services, including all the human being’s senses.
- Module 3: Urbanism Streets, squares, parks, gardens, beaches and natural surroundings.
- Module 4: Transport: Bus, metro, train, plane, boat, taxi and private vehicles.
- Module 5: Introduction to building: Public, private, ephemeral, etc.
- Module 6: Buildings for public use: Residential, healthcare, teaching, cultural, sports, heritage...
- Module 7: Buildings for Private Use: The house, access, entrances, doors, corridors, bedrooms, bathrooms, dining room, interior design, furniture, terraces, etc.
- Module 8: Business and New Technologies: Domotics, Inclusive Marketing and Technical Aids
- Module 9: Tourism, leisure, culture, sport and activities.
- Module 10: Final Postgraduate Degree Project
To pass the course, it is essential to do a final postgraduate degree project. There are no exams.
The evaluation will be based on participation and the final project, created and developed by the student, and supervised by the teaching staff. This final project will consist of the development of an accessibility plan in the area of urban planning, transport and public building; housing and communication; the analysis of a real space, service or product to be developed or the creation of a new patent.
Teachers
- Mr. Antonio Atarés. Integración Digital Ing.
- Mr. Ricardo Becerra. BlueSky D+A.
- Ms. Mª José Caldés. SIRIUS
- Mr. Luis Casado. Fundacion IDDEAS.
- Mr. Raül Casas. TMB.
- Mr. Eriz Delgado. Bizin. Coop.
- Ms. Marta García-Milá. Diputación de Barcelona.
- Mr. Xavier García-Milá. AIA.
- Mr. Diego González. ACCESTURISMO.
- Dr. Aquiles Hernández-Soto. CENEA.
- Mr. Guillermo Hurtado. IMD- Ayuntamiento de Barcelona.
- Mr. Javier Jiménez. APTENT-Be Accessible.
- Dr. Sara Laxe García. Hospital Clinic.
- Ms. Amelia Lerma. Antropóloga y enfermera.
- Mr. Nicolás Li Calzi. Grupo LICASA.
- Ms. Mariona Masdemont. Play and Train.
- Ms. Emilia Méndez. Tilúa Asistencia.
- Ms. Sylvana Mestre. Play and Train.
- Mr. Jordi Oliva. Generalitat de Catalunya.
- Mr. Carlos Ostolaza. Batiq Coop.
- Mr. Benito Pérez Aguera. OVI Castellón.
- Ms. Eliana Pires. Arquitecta.
- Mr. Rafael Reyes. TMB.
- Mr. Hugo Rovira. La Foixarda (Fundació Drissa).
- Ms. María Salsamendi. IFundación Randstad.
- Dr. Mª Àngels Treserra. Neuróloga.
- Ms. Isabel Valle. CEAPAT.
- Ms. Belén Vaz. SUArquitectura
- Ms. Ana Maria Vietez. TMB.
This programme is not definitive and may change before the beginning of the course
Prerequisites & admissions
Who can apply?
This programme is aimed at graduates in:
- Architecture
- Engineering
- Interior design
- Decoration
- Medicine
- Health Sciences
- Psychology
- Economics
- Law
- Communication
- Education, etc.
How to apply
- Register online
- Upload the following documents to the student’s portal:
- Photocopy of your passport
- 1 passport-size photo
- Certified* copy of your Diploma**
- Certified* copy of your Academic Transcript
- A signed copy of the UIC Barcelona general conditions (find it attached to the student’s portal)
- A signed copy of the UIC Barcelona data protection form (find it attached to the student’s portal)
- Motivation letter (in Spanish, include your Skype username in your signature)
- Updated CV (in Spanish)
- Certificate of Spanish language level (minimum B2)
Optional:
- Portfolio (in Spanish and pdf format; content and length up to the student)
- Recommendation letters
- Other certificates, diplomas or proof of work experience
* Document must have an official stamp from your university
** If you do not yet have your Diploma, please submit the proof of payment of the diploma issuance fees or a document from your university certifying your expected date of graduation.
Admission criteria
In addition to meeting the legal requirements described in the access routes, the Admissions Office will highly value:
- Applications that show sufficient prior education
- Descriptions of relevant work experience
Accepted Students
- Reserve a place: Pay the deposit (20% of the total fee)
- Tuition fee: Pay the remaining amount (80% of the total fee)
Grants & financial aid
Grants
The University does not provide grants/scholarships for master’s or postgraduate degree students. You will need to contact institutions outside the university in order to obtain financial aid for your studies.
Financial aid
UIC Barcelona has agreements with different banking institutions to facilitate course financing under preferential conditions. To view the conditions for the academic year, click on the following link:
Discounts
Alumni UIC Members are entitled to a 5% discount.
Additionally, certain collectives may be entitled to special discounts for certain programmes, which are specified in each case.
Scholarships for Functional Diversity
Candidates with functional diversity, who have a university degree, will be able to apply for the UIC Barcelona disability scholarship, which funds the 50% of the cost of the total tuition fees. Availability of 2 places which are awarded in strict order of reservation of place.
Financial support from companies
At UIC Barcelona we offer you all the help you need for your company to collaborate in your training to become an expert in accessibility by taking the Postgraduate Degree in Accessibility: Universal Design Specialist.
If you are an employee with a valid employment contract in a Spanish company (or a foreign company that pays taxes in Spain) and your company wishes to subsidise your postgraduate course, we offer you external advice to help manage the process and documentation.
Contact details:
Ruth Regalón Balastegui
rregalon@uic.es
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