Design - MA/Postgraduate Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate

The full Masters course comprises 180 credits divided into three 60 credits stages: Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, and Masters. Students work incrementally through the three stages and must pass all modules at each stage in order to progress to the next.

Make (30 credits)

You will be encouraged to creatively engage with a broad range of materials, making and manufacturing processes. Though a series of short practical projects, you will be invited to challenge the nature, role and cultural value of different approaches to 'making' and 'manufacture' from new and emerging digital fabrication technologies to the contemporary application of craft.

Play (30 credits)

This module aims to reinvigorate a genuine sense of play into the creative enquiry and to build upon its potential for delivering innovation in design realisation. The emphasis of this module is on play, without the expectation that 'finished' work will be produced. You will explore and develop ideas for a project proposal which will form the basis of the final 'Live' module of the course.

Research Practice (30 credits)

Primarily concerned with building academic skills, this module offers a series of choices, each of which has specific sets of concerns related to the practice and theory of art, media and design. These options are: Research by practice; Critical Research; and Research in Enterprise (in the Creative Industries).

Practice in a Professional Context (30 credits)

You will explore possibilities outside of the institution and participate in a placement, collaboration, research or work experience situation to gain knowledge and understanding of the professional arena. You will have the opportunity to negotiate your own programme of study, which explores and evaluates design within a professional context.

Live (60 credits)

This module is designed to facilitate the development and delivery of a major creative project that capitalises upon the previous four modules. Whether working in collaboration with an industry partner, via partnerships between students, or working individually, the development of design solutions will be for a 'live' outward facing event: the UWE Creative Industries Degree Show.

The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved we will inform you.

You will be taught through a combination of seminars, workshops, lectures and individual tutorials.

Students are responsible for setting their own projects, there are no set briefs and a large proportion of your time will be allocated to self-directed study with guidance from teaching and technical staff.

You will have access to a rolling programme of design-focused guest speakers from industry and academia and students are encouraged to make visits relevant to the practice.

Full time - students typically study for three semesters over 18 months and are expected to study (formal contact time and self-directed study) five days a week.

Part time - part-time students study for six semesters over three years with workshops on a Tuesday.

The academic year runs September to June.

You will be assessed through a combination of practical work and accompanying critical design log. Research practice is essay and presentation based.

You will present and communicate design ideas to staff and your peer group as part of the 'play' module, and the 'live' module encourages a live aspect to include the degree show or a negotiated live project with industry.

For more detail see our full glossary of assessment terms.