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MA Design

About the course

This programme builds upon existing design knowledge and ability, and to further develop and expand individuals creative, intellectual and technical design skills - to prepare them to compete in the competitive international design industry. This is a research, practice led and studio based course, students will be expected to apply advanced skills using traditional and new materials, and technologies.

The programme will develop and expand individuals entrepreneurial skills, to apply this knowledge to explore future opportunities and the global market. The programme will allow students to focus on individual or combined areas, including; advertising; animation; branding and identity; fashion; illustration; packaging; photography; product; screen based media; typography.

A great deal of emphasis is placed on the design process of subject research, individual expression, creative thinking, the commercial context – these are essential elements required to compete in contemporary design practice.

Key features

  • The course is studio based, with good access to a range of specialist equipment covering a variety of media and techniques.
  • Individual studio space and a lively and stimulating environment where artists, craft practitioners and designers on other postgraduate programmes work alongside each other.
  • Develop a professional body of work and expertise in contemporary Design practice, under expert tuition.
  • The opportunity to work through the medium of Welsh or English
  • All Design academic staff are research active and practicing Designers.

Typical Modules

  • Contemporary Visual Culture and Discourse
  • Creativity
  • Innovation and Enterprise
  • Personal Practice 1: Deconstruction and Investigation
  • Personal Practice 2: Re-construction and Discovery
  • Personal Practice: Major Creative Project

Programme Specification

Educational Aims

The MA Programmes in Applied Arts, Design and Fine Art offer opportunities to engage in critical and creative work across a range of disciplines. Depending on the Programme, the main aims are four-fold:

  • to promote and develop an informed critical awareness of the social, cultural and economic importance of Applied Arts, Design and Fine Art;
  • to promote and develop advanced creative skills in an area or areas of Applied Arts, Design and Fine Art;
  • to promote and develop advanced critical and creative self-reflection in the practice of  Applied Arts, Design and Fine Art;
  • to promote and develop academic skills and/or professional research appropriate to Applied Arts, Design or Fine Art, paying particular attention to the emergent field of ‘practice as research’.

Programme Outcomes

There is no Benchmark statement document which directly relates to Master’s level Art and Design. This programme has, where appropriate, made reference to the undergraduate Benchmark statement in Art and Design and QAA Master’s Degree Characteristics, March 2010 which have informed the curriculum maps.

Knowledge and Understanding

Upon successful completion of the programme, students should be able to demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge and understanding of:

  1. a range of creative work across Applied Arts, Design or Fine Art;
  2. a range of theoretical and critical work across Applied Arts, Design or Fine Art;
  3. a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights;
  4. originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and practice are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline;
  5. the roles of visual and written language and culture in the creative process.

Cognitive / Intellectual Skills

Upon successful completion of the programme, students should be able to demonstrate the following advanced cognitive and intellectual skills:

  1. the ability to deal with complex issues, both systematically, creatively and with the capacity to communicate their conclusions.
  2. the ability to engage critically and creatively with varying perspectives;
  3. the ability to evaluate the significance of alternative critical and creative positions;
  4. the ability to convey the sophistication and complexity of creative visual and written language;
  5. the ability to plan and execute complex extended creative projects.

Practical / Professional Skills

Upon successful completion of the programme, students should be able to demonstrate the following advanced practical and professional skills:

  1. the ability to communicate effectively through creative visual languages;
  2. the ability to utilise a broad range of critical and creative language and terminology;
  3. the ability to apply skills in a wide range of contexts;
  4. the capacity for comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research, advanced scholarship or practice;
  5. the ability to reflect effectively and critically on their own practice;
  6. the ability to continue to advance and develop new skills to a high level.

Transferable / Key Skills

Upon successful completion of the programme, students should be able to demonstrate the following advanced transferable/key skills:

  1. the ability to communicate complex information effectively in a variety of different formats;
  2. the capacity to exercise initiative and personal responsibility;
  3. information-technology skills, including the use of electronic resources;
  4. the capacity for decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations;
  5. the capacity for independent learning for professional development;
  6. the ability for independent learning and research required for continuing professional development.

Awards available

  • MA (180 credits)
  • PG Diploma (120 credits)
  • PG Certificate (60 credits)

Study mode

  • Full-time
  • Part-time

Programme delivery

  • Carmarthen Campus

Start date

  • October, 2012

Further information

Bryan Thomas - b.thomas@tsd.ac.uk