Download Design Products Programme Specifications (PDF).
The MA course provides students who have already acquired knowledge and skills in various diverse areas with an academic framework in which to continue to develop their own professional direction. The course takes a pluralistic view of the students’ ideas and interests and there is an atmosphere that encourages experimental, groundbreaking work, encouraging a critical approach and a questioning of accepted practices.
The course is a continuum across two years, with first and second year students working together in vertical teaching units called Platforms. Each Platform is run by two tutors who choose the content and area of focus they wish to concentrate on for the academic year and engage with the students through assigning briefs and meeting on a weekly or bimonthly basis. While the tutors’ primary focus is the students in their Platform, their knowledge and expertise is available to the entire programme and there are opportunities for students to have tutorials with other tutors.
Students work very much in the same way throughout their time on the course; second year students may work on the same project as first year students. In order to build up confidence to develop project work in depth, it is anticipated that students will remain with the same Platform throughout the year. Students are expected to use the Platform’s themes and approach to design, initiated by their Platform Tutor, as the basis for their work.
Students also undertake the mandatory Critical & Historical Studies programme in their first year, in which a series of lectures, seminars and tutorials culminates in the submission of a dissertation at the start of the second year.