For a successful career in contemporary jewellery, a designer needs to be highly creative, material conscious, adaptable and business-focused.
Based in an open studio environment with your own personal space, you’ll explore diverse ways of approaching the design process and gain an understanding of current thinking about contemporary jewellery, investigating relationships between jewellery and the body.
You’ll be encouraged to experiment with a wide range of materials and processes, including metal, ceramics, plastics, wood and textiles, and taught advanced practices in design and practical knowledge about business and self-promotion.
An open approach is fundamental to the course; our aim is to help you develop a personal design identity, providing a stimulating creative environment where innovation is encouraged and you’re able to pursue and realise your ideas.
You’ll be supported by access to excellent workshops and a staff team who are practising designer-makers or researchers. Amongst other things, this ensures the course is constantly evolving to meet the latest industry developments.
The BA (Hons) Contemporary Jewellery develops the visual, creative and practical skills you need to contribute to the future direction of contemporary jewellery.
The course equips you to initiate and develop creative ideas while offering you the freedom to work with a wide range of materials, providing an innovative approach to experimentation and realisation.
You will explore current thinking about contemporary jewellery and investigate relationships between jewellery and the body, giving you the confidence, technical skills and flexibility to take risks, realise individual ideas, push the boundaries of the discipline and to find your own voice as a designer.
You’ll explore diverse ways of approaching the design process and learn through a series of stimulating projects, producing ambitious, creative and individual work.
Working alongside like-minded makers in a studio-based environment, supported by access to excellent workshops and your own workspace, you’ll have the time and space to speculate; to test boundaries, develop your knowledge of materials and refine your skills. You are encouraged to be curious, playful and experimental.
You’ll learn how to develop and realise your ideas and designs, developing confidence in designing and making, alongside the acquisition of drawing, research, design, computer-aided design and theoretical skills to help you explore design projects to their full potential.
You’ll be supported and encouraged to create innovative designs to a high standard of professionalism and have the opportunity to enter competitions and awards and participate in live projects.
