| BA(Hons) Surface Pattern Design (Contemporary Applied Arts Practice) |
 |
 |
 |
| Written by Administrator |
|
Why choose Surface Pattern Design (Contemporary Applied Arts Practice) and why at SMU This course aims to provide a stimulating, creative and challenging environment in which you can thrive. The course comprises three pathways for you to choose from: Contemporary Applied Arts Practice; Textiles for Fashion or Textiles for Interiors. A common first year programme, absorbing all three pathways, will provide you with a valuable broad experience and many transferrable skills, which will help you to decide which pathway is right for you. Anything is possible, whether as applied artist, designer or designer-maker, we will help you to realise your full potential and personal voice. Our three year course will equip you to pursue numerous career directions, or provide help to develop the skills needed to go on to post graduate courses. The Contemporary Applied Arts Practice pathway focuses on concepts and issues which are expressed through a wide variety of materials, processes and approaches, and encourages the development of dynamic and innovative ideas. We have the equipment and expertise to support work in metal, glass, textiles, plastics, wood, wire, paper and more. Our aim is to foster and challenge creative directions in those who are versatile and well motivated. This journey will lead to a clear artistic identity as an applied artist. More about the course The course began in 1998, and, over the last twelve years, has grown from strength to strength. Our students are encouraged to take part in national and international competitions and have been successful in achieving awards, showing professional recognition of the high quality of work produced within each pathway. The atmosphere on the course is friendly, lively and passionate. We have a dedicated team of tutors whose wide experience in higher education, and awareness and involvement in contemporary practices, provides a rich and progressive learning experience for our students. We have an increasingly good reputation, gathered through consistent success with graduation results, national and international exposure, awards, publicity and employment suitability. We have an ‘open door' policy which allows students to access tutors as and when they need to. This means that matters can be discussed on a one to one basis, any day, ensuring that support can be provided promptly, in a sensitive and caring environment. All students, from the outset benefit from a variety of high quality teaching and learning methods. These include one to one tutorials, group critiques and presentations. We have a very generous staff/student ratio, with teaching staff available every day for you. The staff team are very experienced tutors and are all very successful professional practitioners. Each tutor is involved in research related to their specialism. This benefits students in terms of passing on cutting edge developments and innovations through teaching on every pathway. We also pride ourselves on the number of highly respected visiting lecturers who give talks, presentations, demonstrations and workshops across the year, covering both general course and pathway specific interests. We have industrial links with Absolute Zero, Crafts in the Bay, The Mission Gallery, Toast, The White Stuff, Eley Kishimoto, Bay and Brown, Mothercare, Tigerprint, John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, The Conran Shop, Camden Graphics and many others. Course structure & content The Faculty has excellent industrial links and there is a regular programme of visiting speakers and professionals. Live projects are an integral part of the course and these help you to engage with professional bodies before you graduate. All work is project based. Students are expected to demonstrate their understanding in the form of practical project work. All assessment is based on 100% coursework. As well as formal lectures there is also a programme of individual tutorials throughout the three years. Year One is diagnostic and teaching intensive with many inspiring demonstrations, workshops, talks and lectures. You will work from a variety of starting points, with projects lasting for different amounts of time. You will sometimes take part in group projects, but often you will work independently. You will work with a wide range of materials, processes and approaches. The structured programme includes Visual Studies and a series of Contextual Studies lectures and seminars each semester. Each semester you will be able to choose from a wide range of optional workshops such as Creative Moulding, Digital or Historic Photographic Processes, Illustration, and many others. Year Two allows you to work specifically within your chosen pathway and increasingly you will develop a very personal identity to your work. In the first semester you will have a Professional Studies module in which you will work in small groups. The second semester will give you the opportunity to choose a workshop module such as Computing for Form and Decoration, Intermediate Printmaking or Soft Construction. The core modules of Major Project, Contextual Studies and Visual Studies continue throughout the year. Year Three is entirely self directed and includes Advanced Visual Research, Final Major Project, External Project, Dissertation, Marketing and Self Promotion and Exhibition modules. Students on each pathway are encouraged to take part in live briefs, competitions and exhibitions. Annually work is shown in Swansea, Cardiff, London and Paris at high profile events. These external experiences offer good networking potential and often lead to career opportunities. The three-year BA (Hons) programme has an embedded HND qualification at the end of the second year. Our Surface Pattern Design studio is large, light and buzzing, and houses all three years. Students enjoy their own personal desk and studio space throughout their time with us. The space is colourful, creative and inspiring, reflecting our students' passion and enthusiasm. Undoubtedly one of the big attractions to our course is the enviable range of equipment and facilities housed in our studios and workshops. Digital technologies are supported by in-house laser cutters, laser engravers, a water-jet cutter, digital textile printers and a digital embroidery machine. Traditional textiles area has three large textile printing tables, a dark room, baking room, five heat presses, and full dyeing and steaming facilities. Our stitch room has 25 sewing machines, knitting machines, an embellisher, and also pattern cutting facilities. We also have a 900 needlebed needle punching machine, and, for metal and wire work, we have a pendant drill and rolling mill. We also have access to full fine-art printmaking facilities, a well equipped ceramics studio, and a dedicated metal workshop with plasma cutters, welding and sandblasting equipment. Beyond this specialist equipment, you will also have access to an extensive range of facilities including an excellent library, open-access computer suits, where you will be taught how to use Photoshop, Illustrator and also the AVA system, and optional workshops in other areas within the art school. Student experiences & Employment opportunities Graduates leave not only with a broad range of transferrable skills, but also with well-developed specialist knowledge according to their pathways. This, along with a good understanding of market requirements, helps equip them to take on a variety of career options. These include art/craft gallery work, curating, designing textiles for fashion, textiles for interiors, stationery, interior design consultancy, styling, merchandising, journalism, running own studio/company, agency work, teaching, freelance design, touring exhibitions. "I just wanted to say thank you to all the tutors for supporting me throughout the six years it has taken me to get this degree. I really enjoyed it. I am very pleased with my result and hope that I can move on further and do something exciting with it. Thanks! " Claudia Mollzahn. Graduating part-time student, Contemporary Applied Arts Practice "In a friendly atmosphere with guidance, the facilities at Swansea allow you to explore a huge range of techniques and processes to find who you are as an artist or designer. You are given ample opportunities to interact with companies and take part in live briefs, go on research trips and as a student have the benefit of being located in the city centre." Megan Ashwell. Graduating full-time student, Textiles for Interiors "Surface Pattern Design is a course which encourages you to develop as an artist or designer in a way that prepares you for the professional world. A wide range of skills are taught throughout the course, which helps you to achieve a varied body of work." Eliza Simpson Work by Graduates from the Surface Pattern Design (Contemporary Applied Arts Practice) award UCAS Codes, Entry requirements, How to apply, Open days & Fees UCAS Code: W790 Study Options: 3years Full Time/6 years Part-Time Information on Entry Requirements, How to Apply and Open Days can be found on our main Faculty Page Information on Fees can be found here Contact Admissions tutor: Linda Nottingham |