MA Design Practice

The aim of the course is to develop you as a future creative director and practitioner of design, illustration and animation. You will develop critical and intellectual skills essential to inform your creative decisions and imaginative responses to design problems.

MA Design Practice is one of a suite of three taught Master’s degrees in art and design. As a student of design you will need to develop the ability to analyse situations, gather knowledge and imagine solutions to problems. This is fundamental to design activity.

Creative applications for student work are plentiful, for example the ability to be able to design and develop new and innovative product is highly valued within the creative industries, whether in the entertainment sector or for educational purposes. Understanding how to construct and develop a product to meet the needs of a user group is an important aspect of this course.

Indicative subjects:

• Illustration
• Illustration for Children
• Graphic Novels
• Character Design
• Animation

This MA course has been designed to bring together specialist practice areas sharing core principles of art and design theories with approaches to art and design practice. The concept behind the course is for skilled practitioners of art and design to advance their abilities and devise new and challenging applications for their knowledge. 

Key facts

• Opportunity to exhibit your work, enter competitions and take part in related study visits
• The course is taught by research-active staff who are practicing artists and designers
• By working in close proximity on the assignments students from related subject areas will experience opportunities to collaborate with one another (and by negotiation with those in other subject areas). This situation simulates the contemporary workplace, in which specialist staff may be required to meet with, and develop ideas in consultation with, specialists from different subject areas and industrial partners
• The course is studio-based and you’ll have good access to a range of specialist equipment covering a variety of media and techniques

Explore the potential of character development for a wide range of commercial and artistic possibilities. You will have the opportunity to design and develop characters through a variety of media, including exploring potential in print, interactive and 3D formats. You will identify niche markets for product development and learn how to present and test ideas and to evaluate success or identify future developments.

The course will guide you through essential knowledge and ways of managing your ideas, taking in discussion and debate about current theories. You’ll also be encouraged to review the cultural and theoretical issues related to character design. The course investigates the key area of the aesthetic, psychological and cultural requirements of a target audience.

Course duration

Full-time
1 year
Part-time
2 years (five semesters)
Location: Wrexham
Start month: September

Career opportunities

Our aim is to produce interesting practitioners who can develop characters and other themes appropriate to illustration, film, games and other forms of published media. We aim to ensure that our graduates have a portfolio of work and a range of skills which not only help them to get a job within the design and media industry, but also to progress their careers and work within a range of job scenarios. We consider it very important that students are able to work effectively in employment.

Course content

Your major project in the final part of the programme is proposed and negotiated by you and is expected to reflect your career aspirations. The course reflects the nature of the design industries which depend upon the ability to communicate between specialist areas of practice.

Course modules

• Research Methodologies
• Dissertation and Master’s Presentation
• Applying Research to Creative Practice
• Specialist Practices Route
• Dissertation and Master’s Presentation

Options

• Collaborative Practice
• Transitional Skills Route
• Working with Clients Route
• Engagement & Immersion Route
• Skills within Context Route

Entry requirements

You should normally have gained a good honours degree in a relevant subject but applications are considered by those with sufficient evidence of experience in the subject to equate to this award.