COURSE IN DEPTH
Year one
Guided and encouraged by an experienced teaching team, engaged in current research or practice, and through workshop experiences supported by e-learning, you investigate key areas of constructed textiles, embroidery, printed textiles and surface design before following your own specialist route in the first year of the course.
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
Visual Ideas For Design
20 credits
This introduces students to the initial stages of the design process, focusing on the importance of original image generation, drawing and self-expression. Students will explore diverse approaches to generating visual information and apply this to begin to build design compositions.
Textile Processes
40 credits
This module introduces students to four core design processes: print, weave, knit and embroidery, through extended workshop technical delivery and personal creative expression through making. There will be a strong focus on materiality and fabric properties, which will be related and applied to a specific design context.
Client and Colour
40 credits
In this module, you will experience a client focused design journey, building experience of working with colour and extending your technical knowledge. Colour will be explored through research, drawing, material investigation and technical development. There will be an emphasis on CAD and digital technologies in the development of a targeted, co-ordinated collection and visualisation of ideas in relation to a specified context, simulating a commercial design project.
Textiles In Historical Context
20 credits
This module provides an introduction to historical and cultural contexts with international influences for students undertaking level 4 of the BA (Hons) Textile Design degree in order to provide a foundation of design knowledge and understanding, to support studio practice.
Year two
In your second year, you explore trends and predictions in fashion and interior design, see the realities of the working world through a live project and a professional experience module, engage with business principles and have the option of an international study visit.
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):
Textiles In Contemporary Practice
20 credits
This module provides a professional and cultural context for students undertaking level 5 of the BA (Hons.) Textile Design course. The lecture programme and participatory workshops / seminars encourage you to think broadly and critically about contemporary social and professional issues in relation to the place of textiles within international society, preparing you to consider key agendas in relation to your own career path interests.
Professional Pathways
40 credits
This module has been designed to test and explore potential career pathways within the textile industry. It builds on the theoretical understanding gained in the Textiles in Contemporary Context module, through a practical design experience.
Entrepreneurship and Design
40 credits
This module provides the opportunity to develop important interpersonal skills alongside career pathway knowledge and understanding. The module will include working collaboratively and independently on writing and practically undertaking design briefs that relates to one of the career focused teaching pathways. You will apply knowledge gained about the chosen sector such as product / client / routes to market / costings / marketing & promotion, in developing and communicating a viable industry facing project.
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the following list of OPTIONAL modules:
Work Placement
20 credits
The purpose of the work placement module is to enable you to develop professional attributes and subject skills through experience in the work place, and to critically reflect upon your learning in that context. You will normally be expected to arrange your own placement, with support from academic staff and BCU Careers.
Live Project
20 credits
This module provides an opportunity for you to apply your knowledge and skills to an external, professional brief. The brief will be set by an external client/agency, in consultation with your supervisor, and it could be a ‘real life’ problem to be solved, or a simulation. It is an opportunity for you to engage in a professional manner with an aspect of your subject area, which contributes to the development of employability skills within the supportive infrastructure of the University. Where appropriate, the project may involve interdisciplinary collaboration with students from other courses. In this way, it reflects the collaborative, flexible nature of employment within the Creative Industries.
Collaborative Practice
20 credits
The module is an opportunity to learn and critically reflect on the skills of collaboration by enabling you to create an interdisciplinary project with students from complementary disciplines, or with academic staff. Collaboration is a vital employability skill within the Creative Industries and this module allows you to develop these skills, making use of University facilities and with the support of academic staff. Within this module framework, several kinds of collaborative opportunities are available. For example, with the approval of your supervisor, you can determine a project based on your own interests; your supervisor may set you a predetermined project to enable you to work with other students in a way that is appropriate to your subject area; or there may be opportunities for you to collaborate with staff on research projects. In all cases, you must apply your subject skills to an interdisciplinary project which will be agreed in advance with your supervisor.
Core modules are guaranteed to run. Optional modules will vary from year to year and the published list is indicative only.
Year three
Your final year gives you the opportunity to hone your portfolio and experience to suit your career ambitions through focused projects.
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
Major Project (Dissertation)
40 credits
The purpose of the module is to enable you to undertake a sustained, in-depth and theoretically informed research project exploring an area that is of personal interest to you. It is important that we can support you appropriately, so you will be guided towards choosing a research topic which is relevant to your discipline and in which your lecturers have expertise. The outcome may take the form of a written dissertation or a practice-based portfolio.
Research For Professional Project
20 credits
This module enables you to reflect and synthesise previous projects in order to establish a creative direction and career-focused concept / brief to drive personal research and development of the Professional Project. As a creative practitioner, it is an important skill to be able to evaluate successes and evolve ideas from one project to another.
Professional Project
40 credits
The module builds and demonstrates a personal focus of study as a culmination of the knowledge, understanding and career aspirations of the individual in relation to textile design contexts. Practical and theoretical study combine to explore design concepts answering a personal brief with a professional focus. The direction the project takes will be in relation to your experiences of career-focused teaching and immediate professional plans on graduation.
Next Step
20 credits
This module supports the process of exhibiting / promoting the final project, with a reflective and evaluative emphasis aiming to initiate a viable and continued creative journey. It has been designed to help bridge the gap from academia into industry, and offers support with developing personal promotion, branding and marketing material and building a digital presence. This is also an opportunity to engage in supporting theoretical research to confirm the viability of a proposal/direction, and confirm future goals and career aspirations.
