Key Information

Full-time

1 year

Part-time

2 years

Typical Offer

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School

Lincoln School of Design

Campus

Brayford Pool

Validation Status

Validated

Fees

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Course Code

DESIGNMA

MA Design

MA Design students can benefit from a studio-based programme of practice, study, and research, tailored to their own particular discipline.

Key Information

Full-time

1 year

Part-time

2 years

Typical Offer

View

School

Lincoln School of Design

Campus

Brayford Pool

Validation Status

Validated

Fees

View

Course Code

DESIGNMA

Dr Jim Shorthose - Programme Leader

Dr Jim Shorthose - Programme Leader

Jim completed his PhD at Warwick University Business School in 1997, and has since managed various research units and creative business support programmes, combined with teaching in the university sector - since 2014 in the School of Design at the University of Lincoln. He has written Understanding Creative Business: Values, Networks and Innovation (2011); Where is Creativity?: A Multidisciplinary Approach (2014); several 'pop-up' books and numerous articles dealing with creativity, the creative industries and professional development. Find out more at https://jshorthose.wixsite.com/jim-shorthose

Academic Staff List Make an Enquiry

Welcome to MA Design

MA Design at the University of Lincoln is a studio practice based, multi-disciplinary programme that puts your self-initiated creative project at its heart.

The taught elements are geared towards consolidating and expanding your creative thinking, planning, and design execution. It aims to strengthen your reflective creative practice via explorations of the creative process itself, related to future-facing practical design applications in your chosen specialism.

By asking you to reflect on the bridge between design theory and practice, MA Design aims to enhance your professional development via improved skills in research, devising, and managing particular projects, thinking about end users, and building design communication skills.

MA Design is centred around the belief that the future of the design professions lies in working across traditional design specialisms, being more effective in the 'gig economy', and building a career relevant to the concrete realities of the new cultural economy.

The programme offers insights into a broad range of conceptual debates to help contextualise your creative project and these debates are integrated with practical inquiries to help with the actual making needed in the studio and workshop.

Students have access to a wide range of creative technologies and dedicated workspaces, a wide network of creative practitioners from across the Lincoln School of Design, staff working in other disciplines within the University, and creative industry contacts - all of which can help you develop your particular creative project.

If you have any questions about the programme, please contact the MA Design Programme Leader, Dr Jim Shorthose at jshorthose@lincoln.ac.uk.

How You Study

Modes of study within the course include lectures by staff and visiting practitioners, student-led seminars, student presentations and 'crit' sessions', industry visits, and one-to-one tutorials.

There is scope to work on live projects and collaborations with industry when appropriate. You will also be asked to contribute to the MA Final Show in our dedicated exhibition space.

Please contact the College of Arts for further details at: unilincolnarts@lincoln.ac.uk.

An Introduction to Your Modules

† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.

Critical Review of Current Practices 2023-24DES9011MLevel 72023-24This module asks you to critically discuss how your Major Project was created; how it developed via its various iterations; how it responded to broader contexts; how you turned abstract ideas into concrete design realities; and how you might take your new design directions forward into post-MA creative practice/business. The module asks you reflect upon how all of its various facets form an integrated whole, thus strengthening your sense of having a consolidated reflective creative practice.CoreDesign: Purpose and User. 2023-24DES9010MLevel 72023-24This module asks you to critically reflect upon what you want to achieve as a designer; the why and for whom of your creative practice as a route to continued creative and professional development. It aims to aid your understanding of the role, opportunities, and obstacles inherent in the current design practices which underpin your Major Project, considered especially in relationship to its underlying values and overriding purposes.CoreFinal Major project 2023-24DES9014MLevel 72023-24This module offers continuous support geared towards helping you with the technical, logistical and marketing aspects leading towards the Final MA Show. It also involves ongoing discussions about how you might continue to take this work into your post-MA creative and professional development.CoreProject Development for Design 2023-24DES9012MLevel 72023-24Providing insights into the conceptual and practical issues involved in shaping a viable design project oriented towards making, this module explores some key ideas involved in generating and developing your Major Project - such as the need for initial orientation; the importance of exploration and experimentation; the usefulness of emergent forms of project development; the need for creative balance and project viability; the necessity of clarity and good testing; the question of ethics for project development; different manifestations of creative success, and how to become fully studio-ready.CoreResearch for Design 2023-24DES9009MLevel 72023-24Expanding insights into what research and design are or can be, this module is an invitation to discuss how you might use such debates to critically (re)think about how you might turn your nascent creative ideas, viewpoints, motivations, and values into the basis for practical designing and making. It invites you to (re)frame, (re)assess and (re)position your potential for thinking about the kind of designer you want to be. This is offered as both preparation for the upcoming MA journey, and for a broader contextual understanding for developing your future post-MA creative practice/business.CoreWriting Design Proposals 2023-24DES9013MLevel 72023-24Firstly, this module offers the space for you to develop and consolidate the specific proposals which underpin your Major Project. Secondly, it offers insights into developing generic skills in writing proposals for your post-MA creative career by understanding how to better speak to the world out there - potential funders, agents, investors, buyers, clients, and curators.Core

How you are assessed

The different modules which make up the programme have different forms of assessment. These include keeping a reflective journal, a portfolio of practical design work in progress, student presentations, written reports, a critical review of practice, and a final show.

Fees and Funding

For eligible students, there are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, UK students can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study. Learn how Master's and PhD loans, scholarships, and studentships can help you fund your studies on our Postgraduate Fees and Funding pages.

Programme Fees

Programme-Specific Additional Costs

Students may need to acquire specialist equipment in order to complete their proposed negotiated projects. These materials are dependent on the nature of the design practice. These are in addition to the Universitys own equipment and specialised facilities, such as computer labs, the maker lab, the print workshop, and the machine workshop, which are available for students to use.

Entry Requirements 2023-24

A minimum 2:2 honours degree or equivalent professional experience.

If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages for information on equivalent qualifications.

https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/

Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page.
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/

If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses.

https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/pre-sessionalenglishandacademicstudyskills/

These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study.

Sebastian Cox, MA Design, 2011

Award-winning furniture designer, Sebastian Cox, developed his unique style at the University of Lincoln. He has showcased work specially commissioned by Sir Terence Conran, and has created pieces for Burberry. He was asked to create a bespoke item of furniture to exhibit as part of the The Wish List installation, held at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum in September 2014. Sebastian is recognised as a pioneer of sustainable design in Britain.

Sebastian took part in a live interview discussing his work as part of the 2020 Virtual Design Festival.

Image of graduate and award-winning furniture designer, Seb Cox

Interviews

We interview all applicants where appropriate.

Features

The MA Design programme maintains regular links with current practising designers and these individuals form part of a vibrant and regular visiting lecturer series.

Career Opportunities

The MA Design programme maintains regular links with current practising designers and these individuals form part of a vibrant and regular visiting lecturer series.

Postgraduate Events

Find out more about how postgraduate study can help further your career, develop your knowledge, or even prepare you to start your own business at one of our postgraduate events.

Find out More

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Prioritising Face-to-Face Teaching

At the University of Lincoln, we strive to ensure our students’ experience is engaging, supportive, and academically challenging. Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, we have adapted to Government guidance to keep our students, staff, and community safe. All remaining Covid-19 legal restrictions in England were lifted in February 2022 under the Government’s Plan for Living with Covid-19, and we have embraced a safe return to in-person teaching on campus. Where appropriate, face-to-face teaching is enhanced by the use of digital tools and technology and may be complemented by online opportunities where these support learning outcomes.

We are fully prepared to adapt our plans if changes in Government guidance make this necessary, and we will endeavour to keep current and prospective students informed. For more information about how we are working to keep our community safe, please visit our coronavirus web pages.

The University intends to provide its courses as outlined in these pages, although the University may make changes in accordance with the Student Admissions Terms and Conditions.