UDJEWSIL - BA Jewellery and Silversmithing

The BA (Hons) Jewellery & Silversmithing course features contemporary pedagogic methods, recognising and exploring the hybrid character of contemporary art-led and commercial jewellery and silversmithing, encouraging students to develop a creative fusion of associated practical and conceptual skills within jewellery, silversmithing, metalwork and mixed media.

Through the course, you will progressively acquire and accumulate a reserve of specialist knowledge and skills that will equip you upon graduation, for safe passage into the professional world of work in a range of occupations. Employment opportunities include jewellery and silversmithing, fashion, gallery management, education, theatre, product design including as a self employed designer-maker, designer within industry, buyer, stylist, and design journalism; or for entry to courses at MA level.

The teaching and learning practices within the course promote:

• Opportunities for students to experiment and research within both cross- disciplinary and subject specific teaching and learning
• A blend of workshop and studio based activities that actively encourage students to ‘learn by doing’ in excellent traditional and digital workshops
• Student participation in live projects and work placements within the industry to ensure awareness of current industry needs.
• Use of London’s rich cultural heritage ensuring projects take place offsite as well as on campus.

Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, studio practice and independent studies. Students work through studios and projects, building skills, developing new ideas and concepts, and realising these in practical projects, ensuring a grounded approach informed by relevant theory and current industry thinking and professional practice. High-specification technical equipment is located in practice-based studios, where teaching and self-guided study takes place. Every effort is made to ensure teaching is as varied and student-centered as possible.

Lectures seek to provide a critically informed overview of a topic, to conceptualise and contextualise the subject and illustrate applied approaches.

Workshops and practical teaching takes a variety of forms. The objective is to apply knowledge and/or acquire technical competence, think critically and creatively, master technique and develop the capacity to work independently and within teams.

Each year (level) of study comprises of four year-long (30 weeks, 30 credit) modules in the areas of concept and realisation, subject-specific industry practice and cultural and contextual studies (including professional practice).

Studio practice enhances lectures, seminars, study visits, critiques, workshop activities, group and individual tutorials. Both projects and theoretical work offer opportunities for developing professional competency in presentation, using traditional and contemporary approaches. Through a rich mix of teaching styles and learning contexts, the course seeks to foster in its students confidence as autonomous learners, promoting imagination and effectiveness of jewellers and silversmiths in the making.

Project briefs develop from year to year in accordance with contemporary practice, furthering research interests and project opportunities in context of the School and Faculty ethos. Disciplinary skills are embedded at the beginning of the course, moving to a studio (cross-disciplinary) theme-based system in later years, led by the student in the final year. The body of work accumulated at Level 6 is significant, making up an academic portfolio that demonstrates the full range of attributes that are required for career development in creative practice and/ or for entry to MA level Course. Shared projects across courses &/or years enables opportunities for peer-to-peer learning to be maximized.

Critical and Contextual Studies run in parallel to the design and subject-specific industry practice modules. These modules focus on transferable graduate skills in the field of academic scholarship and writing (alongside professional practice). As part of their professional profile, students need to be able to retrieve, analyse, interpret, articulate and structure information and knowledge for different purposes and audiences. These modules frame key skills of research within the specific context of design history and theory, taking into account the practice requirements of the industry, its professional, legal, ethical and institutional contexts. Intensive blocks of learning in seminar and lecture presentations, alongside site visits, image analysis, case studies, and workshops, aid acquisition of skills in presentation, visual and textual analysis and representation.

The course engages with national and London-based competitions and encourages students to extend these opportunities as extra-curricular activity, including collaborative publication and exhibition wherever possible.

The course’s use of virtual learning supports students on day-to-day and project work in progress, enhancing the studio environment through a blended learning approach. Blended learning encourages students to form learning communities, whilst providing a personal reflective space, offering a knowledge portal that supports research-banks and studio sessions, exercises and lecture notes.

The teaching team includes internationally recognised jewellers, silversmiths, metalworkers, fashion and product designers and public artists. Industry links provide students with a clear understanding of future employment opportunities.

The aims of this course are aligned with the qualification descriptors within the Quality Assurance Agency’s Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. The course aims to:

1. Deliver world-leading higher education in Jewellery and Silversmithing, with explicit emphasis upon student competition and exhibition
2. Offer an innovative, flexible and accessible curriculum relevant to the 21st century and professional entry
3. Prepare students for an independently-directed career with confidence, authority and self-motivation at the centre of their professional practice
4. Develop confident, promotionally aware, entrepreneurial skills across a wide range of media, encouraging multidisciplinary approaches and critical thought
5. Develop visual curiosity, independent enquiry and capacity to reason, critique and reflect upon practice through an integrated approach to practice and theory, research and analysis
6. Through the sentient experience and practised knowledge of materials and making, enable professional ways of working (with knowledge, efficiency, confidence and autonomy) relevant to their professional sphere and career ambitions.
7. Ensure skills of professional practice and presentation, including relevant practical and intellectual capacities to frame and reframe creative work to best effect, reflecting the specificities of idiom and context.

On completion of this course, students will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

1. Describe, understand and explore the intellectual and practical process of creativity within the context of jewellery and silversmithing and broader academic debates within related fields
2. Apply processes professionally to both hand-crafted and manufactured objects and recognise potential applications of skills to a variety of different industry scenarios.
3. Apply self-critical, investigative and evaluative practice, understand the contemporary and historical framework associated with jewellery and silversmithing to enable insight whilst developing an individual perspective and approach

Cognitive Intellectual Skills

4. Observe, investigate and synthesise complex visual and material effects towards the production of creative material solutions
5. Express creative intent and individual aesthetic language, in order to challenge consumer perception of contemporary jewellery and silversmithing, bringing new ideas to market reception
6. Take responsibility for the content and signature of individual creative practice within professional and socio-economic contexts, demonstrating ethical sensitivity and a reflexive, innovative personal approach as a professional designer

Transferable Skills

7. Understand key principles and practice of professional self-employment and effective teamwork, including collaboration and negotiation
8. Articulate theoretical and practical concerns within two and three-dimensions (visual, text-based and orally) for a defined professional context
9. Actively test diverse views in response to a defined brief, responding to given constraints (including technological and socio-economical conditions) and utilise creative opportunities for professional project realisation

Subject-Specific Practical Skills

10. Employ material manipulation, structure, form and finish in the realisation of jewellery or silversmithing collections
11. Select and apply manufacturing processes (from traditional to emergent techniques and technologies) to design intent and audience/ market needs
12. Recognise theories surrounding the body in context and the material artefact as they effect jewellery and silversmithing practice

Knowledge and Understanding
1. Describe, understand and explore the intellectual and practical process of creativity within the context of jewellery and silversmithing and broader academic debates within related fields:

CCS1, CCS2, CCS3
Visual Research & Communication
Design Principles, Workshop Practice 3D Design, Design Details
Project Design & Development, Major Project Realisation: Jewellery & Silversmithing, Creative Industry Practice

2. Apply processes professionally to both hand-crafted and manufactured objects and recognise potential applications of skills to a variety of different industry scenarios:

CCS2, Design Details, Creative Industry Practice
Project Design & Development, Major Project Realisation: Jewellery & Silversmithing, Exhibition Practice

3. Apply self-critical, investigative and evaluative practice, understand the contemporary and historical framework associated with jewellery and silversmithing to enable insight whilst developing an individual perspective and approach:

CCS1, CCS2, CCS3
Creative Industry Practice
Project Design & Development, Major Project Realisation: Jewellery & Silversmithing, Exhibition Practice

Cognitive Intellectual Skills
4. Observe, investigate and synthesise complex visual and material effects towards the production of creative material solutions:

Visual Research & Communication
Workshop Practice, Design Principles, Design Details, Project Design & Development

5. Express creative intent and individual aesthetic language, in order to challenge consumer perception of contemporary jewellery and silversmithing, bringing new ideas to market reception:

Workshop Practice, Design Details,
Creative Industry Practice
Project Design & Development, Major Project Realisation: Jewellery & Silversmithing, Exhibition Practice

6. Take responsibility for the content and signature of individual creative practice within professional and socio-economic contexts, demonstrating ethical sensitivity and a reflexive, innovative personal approach as a professional designer:

CCS2, 3D DesignDesign Details
Creative Industry Practice
Project Design & Development, Major Project Realisation: Jewellery & Silversmithing, Exhibition Practice

Transferable Skills
7. Understand key principles and practice of professional self-employment and effective teamwork, including collaboration and negotiation :

CCS2, Design Details
Creative Industry Practice
Project Design & Development, Major Project Realisation: Jewellery & Silversmithing, Exhibition Practice

8. Articulate theoretical and practical concerns within two and three-dimensions (visual, text-based and orally) for a defined professional context

CCS2, Design Details, Creative Industry Practice
Project Design & Development, Major Project Realisation: Jewellery & Silversmithing, Exhibition Practice

9. Actively test diverse views in response to a defined brief, responding to given constraints (including technological and socio-economical conditions) and utilise creative opportunities for professional project realisation:

3D Design, Design Details
Creative Industry Practice
Project Design & Development, Major Project Realisation: Jewellery & Silversmithing, Exhibition Practice

Subject-Specific Practical Skills
10. Employ material manipulation, structure, form and finish in the realisation of jewellery or silversmithing collections:

Design Principles, Workshop Practice
3D Design,
Design Details,
Project Design & Development
Major Project Realisation: Jewellery & Silversmithing

11. Select and apply manufacturing processes (from traditional to emergent techniques and technologies) to design intent and audience/ market needs :

Workshop Practice
Design Details, Creative Industry Practice,
Major Project Realisation: Jewellery & Silversmithing

12. Recognise theories surrounding the body in context and the material artefact as they effect jewellery and silversmithing practice :

CCS1, CCS2, CCS3
3D Design, Project Design & Development, Exhibition Practice

Subject Benchmark Statement; Art & Design

An appropriate range of formative and summative assessment methods is used, including peer appraisal and reflective-practice, studio based work and personal projects, presentations, seminars and portfolio reviews.
Formative assessment and feedback are provided in relation to each component of work in progress. Summative assessment corresponding to published criteria is given within each module on completion of coursework requirements.

Work placements and industry experience are an integral part of becoming a practitioner and give undergraduates the opportunity to experience and participate in creative problem solving whilst working in teams with other employees. Students are encouraged to acquire industrial experience through work placements and live projects. Not only does this broaden the practical experience but it also enhances CV development. Within their final year, students are expected to work independently towards completion of professional portfolio of projects, culminating in exhibition of these in the annual graduate show. Level 6 level students are encouraged to develop entrepreneurial opportunities during the course and apply and participate in subject-specialist work placements as well as gain professional experience appropriate to their discipline throughout the course. In addition, the course has collaborative links with the creative industries directly through visiting professional designer/makers who regularly teach and mentor throughout the programme.

Work-related learning is an integrated and mandatory part of the course, with at least 70 hours working on live projects for real organisations delivered through placement, live briefs and real entrepreneurial activities built into the course. The level six module ‘Exhibition Practice’ is designated as the placement or work-related learning module. Students will experience a competitive recruitment process or pitching for opportunities, and they will be required to reflect on their experience of the project and undertake forward career action planning.

ACADEMIC PROGRESSION: As a condition of progressing from level 4 to 5 and level 5 to 6, students are required to have gained 120 credits per level, that is, by achieving pass marks (40%) in all four modules in the preceding level of study.

PART-TIME MODE OF STUDY
Part-time study is defined as 60 credits per year. Consequently, in part-time mode, the duration of study for a 360-credit degree will be 6 years. The pattern of study in this instance shall be as follows:

Year 1: 3D Design Principles, Workshop Practice
Year 2: Critical and Contextual Studies 1, 3D Visual Research and Communication
Year 3: Design Resolution, 3D Design
Year 4: Critical and Contextual Studies 2, Making Matters
Year 5: 3D Project Design and Development, Major Project Realisation: Jewellery & Silversmithing
Year 6: Critical and Contextual Studies 3: Dissertation, Exhibition Practice

Students benefit from excellent workshops and a creative and vibrant learning environment. You will be encouraged to immerse yourself in the workshop and learning environment gaining skills and a dynamic approach to working as a future innovator and professional creator.

Our facilities are second to none with state-of-the-art rapid prototyping workshops and excellent digital facilities that allow the student to experience both hands on making and digital technologies side by side.

Alumni of The Cass can be found all over the world in a wide variety of industry contexts from hand-making to mass production with many famous jewellers and silversmiths among our graduates.

Many students go on to start their own businesses within the industry often showing at prestigious galleries such as Contemporary Applied Arts and Goldsmiths Hall.

Others seek employment with some of the great jewellers and silversmiths of today, such as Shaun Leane, Jackie Mina and Simon Harrison (Vivienne Westwood, Karen Millen, Paul Smith).

Some have taken different paths and manage galleries such as the Electrum Gallery in South Molton Street, London.

Many students return to education both as educators themselves or seeking further development through Masters and PhD programmes.

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you will normally be expected to obtain:

• A minimum of 280 UCAS points from at least two A level or equivalent level 3 qualifications in relevant art and design subjects.

We encourage applications from International/EU students with equivalent qualifications. We also accept mature students with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Suitable applicants living in the UK will be invited to a portfolio interview. Applicants living outside the UK will be required to submit a portfolio of work via email.

This course is also available as a four-year extended degree, the first year of which is the Foundation Year Art, Media, Design.

Portfolios and interviews

Your portfolio should be selected, but have enough work to show the range of your interests and talents. We are interested in seeing how you develop a project from beginning to end, not only finished work.

Jewellers and silversmiths make both 2D and 3D work, so bring examples of both.

If you cannot bring it to portfolio interview, take photographs and include them.

We always want to see traditional drawing whether observational, life or concept generating, so even if you have good digital drawing skills already, do include this.

Finally, be ready to talk about your work and how you see your future as a jeweller or silversmith.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.