Jewellery and Related Products - MA
Currently viewing course to start in 2024/25 Entry.
Our postgraduate degree in Jewellery and Related Products is a highly respected, innovative course, which develops your creative potential and in-depth knowledge of theories, processes and techniques. Students on our course demonstrate understanding, and a critical awareness of current issues and/or new insights.
- Level Postgraduate Taught
- Study mode Full Time
- Location School of Jewellery
- Award MA
- Start date September 2024
- Fees View course fees
- School School of Jewellery
- Faculty Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
This course is:
Open to International Students
Overview
Our postgraduate degree in Jewellery and Related Products is a highly respected, innovative course, which develops your creative potential and in-depth knowledge of theories, processes and techniques.
Students on our course demonstrate understanding, and a critical awareness of current issues and/or new insights.
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What's covered in this course?
The focus of this course is very much on developing your entrepreneurial spirit and helping you become the designer you want to be.
You will use a variety of materials, manufacturing techniques and processes.
The scope for design is very broad and builds on knowledge in the area of personal ornaments, body signification and decorative metal objects.
There are affinities with industrial design, fashion design, fine art and sculpture and content is often informed by philosophy, conceptualisation and critical theory.
Project-based activities will develop creative, design and making skills and enhance your professional skills. You will develop concepts and products, analyse problems and reflect on the relationships between personal objectives, cultural values, market identities, prototyping techniques and new technologies.
You will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to your own research and advanced creative activity, alongside exhibiting originality in the application of knowledge.
You will demonstrate your practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in our discipline and create innovative new designs in jewellery and related products.
The course is based at our internationally renowned School of Jewellery, in the heart of Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter. The historical facade of our Vittoria Street building conceals a contemporary environment including workshops, a specialist library, an atrium gallery and exhibition space.
Since being a postgraduate student in the School of Jewellery, I have developed the way I design or appreciate a piece of jewellery or 3D object. Previously I used to only observe an art work through visual language, but now I observe through its form, context and background.
Tai Teng, MA Jewellery and Related Products
Why Choose Us?
- Founded in 1890, our internationally-renowned School of Jewellery is the largest in Europe, located in the heart of Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter. An estimated 40 per cent of British jewellery is still made there today and you’ll gain contacts, inspiration and experience.
- Staff are experts in their field and support award-winning students through their chosen course and into professional life.
- The broad scope of design potential gives you the freedom to be creative and develop your own unique style.
- We have an excellent reputation for highly employable, creative graduates and professional outstanding links with industry to help you develop your career.
- Our staff expertise includes a very wide range of industry-related techniques, including CAD and manufacturing, rapid prototyping, surface finishing, reverse engineering, creative project management and the curation of exhibitions.
Similar Courses
OPEN DAY
Join us on campus where you'll be able to find out more about your course, learn about postgraduate finance and get an insight into studying at BCU. Booking for the next event isn’t open yet. Register your interest below and we’ll email you as soon as booking goes live.
Next Event: 29 June 2024
Entry Requirements
Essential Requirements
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A good degree in Art and Design or recognised equivalent subject (degrees in business related and other theoretical subjects without evidence of advanced creative practice are not recognised as equivalent subjects). |
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A study proposal that indicates development potential. |
Extra information for EU/International students
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International students must hold a qualification recognised as graduate status and agreed by the Academic Registrar. They must also have appropriate English language skills. |
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Candidates may be admitted without a first degree via APEL/APL subject to agreement of the Academic Registrar, eg high level of educational, industrial, or professional experience. |
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Applicants will also need to provide a good portfolio. |
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IELTS 6.0 overall with 5.5 minimum in all bands or its equivalent. |
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: MA
Starting: Sep 2024
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £9,710 in 2024/25
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: MA
Starting: Sep 2024
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £17,710 in 2024/25
Personal statement
You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.
Course in Depth
Modules
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 160 credits):
Practice as Research
Understanding Context
This module provides the framework to explore your initial ideas in greater depth and with a higher level of intellectual engagement. Creative risk taking will be at the core of your enquiry and a rigorous approach to identifying and solving problems will be a continuous threat throughout your investigation. You will conclude the module by collating this body of work as a portfolio of evidence, illustrating the breadth of your enquiry via practical, visual and written investigations.
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 practical outcome with accompanying reflective, critical and contextual material. The main consideration when choosing your topic is that it must be relevant to your programme and you should consider the relevance of this topic to your future academic or professional development.
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules.
This module will introduce you to a range of discipline-specific approaches to research, and guide you through the process of exploring an aspect of your practice in a systematic way, bringing both theory and practice into play. You will be supported to select and apply an appropriate methodology, manage the project, analyse the results, and critically reflect on the insights gained.
The purpose of this 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. It is also possible to fulfil this module via a shorter placement duration and a linked ‘live’ project set by the employer.
Core modules are guaranteed to run. Optional modules will vary from year to year and the published list is indicative only.
Download course specification
Download nowThe course is delivered through a variety of formats including: self-directed studio time, e-learning, formal lectures, tutorials and workshop activities. Staff contact and group work will enable the free exchange of knowledge and experience through discussion and practical exercises.
Alongside a staff team of professional, practising artists and designers, you will also engage with professional practitioners who are Artists In Residence, study visits and other live projects. The School can offer support through a variety of interdisciplinary methodologies and techniques through its specialist staff and technical support team. Practice-led, knowledge-based learning enables key skill based competencies to be individually developed, building in complexity throughout the duration of the course.
You will then apply the skills you learn to the development of your own self-directed and self-motivated design project. The project will allow you to explore and appreciate the potential of your design abilities, and your emerging knowledge and understanding in a professional context, while building a portfolio of work which will reflect a high level of professional accomplishment and leadership in the field.
You are supported to work individually, and in group settings, to develop interpersonal communication and collaborative skills. You will continue to develop your reflective practice which helps to develop self-confidence and the responsible and methodical approaches required by the industry, the art and design ‘world’ and other culture of entrepreneurship.
Employability
Enhancing your employability skills
Our course philosophy encourages your individual enquiry and innovation. Modules are structured to enable progressive identification of assessable outcomes throughout, and require research based engagement with creative practice to enable you to make choices, solve problems and define your individual direction. This practice progressively leads to ownership, independence and employability. We incorporate activities, which involve you as active learner.
We embrace a high, professional level of excellence appropriate to the industry and area of focus for each student. Excellence is demonstrated in artistic integrity, a self-directed and ambitious design project at Master of Art level. Professional practice and employability skills are demonstrated in team projects and by accessing external audience appreciation. In all of our activities we celebrate and foster innovation and entrepreneurial enterprise in an international context.
MA Jewellery and Related Products graduate outcomes are of high profile and are leading in the field, as is widely evidenced in the successes our graduates. They represent Birmingham City University’s graduate qualities of being professional and work ready, they are creative problem solvers, enterprising and have a global outlook.
Links to industry
The MA in Jewellery and Related Products course has built particularly strong links to galleries, arts agencies and professional bodies, which support the creative industries and provide relevant real world experience, support and advice.
The course is proud to have professional links which include: Craftspace Birmingham, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), Midland’s Art Centre (mac), Jewellery Quarter Museum, British Crafts Council, AXIS, The South Square Trust, Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, Handwerkskammer Munich, Germany, and the international e-platforms and web-hubs: Klimt04 (Spain), Kitandcaboodle (Germany), Crafthaus (USA), Art Jewelry Forum (USA).
Graduate stories
Drew Markou is a self-employed artist and jewellery designer-maker whose work is exhibited internationally. Since graduating, Drew has gone on to wow crowds at the RHS BBC Gardeners' World Live show, where his design was named 'Most Creative Small Garden', winning a Silver Gilt award.
He said: “For me my MA was a milestone in achieving a higher level of education and thinking about the way in which I work. It was vital for me to gain a greater understanding about my own art and design work as well as a greater understanding of the context and industries in which it fitted.”
Lucy Harvey completed a commission for the National Glass Centre in collaboration with recycling company, Nulife Glass. The work explored the alchemical processes used by Nulife in separating lead and glass from cathode ray tubes found inside old TVs.
She has showcased her artefacts and jewellery collection at various exhibitions and fairs.
Farrah Al-Dujaili is a British Art Jeweller. She set up her own workshop to continue her practice. Her work has been exhibited internationally in shows including ‘Talente’ and ’25 Years of Galerie Louise Smit’. Farrah was also the recipient of the Art Jewelry Forum ‘Emerging Artist’ award and subsequently had her work exhibited at SOFA New York in 2012.
International
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here.
- Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
- Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country.
- Learn where to find financial support for your studies.
Our international students
The international reputation and outstanding location in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter attracts students from all over the world. Our course is particularly popular with students from the Far East who want to study advanced design techniques from top professionals.
Many of our very successful international students returned to their home countries to set-up their own businesses and design studios. Some work in shared studio collectives and work through an international network of galleries and design shops. Others work as sole-owners designing and making bespoke pieces of jewellery of their own designs.
For example one graduate opened a very impressive space in Chongqing in China, a combination of designer gallery and lifestyle meeting place. Another opened her own gallery and studio in Copenhagen.
Some of our alumni have been able, on return from their MA studies, to compete for prestigious teaching jobs, including at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, and the China Academy of Art.
Student stories
Julia Toledo, Brazil
"After releasing my first jewellery collection in a small home-studio I decided I wanted to engage in further exploration and study of all possibilities of jewellery design.
"I found out about the School of Jewellery online and after extensive research was really attracted by the idea of studying in a well known university abroad.
"Through the images and explanations on the MA description online I saw the possibility of opening my practice to a practical engagement between other areas of design such as industrial design, fashion, fine arts and intellectual content that I had not yet applied to jewellery, such as, philosophy, conceptualisation or critical theory.
"Until then I had never imagined that jewellery wouldn’t 'need' to be a wearable object! Coming to the School of Jewellery was altogether a big challenge, a mind blowing surprise and a great opportunity to let go of old boundaries and explore the new and unexpected field of 'related products'.
"I've joined the team of Artists in Residence at the school, working directly with new MA Students. I have also started my small business where I develop a range of wearable jewellery applying both my jewellery background and the contemporary concepts.
"Since 2013 I’ve joined exhibitions in England and internationally. And have been recently awarded Artistar Jewels 2015 – Best Goldsmith Craftsman Award, and the first prize at Arts & Crafts Design Award – 2014."
Atushi Verma, India
Atushi is now a jewellery designer maker. She said: "I found my way into the western education and now a Contemporary Jewellery Maker, Designer and Artist; looking to create my niche, whilst straddling both my loves: contemporary and 'fine' high-end jewellery."
Facilities & Staff
Our Facilities
The School of Jewellery's Vittoria Street building is inspirational and functional. A blend of traditional historic and cutting-edge contemporary, it is light, spacious and extremely well-resourced.
An extensive refurbishment programme integrated the Victorian Gothic building of 1863 with the adjacent 1912 extension and a site further down the road. The architects’ success in doing so resulted in awards from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Civic Trust.
You’ll have access to industry standard equipment, studio workshops with specialist tools and a shared machine workshop with a wide range of powered equipment, a casting facility and an electroplating laboratory. The School’s main computer suite includes CAD design software and Adobe Creative Suite, and you’ll have access to a specialist library.
Our staff
Sian Hindle
Course Director - MA Jewellery and Related Products
Sian is an academic and researcher, exploring the role that jewellery plays in articulating aspects of the self. Trained as a jeweller, she is now developing a reflective and iterative drawing process to explore and document the sometimes strange and unstable nature of our bodies and their limits. Her doctoral research explores the wearer’s...
More about SianRebecca Steiner
Senior Lecturer
Rebecca Steiner is an award-winning goldsmith whose work has been exhibited across the UK and Europe. Her research interests include crafts education, professional development for practitioners and the wider benefits of crafts practice in relation to personal autonomy, agency and wellbeing.
More about RebeccaBridie Lander
School Academic Lead for Jewellery, Senior Lecturer
Bridie is an experienced jewellery designer/maker and lecturer. She spent several years as an artist and academic in Australia where latterly she was Coordinator of the Jewellery and Object Studio at Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney. Some of her work was recently included in a group exhibition, “Transplantation: British and...
More about BridieIona McCuaig
Course Director, Lecturer
Iona McCuaig is a jeweller, artist, researcher and educator. Her work explores the themes of narrative, value and materiality through object making. Historical references are strongly embedded in her practice and are playfully juxtaposed with contemporary observations. This results in a re-appropriation of history, allowing for a commentary of...
More about Iona