Course summary

This unique one-year Graduate Diploma is a two-semester pre-Masters course in jewellery and related products. The course gives you the opportunity to develop your portfolio, specifically in the field of contemporary jewellery, to better enable progression onto MA or other higher-level study. The Graduate Diploma will encourage creative jewellery and related product studio practice that develops confidence in self-directed study and independent learning skills. You’ll acquire the professional and academic development needed for progression onto MA and into industry. You will gain knowledge and understanding of industry through visits to industry, locally and nationally. You will develop your understanding of historical and theoretical underpinnings of contemporary jewellery with regular lecture and seminar sessions. The course requires a significant amount of technical and studio based teaching to help you gain an understanding of materials and processes. You will gain hands-on experience of technical processes through the demonstrations and use of machinery available within the school. The course will help you develop modelling and prototypes skills and design thinking, as well as communication skills through presenting your work and ideas to your peers and tutors. Participating in critical feedback sessions and recording reflections of your progress and development is core to this course and will help prepare you for future desired progression. You are encouraged and challenged to identify and develop your own specific interests. You will be guided through developing critical reflective skills whilst enhancing your competence in sustaining an in-depth studio material practice within the specifics of jewellery and related product studio techniques and processes. The course finishes with an exhibition of your final collection. This usually takes place in the School of Jewellery alongside other final year undergraduate students. This gives you the experience of completing and showcasing a professional body of work as well as being a part of the end of year celebrations.