Course summary

The MA Live Event Design aims to offer you the opportunity to cultivate your own creativity and design approach, whilst developing your knowledge, understanding and critical insight into the principles and practices underpinning design, artistry and innovation within live events and wider creative industries. The MA Live Event Design programme will be delivered using a blended learning approach, combining face-to-face sessions with online and practical work as appropriate. Face to face delivery will take place at Backstage Academy on Production Park. The programme seeks to provide students with a challenging, supportive and inclusive environment where students learn through Praxis; combining critical thinking, practical experimentation and reflection. Depending on their eventual career direction, students may opt to explore a range of design areas or focus on a particular area of specialism (e.g. Lighting, Set/stage or Video content design). A range of learning and teaching methods will be employed, including (face-to-face or online) lectures, seminars, tutorials, discussion groups, guest speakers and master classes. A significant amount of personal study time is expected to be undertaken by the student comprising, for example, background reading, online activities, assessment work and preparation for sessions. The course includes three subject specialist modules and two modules that you will share with students on other Postgraduate courses. During the course, students are encouraged to use their continuing professional practice as part of their research process and build on our close relationships with the Live Events Industry; engaging in live projects and developing plans for new creative enterprises coupled with a higher level of academic study and learning. This course is ideal for you if... _ You are excited about the challenge of creating inventive and imaginative designs for contemporary live events. _ You’re about to graduate from a BA/BSc course in a related area and wish to increase your employability and gain a competitive edge with an advanced qualification in your area of specialism. _ You want to expand your knowledge and experience into live event spectacles such as arena and stadium shows. _ You want to diversify from related fields such as Theatre or Architecture. _ You want to change career direction to develop and establish yourself as a designer. _ You have worked in the industry and are now looking to validate your experience with an advanced recognised qualification. The programme aims to: _ Provide graduates and those with professional experience of working in the live events or related industries the opportunity to develop their knowledge, understanding and critical insight into the principles and practices underpinning design, creativity and innovation within the live events and creative industries. _ Develop advance critical and intellectual thinking and complex problem-solving skills necessary for building and delivering successful live events projects. _ Develop your own individual projects and projects in collaboration with students from our other postgraduate courses, culminating in your final negotiated Masters’ project. Key features: _ The programme enables you to use professional working situations as part of your research and studies. _ The opportunity to develop and deepen your skills, experience and knowledge of Event Design within a specialised institution situated within a global overview through the University of Bolton and Backstage Academy’s networks and links to the creative industries. _ Access to the unique commercial opportunities offered through Backstage Academy’s connection with Production Park and the range of Live Events businesses situated on the campus _ Opportunities to engage with research and developments at Backstage Academy’s new Research and Innovation Centre, XPLOR.