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Design History at The Northern School of Art - UCAS

Course summary

This exciting Master’s degree offers you the opportunity to study design history and material culture, with a view to creating your own specialist focus. This fascinating Master’s degree offers you the opportunity to study design history, providing you with a body of knowledge and experience which will potentially support a future career in areas such as auction houses, curation, heritage properties, teaching, design journalism and areas of the museums and galleries sector. This Master’s degree is for students who wish to study design history from a theoretical and/or practice perspective. The programme will offer access to artefacts, heritage properties, museums, auction houses and archives as well as our costume and design study collections. The curriculum focuses on research methodologies and ethics, how materials work and transform material culture, design cultures and a work-related project that may utilise experience in an external institution or focus on the design study collection. Further modules will develop research application through seminars on critical thinking and debate. The dissertation will bring together the research and application skills learnt in previous modules. The programme has a range of approaches to the study of design history including the identification, evaluation and application of material culture from the viewpoint of historical and social debates as well as textual, material and/or performative narratives. Lectures, seminars, tutorials, object analysis workshops and self-directed study will form your learning on this degree. Your studies will benefit from:

  • Small, focussed group activities
  • Access to expert staff
  • The opportunity to focus your research on your own specialist area of interest


How to apply

International applicants

We do not currently accept students from outside of the UK. However, we can accept applications from those have evidence of pre-settled status to live, work and study in the UK. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Entry requirements

Applicants must have either... • Degree at 2:2 and evidence of postgraduate study (PGCE teaching qualification, PG Certificate or PG Diploma) • Degree at 2:1 or above, or is currently studying at Level 6 • Experiential learning in lieu of a degree to be assessed by Course Leader Candidates holding other academic qualifications may also be considered for admission provided that they have substantial relevant professional experience. You must also supply two references to support your application, one should be an academic reference and the other from a creative practitioner. Applicants who meet the entry requirements above will be required to submit a proposal outlining their intentions for MA study. The programme leader and specialist practice-based staff will evaluate the proposal to determine its feasibility in the context of the resources required and the availability of specialist staff to support their chosen area of study. RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL) The Northern School of Art has a commitment to widening access to higher education. The University demonstrates this commitment through its Access and Participation Plan, arrangements for transfer and recognition of prior learning. For further information about entry requirements for the Masters programme please email our Admissions Team at [email protected]


English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)7No component below 5.5 for EU/International applicants

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £6500 Year 1
Northern Ireland £6500 Year 1
Scotland £6500 Year 1
Wales £6500 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

As with most creative programmes delivered at higher education, this programme will have additional costs such as material and basic tools and contribution towards educational visits to ensure successful completion of the programme. The School offers financial support packages to help with this, whether this be through means-tested bursaries and/or grants. In addition, the School offers subsidised resale of course materials, free use of studios etc. More detailed information is provided at the interview stage; however, if you require this sooner please contact [email protected]
Design History at The Northern School of Art - UCAS