Program Overview
This interdisciplinary MA Design (Packaging) program at Sheffield Hallam University combines social and cultural innovation with specialist skills and knowledge. Through immersive learning in a collaborative studio environment, students develop their practice and research interests, creating accessible and marketable packaging products and services. The program prepares graduates for careers as independent designers, design managers, or further postgraduate study.
Program Outline
It aims to develop students' specialist skills and knowledge in a collaborative studio environment, encouraging them to innovate with materials, technology, and conceptual thinking. The program emphasizes personal research, allowing students to develop their own interests and ideas in a challenging and supportive environment. The academic staff, consisting of design specialists, researchers, and practitioners, guide students to expand their practice and develop an independent, autonomous approach.
Outline:
The program is structured around a set of key principles: engaging with the world, collaborating with others, challenging students to think in new ways, and providing a supportive environment for them to thrive.
- Initial Modules: All postgraduate design students begin with modules focusing on gaining a critical understanding of design thinking, theoretical studies, research methods, and making practices.
- Subsequent Modules: Students then follow their own personal practice, supported by key specialist staff. They are encouraged to consider social and cultural contexts when positioning their creative output, aiming to develop accessible and marketable products, services, interventions, and other forms or propositions.
- Learning Methods: Students learn through immersive learning alongside peers in a studio environment, practice-based research, project work, individual and group tutorials, lectures, seminars, and constructive critical debates.
Assessment:
The program utilizes a variety of assessment methods, including:
- Coursework: All modules are assessed through coursework, with a 100% weighting.
Teaching:
The program utilizes a variety of teaching methods, including:
- Immersive Learning: Students learn alongside peers in a studio environment.
- Practice-Based Research: Students engage in research projects.
- Project Work: Students complete individual and group projects.
- Tutorials: Students receive individual and group tutorials.
- Lectures: Students attend lectures on relevant topics.
- Seminars: Students participate in seminars.
- Constructive Critical Debates: Students engage in critical discussions.
Careers:
The program prepares students for a career as:
- Independent Design Practitioner
- Designer
- Design Manager
- Maker or Manufacturer
- Company-Employed Designer The program aims to help students achieve their personal employment ambitions, whether as a design professional in the creative industries or in related areas such as research, retail, marketing, and education. Previous graduates have gone on to work for international design companies and consultancies and have gained PhD scholarships.
Other:
- Creative UK Membership: Students are members of Creative UK, a network representing, championing, and supporting the UK's creative industries.
- Live Projects: The program embeds an understanding of and dialogue with the creative industries and the world of professional practice beyond the postgraduate studio. Live projects are embedded into specific modules, and students are encouraged to seek industrial sponsors or collaborators for individual projects.
- Field Trips: Students have opportunities to participate in study trips and visits to design conferences and debates.
- Networking Opportunities: Students benefit from studying within a cross-disciplinary, vibrant, international, collaborative, and supportive postgraduate environment. They can work alongside the Design Futures consultancy and with researchers from the Art and Design Research Centre (ADRC). The program also has contacts with leading design agencies and organizations, museums, and practitioners, and encourages students to work collaboratively with them.
- Packaging Design Tutors: The program's tutors have connections, knowledge, and experience within the broad area of structural packaging, product design, and visual communication.
Home students (UK/EU):
£10,310 for the course
International/EU students:
£17,205 for the course
