Ceramics MA
Direct Line: 01326 213730
The Design Centre, Tremough Campus
1 year full-time
2 years part-time
Apply direct to Falmouth
Why study MA Ceramics at University College Falmouth?
MA Ceramics - additional information (1.22 MB)
Would you like to build on the traditions of an internationally significant pottery as well as exploring digital technologies and the latest contemporary techniques? Our new MA Ceramics course offers a unique opportunity to develop your practice, hone your practical skills and undertake in-depth research, whilst also playing an active role in the life of St Ives' famous Leach Pottery.
This exciting new course is delivered in partnership with Leach Pottery, including intensive periods of practice development under the tuition of Lead Potter, Jack Doherty. Developing your practical skills as well as refining your conceptual, technical and theoretical approaches, you'll benefit from practical involvement in the life of this historically important yet commercial studio. You'll also have the opportunity to showcase your work in the Leach Pottery gallery at the end of the course.
University College Falmouth is working closely with the Design Council on Design of the Times (DOTT) Cornwall; a programme where professional designers work. with stakeholders and communities to tackle social, economic and environmental issues from the bottom up. Our students and graduates get the chance to work alongside senior design professionals on DOTT projects as part of internships and work placements.
Tell me more about the MA Ceramics course
MA Ceramics focuses on developing innovative ceramic practice. From idea conception, to developing and making exciting pieces, you will enhance your design and making skills supported by Falmouth's experienced technical and academic staff. Working at Leach Pottery - including marketing and public relations, producing Leach Standard Ware and running the shop, gallery and museum - will help you acquire key entrepreneurial and business skills alongside the development of your studio practice.
The course includes taught sessions, visiting lectures
and group seminars, research, skills development, core business and commercial
practice sessions. Formal lectures and seminars at the College will be
supported by direct practical experience at Leach Pottery, to provide a clearer
interpretive context, and you will be encouraged to engage with studio
potteries outside of Leach to analyse their processes. Your research will
consider the history and theoretical approaches of past and
current practitioners who have influenced your area of study. Further theoretical
studies will deepen your knowledge, generate original ideas, help you
critically assess your own and others' work, as well as place your work in
context.
The MAs in Design benefit from a shared delivery of core elements, including Research Methods and Design Context that are a key part of the course's reflection of the inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary nature of contemporary design practice. Collaboration occurs formally through direct live projects and informally through discussions and seminars focusing upon directions for individual practice.
Facilities
The Design Centre benefits from world-class facilities and provides the opportunity to creatively experiment with a range of traditional and digital technologies, processes and materials. We have specialist ceramics and glass equipment, laser cutters, rapid prototyping machines and a five axis milling machine. Just as important are our traditional workshop facilities which you can use for experimentation, modelling and prototyping. There is an ICT teaching suite, specialist software and purpose built studios. Plus you will have the chance to share ideas across disciplines in our communal working areas. MA students have a base room next to the Business and Research Centres. This provides direct access to these facilities, encouraging informal and formal interaction with researchers and business users in the Design Centre.
Course structure
For full-time students this is a 1-year course delivered over 45 weeks and divided into three 15-week Study Blocks. Alternatively you can study the course part-time over 2 years, totalling 90 weeks. All Study Blocks are worth 60 credits with summative tutor assessment at the end of each.
You can choose to exit the course and obtain a recognised postgraduate award once you have completed each one. Having obtained 60 credits you can gain a Postgraduate Certificate in Ceramics; with 120 a Postgraduate Diploma. You will need to gain 180 credits in order to receive your MA award.
For additional information about Study Blocks, professional practice, assessment, facilities, entry requirements and interview procedures please download the file below:
MAs in Design - additional information (1.32 MB)
Answers and advice about the course
If you have any queries about the course please visit our HelpMe Forum.
Additional information
2010 Postgraduate Prospectus (4.82 MB)
Funding your study
A Master’s degree represents a significant investment in your future, and you will rightly be concerned about funding. Our student fees & funding section outlines fees for full and part time students and has guides to introduce you to ways of funding your course at Falmouth.
Creative Enterprise Cornwall
Put your skills to use in Cornwall's dynamic business environment on a paid placement project
Creative Enterprise Cornwall is a project offering financial support to postgraduate students who live in Cornwall during their studies. It is run by University College Falmouth and part-funded by the European Social Fund. The aim of the project is to promote graduate opportunities within Cornwall - develop new business skills if you are changing your career, or use the opportunity to strengthen the skills you already have. A maximum of £1250 is available.
The placement project must meet the following criteria:
- It must take place in Cornwall or benefit a Cornish company
- It must meet your course objectives (Course Leader must agree to the placement)
- Must be a minimum of one working week in duration (maximum 3 weeks) and be confirmed by the company
More information about the project can be found here
Career opportunities
The majority of craftspeople are self-employed; our focus on professional practice, support for business start up and links with practitioners is aimed to prepare you for this. Today’s creative practice often involves multidisciplinary team work and the environment at our Design Centre will prepare you for this. You will have the opportunity to work with designers in other disciplines, leading to potentially stimulating, lucrative and new areas of design practice. Further possible options include teaching and research in related arts fields.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements through the university sector include Honours Degrees, Foundation Degrees and HNDs in a related subject, must have a proven and high level of experience of throwing, with a focus upon vessels, and a body of work that reflects the required standard of both the College and the Leach Pottery. If you have solid professional industry experience rather than academic achievement, this may be acceptable for entry to study at this level through a process called APEL (Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning).
We also require you to submit a proposal that focuses upon the benefits of the experience and the contribution you can make to Leach Pottery. You should aspire to excellence, be committed to making and exploring ceramic technologies and materials, soda and contemporary glazes, as well raising standards within the field of ceramics and studio pottery.
MAs in Design Project Proposal form (27.14 KB)
For informal enquiries about the course, please contact the Course Leader: andrew.harbert@falmouth.ac.uk
For further information about the MA Ceramics course at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 213730.
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