3D Design MA
3D Design is about relationships: between you the designer, the manufacturer and the consumer – wherever you’re located. This course is broad-based, open to both generalists and specialists wishing to expand or refresh their design and making skills.
Direct Line: 01326 214364
The Design Centre,
Tremough Campus
1 year full-time
2 years part-time
Apply direct to Falmouth
Why study MA 3D Design at University College Falmouth?
MA 3D Design - additional information (1.22 MB)
We all depend on designers to shape our futures. In recent years, new ways of thinking about design mean that it’s evolving on two fronts – principle and production. We emphasise the influence design has within communities and its potential to enhance quality of life as well as wider implications. That means you will have the opportunity to study design within the contexts of education, healing, child development, culture, sports and life style, as well as aesthetics.
At the same time, developments within the global market and rapidly-evolving technologies mean that your responsibility as a designer is more important than ever. Sustainable practices and an awareness of ethical issues must be incorporated into design to help minimise the impact of production at both social and environmental levels.
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 3D Design course
Our postgraduate 3D Design course is all about you. It’s about developing new ways of working through research, driving your own direction and finding your unique place in the design world. Our emphasis on research combined with fresh professional and theoretical perspectives as well as improved technical skills will help you to think about design in new ways.
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, such as exhibiting at 'That's Design!' as part of the International Milan Design Festival, and informally through discussions and seminars focusing upon directions for individual practice.
From idea conception, to planning and making original pieces, you will enhance your design and making skills. At the beginning of the course we focus on further developing your aptitude for research and analysis. You will have the opportunity to boost your existing knowledge and explore new technologies. Your creative problem-solving, generation of ideas and design development skills will be advanced to a professional standard. Our hands-on approach means you will spend most of your time in the studios and workshops designing, making and testing your ideas.
Design is the key to sustainable living. We want you to design innovative pieces that consider not only aesthetic and technical issues, but also the environment, market and users plus, your role as a commercial designer within the community.
The course explores the processes and theories of global production and consumption. We also want you to develop your awareness of other design disciplines and advances in multidisciplinary practice. Your research will consider the history and future of design within broad social, political, economic and cultural contexts to help develop your understanding. 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.
Global manufacturing means you may be required to work remotely or abroad. Equally advances in digital manufacturing technologies like CNC machining and rapid prototyping are enabling new localised forms of production that challenge economy of scale: a one-off can be made as easily as hundreds of identical products. At Falmouth, we want you to consider all these factors when developing your design concepts and future career path.
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 3D Design; 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:
MA 3D Design - additional information (1.22 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
Our course prepares you for a diverse range of career options. The skills you will acquire will enable you to work as a sole practitioner, senior designer or a design consultant as part of an in-house design team either here or abroad. Considerable demand in the UK for 3D designers with a mix of creative and technical skills means that there are plenty of job opportunities working as part of multi-disciplinary teams on diverse projects, like site-specific work, architectural practice and media projects. Equally, many designers go on to set up their own businesses combining design and manufacture.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements through the university sector include Honours Degrees, Foundation Degrees and HNDs in a related subject, alongside a relevant portfolio of work that explores your previous practice, experience and processes. 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 single page proposal with your application that outlines what you aim to do, how you aim to do it, and what you aim to achieve. This proposal is not binding; it is just a starting point for discussion and an initial framing of your studies.
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 MA 3D Design at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 214364.
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