Contemporary Crafts BA(Hons)

Why study BA(Hons) Contemporary Crafts at University College Falmouth?

BA(Hons) Contemporary Crafts course leaflet (1.53 MB)

Today's vibrant design culture employs craft skills more widely than ever before, exploiting both traditional processes and digital technologies. Contemporary crafts are evolving rapidly and Falmouth is at the forefront, providing the facilities and technology, knowledge and experience to allow you to develop exciting and original approaches to design and making.

With its innovative and flexible approach, you'll learn how to see design concepts through from idea to final product, developing a diverse range of skills and working with both traditional and revolutionary techniques.

BA(Hons) Contemporary Crafts graduate, Lucy Foakes, winner of the 2010 Business Design Centre New Designer of the Year award at New Designers, was praised by the judges for her "witty combination of ancient symbolism and iconic imagery brought together to create a collection of exciting, contemporary pieces."

What will I get out of the course?

You'll gain a solid grasp of the core principles of design through the manipulation of materials, as well as a broad range of related craft skills - helping you to develop your creative ideas.

Through live projects with businesses, galleries and community groups, you'll gain insight and make useful industry contacts, while lectures, demonstrations and inspirational field trips will really get you thinking and help you discover your own artistic voice.

Tell me more about the BA(Hons) Contemporary Crafts course

By choosing to study for a degree in Contemporary Crafts at Falmouth you will:

• Benefit from being taught by friendly and approachable staff who are experts in their respective fields.
• Develop a wide range of skills using traditional and contemporary techniques, including maquette making and computer-aided design (CAD).
• Be based at the award-winning Design Centre, which boasts an array of world-class facilities.
• Have the chance to exhibit your work at shows, including the Milan Furniture Fair, Chelsea Flower Show and New Designers.
• Have the opportunity to work collaboratively with students from other creative disciplines.
• Have opportunities to acquire real experience working as a designer-maker developing designs for small-scale production or individual objects.

"As a visiting lecturer, I was immediately aware of the energy and vibrancy surrounding the course. The students are open minded, inquisitive and hard working. The technicians are supportive and resourceful. The academic team is very focused and on the ball." Tim Carson, Jewellery designer and senior lecturer at London Metropolitan University

Projects

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.

Facilities

Our Design Centre and Learning Resource Centres include:

• Latest rapid prototyping machines
• Laser cutters
• Five-axis milling machine
• Kilns for ceramics and glass
• Purpose built studios and workshops
• ICT Teaching Suite
• 17,000-title TV and film library

Course outline

Level 1

• Introduction to Crafts
• Process & Material

Level 2

• Designer-Maker: Audience & Identity
• Designer-Maker: Professional Engagement
• Craft Connections
• Professional Contexts

Level 3

• External Brief
• Self-negotiated Project
• Contextual Research Project

Guest lectures

Recent guest lecturers have included:

Indonesian designer, Singgih S Kartono, whose wooden radio won the Brit Insurance Design Awards 2009. Singgih gave a lecture about his inspirational product, renewable resources and sustainable local industry.

Inspirational talk by the creator of the wooden radio

Professorial lecture series

Falmouth's Professorial lecture series aims to produce an engaging and challenging public programme that stimulates the intellectual curiosity of our staff, students and alumni, our research collaborators, our industry partners, our local communities and other supporters. Recent lectures relevant to students in the School of Design include Edward Barber, founding partner of BarberOsgerby.

Edward Barber

Process - craft meets technology

Founding partner of BarberOsgerby, Edward and his partner, Jay Osgerby, were recently named Royal Designers for Industry by the Royal Society of Arts and their work is in permanent collections at the Design Museum in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Since forming their company in 1996, Barber and Osgerby have collaborated on designing products and furniture as BarberOsgerby and architectural projects for clients such as Stella McCartney as Universal Design Studio.

A video of Edward Barber's lecture can be viewed online here

Answers and advice about the course

If you have any queries about the course please visit our HelpMe Forum

HelpMe Forum: BA(Hons) Contemporary Crafts

For further information about BA(Hons) Contemporary Crafts at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 214356.

Open Design: UCF for design tutors

Friday 12 November 2010

At our first Open Design event in February, Heads of Department and Pathway Leaders from Foundation level courses around the UK spent the day with design staff and students at University College Falmouth, learning more about our facilities and courses.

Click here for more information and to register for the next Open Design event

Profile events

Attendance at the 2007 Chelsea Flower Show

Career opportunities

Our graduates work in highly regarded design studios, set up their own workshops, or work for community arts projects. They have produced objects for public or private commission and exhibitions, as well as designing and creating one-off pieces or products for mass, or small-scale, production. Career opportunities include:

• Self-employment/freelance work
• Employment in craft-related businesses
• Community & public arts projects
• Teaching
• Postgraduate study

Course entry requirements

A minimum of 220 UCAS points, equivalent Level 3 qualifications or relevant experience. You may be required to submit some work to help us decide who to interview. Successful applicants are generally those with the strongest portfolios, demonstrating experimentation, technical ability and understanding of the art and design process.

For further information about BA(Hons) Contemporary Crafts at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 214356.

Interview dates and selection process

Interviews will commence in February.

The interview will include a campus tour and an individual interview. Applicants will be expected to bring a portfolio of recent work, sketchbooks and developmental work plus finished work. If your examples of 3D work are too bulky to bring to interview, please photograph or record onto CD.

Location: Tremough Campus

Related courses

• 3D Design BA(Hons)
• Fine Art BA(Hons)