School of Design

Summary

Mission

Northumbria creates and applies knowledge for the benefit of individuals, communities and the economy. Through excellent research, teaching and innovation we transform lives, making a powerful contribution to cultural and economic development and regeneration, in the City and Region, nationally and globally.

International role

A truly international community, we welcome students from over 65 countries to our School and have international partnerships across the globe including India, China, Singapore, USA, Taiwan, Spain, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia - creating a multicultural, global network.

National role

The strategic aims are to:
• To drive the economic, cultural, social and intellectual development of the region and beyond.
• To create and build meaningful partnerships that help develop distinctive, employable graduates
• To enhance the University’s reputation and sustainability
• To develop an organisational culture where external engagement is embedded, nurtured and valued

The School of Design has over 30 years in design-led collaboration and an ever-growing list of satisfied clients. During this time we have partnered with leading international companies, cutting edge consultancies and public sector organisations such as charities and government bodies. Students at all levels have tackled a wide variety of projects across a diverse range of sectors; from fashion to new product development, packaging & promotion, service & systems and trend analysis to long term company innovation.

Our partners include household names such as Aquascutum, Abercrombie & Fitch, Mars, Black & Decker, Black & Blum, Ralph Lauren, Pentland, DAKS, Samsung,Electrolux, Lego, River Island, Hasbro,
Ralph Lauren, Unilever, Barbour, Philips, Intel, Nike, Mulberry, Diageo, Dyson, the QE2 and JCB Excavators Limited. We are also an active partner in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP), a UK-wide programme designed to encourage business/knowledge base collaborations.

Main focus

As a School, we foster a culture where teaching, learning and research are integrated at every stage. This means we can deliver courses that are relevant and responsive to new issues and challenges on a global and local level. Through placements, projects, guest lectures and workshops students engage with real world design issues and future scenarios. In this way students learn how to research and develop a market, identify and understand user needs and create useful, must-have products, services or systems. The end result is award winning highly creative designers, innovators and strategists who are highly sought after and work in national and internationally recognised companies or become extremely successful entrepreneurs.

Education

Faculties and departments

The School of Design comprises the following academic communities:
Fashion
Industrial Design
Visual Communication and Interactive Media Design
Creative Entrepreneurship (Northumbria School of Design London)
Innovate

Bachelor level programs

BA(Hons) Fashion (4 years)
BA(Hons) Fashion Marketing (4 years)
BA(Hons) Fashion Communication (3 years)
BA(Hons) Design for Industry(4 years)
BA(Hons) 3D Design(3 years)
BA(Hons) Interior Design(3 years)
BA(Hons) Transportation Design (4 years)
BA(Hons) Graphic Design(3 years)
BA(Hons) Interactive Media Design(3 years)
BA(Hons) Motion Graphics and Animation(3 years)

Master level programs

MA programmes in all above UG subject areas (one year)
MA Design Management (one year)
MA Multidisciplinary Design Innovation (one year)
MA Design Practice (Distance Learning) (one year)
MA Fashion Management and Entrepreneurship (one year FT, two years PT)
MA Design, Craftsmanship and Entrepreneurship (one year FT, two years PT)

Research

Research activity and main areas

Designers work with ideas, influences, inspirations, knowledge, materials, methods and techniques from the whole span of academic disciplines and professional practices. The role of Design research is to act as a bridge between these disciplines, and to continuously ask questions and create new insights so that we can find alternative ways of thinking. We believe that by making sense of what we have, and making connections across the design process, we can ensure that these changes are for the better.

As a School we already have a reputation for world class research* and an active research
community. Our research interests currently focus on 8 core themes which have been collated into 3 research groupings. http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/sd/academic/scd/research/?view=Standard
Making Connections: The Nature, Role(s) and Future(s) of Design
Concentrating on two themes, Design Issues and Making, this grouping examines what
design should do by exploring areas such as design craftsmanship, new luxury, the roles of
touch or storytelling in design, design activism, the future roles of design, and fundamental aspects of design processes.
New Qualities of Living
Focusing on what design could do, this grouping has three themes: Experimental Media, Future Materials for Living and Insights. By working with creative arts, science, technology and the human sciences and humanities, these themes create new design content and processes.
Making Changes:Ways of Innovating
This research group concerns what design has done and can do. It covers three core themes: Design Value Innovation, Social Innovation and Design for Social Equity, all of which examine processes for innovation and
demonstrate design’s value through its collaboration with commercial, community and global partners.
*2008 RAE assessment exercise identified a proportion of our research as world class, with a high proportion being recognised nationally and internationally

Doctorate level programs

Doctor of Design Practice
Doctor of Philosophy (full time and part time)

Exchange

Subject areas for exchange students

BA(Hons) Fashion
BA(Hons) Fashion Marketing
BA(Hons) Fashion Communication
BA(Hons) Design for Industry
BA(Hons) 3D Design
BA(Hons) Interior Design
BA(Hons) Transportation Design
BA(Hons) Graphic Design
BA(Hons) Interactive Media Design
BA(Hons) Motion Graphics and Animation

Application deadlines

Apply by the September of the year before study commences

Teaching languages

English

Semester dates

Semester One Starts Monday 17 September 2012
Semester One Ends Friday 18 January 2013
Semester Two Starts (new students) Monday 14 January 2013
Semester Two Starts (continuing students) Monday 21 January 2013
Semester Two Ends Friday 24 May 2013

Cost of living per month (studying and living)

Study costs for new Home/EU students from 2012/13 are £708 per month (over 12 months)
Study costs for continuing Home/EU students for 2012/13 are £289 per month (over 12 months)
Study costs for new International students from 2012/13 are £883 per month (over 12 months)
Study costs for continuing International students from 2012/13 are approx £846 per month (over 12 months)
The average cost of accommodation is £300-£450 per month