BA (HONOURS) Jewellery, Materials and Design at Sheffield Hallam University

• Master traditional, new and technological skills in state-of-the-art studios.
• Work with practising designers who bring their experience and networks to the course.
• Experience employability-driven learning through applied real-world projects.
• Develop a deep understanding of the field of jewellery, accessories and tableware
• Build a unique portfolio to prepare for a career in designing and making jewellery, accessories and tableware.

Through experimentation with materials, processes, technologies, design and creative thinking, this course will develop your professional, practical and intellectual skills and prepare you for a successful career. You’ll gain the confidence and experience required to utilise new technologies in the pursuit of innovative and creative solutions.

You'll experiment, engage, contextualise and apply your learning in a number of professional contexts. You'll work with external partners and have the opportunity to apply for placements. You'll learn through critical enquiry and exploration of ideas, materials and design processes. The distinctive portfolio of work that you'll create will demonstrate your unique strengths to prospective employers.

You'll learn through

• studio-based design projects
• designing through making
• industry visits and field trips
• lectures and seminars
• specialist software sessions
• applied industry projects and collaborations with industry professionals
• group collaboration and individual work
• feedback sessions and tutorials
• creative workshops
• exhibitions and presentations
• Blackboard online learning portal

Work placements

You'll have opportunities to arrange single or multiple work placement/s in between your second and third years. Placements give you real-world experience to prepare you for your future career. For example, previous students have travelled to India and worked with small jewellery businesses where together they developed an innovative fair-trade company. You may also be able to work or study abroad with the possibility of funding (subject to the UK’s continued participation in the Erasmus+ programme following the Brexit transition period).

Live projects

You'll work on live projects where you'll put together bids for commissions, work with local museums, charities and subject-specific organisations. Recently our students have produced work for museum collections, made jewellery to raise awareness of national charities, developed commercial ethical jewellery projects with national bespoke jewellery companies and participated in international jewellery fairs.

Field trips

We'll offer opportunities to go on study trips and visits in the UK and abroad – with free travel and accommodation for all mandatory field trips on the course. These could include workshops, design exhibitions or visits to practitioners’ studios and museums. There may be opportunities to further enhance your studies with optional field trips, though these will incur additional costs. A recent international trip involved participating in Munich Jewellery Week.

Networking opportunities

We benefit from excellent links with international, national and local designers and makers who bring industry insight into the course. We'll offer a series of talks delivered by external practitioners from various design practices within the UK and abroad, providing you with industry contacts for potential future placements. The course also provides a range of opportunities to work on various live briefs, expanding your real-world professional experience and wider knowledge base. Students take part in industry shows where they showcase their work and build connections with galleries, shops, and industry professionals.

Competitions

We'll support you to participate in competitions such as the Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council Awards. The course benefits from unique support from the Sheffield Assay Office – over many years they have provided our students with opportunities to win bursaries for precious metals.

Future careers

This course prepares you for future study and careers in

• jewellery and metalwork design and making
• object and tableware design and making
• retail, museums and galleries
• entrepreneurship
• prop making
• knife design and making
• cutlery design and making
• architectural metalworking          

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for

• Heatherwick Studio
• Chris Perry Silversmith
• Others Studio
• Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery
• 5+2 Jewellery Hong Kong
• Catherine Best Jewellery Guernsey
• Weston Beamor
• Humairya: British Contemporary Fine Jewellery
• Hayley Grafflin Jewellery
• Lee Simmons