Course description
Programme
The Faculty of Art and Design offers MPhil and PhD research opportunities in the following areas:
Design and New Product Development
-Built environment
-Design management
-Design history
-Digital media design
-Fashion - including contour and footwear design
-Interior design
-Product development
-Product, furniture and industrial design
Fine Art
-Video, mixed-media
-Sculpture - including rapid prototyping in contemporary sculpture
-Painting
Photographic Studies and Creative Imaging
-Graphic design practice
-Holography and lenticular imaging
-Knowledge media design
-Photographic practice
-Photographic history 1839-1915
-Video production
Textile Engineering and Materials (TEAM)
-Environmentally-friendly textiles and their production and processing
-Technical, medical and smart textiles
-Novel fibre crops such as flax, hemp, nettles
-Application of enzymes in textile processes
-Industrial textiles, including aerospace and military textiles, protective clothing and composites
-Modelling the relationship between structure and properties of textile fibres, yarns and fabrics.
Research programmes involve independent study and the production of either a thesis based on student work, or a combination of practice and a dissertation.
The Faculty of Art and Design provides its PhD/MPhil students with one first supervisor and up to two second supervisors. Students have major meetings with their supervision teams at least every month and this is usually supplemented by additional smaller meetings or tutorials when needed.
MPhil and PhD students are supported by the University Research Office and there are a number of research student newsletters and conferences as well as on-line support groups. To support their studies, new students undertake a Training Needs Analysis and Personal Development Planning. This helps to identify a range of both Faculty and University training courses it would be helpful to attend.
Teaching/assessment
All research students complete a probationary period (six months full-time or 12 months part-time) during which their personal research proposal is considered by the University?s Higher Degrees Committee. Students registered for the MPhil with possible transfer to PhD route present a report (after 9-15 months full-time or 18-30 months part-time) which is assessed before students transfer.
Further information
Facilities
Research students are normally provided with their own individual workspace and computer, where they work with other PhD students in a dedicated area which provides a rich research environment. Practice-based PhD students are similarly provided with relevant studio and workshop facilities.
Our research students also have access to excellent specialist facilities across the Faculty, including suites of high-performance multimedia equipment, design studios and workshops, specialist laboratories, individual study areas and drawing and painting studios.
