Here is a brief overview of the modules you will study on your course.

• Explore: Design Perspectives – This module challenges you to define your advanced design aspirations, explore design perspectives, use strategic design processes and visually research and expand your interests, in line with your professional goals.

  Focus will be placed on visual and other research findings to identify new ways of shaping conceptual thinking in order to create work within a range of ‘mini topics’ through physical engagement, evaluation and experience-based design. The aim is to initiate processes that interrogate the relationship between subject, context, audience and user, through modes of visual communication that constitute and also align with Graphic Design. The focus of study will be centred around multi-cultural viewpoints, traditional cultures in design, social and environmental impact, and the effect on place and region, to reflect the global perspective of the international student cohort.

• Advance Research Skills – This module provides you with the knowledge and skills required to undertake independent academic research in Visual Arts and Design at postgraduate level.  By introducing you to contemporary and emergent research resources in the discipline; essential frameworks and tools for navigating research ethics in creative fields, linking to Middlesex University’s Research Ethics guidelines; and consolidating advanced knowledge of referencing conventions for academic integrity, you will be able to propose and structure a relevant research proposal for independent enquiry and investigation at Master’s level.
• Contexts: Materials and Methods – This module helps develop your knowledge and skills in the research methods and materials pertinent to the contexts of your creative practice. Designed as a set of specialist elective seminar courses, led by a variety of researchers within the university, this module allows you to experiment and learn first-hand about the methods and materials used by the researcher and to gain and apply insights into knowledge at the cutting edge of Visual Arts and Design, and relate this to your own emerging research interests.
• Collaborate: Real World Practice – You will be encouraged to evolve a distinct design language and negotiate a design specialism central to your professional practice, to identify appropriate design approaches. You will build a focused line of enquiry, centred around current debates and topical issues such as, community, health, environment and sustainable issues within the context of professional and creative practice, to consider specific audiences and design placement. You are encouraged to establish specialist networks, collaborate with cross faculty groups and build outside working partnerships, to foster interdisciplinary practice and specialist knowledge, to further enhance practice, to consider career pathways, employment opportunities and academic progression.
• Contexts: Critical Review – This module aims to deepen the student’s knowledge and skills in the critical review of influential research pertinent to the contexts of their creative practice. Designed as a set of specialist elective seminar courses led by a variety of researchers within the university, this module allows the student to experiment with new areas of knowledge and deepen their critical understanding of the wider contexts for their creative practice.
• Positioning Your Result – This module aims to develop you as a confident researcher and communicator and to provide a showcase opportunity for the student to engage in peer review and public debate as a means for professional development and consolidation of the research scope, methods, context, and practice of your Master’s project.
• Realise: Making it Public – The final module of the programme enables you to reflect on your subject knowledge, critical evaluation, contextual awareness, and design discoveries made in the previous modules to present a rigorously investigated and detailed final design collection. The final outcomes will identify and utilise research and design methodologies to promote interrelationships between design theory, subject specialism, and practice in the realisation of a final collection and the process of making it public. Each sequential module to date has provided a platform to visually investigate, contextualise subject references, critically reflect, propose new design strategies, and consider appropriate design responses that question contemporary graphic design practice. Emphasis is placed throughout the study on the importance of social, environmental, cultural and community contexts, audience engagement and positioning of the work to create maximum impact where communication is central. A final design collection will conclude the year and a design project research publication represents the journey taken, to identify design methodologies, collaborative partnerships, and specialist design skills. The final work will be presented and made public to reflect the professional context of the project.