LAW, PUBLIC SERVICE & EDUCATION ATU DONEGAL

Leading the way from Donegal to DC

engage and interact with museums, exhibitions, fabric shops, luxury fashion retailers.

Over the three days, students had a private guided tour of the Alexander McQueen exhibition, which is invaluable to understand the design process, construction techniques, fabrics selected and how that evolved into the final collection. A visit to Harrods/Liberty allowed students to appraise their work in relation to designer collections and inform their design development, target audience understanding, consumer behaviour and expand their knowledge of industry sectors and structures.

Students also got the opportunity to interact with displays and artifacts at the Victoria & Albert (V&A) museum which permitted students to distinguish and identify significant historic fashions from early civilization to the twentieth century recognising the cultural, economic, and societal contexts that shaped it. Students enjoyed a second private tour of the African Fashion Exhibition at the V&A (from traditional to contemporary).

Lastly, students spent a day at fabric shops at Shepard’s Bush and Soho, which was hugely beneficial in helping the students find the right fabrics for their final collections. With sustainability being at the core of their collections, many students were able to purchase deadstock fabric from previous collections of designers including Burberry and Victoria Beckham. The trip provided a unique opportunity for students to bond as a group and to get to know each other.

If you would like to find out more about the BA in Fashion Design with Promotion, visit www.atu.ie/AU232

From Design to Research, Ruth Keogh’s Story

Having previously studied the BA (Hons) in Digital Film & Video at ATU Donegal, graduate Ruth Keogh was exploring her options, while balancing a newly established business, when she decided to undertake a Master's by Research opportunity at ATU.

It was during the Department of Design & Creative Media’s end-of-year showcase event that Ruth was approached to explore Masters study options at ATU. Ruth knew that she always wanted to undertake Masters study, and when the opportunity presented itself, she decided to take the chance.

Ruth’s Research Masters focuses on “The role of contemporary pedagogy for the Creative Industries, from the Industry perspective.”

While studying the undergraduate programme in Digital Film & Video, Ruth enjoyed writing and researching. She found modules such as scriptwriting, creative concepts, combined with modules such as cinematography and camera work, engaging and enjoyable.

Ruth added, “The research I undertook during my final year film project prepared me for the world of research. The support from lecturers, the community that exists at ATU, and the project-based learning encourages teamwork and collaboration.

The equipment is also excellent, the department has really invested in state-ofthe-art equipment and for incoming students interested in practical learning, a degree in Design at ATU Donegal offers incredible opportunities.”

If you would like to find out more about the BA (Hons) in Design (Common), visit www.atu.ie/AU330

This year’s showcase took place on the Letterkenny campus and was a landmark event as it was the first time in over two years that graduates, staff, employers and guests came together in-person to celebrate the achievements and successful completion of the Design & Creative Media academic year. Guests attending the showcase experienced striking displays of original fashion collections created by final year students of Fashion with Promotion, with these collections focusing on sustainable fashion and circular design.

The final year Graphic & User Experience (UX) Design students exhibited their diverse body of works encompassing a broad range of multidisciplinary design projects from visual identity, app design, writing/messaging, design for print, motion graphics, website design, illustration, icon design and design for social media.

The showcase opened with a fashion catwalk followed by a "Pop-Up" cinema, where the final work of Animation and Film students was screened.

It was a wonderful event celebrating the creativity and innovation of the students.

From Placement to Permanent, Jacob’s Time at Hen’s Teeth

Hen’s Teeth Gallery, Café and Hifi Lounge is a place where great food, art, music and culture all come together. When Jacob Burrill was exploring his work placement opportunities in the BA in Graphic & Digital Design at ATU Donegal, securing a placement with Hen’s Teeth provided him with an opportunity to develop his practical skills in graphic design.

Having undertaken many graphic design modules during his time on the BA programme, he explored his skills in typography, UX and UI design, and web design, all modules that allowed Jacob to put the theory into practice on his placement.

During his time on placement, Jacob learned how to adapt to deadlines, work with client briefs and deliver on projects for national and international brands including Guinness and Hendricks.

It was at the end of his work placement opportunity that Jacob secured a freelance role with Hen’s Teeth, which subsequently led to a full-time position in August 2022.

Jacob added, “My time at ATU readied me for this position. During my time at ATU, I worked with programmes such as Illustrator, Photoshop, and my immersive experiences in technologies such as UX and UI design helped me when I took on the placement position. While there is only so much that can be done in the classroom, placement gives you a chance to bring your theoretical experience to life. The placement in the BA in Graphic & Digital Design opened so many doors for me and I am delighted to have had this chance to progress my career through this opportunity.”

If you would like to find out more about the BA in Graphic & UX Design, visit www.atu.ie/AU233