Postgraduate Arts courses at UCS
UCS is a modern approach to learning with centres in Bury St Edmunds, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, and Otley, and a large campus development in Ipswich. The UCS network of learning centres focuses on accessibility, community, enterprise and innovation. UCS is academically strong, offering modern flexible modes of learning and innovative courses to meet both student and employer needs. Its courses are jointly validated by the Universities of East Anglia and Essex and employability is at the core of all its programmes.
Ipswich Campus Waterfront Building The Waterfront building, located in the heart of the bustling Ipswich Waterfront, opened in 2008 and was the first dedicated teaching, learning and social space for UCS. The building has six floors, two main lecture theatres each seating 140 people and 34 teaching rooms seating between 18 and 80 people.
Campus North Campus North is positioned close to the Waterfront building, and houses the library and specialised arts and humanities facilities, including performance studios, dark rooms for photography students, art studios, graphic design suites and exhibition space.
“ UCS is committed to continually developing collaborative working relationships with the business and health and social care communities across the region to ensure it plays an active role in the growing economic success of East Anglia.�
University Quay University Quay is located on the Ipswich Waterfront, a short walk from the landmark Waterfront building. University Quay combines teaching, social and living space, allowing students to experience a campus environment, with the convenience of being located in the centre of a bustling town. Athena Hall is the first dedicated student accommodation at the Ipswich Campus, located on University Quay. All rooms at Athena Hall are ensuite and offer broadband, as well as offering an on site launderette and social space.
Postgraduate courses are offered in the following areas of study: • Arts • Business and Management • Clinical Practice
Postgraduate and Continuing Professional Development courses at UCS UCS offers a range of postgraduate opportunities including Masters degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates, along with Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses. CPD opportunities are available in various forms from planned one day events on a specific topic to the delivery of tailored CPD courses in the work place by an expert team. Postgraduate and CPD courses allow students to continue their studies further, continuing their personal development as well as gaining a formal qualification. UCS is committed to continually developing collaborative working relationships with the business and health and social care communities across the region to ensure it plays an active role in the growing economic success of East Anglia. Employers play an important role in the development of new and existing courses. From ensuring that employers have the skills they need in their existing employees and in their future recruits, to developing skills across the wider community, it is important that UCS builds lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with business. UCS welcomes contact from the business and employer community to discuss the provision of CPD courses. CPD courses can be developed in conjunction with employers to suit their specific needs, for further details please contact the Business Development team on 01473 338629.
• Health and Social Care • Post-experience Health and Social Care • Teaching
Resources Each of the UCS centres provides up-to-date technology to ensure studying is as easy as possible for all students. Common facilities include Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Access), access to the internet and the UCS Virtual Learning Environment (Wolsey), a personal email address and account, printing and scanning facilities, and a collection of multimedia CDs. All centres have a library providing a wide range of learning resources, in paper and electronic formats. Each library holds large collections of books, journals, and audio visual resources, chosen to support the teaching and study of the courses on offer at each location.
Research UCS has areas of established research expertise and a growing portfolio of high value partnerships with commercial agencies and its sponsoring universities, the Universities of East Anglia and Essex. UCS’ research strategy aims to develop a series of research hubs each offering a balanced portfolio of fundamental research, applied research near to market knowledge, and technology exchange and consultancy.
Applying Applications to study for postgraduate and CPD courses should be made via the UCS website, www.ucs.ac.uk. All applicants are required to complete their details online and submit the form for processing via the website. There is no deadline for receipt of applications but in order to process all relevant information for 2010 entry, it is recommended that applicants submit their applications prior to the start of the academic year. Intake dates may vary for CPD courses, please see course pages on the UCS website for further information regarding start dates. Entry requirements for all postgraduate and CPD courses are listed on each course page on the UCS website.
Financing Your Study Fees for postgraduate study vary depending on the type of qualification a student wishes to study and the amount of time they take to complete their course. Further information relating to fees for individual courses and modules are available on the UCS website, www.ucs.ac.uk
Student Support The UCS Student Support team offers a range of information, advice and guidance services to students across the UCS Network. The team offers a free, confidential, impartial and experienced service, which meets the needs of the student community and is available to offer one to one advice and guidance. UCS offers support to those with disabilities, dyslexia, financial concerns, childcare needs, individuals requiring counselling, health and wellbeing advice, a chaplaincy service and assistance with academic study.
The central Student Support team in Ipswich can be contacted by phone on 01473 338400, or email studentsupport@ucs.ac.uk For those students requiring accommodation please visit www.ucs.ac.uk/accommodation for further details.
Postgraduate Arts courses at UCS UCS is committed to creative and artistic endeavour underpinned by the rigour of scholarship and the risks and challenges associated with innovation and inspiration. Its unique geographical location, where rural and urban landscapes meet, gives rise to new opportunities in response to environmental and technological change. Students have a range of opportunities within and beyond their chosen discipline. For example, they develop their subject specific practical and theoretical skills, which promote and enhance creativity, criticality and independence. In addition, students have the chance to collaborate with their peers, participate in interdisciplinary research projects, and undertake a range of industry, community and educational placements. Students are taught by visiting and resident professional staff who are experienced educators and who facilitate and inspire learning in a community where skills, capabilities and innovation are a priority.
Centre for Design Innovation The Centre for Design Innovation (CDI) at UCS is a dynamic environment within which postgraduate students, design professionals, academics and organisational/business partners come together to explore new ways of responding to creative challenges. By employing new media technology in design communication through image, sound, light, motion graphics, ‘live video’ and 3D modelling, the CDI can offer cutting edge solutions to meet a wide variety of stakeholder needs.
Working within the fully equipped Design Lab, the team can produce innovative responses through investigative design problem-solving approaches. The CDI is currently located in a recently refurbished centre, equipped with the latest facilities for digital design origination and presentation. The CDI recognise that technology alone does not provide creative ideas. The postgraduate students, academic team and design professionals working within, and in association with the Centre, apply the creative intellect essential to address contemporary design communication challenges. The determinants of effective design for an increasingly global and discontinuous social landscape are a subject for close analysis, featuring prominently in the ethos of the Centre.
PgCert/PgDip/MA Design Context and Practice This course is designed to provide a fertile and stimulating environment within which personal creativity and innovation may thrive. The curriculum is structured to encourage individualistic creative approaches to, and the analysis of, contemporary design. Subjects for attention may be diverse, ranging from the tangible; a virtual environment, the promotion of a product, or service, to more abstract material such as an organisational model or social ‘message’. The negotiated work undertaken within modules may be hypothetical, relate to students' work-based activity, or be designed to build upon the specialist research interests of the CDI where appropriate. This course is based upon a belief that in the context of contemporary design practice, past assumptions surrounding the role of designers, cast in subject specialism, is potentially outmoded. The designer in the 21st century may reasonably expect to draw upon the range of creative resources in design problem solving and representation afforded by new media applications. The potentiality of the integrated digital platform does not end at the level of ‘extended technology’. Rather, this environment is seen as one which expands the scope for design conceptualisation, employing image, sound, light, motion and interactivity as fundamental tools for creative thinking. The curriculum is constructed to allow students to undertake each of the three levels individually, or to make up the full Masters award. This arrangement is particularly suited to those in employment who would prefer to remain flexible in modes and level of commitment to postgraduate study.
Design Analysis - Continuing Professional Development course The purpose of this short course is to encourage students to situate themselves in terms of understanding the role of design in society today and their relationship to it. A central aim is to define and articulate personal approaches in understanding design and the process of designing. It aims to help define personal career or research ambitions, and devise strategies for meeting them. Developing an understanding of some design theories exploited in current practice, students are encouraged to re-evaluate their approach and devise alternative ideas and methodologies which extend beyond familiar patterns of working.
For further information on these courses and to apply visit www.ucs.ac.uk/cdi
Qualifications Masters degrees UCS offers a number of courses that can lead to a Masters of Arts (MA), Masters of Science (MSc) or Masters in Business Administration (MBA). These are on offer on a part-time basis over two to five years. Most include coursework, essays and the submission of a dissertation or other report of investigational work. Applicants should normally hold the equivalent of an Honours degree from a UK university, though other qualifications of similar standing will be considered.
Postgraduate Diplomas (PgDip) There is a number of different style Postgraduate Diplomas on offer at UCS. Some consist of the same modules and examinations as for a Masters degree, but without the dissertation, and can be used as credits to progress to a Masters degree. Others are offered as standalone qualifications especially developed for professionals within a particular sector and carry accreditation from professional bodies. All are taught on a part-time basis over 15 months to two years.
Postgraduate Certificates (PgCert) The Postgraduate Certificates are ideal for prospective students who wish to undertake further study but only wish to commit for a short period of time. They also provide a progression route to Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. They are also offered as standalone qualifications developed for professionals within a particular sector. All are taught on a part-time basis over nine months to two years.
Continuing Professional Development Courses (CPD) There is a wide and growing range of CPD courses and workshops on offer at UCS which provide people with the opportunity to update their skills and knowledge. In some instances individual modules may also be taken from the Masters degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates as an introduction to postgraduate study, for professional development purposes or simply out of interest. A variety of teaching methods are used including traditional classes, projects, presentations, practical and, where relevant, professional practical placements.
For more information visit:
www.ucs.ac.uk