Course Profile: MA in history of design and the applied arts

Course Profile:

MA in history of design and the applied arts

Institution:

National College of Art and Design

How long has the course been running?

It's new for autumn 2001

Why has it been introduced? The NCAD wants to generate more research in the history of design. Currently, there's no taught postgraduate course in design history available in the State. If people haven't done an undergraduate degree in the area, it is difficult to do research. "They don't have the vocabulary of design history," explains course co-ordinator Dr Nicola Gordon Bowe. "We want to provide people with a methodology; to train them how to look at things and how to consider them."

Course duration:

2 years, part time

How many people admitted to the course:

Entry requirements:

A good undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification, which will be assessed by an academic panel. Good writing skills are vital, Gordon Bowe says. "We will interview applicants. We are looking for commitment and a real love of research. This course involves a lot of reading."

Who is likely to take the course?

"Some people will do it simply out of interest," says Gordon Bowe. "Others may be architects, teachers, librarians, archivists, people wanting to work in restoration or in museums."

Course content:

In first year, lectures, seminars and visits are arranged for one day per week. Students study the taste and culture of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries via bookbinding, furniture, plasterwork, jewellery, costume, textiles, ceramics and miniature painting. In second year, students concentrate on their theses.

Cost:

£1,500 per annum

Contact:

Dr Nicola Gordon Bowe. Tel: (01) 636 4344