MA/MSc

Craft

Investigate and explore contemporary craft practices whilst developing your specialist skills

Course overview

This course is at the forefront of craft making practices and is for materially engaged makers who are looking to explore craft practices across a range of materials and object types. It encourages the development of craft across specialist and multi-material making, investigating and exploring definitions of contemporary craft practice.

The programme is an opportunity to pursue a making practice that might already be located within a specific material area or object definition such as glass, ceramics, textiles or jewellery, or to develop and expand the definitions and materials of craft practice. The programme supports the exploration of genre-breaking approaches to making, to develop individual and personal methodologies and philosophies, and locate these within a deep understanding of ...

What you need to know

When does the course start?
What is the length of the course?
MA - 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time
MSc - 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time
Where will I study this course?
Manchester

Features and benefits

Course information

You will undertake core units delivered by craft making specialists, consisting of design theory and practice lectures, workshops in hand, machine and digital making, group seminars, individual tutorials, live external projects, and research study trips.

Option units facilitate innovative cross-disciplinary opportunities, supporting the development of collaborative working with students from across the wider postgraduate design community.

Each student’s programme of study is managed through personal learning plans, developed in response to their individual creative and professional ambitions. The final “Synthesis” unit determines the postgraduate award, with the MSc reflecting work that has a more technically innovative focus, and the MA for work that addresses more materially creative or culturally focussed agendas. This innovative structure provides students with the opportunity to convert their practice from BA to MSc, and vice versa.

The MA/MSc in Craft is composed of five units, totalling 180 credits.

Core modules

Design Thinking

This module introduces an applied understanding of how design can be used as an iterative process for creative problem solving. It will enable you to understand how to apply design thinking processes to your specialist area through understanding users, challenging assumptions, redefining problems and creating innovative solutions to prototype and test. The module will also provide a broad introduction to research methodologies, strategic research planning and research design. A range of design thinking tools will be introduced and explored before you undertake an in-depth project that provides opportunities for experimentation leading to innovative solutions.

Researching, Mapping and Locating

This module will enable you to gain an understanding of design practices, perspectives and contexts. You will establish a substantive individual position for personal practice within the expanded field of design. During the module you will work towards the production of a project proposal which will determine the ongoing research, mapping and locating of your position within contemporary design practice.

Colour, Material & Finish

This module will enable you to explore the language of material making, process and enquiry. Briefs will stimulate you to generate a range of practice-based responses to questions of context, concept, making, manufacturing, materiality, visual language and sustainability.

Synthesis Project: Craft (MA)

The final Synthesis MA module will support you to develop, resolve and present a significant body of work, located within a defined area of craft practice. The module accommodates opportunities for external, collaborative or international learning experiences, and enables you to undertake and submit work developed within professional placements and/or live projects.

The module synthesises the specialist craft practice which you will have developed throughout the programme. It also accommodates the opportunity to present your work in progress and to engage in interdisciplinary critiques to test ideas, gain feedback and support the development of your final body of work.

The content of your practice is negotiated with specialist craft staff and you will manage your learning via the development of a Synthesis project proposal. The module features a flexible assessment submission process which combines written and practical elements, the weighting of which being responsive and appropriate to your individual future ambitions, be they professionally or academically focussed.

Synthesis Project: Craft (MSc)

This final MSc module will support you to develop and resolve a significant body of specialist craft practice. Your learning journey will be synthesised by the presentation of an innovatively ambitious project, located within a defined area of technical, market orientated or advanced digital craft practice.

The module accommodates opportunities for external collaborative, industry based or international learning experiences and enables you to undertake and submit work developed within professional placements and/or live projects. The module features a presentation of your work in progress to test ideas, gain feedback and to engage in interdisciplinary critique to support the development of your final body of work.

Art & Design: Culture & Context (MA:X)

This module offers focussed opportunity for students to extend and enhance their practice by including working in a wider design research community. The study of the cultural and critical contexts of design practice is vital to any student of the creative disciplines, this module will develop Master’s students’ abilities to contextualise their practice through a series of themes addressing contemporary issue in design.

Study and assessment breakdown

Ten credits equates to 100 hours of study, which is a combination of lectures, seminars and practical sessions, and independent study. A masters qualification typically comprises of 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits and an MFA 300 credits. The exact composition of your study time and assessments for the course will vary according to your option choices and style of learning, but it could be:

Study

Full-time 35% lectures, seminars or similar; 0% placement; 65% independent study
Part-time 35% lectures, seminars or similar; 0% placement; 65% independent study

Assessment

Full-time 100% coursework; 0% practical; 0% examination
Part-time 100% coursework; 0% practical; 0% examination

Meet us

Whether you've already made your decision about what you want to study, or you're just considering whether postgraduate study is right for you, there are lots of ways you can meet us and find out more about postgraduate student life at Manchester Met.

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Taught by experts

Your studies are supported by a department of committed and enthusiastic teachers and researchers, experts in their chosen field.

We often link up with external professionals too, helping to enhance your learning and build valuable connections to the working world.

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Entry requirements

These typical entry requirements may be subject to change for the 2025/26 academic year. Please check back for further details.

You will normally have a minimum 2:2 UK undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) in a related subject and must submit a portfolio. We may request an interview as part of the application process, which can be in person or online.

Overseas applicants will require IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 and no less than 5.5 in any category, or an equivalent accepted English qualification.

Fees and funding

UK and Channel Island students

Full-time fee: £12,000 per year. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).

Part-time fee: £2000 per 30 credits studied. The fee per credit will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (eg no repeat years or breaks in study). The total amount you pay each year may differ based on the number of credits studied.

EU and Non-EU International students

Full-time fee: £22,000 per year. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).

Part-time fee: £3667 per 30 credits studied. The fee per credit will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (eg no repeat years or breaks in study). The total amount you pay each year may differ based on the number of credits studied.

Additional information

A masters qualification typically comprises 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits, and an MFA 300 credits. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of study provided the course is completed in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).

Additional costs

All of the books required for the course are available from the library. The University also has PC labs and a laptop loan service. However, many students choose to buy some of the core textbooks for the course and/or a laptop. Students may also need to print their assignments and other documents. Campus printing costs start from 5p per page. Estimated costs are £300 for a laptop up to £100 for books and printing. Total optional cost: £400

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Career prospects

We cultivate highly motivated, independent and creative thinkers who can transfer their skills into the creative marketplace, as entrepreneurial innovators, freelance practitioners and innovative team players. Past graduates predominantly achieve graduate-level positions or practise as sole traders, design studio artists, exhibiting artists, museum curators, archivists, researchers, academics, community practitioners, specialist technicians and filmmakers at national and international levels.

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How to apply

Please contact our course enquiries team.

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You can review our current terms and conditions before you make your application. If you are successful with your application, we will send you up to date information alongside your offer letter.

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Our programmes undergo an annual review and major review (normally at 6 year intervals) to ensure an up-to-date curriculum supported by the latest online learning technology. For further information on when we may make changes to our programmes, please see the changes section of our terms and conditions.

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This online prospectus provides an overview of our programmes of study and the University. We regularly update our online prospectus so that our published course information is accurate. Please check back to the online prospectus before making an application to us to access the most up to date information for your chosen course of study.

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