A strong emphasis is placed on drawing and painting throughout the course, which offers students the opportunity of working in the areas of knitted, printed and woven textiles. Involvement with the fashion and embroidery courses exists via joint projects and the negotiated study scheme. The creative and practical aspects of the course are supported by a series of textiles history lectures at Level 1 and students are introduced to the wider horizons of art and design through an art history lecture and seminar programme at Levels 1 and 2. Studio projects concentrating on drawing, visual research and the development of ideas, together with workshop sessions which introduce the student to the processes of dyeing, printing, weaving and knitting, form the focus of Level 1. Through core options, Level 2 students are able to pursue a specialist pathway or choose a broader course of study by combining the textile specialisms offered within the degree.
Projects are more focused, targeting specific areas of design and industry.
The final year of the course is mainly student-led. Individual programmes of study are developed by each student, and tutorial support is provided by the staff team. At Level 1 students are offered the opportunity to broaden their base of knowledge through participation in option projects. These allow textile students, if they wish, to work for a time in the embroidery or fashion areas. At Levels 2 and 3 students may, if appropriate to their development and individual needs, negotiate with their personal tutors to spend time in another specialist area available within the Faculty of Art and Design.