Program Overview

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Jewellery and Related Products - GradDip

Overview

This unique one-year Graduate Diploma is a two-semester practical course in jewellery and related products aimed at pre-Masters level study. The course gives you the opportunity to develop your portfolio, specifically in the field of contemporary jewellery, to better enable progression onto MA or other higher-level study, and Studio practice.

What's covered in this course?

During this course, you will gain knowledge and understanding of Studio practice as a designer-maker within the industry through guest talks, and location visits. You will develop your understanding of the historical and theoretical underpinnings of contemporary jewellery with regular lecture and seminar sessions throughout the course.

The course provides a significant amount of technical and studio based learning and teaching to help you gain an understanding of a range of skills, materials and techniques. You’ll be supported and encouraged to create innovative designs to a high standard of professionalism for your final body of work.

Why Choose Us?

• A unique course preparing you for Masters study.
• All graduates with distinction from the course are automatically accepted onto our MA in Jewellery and Related Products.
• Hands-on experience of technical processes.
• Ability to identify and develop your own creative practice.
• Founded in 1890, our internationally-renowned School of Jewellery is the largest in Europe, located in the heart of Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter.

Entry Requirements

Essential requirements

Applicants are normally expected to have a minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or equivalent, in an art and design related subject.

We also welcome applications from individuals who may not satisfy the normal entry requirements, but have a high level of educational, industrial or professional experience.

Applying with international qualifications

International qualifications

EU / International students

Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In addition to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require IELTS 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in each band.

If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course.

Fees & How to Apply

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament.

Award: GradDip

Starting: Sep 2025

• Mode: Full Time
• Duration: 1 year
• Fees: £10,000 in 2025/26

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament.

Award: GradDip

Starting: Sep 2025

• Mode: Full Time
• Duration: 1 year
• Fees: £18,600 in 2025/26

Course in Depth

Modules

• Contemporary Studio Practice 40 credits
• Contextual Studies 20 credits
• Studio Project 40 credits
• Graduate Practice 20 credits

Employability

Jewellery graduates from Birmingham City University are highly employable and are familiar with the latest industry skills and techniques.

You’ll have the knowledge and skill to work with the materials, processes and techniques to create innovative 2D and 3D design.

The course will have enabled you to demonstrate independent thinking and the ability to prepare and realise a successful self-initiated project.

You’ll have a collection of work, completed to a high standard of professionalism, which shows your creative identity.

You’ll also develop a range of transferable skills, such as how to communicate ideas and solve problems, as well as developing negotiation and planning skills.

Facilities & Staff

The School of Jewellery at Vittoria Street is inspirational and functional. A blend of traditional historic and cutting-edge contemporary, it is light, spacious and extremely well-resourced.

You’ll have access to industry standard equipment, studio workshops with specialist tools and a shared machine workshop with a wide range of powered equipment, a casting facility and an electroplating laboratory.

Beaulagh Brooks

Course Director, Senior Lecturer

A highly experienced Educator, Academic, Manager and Designer-Maker, with a passion for Teaching & Learning focusing on the Creative Industries and Applied Arts. Beaulagh is especially interested in Studio Practice and developing students employability and Graduate enterprise skills, alongside creative research and practice.