Program Overview

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Jewellery and Related Products - MA

Overview

Our postgraduate degree in Jewellery and Related Products is a highly respected, innovative course, which develops your creative potential and in-depth knowledge of theories, processes and techniques. Students on our course demonstrate understanding, and a critical awareness of current issues and/or new insights.

What's covered in this course?

The focus of this course is very much on developing your entrepreneurial spirit and helping you become the designer you want to be.

You will use a variety of materials, manufacturing techniques and processes.

The scope for design is very broad and builds on knowledge in the area of personal ornaments, body signification and decorative metal objects.

There are affinities with industrial design, fashion design, fine art and sculpture and content is often informed by philosophy, conceptualisation and critical theory.

Project-based activities will develop creative, design and making skills and enhance your professional skills. You will develop concepts and products, analyse problems and reflect on the relationships between personal objectives, cultural values, market identities, prototyping techniques and new technologies.

You will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to your own research and advanced creative activity, alongside exhibiting originality in the application of knowledge.

You will demonstrate your practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in our discipline and create innovative new designs in jewellery and related products.

The course is based at our internationally renowned School of Jewellery, in the heart of Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter. The historical facade of our Vittoria Street building conceals a contemporary environment including workshops, a specialist library, an atrium gallery and exhibition space.

Why Choose Us?

• Founded in 1890, our internationally-renowned School of Jewellery is the largest in Europe, located in the heart of Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter. An estimated 40 per cent of British jewellery is still made there today and you’ll gain contacts, inspiration and experience.
• Staff are experts in their field and support award-winning students through their chosen course and into professional life.
• The broad scope of design potential gives you the freedom to be creative and develop your own unique style.
• We have an excellent reputation for highly employable, creative graduates and professional outstanding links with industry to help you develop your career.
• Our staff expertise includes a very wide range of industry-related techniques, including CAD and manufacturing, rapid prototyping, surface finishing, reverse engineering, creative project management and the curation of exhibitions.

World Craft City

Birmingham has been officially named a World Craft City by the World Craft Council, spotlighting our prestigious School of Jewellery and Jewellery Quarter as global leaders in craftsmanship, creativity, and innovation. As one of only eight European cities with this title, Birmingham now stands as a hub for heritage and cutting-edge jewellery design—attracting international talent, partnerships, and investment while reinforcing its status as a powerhouse of the global craft and creative economy.

Students shine at 'Jewellery Oscars'

Students, graduates and artists in residence at the School of Jewellery picked up multiple accolades at the annual Craftsmanship and Design Awards, known as the ‘Jewellery Oscars'. Five students, four graduates and two artists in residence at the School of Jewellery excelled in these two categories to scoop Bronze, Silver and Gold awards.

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. Applicants with degrees in other subjects are required to provide evidence of advanced creative practice.

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.

Applicants will also need to submit a good portfolio.

Applying with international qualifications

Applications from international applicants with equivalent qualifications are welcome. Please see below for further information.

International qualifications

Please see our international pages for further details of the entry requirements for our courses and information relevant to applicants from your country.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in each band, or equivalent. See details of accepted qualifications.

If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

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. View fees for continuing students.

Award: MA

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. View fees for continuing students.

Award: MA

Starting: Sep 2025

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

Included in your course fees

• Access to computer equipment
• Printing
• Field trips
• Access to Microsoft Office 365
• Key software
• Key subscriptions
• Free Adobe Creative Cloud licence
• Free student copy of Solidworks CAD Package
• Specialist equipment
• Uniform

Not included in your course fees

• Project materials (mandatory)
• Clothing and safety equipment (mandatory)
• Media consumable items (mandatory)
• Specialist equipment (mandatory)
• Excess printing (optional)
• Personal stationery and study materials (optional)
• Field trips (optional)
• Gallery visits (optional)
• Books (optional)
• Personal equipment (optional)
• Trade service costs (optional)
• Accommodation and living costs (optional)

Course in Depth

Modules

• Practice as Research (40 credits)
• Understanding Context (20 credits)
• Creative Exploration (40 credits)
• Major Project (60 credits)
• Specialist Research Enquiry (20 credits)
• Work Placement (20 credits)

Download course specification

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The course is delivered through a variety of formats including: self-directed studio time, e-learning, formal lectures, tutorials and workshop activities. Staff contact and group work will enable the free exchange of knowledge and experience through discussion and practical exercises.

Alongside a staff team of professional, practising artists and designers, you will also engage with professional practitioners who are Artists In Residence, study visits and other live projects. The School can offer support through a variety of interdisciplinary methodologies and techniques through its specialist staff and technical support team. Practice-led, knowledge-based learning enables key skill based competencies to be individually developed, building in complexity throughout the duration of the course.

You will then apply the skills you learn to the development of your own self-directed and self-motivated design project. The project will allow you to explore and appreciate the potential of your design abilities, and your emerging knowledge and understanding in a professional context, while building a portfolio of work which will reflect a high level of professional accomplishment and leadership in the field.

You are supported to work individually, and in group settings, to develop interpersonal communication and collaborative skills. You will continue to develop your reflective practice which helps to develop self-confidence and the responsible and methodical approaches required by the industry, the art and design ‘world’ and other culture of entrepreneurship.

Employability

Enhancing your employability skills

Our course philosophy encourages your individual enquiry and innovation. Modules are structured to enable progressive identification of assessable outcomes throughout, and require research based engagement with creative practice to enable you to make choices, solve problems and define your individual direction. This practice progressively leads to ownership, independence and employability. We incorporate activities, which involve you as active learner.

We embrace a high, professional level of excellence appropriate to the industry and area of focus for each student. Excellence is demonstrated in artistic integrity, a self-directed and ambitious design project at Master of Art level. Professional practice and employability skills are demonstrated in team projects and by accessing external audience appreciation. In all of our activities we celebrate and foster innovation and entrepreneurial enterprise in an international context.

MA Jewellery and Related Products graduate outcomes are of high profile and are leading in the field, as is widely evidenced in the successes our graduates. They represent Birmingham City University’s graduate qualities of being professional and work ready, they are creative problem solvers, enterprising and have a global outlook.

Links to industry

The MA in Jewellery and Related Products course has built particularly strong links to galleries, arts agencies and professional bodies, which support the creative industries and provide relevant real world experience, support and advice.

The course is proud to have professional links which include: Craftspace Birmingham, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), Midland’s Art Centre (mac), Jewellery Quarter Museum, British Crafts Council, AXIS, The South Square Trust, Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, Handwerkskammer Munich, Germany, and the international e-platforms and web-hubs: Klimt04 (Spain), Kitandcaboodle (Germany), Crafthaus (USA), Art Jewelry Forum (USA).

Graduate stories

Drew Markou is a self-employed artist and jewellery designer-maker whose work is exhibited internationally. Since graduating, Drew has gone on to wow crowds at the RHS BBC Gardeners' World Live show, where his design was named 'Most Creative Small Garden', winning a Silver Gilt award.

He said: “For me my MA was a milestone in achieving a higher level of education and thinking about the way in which I work. It was vital for me to gain a greater understanding about my own art and design work as well as a greater understanding of the context and industries in which it fitted.”

Lucy Harvey completed a commission for the National Glass Centre in collaboration with recycling company, Nulife Glass. The work explored the alchemical processes used by Nulife in separating lead and glass from cathode ray tubes found inside old TVs.

She has showcased her artefacts and jewellery collection at various exhibitions and fairs.

Farrah Al-Dujaili is a British Art Jeweller. She set up her own workshop to continue her practice. Her work has been exhibited internationally in shows including ‘Talente’ and ’25 Years of Galerie Louise Smit’. Farrah was also the recipient of the Art Jewelry Forum ‘Emerging Artist’ award and subsequently had her work exhibited at SOFA New York in 2012.

Facilities & Staff

Our Facilities

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.

An extensive refurbishment programme integrated the Victorian Gothic building of 1863 with the adjacent 1912 extension and a site further down the road. The architects’ success in doing so resulted in awards from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Civic Trust.

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. The School’s main computer suite includes CAD design software and Adobe Creative Suite, and you’ll have access to a specialist library.

Our staff

Dr Sian Hindle

Senior Lecturer in the History of Jewellery

Sian Hindle is a Senior Lecturer in the History of Jewellery. Her research interests centre on jewellery as an element of dress, and she holds a PhD exploring how jewellery’s wear and use can contribute to the formation of individual and collective identities. The thesis sits at the intersection of a number of disciplines, and draws on scholarship...

More about Sian

Rebecca Steiner

Senior Lecturer

Rebecca Steiner is an award-winning goldsmith whose work has been exhibited across the UK and Europe. Her research interests include crafts education, professional development for practitioners and the wider benefits of crafts practice in relation to personal autonomy, agency and wellbeing.

More about Rebecca

Bridie Lander

Academic Lead for Jewellery, Senior Lecturer

Bridie is an experienced jewellery designer/maker and lecturer. She spent several years as an artist and academic in Australia where latterly she was Coordinator of the Jewellery and Object Studio at Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney. Some of her work was recently included in a group exhibition, “Transplantation: British and...

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Iona McCuaig

Course Director, Lecturer

Iona McCuaig is a jeweller, artist, researcher and educator. Her work explores the themes of narrative, value and materiality through object making. Historical references are strongly embedded in her practice and are playfully juxtaposed with contemporary observations. This results in a re-appropriation of history, allowing for a commentary of...

More about Iona