Program Overview

Jewellery and Silversmithing - Design for Industry (Level 6 | Top-up) - BA (Hons)

Overview

If you want to be a designer within the contemporary jewellery industry, our Jewellery and Silversmithing – Design for Industry degree course will help you succeed. Focusing on new technology but building on existing traditional skills, you’ll receive the support, facilities and expertise to enhance your jewellery design potential.

Our graduates are highly successful and go on to work in design and production roles for local and international businesses, as well as setting up their own successful companies.

What's covered in this course?

This leading design course is a one-year top-up, shaping contemporary designers for the jewellery and silversmithing industry. Emphasising new technology, it builds on existing traditional skills to enhance your potential.

Whether you want to work as a designer within a company or as a creative entrepreneur, our dedicated staff will help you develop a successful career.

Live projects give you a chance to test your skills and creativity, and exhibit work with the chance to be awarded student prizes. You will create several products throughout the course to develop your portfolio.

You’ll use the latest CAD software packages and work towards a project to design, develop and launch a new product range.

Visits to trade fairs, exhibitions and companies give you an understanding of commercial manufacturing environments and help you decide which aspect of the jewellery trade you want to work in.

Our students benefit from outstanding industry links and you’ll also have the chance to enter awards and competitions to help you get noticed.

You’ll study at our internationally-renowned School of Jewellery, in the heart of Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter where much of today’s jewellery is still made. 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?

• BA (Hons) Jewellery and Silversmithing students won awards at the Goldsmiths Craft and Design Awards, and Jewellery at BCU won the College Trophy.
• 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.
• You’ll have access to industry standard studio workshops with laser cutting, marking and welding, and a dedicated CAD facility with relevant CAD software.
• Sponsorship, support and strong collaborative links with industry will help you to develop an entrepreneurial outlook and an insight into the professional world.
• We have an excellent reputation for highly employable, creative graduates with an in-depth understanding of the latest technology and the manufacturing industry.
• Our Technology Hub offers expertise in a range of industry-related techniques, including CAD and manufacturing, rapid prototyping, surface finishing, reverse engineering and project management.

Entry Requirements

Essential requirements

• 240 credits equivalent following the study of a relevant and compatible course at levels 4 and 5, or HND, Foundation Degree, DipHE (or equivalent).
• Diploma in Higher Education (DipHE): Students will be required to have successfully completed both Level 4 and Level 5 in an relevant and compatible course and achieved 240 credits.
• Foundation Degree (Level 5): Students will be required to have successfully completed a relevant and compatible course (e.g., FdA in Jewellery and Silversmithing) and achieved 240 credits.
• Higher National Diploma (HND): Students will be required to have successfully completed a relevant and compatible course and achieved 240 credits.

Applicants will also need to submit a good portfolio. Applicants that meet the essential entry requirements must complete a successful interview in order to receive an offer.

If you are an EU/international student or are transferring from another course or university, please see Further information below.

GCSE and other level 2 requirements

This course does not require evidence of GCSE qualifications. Please see 'Essential requirements' above.

Mature students

Applications from mature students (21+) with alternative qualifications and/or considerable work experience will be considered on their merits.

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.

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: BA (Hons)
• Starting: Sep 2026
• Mode: Full Time
• Duration: 1 year
• Fees: £9,535 in 2026/27

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: BA (Hons)
• Starting: Sep 2026
• Mode: Full Time
• Duration: 1 year
• Fees: £18,970 in 2026/27

Course in Depth

Year one

• In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
  • Advanced Digital Technologies 20 credits
  • Design for Production 40 credits
  • Graduate Entrepreneurship 20 credits
  • Major Project 40 credits

Employability

Enhancing employability skills

• The course has an excellent reputation for highly employable graduates with an in-depth understanding of the latest technology and the manufacturing industry.
• Many of our graduates are employed in a variety of roles across the industry, from jewellers, stone setters, retailers, CAD designers, casting production and managers.
• Our graduates are working for companies such as Deakin and Francis, Asprey’s, Bespoke Quarter, Vipa Designs, Weston Beamor, Centre Jewellery, Cooksongold, Royal Mint, Jewelcast, Charles Green, Hockley Mint, amongst others, or have chosen to start their own business, Like Kirsty Bridgwater, Jack Row, Andrew Cowley (Bespoke Quarter) and Lucy Walker.

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.
• 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.