This document describes a textile design award unit focused on experimentation and specialization. The unit aims to extend students' subject knowledge and challenge their design practice through workshops on materials, patterns, digital craft, markets and audiences. Students will independently develop a body of work related to the workshop themes. Assessment includes a learning agreement, portfolio of studio work documenting the project process, and reflective journal applying research findings. Learning outcomes involve identifying concepts and applying them professionally, employing appropriate methods and materials, examining complex problems and solutions, and demonstrating understanding of professional practice in the field.

1. Course: MA Textile Design
Unit 4: Award Specific Unit
Title: Experimentation and Specialism

2. This Award Specific Unit provides the opportunity to
extend your subject knowledge through specialist
practice and experimentation. You will be expected to
examine the boundaries of your own design practice
and consider how they may be pushed or challenged
through experimentation and innovation. The
workshops in this unit will invite you to extend your
practice through the presentation of weekly textile
design considerations. Examples of workshops and
lectures you will engage with are: Materials
Experimentation, Pattern and Repeat, Digital Craft,
Market and Audience. Each workshop will require
preparation and research during the preceding week.
Alongside the taught sessions you will develop a body
of work through an independent project. You will need
to consider the theme of you project carefully at the
outset of the unit and use the workshop sessions to
consider how your own work relates to the theme of
the session.

3. This Award Specific Unit provides the opportunity to
extend your subject knowledge through specialist
practice and experimentation. You will be expected to
examine the boundaries of your own design practice
and consider how they may be pushed or challenged
through experimentation and innovation. The
workshops in this unit will invite you to extend your
practice through the presentation of weekly textile
design considerations. Examples of workshops and
lectures you will engage with are: Materials
Experimentation, Pattern and Repeat, Digital Craft,
Market and Audience. Each workshop will require
preparation and research during the preceding week.
Alongside the taught sessions you will develop a body
of work through an independent project. You will need
to consider the theme of you project carefully at the
outset of the unit and use the workshop sessions to
consider how your own work relates to the theme of
the session.

4. opportunity to extend your subject knowledge through
practice and experimentation.
examine the boundaries of your own design practice
consider how they may be pushed or challenged through
experimentation and innovation.
e workshops in this unit
alongside the taught sessions you will develop a body of
work
consider the theme of you project
use the workshop sessions your own work relates to the
theme of the session.

5. Assessment Requirements:
• At the end of this unit you will need to submit
• a) A completed Learning Agreement (that proposes the
content, intent and context for your work).
• b) A body of studio work (including all supporting evidence
of study, which includes final outcomes, prototypes,
developmental work and a professional portfolio that
critically informs and challenges design).
• c) A reflective journal (which clearly documents your
project and effectively applies your research findings
relevant to your practice in this unit).

6. LO1:
Identify and apply concepts and We will be looking for breadth and depth
principles associated with your in your experimentation with concepts,
subject to a range of professional issues, materials and processes. We will
contexts and environments. be looking for resolution of ideas into
final outcomes.

7. LO2:
Employ appropriate methods, We will be looking for an investigative
processes and materials to produce approach and evidence of your decision
experimental and finished work making in developing and realising
relevant to current practice in your concepts towards viable solutions in your
area. reflective journal and supporting
documentation.

8. LO3:
Examine complex problems in your We will be looking for a sustained and
area of study and articulate a range of rigorous approach to completing your
solutions. Learning Agreement and reflective journal
that shows development, reflection and
understanding of working at postgraduate
level.

9. LO4:
Evidence your understanding of We will be looking for evidence of an
professional practice and the creative understanding of contemporary industry
industries relevant to your subject and design practices and how they are
area. reflected in your own work

13. so
what do you want to do?