The Menu Icon Showcase Strength The Links Icon
Search

Kingston School of Art

Design School

College

Channels and Networks

Kingston School of Art

Students from Kingston School of Art’s Department of Graphic Design have won 33 international competitions in the last three years: including RSA, Creative Conscience Awards, ISTD and D&AD. The success of Graphic Design BA(Hons) students is built on firm grounding in the subject which enables the development of a wide range of design practice. This is underpinned by critical and historical investigation. Communication Design: Graphic Design MA encourages the exploration and understanding of the methods and processes at work in contemporary visual communication. It focuses on individual research and inquiry and helps students better understand the significance of the wider cultural role of the visual designer.

The Department of Illustration Animation develops student’s skills in observation, thinking and making. The Illustration Animation BA(Hons) at Kingston combines narrative and time-based subjects to give the undergraduate complete creative freedom to engage in visual thinking, expression and communication. Communication Design: Illustration MA aims to develop creative professional understanding of Illustration in the context of communication design. Our illustration animation graduates become illustrators, animators, art directors, producers, set designers, game developers, curators, critical writers and artists. They are regularly featured in UK and international awards: It's Nice That for their Graduate showcase, finalists in D&AD yellow pencil awards, three in Adobe Creative Conscience Awards, Penguin Design Award, Royal Television Society Awards and one undergraduate film shortlisted for BAFTA animation award.

Courses within the Department of Fashion are highly regarded both nationally and internationally and are known for preparing students for substantial roles within the global fashion industry. The ethos of the programmes is to foster creative methods of design through individual approaches, craftsmanship and responsible practices. The Fashion courses collaborate closely with industry, engaging in’ live’ projects with the expectation of professional outcomes. At both Undergraduate and Postgraduate level students have the opportunity to undertaken yearlong industry placements, with many students working for prestigious international fashion brands. The Fashion BA(Hons)  course builds knowledge and skills through workshops, professional design processes and creative thinking, alongside a critical understanding of the nature of the fashion industry and the wider social and cultural environment that it inhabits. Ultimately students graduate with a body of work that represents their individual strengths and are prepared fully for a career in Fashion or to engage with further study. Fashion MA focusses on locating student’s previous practice, whilst further developing their individual design narratives to address the contemporary culture of fashion, and inform forward thinking, contextualised design solutions. Students produce a body of work that challenges existing responses to fashion and are driven by individual ambitions, approaches and career directions. All fashion courses are delivered by practicing designers and practice-based academics who push their students to be creative, unique, passionate and committed all requirements for a future career in an exciting global industry.

All courses within the Department of 3D collaboration closely with industry, benefitting from public and commercial partnerships that enable students to respond to opportunities and challenges in our rapidly changing world. Product & Furniture Design BA(Hons) is a course offering a unique blend of creative thinking and expert making. It’s delivered by practicing designers and practice-based academics who push their students to develop new products and services to reflect our contemporary living. Interior Design BA(Hons) provides a creative environment for students and staff to rethink our constructed world; speculating how it can become more habitable, meaningful and sustainable. This course investigates the existing, interrogates a problem, playfully speculates solutions, tells stories, creates desires and brings designs to an innovative material and spatial resolution. Sustainable Design MA focuses on the value of design as a vehicle for addressing interacting social and ecological challenges, wherever these are found. It takes designers of all disciplines and backgrounds, and works to raise their levels of sustainability literacy so they can direct their practice towards explicitly pro-sustainability outcomes. Product & Furniture Design MA challenges the perception and role of the designer. It asks students from varied disciplines to redefine product and furniture design and a personal approach, led by experienced lecturers who are designers as well as educators.

The Graduate Diploma in Creative Practice is a stand-alone, credit-bearing, one-year pre-masters course designed to prepare students for further study on one of our practice-based master’s courses. This year students took one of the following pathways: Fashion, illustration, Graphic Design, 3D design or Landscape and Urbanism. Ideal for those who already have a BA degree in a design related discipline and wish to progress onto one of MA courses.

The Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD) is an international partner of Kingston School of Art, with graduates from undergraduate courses in Communication Design, Interior Architecture Design and Fashion Design. IIAD courses are validated by Kingston University.

Lists