1. Demonstrate foundational knowledge, concepts, and skills within making and prototyping within Product, Furniture, Ceramics. Knowledge & Understanding.

2. Apply technical and creative methods to produce a coherent portfolio of work for Product, Furniture, Ceramics. Application & Problem Solving. Digital literacy

3. Solve simulated creative or industry-informed problems using appropriate methods and processes for Product, Furniture, Ceramics, working independently while engaging with relevant professional, technical, or academic feedback. Critical Reasoning & Collaboration

4. Reflect on your technical, creative, and professional development to enable your future development. Reflection. Personal Development & Entrepreneurship.

Assessment 1: Creative Portfolio (2D & 3D)
Creative portfolio of project work and professional development. Typically including:
- Range of physical 3D outputs that demonstrate material investigation
- Technical logbook of processes acquired
- Evidence of sampling and experimentations and engagement with feedback.

Assessment 2: Reflective Report
Option 1: Written reflection with supporting visuals – word count 1200
Option 2: Audio recording with image folder – 5-6 mins
Option 3: Video reflection with supporting visuals – 5-6 mins

You will produce a reflective commentary, submitted either as a written reflection or a verbal audio reflection, typically in the form of a technical and creative logbook, documenting creative process and technical skills development.

Formative Assessment:
Midway formative feedback will be embedded within practical sessions, providing structured opportunities for feedback on work-in-progress to support student development and progression.

You will undertake practical skillsets that explore a range of process methods across a variety of materials that will develop your practical understanding and technical skill in becoming a more informed designer or maker.

Like most processes, great practice is required to make objects successfully in any material and so you are encouraged to develop your expertise throughout the module by experimenting and making outputs that demonstrate the skills and processes that you have learned.

The emphasis of this module will be on experimentation and precision followed by skill. A feel for these core materials will be gained through practice and a ‘learn by doing’ approach. You will be shown a variety of processes in a series of studio and workshop demonstrations, and you will be expected to use your independent study time to explore these processes fully and fulfil a series of tasks.

Once you have gained skill, you must develop your expertise producing examples of the skills and processes learned that focuses on Form, Surface, Placement, Connectivity and Precision. Your outputs will demonstrate your skills and approaches learned through each material rotation, pushing the boundaries and challenging your knowledge and understanding.

During your first workshop-based module you will be introduced to a range of core materials and processes in wood, ceramics and composites. We will underpin your learning experience through a selection of approaches in physical practice, enabling you to use the extensive workshop facilities independently but also gaining the essentials for high levels of craftsmanship. Your skills learned in this module will form the grounding to your exciting future creative career.

Learning strategies for this module will be in the form of:
- Technical Instructions (TI’s), technical demonstrations and workshop practice enabling you to handle equipment, processes and materials safely and effectively and to a high standard.
- Participate in tutorials (individual and group) where you present your work in progress in order to receive constructive criticism.
- Practice-based learning is delivered across a variety of materials as appropriate, including technical instruction and demonstrations. Workshop practice will enable you to handle equipment, processes and materials safely and effectively. This forms your Material Exploration body of work for assessment.
- Independent study - where you will engage in independent activities to put into practice what you have learned, improvement of technical skills and the execution of practical outcomes for assessment. Independent study will help you take responsibility for managing your own project work, solving design problems, and developing ideas within production constraints.

Bullar, J. (2013) The complete guide to joint-making. Marlborough: GMC Publications.

Creswell Bell, A. (2017) Clay: Contemporary ceramic artisans. London: Thames & Hudson.

Kapsali, V. (2021) Biomimetics for designers. London: Thames & Hudson.

Lefteri, C. (2017) Making it: Manufacturing techniques for product design. London: Laurence King Publishing.
Thompson, R. (2017) Materials sourcebook for design professionals. London: Thames & Hudson.

Where older texts are included, they are retained as foundational texts within the discipline, remaining relevant where no more recent equivalent texts are available.

In addition to the suggested reading list below, you should determine your own extended reading list appropriate to your discipline and work.

Your extended reading list should include websites, journals, magazines and newspaper articles, as well as texts relating to your appropriate discipline and the wider creative industries.

- Student Life: https://www.youtube.com/@uniofstaffsstudentlife/videos
- University Careers: https://staffs.careercentre.me/Members
- University Library: https://libguides.staffs.ac.uk/library
- Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment will support this module where relevant
- Specialist Spaces and Workshops
- Smart Zone
- CAD Labs
- Print Bureau
- Betty Smithers Design collection