Character Design and Development

MA Character Design and Development*

The ability to be able to design and develop new and innovative characters is highly valued within the creative industries. All sorts of products and services are marketed and advertised in this way at this time. Study the MA Character Design and you can explore the potential of character development for a wide range of commercial and artistic possibilities. You will look at designing and developing characters with a variety of media, including exploring potential in print, interactive and 3D formats. The course will guide you through knowledge discovery, taking in discussion and debate about current theories. You’ll also be encouraged to review the culture and theoretical issues related to character design.

More and more opportunities are emerging for character development in interactive, 3D and print media. So there is a growing need for character design that takes account of theoretical and critical debates about the relationship between an audience and a character. The course investigates the key area of the aesthetic, psychological and cultural requirements of a target audience. The course is studio-based and you’ll have good access to a range of specialist equipment covering a variety of media and techniques.

The Masters degree is focused on the design of characters, but there are also opportunities to work in collaboration with students from other disciplines. Partner students could come from the School of Art & Design or any of the University’s related creative programmes.

Special features

The School has great links with other design and media schools and universities throughout the world. These provide opportunities for potential study visits and student exchange. These partnerships include Domus Academy, Milan/Rome; Academy Italiana, Florence/Rome; The Academy of Art & Design in Sofia; ICAT, Chennai, India and Renmin University, Beijing, China.

Career opportunities

The opportunities for students at the end of the course are very good. 92% of all our graduates and postgraduates were in work related to their degree within 12 months of graduating.

We aim to ensure that North Wales School of Art & Design graduates have a portfolio of work and a range of skills which not only helps them to get a job within the design and media industry, but also helps them to further their careers and work within a range of job scenarios. We consider it very important that students are able to work internationally.

Course content

Your specialist studies are at the heart of this course. Alongside tutorial support, we provide modules in research methodologies and practice to help you find and develop ideas and themes. You will have opportunities to collaborate and work with students from other disciplines; this can also be a commercial project.

You will undertake a dissertation and masters presentation. Character design students usually take this opportunity to produce an animated film.

Assessment

Your module assignments will make up your assessment. Therefore you will submit from a range of work, such as: proposals, concepts, sketchbooks, drawings, paintings, design, layouts, models, moving image and computer work. You will also be expected to submit a range of files on your research. Assessments usually take the form of interactive group seminars reviewed by course staff.

Entry requirements

You must have an honours degree in a relevant subject. If you wish to enter the course at points other than the beginning of the programme by carrying existing masters level credits, exemptions from the early stage of the course will be considered.

Course length

Full time: 1 year
Part time: 2-3 years

* This course is awaiting validation