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Jewellery and Objects with a Foundation Year - BA (Hons)

Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.

This four year undergraduate course has been specifically created to allow students who do not initially meet the entry requirements for a three year degree, to undertake additional level 3 study designed to ensure they are successful on their chosen degree....

  • Level Foundation
  • Study mode Full Time

This course is:

Open to International Students

Overview

This four year undergraduate course has been specifically created to allow students who do not initially meet the entry requirements for a three year degree, to undertake additional level 3 study designed to ensure they are successful on their chosen degree.

After successful completion of your foundation year, you will have the opportunity to switch (should you wish to change direction) onto a number of related undergraduate degree programmes within the School of Jewellery.

Experiment with materials, techniques and processes on a highly respected jewellery design degree course. You are encouraged to pursue innovation, challenge conventions and push the boundaries of the discipline.

You will develop practical skills alongside intellectual engagement and inventive thinking. Creative problem solving is a continuous thread, where a questioning attitude and experimental approach to materials, perceptions, concepts and outcomes is encouraged.

Individuality is fundamental to your creative development, personal philosophy and direction. The School is uniquely positioned in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter enabling you to be fully immersed in the industry from the first day of your studies.

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

The Foundation year of your course will introduce you to the breadth of, and the possibilities within, the industries of Jewellery, Gemmology and Horology. You will gain an understanding of some of the key principals and relevant technical terminology, and have the opportunity to develop and apply some of the basic skills whilst gaining an overview of the key industry resources.

Alongside exploring the industry specific qualities, techniques and process you will gain an understanding of the requirements and methodology for further study at HE level. You will develop enhanced directed and independent learning techniques, focusing on your critical and reflective skills.

This practical BA degree is an internationally-respected jewellery design course. It gives you the freedom to develop your own creativity by encouraging you to experiment with a variety of ideas, materials, processes and techniques.

You’ll be supported and encouraged to create innovative designs to a high standard of professionalism, and have the chance to enter competitions and awards.

In your first year of study, the focus is on developing traditional processes followed by experimental materials investigation, allowing you to enter the second year with a range of skills and the confidence to explore various optional topics, live and collaborative projects.

Past student Ruth Hallows was chosen to produce an exclusive jewellery collection, to be sold in Argos nationwide and online. She gained the opportunity to work alongside Argos' jewellery buying team and manufacturer Optima, spending time learning the process of how her collection would be developed from design through to production.

Past students have also undertaken work experience with the likes of Topshop, Tatty Devine and Kath Libert.

You can be guided by your own inspiration. While studying, you will have the opportunity to host a number of jewellery exhibitions, which gives you the opportunity to exhibit and sell your pieces to the public.

You and your peers’ final collections span the breadth of the discipline of contemporary jewellery and objects, often relating to broader art and design disciplines such as fashion, accessories, theatre, product design and fine art.

The School of Jewellery is internationally renowned, in the heart of Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter. The historical facade of our Vittoria Street building conceals a contemporary environment including workshops, a specialist library, the Vittoria Gallery and exhibition space.

The Jewellery and Objects with a Foundation Year course is a great way to ensure you have the right skills to kickstart your chosen degree. It was also really helpful to have an introduction to not just the School of Jewellery, but the surrounding Jewellery Quarter and the industry within it as well.

This year really helped to build my confidence (both in general, as well as with metalworking and jewellery making specifically), and gave me a better idea of what I want to go on to do in the future, which I only had the vaguest of ideas of before.

Miranda Townsend, student

Why Choose Us?

  • The jewellery and objects course encourages you to develop your own personal style and enables you to design, develop and launch your own highly innovative, contemporary and thought-provoking products.
  • 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.
  • The course benefits from specialist technicians, academic and support staff. We also have a rolling programme of Artist in Residences (AIRs) who have diverse skills and knowledge to share with you and contribute to your learning experience.
  • Sponsorship, prizes, live projects 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. With many graduates progressing to postgraduate study.
  • Our onsite Technology Hub offers expertise in a range of industry-related techniques, including CAD and manufacturing, rapid prototyping, surface finishing, reverse engineering and project management.

Open Days

Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation.

Next Open Day: 24 November 2024

Book your place

Entry Requirements

These entry requirements apply for entry in 2025/26.

All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.

Essential requirements

80 UCAS Tariff points. Learn more about UCAS Tariff points.

If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

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. View fees for continuing students.

Award: BA (Hons)

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

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. View fees for continuing students.

Award: BA (Hons)

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 4 years
  • £18,600 in 2025/26

Access to computer equipment 

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms. 

Printing 

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment. 

Field trips 

All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees. 

Access to Microsoft Office 365 

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation. 

Key software 

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research. 

Key subscriptions 

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library. 

Specialist software 

All of the software required for the course is available for you to use on the computers in the lapsafe store, in the technical hub and in the computer suite in the St. Pauls Square Building. 

Free Adobe Creative Cloud licence 

Students studying on this course can request a free licence to install the entire suite of applications on up to two personal devices. 

Specialist equipment 

Machinery and tools for you to use will be available in the workshops and the student shop onsite. 

Project materials (mandatory) 

You will be expected to produce a portfolio of work, this will consist of a collection of objects and/or jewellery. It is advisable to speak to the tutors before purchasing materials to ensure you get the best prices and the correct materials.  Project materials for each module and each student vary from £20-£100 or more for the major project collection in your final year. You will be given discount codes for local supplies in the welcome week of your course. For Foundation Year you are expected to budget £60 for project materials.  

Clothing and safety equipment (mandatory) 

This course requires the purchase of clothing and/or safety equipment. You will require an apron, goggles and safety shoes at an estimated cost of £70-£120. 

Media consumable items (mandatory) 

This course requires the use of consumables, such as A3 Sketchbooks (£10 per module) and drawing materials (£10-£50).  

Specialist equipment (mandatory) 

You will be expected to purchase or bring a toolbox of jewellery tools to use throughout the course. This will cost £150 to £200. Please bring any you have that you already own as you will not need to purchase these again. 

Excess printing (optional) 

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet. 

Personal stationery and study materials (optional) 

Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £30 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials. 

Field trips (optional) 

This course includes the option of additional trips that may enhance your experience, at extra cost. 

Gallery visits (optional) 

It is advisable for all Creative Arts students to visit exhibitions, galleries and other creative and cultural institutions and events depending on your own individual area of interest. Travel and entry costs may be associated with this. 

Competition fees (optional) 

Most competitions are free for students. There may be a small cost for the delivery and return of work for some competitions. 

Books (optional) 

The Specialist Library on the St. Pauls site has the reading lists and resources available either physical or digital for the jewellery and object students. You will be expected to develop your own reading list for some projects. You will not be expected to purchase books unless you wish to. If you wish to book  For Foundation Year you are expected to budget £50 for books.  

Personal equipment (optional) 

There is a computer available for you to load in the lapsafe on the Vittoria street campus, as well as computers available for you to use in the technical hub and the computer suite. If you like to work from home when undertaking your written work you may wish to purchase a computer or laptop. 

Memberships (optional) 

You may wish to join one of the jewellery organisations, or wait until nearer the time you are graduating. Most will have student discounts up until a year after graduating. for example Art Jewellery Forum, the Association for Contemporary Jewellery and Klimt02. 

Accommodation and living costs (optional)

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

Guidance for UK students

UK students applying for most undergraduate degree courses in the UK will need to apply through UCAS.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.

Applying through UCAS

  1. Register with UCAS
  2. Login to UCAS and complete your details
  3. Select your course and write a personal statement
  4. Get a reference
  5. Pay your application fee and submit your application

You are not required to submit a portfolio for this course.

Course in Depth

Foundation year

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Year one

During your first year, you’ll be introduced to techniques and ways of working as well as materials exploration and experimentation.

Contextual study modules will encourage a wider discussion and awareness of the field and allow you to develop a further understanding of the discipline.

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the following list of OPTIONAL modules:

Year two

The second year explores further awareness of the breadth of the discipline, experimentation and risk taking, with introduction into more specialist pathways and optional modules, as well as exploring employability and collaborative practice. 

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 80 credits):

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete at least 40 credits from the following list of OPTIONAL modules.

Year three

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Download course specification

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This is a four-year full-time design-based course exploring contemporary practice in the field of Jewellery and Object making. It gives you the opportunity to be creative and experimental within the design process, enabling you to design and make highly innovative, contemporary and thought-provoking work.

Primarily, you will learn through a practical hands-on learning experience called experiential learning. This means you will be learning by doing, and designing your work and collections via making. A great emphasis is placed on experimenting with a variety of materials, processes and techniques, which enables you to actively engage with and solve three-dimensional problems.

A questioning attitude to the discipline concepts and outcomes is encouraged. Being open-minded will help you to embrace the philosophy and aims of this course, as studies are intended to stretch and challenge your perception of the subject area, enabling you to develop practical skills alongside intellectual engagement.

You also develop two-dimensional design skills to enable you to clearly think through your ideas and to communicate these to a wider audience. This practical approach to studying 3D design is strongly underpinned by theory and research into the field and its related disciplines.

A variety of learning and teaching methods are employed on this course, such as workshop activities, demonstration and practice, lectures, seminars, critiques, team work, presentations, module briefings, tutorials with staff and artist in residence, online learning, self-directed study, study visits, and one-day projects.

The course is assessed on 100 per cent coursework. We feel this best mirrors the way you’d work in the real world and so better prepares you for a career in the design industry.

Emphasis is placed on self-discovery. For that reason, self-directed study plays a significant role and a motivating attitude and enquiring mind is necessary to be successful.

Employability

Enhancing your employability skills

Upon completing this programme, you will have gained an understanding of a range of materials, their properties and the processes used to create jewellery and objects. Your appreciation of the breadth of the discipline will permit innovative creative practice beyond the boundaries of jewellery and objects.

Graduates demonstrate critical thinking skills, and are confident and able to challenge concepts and make judgements in order to enable personal directions to be followed, as well as bring new opportunities to companies and industry practice.

Using a range of techniques to communicate and realise design ideas, you will develop a professional level of promotion and articulation suitable for a range of situations.

Self-directed study and applied project management skills throughout your studies allows you to utilise time efficiently in your graduate activities and professional roles.

Placements

You will be encouraged to take up any relevant opportunities which are available to you, and we have numerous opportunities for live projects which may lead to part-time employment and more. It is not uncommon for our students to be working in the industry part-time while studying with us.

Links to Industry

The School is uniquely positioned in the heart of the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter, and has over 125 years of history training jewellers and silversmiths for the industry and later for the arts.

It proudly maintains its links with the surrounding industry and receives generous sponsorship through prizes and competitions. This includes The Birmingham Assay Office, Cookson Gold, Weston Beamor, The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, Royal Birmingham Society of Arts and numerous others.

Within the School are a number of other specialist courses which further enhance the industry connections from which collaborative practice and related activities can emerge, allowing for a wider range of associated links for our graduates.

International

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

Our international students

Due to the prestigious history, reputation and positioning of the School of Jewellery, it is undoubtedly a popular destination for International applicants. The Jewellery and Objects Programme is therefore host to a number of international students.

There are a number of European communities within the student profile, including Lithuania, Denmark and France, among others.

The cultural richness offered by this diverse student body offers unparalleled opportunities to our students and alumni in the form of global connections, awareness and opportunities for collaborations both while studying and also upon graduation.

Facilities & Staff

Jewellery facilities gallery image

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. The architects’ success in doing so resulted in awards from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Civic Trust.

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.

Our staff

Nuala Clooney

Course Director, Lecturer

Nuala Clooney is an artist working with sculpture and video based in Birmingham, UK, and teaches on jewellery Foundation courses. Nuala has exhibited internationally and extensively across the UK.

More about Nuala

Bridie Lander

School Academic Lead for Jewellery, Senior Lecturer

Bridie is an experienced jewellery designer/maker and lecturer. She spent several years as an artist and academic in Australia where latterly she was Coordinator of the Jewellery and Object Studio at Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney. Some of her work was recently included in a group exhibition, “Transplantation: British and...

More about Bridie

Beaulagh Brooks

Course Director, Senior Lecturer

A highly experienced Educator, Academic, Manager and Designer-Maker, with a passion for Teaching & Learning focusing on the Creative Industries and Applied Arts. Beaulagh is especially interested in Studio Practice and developing students employability and Graduate enterprise skills, alongside creative research and practice. Her current...

More about Beaulagh

Rebecca Skeels

Course Director, Senior Lecturer

Rebecca Skeels started her business in 1994 after graduating from the University of Wales. Since 1994, Rebecca’s thirst for knowledge and her passion for sharing has led her to graduate from Central Saint Martin’s (MA Project by Design) and achieving a PGC in Higher Education from the University for the Creative Arts. Rebecca is a Senior Fellow of...

More about Rebecca

Anna Lorenz

Senior Lecturer

Anna works cross disciplines in a practice-based way and teaches part time on the BA (Hons) Jewellery & Object course at the School of Jewellery. Originally from the South of Germany, Anna apprentice trained with a Master Goldsmiths, gained a BA (Hons) First Class Degree in Jewellery and Silversmithing from the School of Jewellery and completed...

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Kathryn Powell (Partington)

Lecturer

Kathryn is an established jeweller, designer, maker and passionate educator. Her jewellery/design profile is known as Kathryn Partington. She has worked within higher education for over 10 years and taught within the community alongside her practice.

More about Kathryn