DE7058 - Fashion Research Proposal

In Fashion Research Proposal DE7058, you will learn through a process of intense critical design practice and experiential learning related to your subject specialism. Through a series of seminars and studio and workshop experimentation, you will engage directly with your subject specialism gaining an understanding of materials, technologies and processes that develop and contextualise your research proposal and research practice to enable you to advance your ideas and build the research case for your Fashion Research Experimentation (DE7059).

Through tutorial and studio-based feedback, you will be supported in your research by engaging in discussion with an active research community of peers and academic and technical staff. You will learn to clearly communicate and present concepts, ideas or conclusions to specialist and non-specialist audiences through the documentation of your experimental research within your Creative Process Journal. You will further develop your communication skills and demonstrate your learning through presentations to peers and staff.


You will construct a PDP (Personal Development Plan) to aid your own creative development and learning in which you will record, reflect and analyse each of your design processes and activities to enable you to develop your design concept.

You will learn from staff and technicians with rich research and commercial experience from the Fashion Design Industries that will help you to explore new ways of thinking and practices in design.

The supportive module Fashion Context and Relevance (DE7053) will aid your continued learning in Research Practice (Research Through Design) and develop your understanding of where your research sits in a social, academic and commercial environment whilst building your professional network.

You will be supported by academic experts who will facilitate discussion in one-to-one tutorials and group critiques around your chosen subject of inquiry in scheduled timetabled sessions and directed study. These formal conversations are opportunities to receive immediate feedback on on-going work and to act on that feedback. You will keep a record of this feedback in order to progress your work to enhance your skills and intellectual understanding and develop your Fashion Research Proposal and year-long PDP. You will be part of a community of practice that will provide a topic ‘hub’ for cross-organisational collaboration and peer discussion.

You will be involved in reflective practice, which is inherent to the School. The Masters programme curriculum has been developed to capitalise on the extensive, active and well-defined research emphasis of the School, and channel this expertise into the Fashion Masters Programmes.

Where appropriate, you will be supported in developing relationships with external and industry partners that may be integral to your developing proposal.

Further formal academic support is provided via information posted on the E-Learning Portal (Blackboard). Where appropriate, students may also be directed to engage with Study Skills +, or other resources offered through the University Student Support Services. The University Library is open 24 hours a day and E-Learning Portal houses all your module documents including your timetable. These services can be accessed on a range of devices.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
• Conceptualise, theorise and undertake research which addresses complex issues and which advances understanding within the discipline or practice. Present and justify your work in the context of wider theories and practice.
• Present a portfolio of work that evidences existing materials, processes, trials, products and current innovation that communicates your practice to a wide audience.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• Frame and deal with complex issues through the representation of Design Problem Space and Design Solution Space.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• Reflect on your own processes and practice to advance your knowledge and understanding of your research.

Summative Assessment 100%

The Portfolio of work with interrogative Contextual Practice Journal should evidence materials, processes, trials, products and current innovation in the chosen area of research with evaluative written comments about the problem areas. It will include a series of progressive abstracts that evidence design thinking and will culminate in a summative abstract on how the self-directed Design Proposal will develop in the second semester.

A reflective Personal Development Plan (PDP, year-long) will accompany this portfolio of work that records the knowledge, skills and understanding you have attained from undertaking this learning.


Verbal formative assessment will be given throughout the semester through peer and tutor feedback in seminars and tutorial support.

N/A

N/A

Fashion Research Proposal gives you opportunity to explore an individually initiated research project and to investigate creative and experimental approaches to a fashion specific topic of enquiry. Through exploration and evaluation of traditional and new fashion materials processes and technologies relevant to your concept and supported by your previous skills and knowledge identified in your Personal Development Plan (PDP) and knowledge gained in the supporting Fashion Context an Relevance Module, DE7053, you will build your design project direction, philosophy and framework. Ultimately this module will result in you defining a research question, developing a manifesto and identified fashion practice methods that will establish parameters or agendas to work within for your Fashion Research Proposal.

You will learn from staff and be supported by technicians with rich research and commercial experience from the Fashion Design Industries within state-of-the-art facilities that will help you to explore new ways of thinking and practices in design. You will engage in a community of design practice and receive individual feedback through tutorial and peer-review that will develop key employability skills for your identified career path.