Material Practice

Entry requirements

Normally a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

• You must submit a portfolio of recent work as part of your application. Your portfolio should demonstrate:
• engagement with materials, through practice or design
• that you understand the importance of material processes, that you document the fabrication, the construction and assembly of projects that you have worked on (portfolios often focus only on the finished objects; we are interested to see the development stages of the objects, experiments, trials and prototypes)
• some evidence of an ability to work directly with materials, such as casting, printing fabrication etc

Months of entry

September

Course content

We live in a material world, materials form the spaces in which we live and the objects that we use. Materials create and, unfortunately, may destroy the environments that we inhabit. Even in an increasing digital age in which the global economy and market continues to expand, the physical nature of materials is always present but it changes and is subject to contextual particularities, such as traditional practices, availability of resource and skills, emerging materials and technologies such as digital fabrication.

The programme focuses on process; the direct experience of using and making with materials; how materials are used in creative works, design and production; how new opportunities and ideas may evolve through reflective practice.

The programme employs a cross disciplinary approach and uses the workshops and expertise across Edinburgh College of Art. You will work with many materials including glass, textiles, metals, timber and concrete. You will also access and use various methods of digital fabrication such as additive manufacture and CNC routing and laser cutting.

The programme addresses directly important contemporary issues of economy, inclusion and sustainability, through the practical, collaborative and individual projects.

The programme is available to students from a variety of design and creative material practice, art, design, craft, and architecture backgrounds and from more traditional technologically based disciplines, such as engineering, looking to expand their skills and understanding in both material techniques and collaborative practice.