Research Methodology in Art Design and Practice (6 credits)
Research Methodology, a foundamental course, is of great significance in the system of Art Design. Both research methodology of Art and research methodology of design will be covered, highlighting a combined approach to both theory and practice. The nature of the course, Research Methodology in Art Design will be positioned as a study of various theories, contents, and methodologies in activities concerning art and design.
Basics of Design Management (3 credits)
The course will provide students with methodologies and tools needed to manage highly complex design projects, which will involve professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds. Students are asked to directly test the organization of a communication project through team assignments.
Project Methodology (3 credits)
The purpose of the course is to expose the students to different design challenges, in order to develop their capacity to adapt to different design tasks and to acquire a wide range of cultural, theorical, technical tools. In particular, starting from the analysis of a conceptual research topic, the course is dedicated to the development of the industrial and interior design projects according to a peculiar methodological procedure.
Project Management (3 credits)
Expanding on the acquisition of the fundamentals of strategic and organisational analysis, of monetary assessment and of suitable marketing planning, this course aims at providing students with the tools to realistically and accurately diagnose income, assets and finances, permitting them to take decisions by evaluating consistency between business objectives and obtained results for the purposes of creating value within the company itself.
Ethics of Communication (3 credits)
Given the increasing incidence of communication processes on the community and its everyday life, professionals must acquire new tools in order to estimate if their communication policy is ethically addressed. The course aims at developing this awareness by analyzing concrete situations and testimonials.
Project Methodology of Visual Communication (6 credits)
The course aims at providing students with both solid design expertise in the management of communication design project images and thorough visual proficiency. The processes leading to the creation of communicative output will be expanded on from both a theoretical and practical point of view, through collaboration with real or simulated customers.
Advanced Graphic Design (3 credits)
Through face-to-face lectures and design workshops, the course will address the fundamental themes of graphic design, as an introduction to creating suitable visual designs and the educational training of modern visual designers. Elements of perceptology, graphical shape dynamics, culture and balance of visual space, lettering, Gestalt and colour theory, will be compared with the generation of graphical artefacts and media which are useful for layouts and creative interpretation.
Advanced Photography (2 credits)
Throughout the course, the students, helped by their tutors, work at the set up of a real exhibition event, producing the photography material and developing all phases of the project, from concept generation to the actual exhibition set up.
Advanced Web Design (2 credits)
The course intends to offer the necessary knowledge and tools to manage the different phases of web design – both web sites and web services. It aims at preparing students to use at their best the several possibilities available to web designers thanks to the application of ergonomics and design techniques.
Advanced Computer Graphics (2 credits)
Based on computer image technology and application, this subject explores the integration of image and digital technology and the significance and possibility of enriching the form of visual expression via digital technology.
Special Topics in Product Design (6 credits)
The aim of the course is to develop a project for a complete and detailed industrial product. The workshop will bring students to train their capacity in the fields of concept development, preliminary project, mock-up modeling, the presentations of the design.
History of Industrial Design (3 credits)
The course aims at providing a deep insight in the history of product design. It is intended as a mainly visual and relational tool for students to understand untangible values expressed in design’s history and present by avant-garde groups and individuals.
Special Topics in New Material Technology (3 credits)
The aim of the course is twofold: to learn about new materials and technologies in design; to learn innovative ways of using materials and technologies by making scale prototypes of design solutions.
Special Topics in Rendering 3D (3 credits)
Aim of the course is to make students able to handle any kind of bi- and tri- dimensional shapes, by a correct use of modeling and rendering techniques.
Special Topics in Project Culture (3 credits)
The purpose of the course is to expose students to a design experience aimed at developing a very personal and subjective approach to the project. This operation is framed into the rich context of cultural and theorical references provided by the contemporary design culture of both the West and East.
Lighting Design and Technology (3 credits)
The aim of the course is to provide the cultural and technical fundamentals of the discipline of lighting design, that would allow students to acquire the capacity to define the lighting atmosphere of an interior space through the choice and the deployment of lightsources.
Integrated New Media (3 credits)
The purpose of the course is to lead an innovative research and design project, where the most recent technological achievements in the field of interaction design and social media can find a possible integration with the traditional approach to the design of interior spaces.
Special Topics in Interior Design (6 credits)
The aim of the course is to develop an interior design project for complex public spaces. The workshop will bring students to train their capacity in the fields of concept development, preliminary project, mock-up modeling, and the presentation of the design.
History of Interior Design (3 credits)
The course aims at providing a deep insight in the history of interior design. It is intended as a mainly visual and relational tool for students to understand untangible values expressed in design’s history and present by avant-garde groups and individuals.
Special Topics in Fashion Design (6 credits)
Fashion Design guides students in acquiring a design methodology directed at creating fashion collections. Students will be supported in all aspects to create their personal collection: from its inception and research, to the creation of garments.
Special Topics in Textile Design (3 credits)
Textile Design aims to impart design methodologies directed at creating fibres and fabrics, employing both manual and industrial techniques. The course will evolve in differing manners, according to the needs of individual students. From researching fibers to the creation of fabrics to be used to create personal collections. The course is also enriched with theoretical and visual information concerning the world of textiles.
Special Topics in Material Culture (3 credits)
The course is strongly connected to Fashion Design I as a support for the realization of the students' personal projects; methodologies related to paper pattern techniques are applied to garment creation.
Special Topics in Visual Design (3 credits)
Based on the integration and application of fashion-related design theory, the subject focuses on the in-depth exploration and analysis of brand strategy, brand value, brand planning and design issues, and puts forward research questions and topics. Through a combination of design theory and practice, within the field of visual design, new propositions that are in line with the future development trend and design solutions with high operability are put forward.
Special Topics in Art Direction (2 credits)
The objective of the course is to introduce students to contemporary forms of narration to be applied to the communication of their own personal styles. Through visual and theoretical cues, students are involved in the creation of narratives exploring aspects of contemporary fashion communication, contents and formats, with a predilection for visual language contamination.
Special Topics in Decoration (3 credits)
The course involves collaboration between students of fashion and students from other departments. Students, divided into groups, develop a narrative with particular attention to the implementation of 'costumes' using solutions and techniques unconventionally.
History of Applied Arts (2 credits)
Lecturers will assist students in reading contemporary forms of art. At the end of the course, students will present their own creations expressing the theoretical content acquired during the course.
Arts of Design (3 credits)
Arts of Design is a subject combining arts and science, manufacture and daily life; with both practical art design activities and theoretical research. Arts of Design primarily looks at the rules and principles in arts design, while it introduces the modern scientific progresses and value judgment system to the field of design, which meets the need of both humanities and aesthetics. Such subject helps students master the basic theory and professional skills. Meanwhile, students can use common vision to promote Public Environment Arts, Decorative Murals, Digital Interactive Arts, Glass Art, Visual Arts Building, Urban Art and Arts Building Structure.
Design of Communication (3 credits)
Design of communication is a compulsory course. It is a systematical mapping and integration for knowledge in both the subject of Art and Design and the subject of Communication. Besides, it aims at analyzing and researching in the development and producing of art design products; in the creation and completion of architectural, urban and spacious design objects; as well as the spreading of art design products and customers’ acceptance of them.
Design Brand Strategy and Practice (6 credits)
This course is designed to introduce brand management knowledge, including the meaning and value of brands, brand development, brand positioning and re-positioning, and brand performance assessment. Students will understand the relationship between design and brand, and learn to use relevant theories, concepts and models to guide their design decisions.
History of Urban And Architectural Development (3 credits)
History of Urban and Architecture Development focuses on the systematical introduction of both the origins and development of architecture and cities, from the perspective of architectural history and humanities. The contents are: prehistoric architecture and urban city, the birth of city in Mesopotamia, the ancient Egyptian architecture and city, ancient Greek - Roman cities, medieval Christianity, Baroque architecture and commercial city, as well as modern architecture and modern industrial city. It is a multi-disciplinary study of the history of architecture and urban development in aspects including politics, economy, culture, religion, society, urban planning. Meanwhile, strategic ideas have been proposed to future urban development. Through an all-round research of architectural and urban development, student’s ability in politics, economy culture, history, social development strategy research, urban geography, urban planning and architecture, urban management will be enhanced.
Fundamentals of Cultural Heritage Conservation and Practice (6 credits)
An emerging topic in the field of art and design, Cultural Heritage Conservation, is an interdisciplinary study of history, culture, anthropology, and sociology. We will cover a range of subjects and issues that affect contemporary heritage conservation practice, including the history of heritage conservation in China and Western countries, planning and design of protection practices of urban cultural resources, research and preservation of historical blocks, policy of urban heritage conservation, heritage preservation and tourism, historical and philosophical underpinnings of heritage preservation, and future tendencies of global heritage preservation.
Digital Display Design and Practice (3 credits) (Elective course）
This course centers upon building the knowledge system of display design under the guideline of digitalization theory. Digital display design utilizes information communication technologies to engage in various display activities and fulfill the goal of exhibition.
Readings of Design Classics (3 credits) (Elective course）
Interpretation of classics is made through the use of books, libraries and the Internet to study classical design and relevant methods, to understand the designers who have created the classical design products, the relevant background and the main issues in design.
Architecture and Space (3 credits) (Elective course）
Architecture and Space is a selective course, it departures from the study on the relationship of architectural spaces, spaces and actors, to the relationship between space and space, to the spatial sequence including the beginning, continuing, conversion and disappearance of the space, students will understand the space and the possibilities of giving form to the space, and will improve the ability in spatial design.
Theory and Practice of Urban Public Art (3 credits) (Elective course）
This course is based on the research and outlook on Chinese culture and contemporary public art and urban landscape in public space. Problems in reality will be looked at from the perspective of history, society, and humanities. It is a systematically and theoretically organized course on public art and culture. Students’ knowledge in theory of public art, architecture, environmental art, urban design, art and design theory and urban construction and management etc. will be enlarged.
Consumer Behavior (3 credits) (Elective course）
This course will introduce the influence that consumer behavior has on marketing activities. It will explain the key concepts and theories used in the study of consumer behavior and analyze the trends in consumer behavior. Students will learn to apply theories and concepts to design strategies and processes.
Academic Activities (1 credit)
Students are required to participate in at least ten academic activities that are recognized by the Faculty of Humanities and Arts, such as the famous scholars’ seminars held on campus. Students are required to complete and hand in a 1000 words report for each activity.
Internship (3 credits)
For a master program, internship is an essential link in nurturing talents; it is a compulsory course that all master candidates must fulfill. The purpose of the internship is to improve the quality of teaching and learning, to cultivate students' abilities of practice and spirits of innovation, to prepare the in-campus students for the future challenges by bringing them to the society in advance, to enhance students' understanding of the specialty, to nurture and improve students' abilities and skills in self-discovery, analysis, and problem-solving.
Design Work (3 credits)
Design is a teaching course for overall design; it is designed to facilitate students to apply the knowledge they gain in their two-year study at the university to work with a complete design theme, which contributes to a comprehensive training for students to tackle a design project systematically and entirely.
Thesis (3 credits)
All students must submit a master degree thesis (with no less than eight thousand words, excluding footnotes, notes, and references), and undergo a thesis defense. All students must follow the format requirements of MUST for the writing of the thesis.
