Welcome to Postgraduate study at Norwich (Taught Intensive Masters)

Welcome to Norwich University of the Arts!

I hope that you all had a good summer and you are looking forward to the year ahead at Norwich University of the Arts. This welcome page tells you a little bit more about how to prepare and what to expect when you are here.

As a student on one of our new Taught Intensive Masters, you will be on one of the following Courses:

Visual Communication

• MA Advertising
• MA Illustration
• MA Animation

Human-Centred Design

• MA Service Design
• MA Interaction Design
• MA User Experience Design

Computing

• MSc Creative Computing
• MSc Data Science and AI in Creative Industries
• Games Computing

The Culture of your Postgraduate Taught Experience

Your Postgraduate Taught (PGT) experience at Norwich University includes workshops, symposiums, educational visits, talks, tutorials, group and 1:1 sessions with tutors. We leverage collaborative teaching and learning throughout the course, and you will be introduced to alternative and enhancing practical, creative and conceptual processes during your time with us. This approach introduces you to new ways of working and thinking about your work.

From time to time you may work with students across the Taught Intensive Masters courses, as well as working with students on our long-established Studio Masters courses. When possible, we will promote collaborative opportunities as well as lectures and talks of shared interest.

It is useful if you bring your own laptop with you if you have one and notebooks pens/pencils, regardless of your discipline.

As you progress through the course and as your work develops, you may need to build upon your own toolkit. The University does have an art/materials shop, and you will be able to purchase additional items as your work progresses.

As a postgraduate student at Norwich University of the Arts, you are joining an enriching, interdisciplinary experience, with both individual, specialised practice, and a collaborative ethic at its heart.  The aim is to enhance your practice, as you consider your work in context and in the wider lens of an interdisciplinary experience.

We also offer many opportunities for collaboration beyond your fellow Postgraduate Taught (PGT) colleagues. Previous students have enjoyed collaborating across disciplines and levels (Postgraduate (PG) and Undergraduate (UG)) at our iconic Banking Hall Project Space. We also have points in the year to engage with Doctoral (PhD) Postgraduate Research students (PGR).

As part of our Norwich Pedagogy, twice a year we have an integrated Interchange Week, which allows students to learn new techniques and experiment outside of their regular disciplines.  Throughout both Interchange weeks, students are encouraged to play with something new, explore creative practices and experience new ways of thinking, doing and being.  Workshops are held across the University, are free to take part in and are led by academics, technicians, visiting lecturers and sometimes by PGT students.

Throughout your time with us you’ll be invited to the Vice Chancellor’s series of high-profile visiting speakers, alongside demonstrations, talks, guest speakers, symposiums, an educational visit on the course and many more collaborations and opportunities to continue enriching your PGT experience.

Welcome Day/Week 0

Your first session during welcome week will formally welcome you to the University and the teaching staff and you will also get an opportunity to meet other students on the PG Programme.  The details of the schedule will be shared with you but will include the following events.

Welcome Talk

This session is an opportunity for you to meet members of the course team and ask any questions that you may have. You will receive your campus card on the first day so that you can access the University’s buildings. The talk will also introduce you to the structure of the Postgraduate Taught Intensive structure and formally introduce the three Clusters.

Welcome PG Social Lunch

The Student Union invite you all to a Welcome Lunch. This is a great opportunity to meet your peers and refreshments will be provided.

Library Inductions

We will be delivering introductions to the library facilities available to you and it is important that you attend.

Meet the Staff / Networking

This session will introduce the wider postgraduate academic community and provide an opportunity to begin networking and socialise.

First Week of teaching/Week 1

During week one, you will have a briefing for a cross-university project, Make it Manifest(o), in which you will work collaboratively with students on your course/cluster.

We are all looking forward to welcoming you all to Norwich University of the Arts and starting you on your PG Journey. Sending very best wishes from entire team here at the university and wishing you every success in your studies.

We look forward to seeing you in September.

Best Wishes,

Martin Schooley, Director of Communication Design & Mark Wickham, Director of Computer Arts and Technology

Items to Watch / Read / Enjoy

Below, you will see that we’ve included some suggestions of things you might like to look at before you arrive. Be curious and nourish your ideas.

Nina Simone ‘An Artists’ Duty

Desiree Akhavan ‘Why you should disappoint your parents’

Professor Simon Ofield-Kerr, Vice Chancellor’s Talks

7 Creative TED Talks you might want to watch

Jeremy fielding ‘How to Learn Any New Skill Fast.’

Housekeeping

Reporting Absence

If for any reason you cannot attend the Welcome Day, please email your Course Administrator at postgrad@norwichuni.ac.uk and they will be able to advise. It is important that you report all absences throughout the year to your Course Administrator, as they will update your attendance record and be able to pass on any information necessary to your Course Teams.

Checking Emails

It is important that you check your student emails regularly for important information, as this is the main way in which we will contact you throughout the year. You can contact your Course Administrator at postgrad@norwichuni.ac.uk – it is important that you email the Postgrad inbox rather than staff members’ personal Norwich University emails, so that other members of the Course Administration Team can respond to in the absence of your Course Administrator.