New design led programme:

MA/MFA Smart Clothes

and Wearable Technology

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SMART
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A new programme for the emerging

hybrid industry of electronics integrated
with technical textiles in functional
clothing – October 2010 Launch

For more information please contact

Rachael Birden: rachael.birden@newport.ac.uk

SMART
Why this is needed?
Smart Clothes and Wearable Technology represents a rapidly developing global business and
The University of Wales, Newport, leads the unique ‘Smart Clothes and Wearable Technology’
brand. The development of an MA/MFA programme in this area is an important step in building
the research community for the School of Art, Media and Design by offering graduating students
the opportunity to continue on a practice-based doctoral programme in the future.
This new design-led postgraduate programme addresses a gap in the market. It will create a
discrete subject specific programme that provides scope for a unique cross-disciplinary activity
comprising wearable technologies and technical textiles in functional clothing with other textile-
based products. Links will be established with end users that could include technical textile
suppliers, performance sports, intimate apparel, health and wellness, corporate wear and
wearable electronics, strategically incorporating selected manufactures with the technology to
support the development. RATE:98 BP:120 / 80

The MA The MFA (Master in Fine Arts)

Initial modules provide sufficient
background information and
research activity to enable
the student to carry out user-
led design development,
merging areas of science and
technology with art, media
and design. Master classes,
visiting speakers, industrial
visits and industrially-led
individual project work and
consultancy will come from an
existing collaborative research
network with expertise in
electronics, wireless technology
and new textile and garment
manufacturing techniques. The
MA programme culminates with
a challenging user-led design
project development.
An additional ‘Advanced Professional Practice
Module’ will provide the student with an opportunity
to undertake an internship with an industrial partner
to put into practice theoretical knowledge and the
skills acquired during the MA programme. This
experience should help the student to gain a deeper
understanding of the importance in developing a
shared language to promote cross-disciplinary
design-led innovation in this specialist area. This
interaction with industry will enable students to
experience the commercial realities that affect the
design development process for an identified target
audience.
Students will be given a degree of freedom within
the focus of their project brief to continue to develop
their independent thinking, enquiry and questioning of
existing practices. It is expected that this final project
work will be able to make a valuable contribution to
the work of an individual company, organisation or
consortium.

Who should apply?

This design-led programme will be appropriate for applicants who are practitioners from
a disparate mix of study and/or experiential and cultural backgrounds, within the remits of
science, design and technology. This may include product, industrial, textile, clothing, and
graphic design, sports science and health, computing, interactive media and related areas.
Schoolteachers in design and technology have also expressed an interested in developing
strategies for the promotion of smart textile related study.