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This module provides the context in which luxury brands are constructed and perceived. You will
explore a range of historical and contemporary issues affecting luxury, which form the fabric of the idea of luxury today.

Areas such as luxury consumption, luxury marketing and management, technology and luxury, and the relativity of luxury, constructs the significance of luxury, and the role and impact it plays within the global business environment.

The module will also examine the issues that impact sustainable and ethical luxury and develop strategic luxury management and leadership skills to a high level in a global luxury context. The internal and external factors that have impacted and influenced luxury businesses in the past, present and future will be explored.

This module provides the context in which luxury brands are constructed and perceived. You will
explore a range of historical and contemporary issues affecting luxury, which form the fabric of the idea of luxury today.

Areas such as luxury consumption, luxury marketing and management, technology and luxury, and the relativity of luxury, constructs the significance of luxury, and the role and impact it plays within the global business environment.

The module will also examine the issues that impact sustainable and ethical luxury and develop strategic luxury management and leadership skills to a high level in a global luxury context. The internal and external factors that have impacted and influenced luxury businesses in the past, present and future will be explored.

This module explores the histories and cultures of product design, encouraging critical reflection on everyday life and global contexts. It examines meaning in design by drawing on historical context, visual culture theory, and semiotics. Through lectures, seminars, and research tasks, you will develop the ability to situate your design practice within broader cultural and theoretical frameworks and communicate ideas effectively through a variety of visual formats.

The module introduces you to the historical, cultural, and theoretical foundations that shape contemporary product design practice. The weekly context starts with introduction of histories into critical theories such as visual culture and semiotics, helping you understand how products communicate meaning and participate in a global cultural systems.

You will start by exploring definitions of product design and examining everyday objects as cultural artefacts. Early weeks trace the evolution of design from craft traditions through industrialisation, post-war consumerism, and into globalised digital culture. Emphasis is placed on how materials, manufacturing, branding, and consumption have shifted over time.

The module then transitions into visual culture theory, where you will learn to interpret images, objects, and media, and consider how design reflects and constructs ideas around identity, power, and representation. Semiotics deepens this analytical framework, enabling you to read products as systems of signs that communicate through form, materiality, symbolism, and brand narratives. Later weeks start to look at design futures to consider the future world we will live in, drawing on trend mapping and global trends.

The module will focus on the major questions which have been, and are being, asked of Palaeolithic data. These include such issues as language origins, global colonisation, population replacement, and hominin responses to palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental change. We shall explore these in two ways: thematically, showing how each independent research framework contributes to origins research (conducted in the seminars), and site-based, using records from key sites to evaluate the extent and durability of traits in the Palaeolithic (achieved within oral presentations).

The module will focus on the major questions which have been, and are being, asked of Palaeolithic data. These include such issues as language origins, global colonisation, population replacement, and hominin responses to palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental change. We shall explore these in two ways: thematically, showing how each independent research framework contributes to origins research (conducted in the seminars), and site-based, using records from key sites to evaluate the extent and durability of traits in the Palaeolithic (achieved within oral presentations).

The Design process and Innovation module introduces you to the design processes and strategic thinking to survive in a competitive global market. The determination and critical understanding of the market environment from a macro and micro perspective will determine the success of a product or service, considering the product functions, design and quality, the consumer needs, the development of research and innovation and the positioning of the product. Stakeholders are considered, along with the total value creation that feeds into global market share. The module will explore how each are interdependent and how market research impacts on decision making in the process.

You will be introduced to key principles and business frameworks that are employed in industry to formulate decisions and set strategic plans in the context of strategic marketing. The competitive landscape is continually evolving and changing so against the macro context you will analyse research studies and market intelligence from live resources to inform your strategic decisions in respect to planning production, design, sales and distribution with resource and budget allocation. Alongside the strategic market planning the product planning is also key. Design Process Module will work through new product development processes from idea generation to product development, testing and launch to full conclusinon of whether a product should be continued or discontinued in the market. Quality Management and intellectual property rights will also be considered to fully comprehend all the elements that make up a products unique selling proposition.

As part of this module you will have the opportunity to work in groups and present core ideas and product planning strategies and reflect on successes in your ideas as a Live task.

As part of the assessment you will be expected to create professional presentations outlining the full scope of product planning using current market data and creating financial overviews.

The Design process and Innovation module introduces you to the design processes and strategic thinking to survive in a competitive global market. The determination and critical understanding of the market environment from a macro and micro perspective will determine the success of a product or service, considering the product functions, design and quality, the consumer needs, the development of research and innovation and the positioning of the product. Stakeholders are considered, along with the total value creation that feeds into global market share. The module will explore how each are interdependent and how market research impacts on decision making in the process.

You will be introduced to key principles and business frameworks that are employed in industry to formulate decisions and set strategic plans in the context of strategic marketing. The competitive landscape is continually evolving and changing so against the macro context you will analyse research studies and market intelligence from live resources to inform your strategic decisions in respect to planning production, design, sales and distribution with resource and budget allocation. Alongside the strategic market planning the product planning is also key. Design Process Module will work through new product development processes from idea generation to product development, testing and launch to full conclusinon of whether a product should be continued or discontinued in the market. Quality Management and intellectual property rights will also be considered to fully comprehend all the elements that make up a products unique selling proposition.

As part of this module you will have the opportunity to work in groups and present core ideas and product planning strategies and reflect on successes in your ideas as a Live task.

As part of the assessment you will be expected to create professional presentations outlining the full scope of product planning using current market data and creating financial overviews.

This module focuses on sustained engagement with a diverse range of international contexts, organisations, communities and practitioners to explore and evaluate ways of working in the arts and cultural sectors. This module explicitly introduces and explores how established relationships with industry partners from local to international levels underpin the whole programme. Firstly, the University’s arts and cultural organisations, John Hansard Gallery and Turner Sims Concert Hall, are core partners involved in the design and delivery of the programme creating opportunities for you to consistently engage with industry expertise and build long-term relationships. Secondly, the programme’s partner network brings together a diverse range of organisations with specialisms relating to different art and cultural sectors.

This module will enable you to identify and interpret different sources and bodies of knowledge and be able to compare and contrast these to create new insights. Engagement with the core partners and programme partnership network ensures that you can navigate, discuss and shape changing sector priorities. This module also establishes and embeds the programme partnership network within the programme to ensure that you are well-positioned and well-connected to pursue live projects, independent research and professional development opportunities. Through this module you will develop the analytical and communication skills required to build collaborative relationships with external partners and be able to understand and evaluate organisational and ethical contexts and priorities.

This module focuses on sustained engagement with a diverse range of international contexts, organisations, communities and practitioners to explore and evaluate ways of working in the arts and cultural sectors. This module explicitly introduces and explores how established relationships with industry partners from local to international levels underpin the whole programme. Firstly, the University’s arts and cultural organisations, John Hansard Gallery and The Winchester Gallery, are core partners involved in the design and delivery of the programme creating opportunities for you to consistently engage with industry expertise and build long-term relationships. Secondly, the programme’s partner network brings together a diverse range of organisations with specialisms relating to different art and cultural sectors.

This module will enable you to identify and interpret different sources and bodies of knowledge and be able to compare and contrast these to create new insights. Engagement with the core partners and programme partnership network ensures that you can navigate, discuss and shape changing sector priorities. This module also establishes and embeds the programme partnership network within the programme to ensure that you are well-positioned and well-connected to pursue live projects, independent research and professional development opportunities. Through this module you will develop the analytical and communication skills required to build collaborative relationships with external partners and be able to understand and evaluate organisational and ethical contexts and priorities.

This compulsory module aims to deepen your understanding of historical and contemporary contexts relating to fashion design. You will learn to critically reflect upon and analyse your work within a contextual framework through visual, verbal and written communication.

In connection with your studio practice, you will explore theories, rationales and techniques through individual research, seminars and group discussions, thereby developing a greater understanding of colour, material and object analysis.