Guidance for applying

to study design

Contents
Guidance for art, design and media arts applications
4
Guidelines for applications to undergraduate
5
courses in design
BA (Honours) Fashion Design
7
MDes Fashion Design 7
BA (Honours) Graphic Design
8
MDes Graphic Design 8
BA (Honours) Interior Design
11
MDes Interior Design 11
BA (Honours) Metalwork and Jewellery
13
MDes Metalwork and Jewellery
13
BA (Honours) Product Design
15
MDes Product Design 15
BA (Honours) Product Design: Furniture
17
MDes Product Design: Furniture
17

Guidance for
art, design and media arts
applications
As part of Sheffield Hallam University, the Sheffield
Institute of Arts offers a broad range of degrees across
the creative disciplines. If you choose to study with us,
you will join our creative learning community and be
able to take advantage of all of our skills, expertise and
resources. This gives you the opportunity to flourish
and develop your creative and professional abilities.
Our degree routes are predominately practice based.
You gain hands-on experience through continuously
working on creative projects. This practice is
underpinned by teaching that develops and broadens
your theoretical knowledge and courses that develop
your technical skills.

The interview provides you with an opportunity to

discuss your portfolio and enables the admissions
tutors to clarify aspects of your UCAS application. You
may be asked questions about your personal interests
to enable us to understand what motivates you to
pursue your creative discipline. The interview will last
about 30 minutes including time for you to ask any
questions.
Throughout the process, we will be looking for people
who are genuinely interested in their subject with
an enthusiasm and motivation to guide themselves
through self-directed learning.

1) Application process
To apply for any full-time undergraduate university
course, you will need to complete a UCAS application
form. We receive thousands of applications each year
and we are very specific about what we are looking
for in terms of academic and intellectual ability. The
evidence that you provide in your personal statement
and references will influence whether you are invited
to an interview, so please take the time to plan and
complete your application form.
For the interview, you should bring a portfolio or
show reel containing examples of your work. We ask
for this to understand your creative experience and
potential ability. It should evidence your interests in
your creative specialism to date. This may include
past and current school or college work, other personal
projects, work in progress and other work that you feel
demonstrates your creative potential.
Take time with your selection when putting the
portfolio together. Do not include everything you have
ever done, but a good, clear selection that represents
your abilities.

Take time with your selection

when putting the portfolio
together. Do not include
everything you have ever
done, but a good, clear
selection that represents
your abilities.

2) What offer can we make you after an interview?

We cannot tell you our decision on the day of the
interview. After the interview our decision will be
communicated via UCAS track, so please check your
account regularly.

The entry requirements for the MDes courses are

slightly higher than for the equivalent BA qualification,
though MDes applicants would also be considered for
the relevant BA.

Guidelines for applications to

undergraduate courses in design

You will receive one of the following decisions.

a) Conditional offer for the course that you have
applied for you must fulfil certain criteria (usually
based on the qualifications you are currently
taking) before you can be accepted on the course.
If the requirements are met, the offer becomes
unconditional.
b) Unconditional offer for the course that you have
applied for usually made when you have already
completed your qualifications and met the academic
requirements we are asking for.
c) Unsuccessful unfortunately we are not able to
offer you a place on the course. We do not feel that
you have the necessary skills or experience to be
successful on one of our courses. However, this does
not prevent you from applying in the future, should
you undertake further study to develop your skills
and experience.

In addition to the advice provided, each specialism will

have some specific requirements that you should follow
to prepare for your selection day.

Throughout the process, we

will be looking for people with
enthusiasm and motivation
who are genuinely interested
in their subject.

3) Degree routes
Art, Design and Media Arts all offer Bachelor of
Arts degrees (BA Honours) and integrated masters
qualifications (MDes/MArt).
3a) Bachelor of Arts (BA) Honours
Our BA degrees run for three years and provide a firm
basis for a professional creative career. Throughout
the course there is a continuous programme of
creative project work. Alongside this, we develop your
creative skills, your understanding of the theory that
underpins your work, professional development and the
opportunity to specialise within your field.
3b) Integrated Masters (MDes)
Our MDes courses run for four years and combine
aspects of the BA courses and our successful masters
programmes.
We have developed the MDes options with creative
professionalism in mind. Feedback shows employers
and organisations are looking for designers and
artists with postgraduate level knowledge and some
professional experience. Because of this, the additional
year of the integrated masters focuses on professional
enhancement. You can complete a work placement,
study abroad on an exchange programme or undertake
a mentored project where you are given advice and
support from an external company.
If you are interested in an integrated masters course,
you will need to include it on your UCAS application
form as part of the usual application process.
5

BA (Honours)
Fashion Design (W232)
MDes
Fashion Design (W230)
What should be my portfolio?

What are we looking for and how

do we evaluate these abilities
demonstrated in your portfolio/
interview?

Design (four different projects) such as research,

sketchbooks, ideas generation and presentation
boards/finished artwork.
Visual communication (four different examples) such
as life drawing, observational studies, photography/
styling, computer generated imagery or fashion
illustration.
Written work (two different examples) such as an
essay, report or printed PowerPoint presentation.
3D work (one example) such as a garment, accessory,
fashion-related sculpture or technical ability.
Supporting evidence evidence of exhibitions,
galleries and/or fashion-related study visits you have
undertaken in the last 12 months.

Please wear something you have made when attending

your interview.
Your portfolio should demonstrate your abilities in
design (four different projects)
visual communication (four different examples)
written work (two examples)
3D work (one example)
supporting evidence
We also look for the following qualities which are
required for a career in fashion.
passionate and enthusiastic about garments and
fabric
creative, lateral thinker able to generate original ideas
practical
3 dimensionally aware
hard working
determined
open minded
individual
competitive
adaptable/versatile
computer literate
reliable
confident and articulate able to communicate at all
levels
a team member
able to work on your own initiative
able to network
resourceful

How should I organise my portfolio?

Please ensure that your portfolio is organised, concise,
varied and has your name clearly visible.
Select only your best pieces of work that demonstrate
your abilities.

Portfolio commentary
You should include supporting documentation and,
where applicable, attach the relevant project brief.
.

At the selection day, you

should bring with you
a portfolio or show reel
containing examples of
your work.

What happens on the selection day?

You will be asked to leave your portfolio for the fashion
team to look at for approximately one hour. Please
ensure everything is labelled, organised and easy to
follow as you will not be there to explain your work.
A group interview will follow where we will ask you
to select a piece of work from your portfolio and talk
about it for a few minutes. Fashion tutors (usually two)
will then ask you some questions about your work,
experience and interests within the group situation.

BA (Honours)
Graphic Design (W210)
MDes
Graphic Design (W214)
What should be in my portfolio?

Portfolio commentary

Your portfolio should provide a clear view of your

creative potential through work you have done. We do
not look for highly finished professional work, but we
want to see imagination, enthusiasm and a confident
visual style. The portfolio should include some or all of
the following.
A range of drawing skills. Different types of drawing
and mark making can all be useful.
Graphic design (typography, illustration, printmaking,
layout), art, craft or photography work and any
relevant work done in your own time.
Screen-based/digital work can be brought on a clearly
labelled CD or DVD.
3D work and making skills in wood, metal, plastic,
card, fabric etc or good quality photographs of the
work if its too big to bring with you.
A nything you have made, drawn or produced that
enables you to express your creative potential. Its
fine to do extra work if you feel that your portfolio is
missing something.
If school or college work is likely to be sent away for
assessment or put on display, keep copies so that you
can still include good work in your portfolio.

Include your name on your portfolio, clearly but

sensitively. Add a short explanatory title (one or two
sentences) at the start of each piece of work saying
what it is, what its about and when it was done. This
will help to ensure that your portfolio is understood
when you are not there to explain it.

What are we looking for and how do

we evaluate the abilities demonstrated
in your portfolio/interview?
When meeting with prospective students we are
looking for creative potential. We want to see that you
have a range of abilities which might include drawing,
making and computer skills. We want to see that
you have visual sensitivity and some knowledge and
awareness of design in the real world. It is also helpful
if we can tell that you work hard, that you can develop
design ideas and work under your own steam, which
is why we like to see the development process behind
your design work.
The five key areas we are potentially looking for in your
portfolio are
drawing skills and sketchbooks
conceptual thinking
computer skills
process/making skills
development work

How should I organise my portfolio?

We will only have a short time to look at your portfolio.
The important thing is to assemble a lively collection
that shows both the breadth and depth of your work.
Organise your portfolio as a set of projects. Put them in
an order that seems to make sense it doesnt have to
be in the order in which the work was done. You dont
have to include every bit of work you did. Be selective,
but not too selective. Show your process sketchbooks
and evidence of research and development is important.

We do not look for highly finished professional work, but we want

to see imagination, enthusiasm and a confident visual style.

What happens on the selection day?

We may ask you

why you have chosen this course
t o talk about designs and/or designers you
particularly admire and why you have chosen those
examples. This enables us to see that you are aware of
design and have your own opinions about it.
There will be an opportunity for you to ask us
questions. You may have questions about the course or
something you need to know about living in Sheffield.
Its fine if you wish to make a few notes as a reminder.
Dress reasonably smartly, but there is absolutely no
need to wear a suit. Smart but casual clothing will
allow you to feel confident and at ease.

We usually talk to all applicants about the course

and give you an opportunity to see our studio and
workshops. You and a small number of other applicants
will be seen by one of the tutors. The tutor will
normally have reviewed your portfolio beforehand.
We wont try to catch you out or ask embarrassing
questions. We want you to feel at ease and be able to
ask any questions you may have.
You will not be asked to describe everything in your
portfolio, but you should be able to talk in detail about
one piece of work (often a project of our choice) and to
answer questions about it.

10

BA (Honours)
Interior Design (W250)
MDes
Interior Design (W251)
What should be in my portfolio?

Portfolio commentary

Confident visual style

Your portfolio must provide a clear view of your creative
potential and of work that you have done. We do not
look for highly finished professional work as much as
imagination, enthusiasm and a confident visual style.
You may not have done any interior design projects,
but the work you show us should demonstrate a strong
interest and ability in both two and three dimensional
areas.
Drawing skills and 3D work
We are very interested in seeing your drawing skills.
Life drawings give a good idea of your potential. We
also like to see 3D work. If you have 3D work that is too
big to bring along, please make sure you include some
good quality photographs. Even if your college or school
has limited workshop facilities, you can still produce
worthwhile 3D work. Some of the most interesting 3D
projects use very basic studio materials such as card
or fabric.
Creativity
Dont confine your portfolio just to design work. We also
like to see examples of other creative work or personal
interests which might be relevant. Its appropriate to
include work from art or photography and maybe from
other subjects. We encourage you to include anything
that you have made, drawn or produced that enables
you to express your creative potential.

Its a good idea to ensure that each piece of work has

a short explanatory title. One or two sentences should
be sufficient. Your portfolio may be seen by someone
when you are not there to explain it and this will help to
make sure that it is not misunderstood.

What are we looking for and how do

we evaluate the abilities demonstrated
in your portfolio/interview?
How you present yourself is as important as your
portfolio. We will not want a detailed account of each
piece of work, but you should be able to describe any of
your projects in a few sentences.

What happens on the selection day?

You will normally be interviewed by one of the design
tutors. We usually review your portfolio before talking
to you so that the interview is informed by this
knowledge.
We usually begin by asking you why you want to come
on the course, before moving on to discuss your work.
You will not be asked to give a detailed description
of all the projects, but you should be ready to talk in
detail about one piece of work (sometimes this may
be a project of our choice), to answer questions and
clarify anything that may not be obvious from the work
presented.
You may be asked to talk about designs, designers,
architects, and/or spaces or buildings that you
particularly like or admire and you should be prepared
to discuss why you have chosen those examples.
Alternatively, you might also wish to talk about
examples of bad design, saying why you believe they
are poor. Its not just enough to be able to say what
you like. You must be able to demonstrate that you
have thought about why you like or dislike something,
and what in your opinion makes a particular space or
building successful.
You will have an opportunity to ask us questions. You
may have a special interest that you wish to pursue
during the course, you may have concerns about some
aspects of the course or just a practical question about
living in Sheffield. Please feel free to mention anything
you need or want to know.

How should I organise my portfolio?

Breadth and depth
When compiling your portfolio, remember that we will
only have a short time to look at it. The important thing
is to put together a lively collection that shows both the
breadth and depth of your work and how your abilities
have developed.
Prepare yourself, make notes
Its much easier if you prepare. Dont rehearse a speech
its best to be yourself. Think about what you want
to say. If you wish to make a few notes to remind you
about points you want to make or a list of questions
that you want to ask, thats fine.
Dont forget to include your name on your portfolio,
clearly but sensitively.
11

12

BA (Honours)
Metalwork and Jewellery (W721)
MDes
Metalwork and Jewellery (W724)
What should be in my portfolio?

You may be asked to talk about designs and/or designer

makers that you admire and you should be prepared to
discuss why you have chosen those examples. We may
also ask what exhibitions, galleries or museums you
have visited. This is a chance for you to demonstrate
your level of interest in the field.
You will have an opportunity to ask us questions. You
may have a special interest that you wish to pursue
during the course, you may have concerns about
some aspects of the course, or just a practical question
about studying in Sheffield. Please feel free to mention
anything you need or want to know.

Objects you have made. These might be items you

have produced as part of your current course or
something you have produced independently. These
objects should demonstrate some originality and
material sensitivity.
Interesting experiments or test pieces you have
found useful.
Drawings and sketches that demonstrate an ability
to communicate 3D form and an ability to generate
ideas.
Research material that inspires you to make objects.
We dont expect you to bring beautifully finished
precious metal items, but its important to show the
level of your enthusiasm.

What happens on the selection day?

On arrival at the Sheaf building, you will be asked to
leave your portfolio in the interview room.
Usually you will be interviewed by two course tutors.
You will have a guided tour of the facilities with one
tutor while their colleague reviews your portfolio.
Throughout the tour, you will be encouraged to ask
questions about the course and what it is like to study
in Sheffield. The tour is a nice way to overcome preinterview nerves.
It is likely that you will be with a group of four to six
other applicants and youll have a chance to chat
with current students in the metalwork and jewellery
workshop while waiting for your turn to be interviewed.
We look forward to meeting you and seeing your work.

How should I organise my portfolio?

Try to organise your work so that we can see a
development of skills.
Some evidence of ability with written work will be
useful.

What are we looking for and how do

we evaluate the abilities demonstrated
in your portfolio/interview?
We usually begin by asking you why you want to come
on the course, before moving on to discuss your work.
You will not be asked to give a detailed description
of all the projects but you should be ready to talk in
detail about a selection of work (sometimes this may
be a project of our choice), to answer questions and
clarify anything that may not be obvious from the
work presented. Think about what went well in each
of your projects and what you would do differently.
How might the ideas be taken further? We are looking
for applicants who are enthusiastic and excited about
making. In particular, we are looking for evidence of
material sensitivity examples of work where you have
understood and responded to material properties. Does
the work show that choices and decisions have been
made?
We are also looking for drawing ability. All kinds of
drawing are useful but there should be evidence of
three dimensional understanding.

We are also looking for

drawing ability. All kinds of
drawing are useful but there
should be evidence of three
dimensional understanding.

13

14

BA (Honours)
Product Design (W240)
MDes
Product Design (W242)
What should be in my portfolio?

What are we looking for and how do

we evaluate the abilities demonstrated
in your portfolio/interview?

Your portfolio should provide a clear view of your

creative potential through work you have done. We do
not look for highly finished professional work, but we
want to see imagination, enthusiasm and a confident
visual style. The portfolio should include some or all of
the following.
A range of drawing skills. Different types of drawing
can all be useful.
3D work and making skills in materials such as
wood, metal, plastic, card, fabric or good quality
photographs of the work if it is too big to bring
with you.
A rt, graphics or photography work and any relevant
work done in your own time.
Anything you have made, drawn or produced that
enables you to express your creative potential. Its
fine to do extra work if you feel that your portfolio is
missing something.
If school or college work is likely to be sent away for
assessment or put on display, keep copies so that you
can still include good work in your portfolio.

When interviewing prospective students, we are

looking for creative potential and people who show a
genuine interest in the subject. We want to see that you
have a range of abilities which might include drawing,
making and computer skills.
We dont expect you to be an inventor. We do want
to see that you have visual sensitivity and some
knowledge and awareness of design in the real world.
Its also helpful if we can see that you can develop
design ideas and that you are committed and can work
under your own steam, which is why we like to see the
development process behind your design work.

What happens on the selection day?

We usually talk to all interviewees about the course
and give you an opportunity to see our studio and
workshops. You will be interviewed by one of the
design tutors along with a small number of other
applicants. Your interviewer will normally have
reviewed your portfolio so that the interview is
informed by that knowledge.
We wont try to catch you out or ask embarrassing
questions. We want you to feel at ease so that you can
do justice to yourself.
You will not be asked to describe everything in your
portfolio, but you should be able to talk in detail about
one piece of work (often a project of our choice) and to
answer questions about it.
We may ask you
why you have chosen this course
to talk about designs and/or designers you
particularly admire and why you have chosen those
examples. This enables us to see that you are aware of
design and have your own opinions about it.
There will be an opportunity for you to ask us
questions. You may have questions about the course or
something you need to know about living in Sheffield.
Its fine if you wish to make a few notes as a reminder.
Dress reasonably smartly, but there is absolutely no
need to wear a suit. Smart but casual clothing will allow
you to feel confident and at ease

How should I organise my portfolio?

We will only have a short time to look at your portfolio.
The important thing is to assemble a lively collection
that shows both the breadth and depth of your work.
Organise your portfolio as a set of projects. Put them in
an order that seems to make sense it doesnt have to
be in the order in which the work was done. You dont
have to include every bit of work you did. Be selective,
but not too selective. Show the development process
behind at least some of the work.

Portfolio commentary
Include your name on your portfolio, clearly but
sensitively. Add a short explanatory title (one or two
sentences) at the start of each piece of work saying
what it is, what its about and when it was done. This
will help to ensure that your portfolio is understood
when you are not there to explain it.

15

16

BA (Honours)
Product Design: Furniture (W260)
MDes
Product Design: Furniture (W261)
What should be in my portfolio?

Prepare yourself, make notes

It is much easier if you prepare. Dont rehearse a speech
its best to be yourself. Think about what you want
to say. If you wish to make a few notes to remind you
about points you want to make or a list of questions
that you want to ask, thats fine.
Dont forget to include your name on your portfolio,
clearly but sensitively.

Confident visual style

Your portfolio must provide a clear view of your creative
potential and of work that you have done. We do not
look for highly finished professional work as much as
imagination, enthusiasm and a confident visual style.
You may not have done any furniture design projects,
but the work which you show us should demonstrate
a strong interest and ability in both two and three
dimensional areas and could range from finished
products to experimental work.
Drawing skills and 3D work
We are very interested to see your drawing skills. Life
drawings give a good idea of your potential. We also
like to see 3D work. If you have 3D work that is too big
to bring along, please make sure to include some good
quality photographs. Even if your college or school
has limited workshop facilities, you can still produce
worthwhile 3D work. Some of the most interesting 3D
projects use very basic studio materials such as card
or fabric.
Creativity
Dont confine your portfolio just to design work. We also
like to see examples of other creative work or personal
interests which might be relevant. It is appropriate to
include work from art or photography and maybe from
other subjects. We would encourage you to include
anything that you have made, drawn or produced that
enables you to express your creative potential. If you
have undertaken any contextual work in your studies
then also include that.

Portfolio commentary
Its a good idea to ensure that each piece of work has
a short explanatory title. One or two sentences should
be sufficient. Your portfolio may be seen by someone
when you are not there to explain it and this will help to
make sure that it is not misunderstood.

What are we looking for and how do

we evaluate the abilities demonstrated
in your portfolio/interview?
How you present yourself is as important as your
portfolio. We will not want a detailed account of each
piece of work but you should be able to describe any of
your projects in a few sentences.

Your portfolio must provide

a clear view of your creative
potential and of work that you
have done

How should I organise my portfolio?

Breadth and depth
When compiling your portfolio, remember that we will
only have a short time to look at it. The important thing
is to put together a lively collection that shows both the
breadth and depth of your work and how your abilities
have developed.

17

What happens on the selection day?

You may be asked to talk about designs, designers,

architects, and/or spaces or buildings that you
particularly like or admire and you should be prepared
to discuss why you have chosen those examples.
Alternatively, you might wish to talk about examples of
bad design, saying why you believe they are poor.
Its not enough to be able to say what you like You
must be able to demonstrate that you have though
about why you like or dislike something, and what
in your opinion makes a particular space or building
successful.
You will have an opportunity to ask us questions. If
possible, prepare a few before the interview. You may
have a special interest that you wish to pursue during
the course, you may have concerns about some aspects
of the course, or you may just a practical question
about living in Sheffield. Please feel free to mention
anything you need or want to know.

You will normally be interviewed by one of the design

tutors. We usually review your portfolio before talking
to you so that the interview is informed by this
knowledge.
We usually begin by asking you why you want to come
on the course before moving on to discuss your work.
You will not be asked to give a detailed description
of all the projects but you should be ready to talk in
detail about one piece of work (sometimes this may
be a project of our choice), to answer questions and to
clarify anything that may not be obvious from the work
presented.

18