LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY
Programme Specification
BA (Hons) Textile Design (Printed Textiles)
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of
the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be
expected to achieve and demonstrate if full advantage is taken of the learning
opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each module can be found
in Module Specifications and other programme documentation and online at
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/
The accuracy of the information in this document is reviewed by the University and
may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
Awarding body/institution;
Loughborough University
Teaching institution (if different);
Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body;
Name of the final award;
BA (Honours)
Programme title;
Textile Design (Printed Textiles)
UCAS code;
E231
Date at which the programme
specification was written or
revised.
February 2003
1. Aims of the programme:

To develop in students a range of conceptual, practical and professional skills
that will enable them to realise their creative aspirations.

To ensure the practice of art, craft and design, informed by awareness of
historical and current practice, and of emerging technology, is central to the
students’ educational experience.

To promote an understanding of the link between the knowledge and
understanding of the subject and its application within the context of
employment, and continued professional development.
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2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external and internal
reference points used to inform programme outcomes:




The Benchmark Statement for Art & Design
University Learning & Teaching Strategy
Departmental teaching and learning policies
The research interests and specialisms of the teaching staff and their
professional involvement in the discipline
3. Intended Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
1. the ability to conduct personal research, demonstrating a critical and
questioning attitude to history and material culture
2. solving design problems and producing a professionally presented design
solution
3. planning personal work schedules, organising time and learning materials
effectively
4. Identifying strengths and weaknesses to resolve the relation of studio materials
and processes to ideas.
5. professional and business practices in printed textiles and other design and
craft related specialisms
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated:
Core knowledge and understanding is acquired by tutorials, lectures, seminars,
critiques and guided independent study.
Assessment is through coursework alone including substantial independent
practical and written projects and seeks to identify how much knowledge and
understanding is demonstrated by the student’s work and its presentation.
Skills and other attributes:
a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
1. critically analyse the aesthetic and functional dynamics of textile design
2. identify opportunities for Continuing Professional Development through
further study, or through employment
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated:
Cognitive skills are promoted by lectures, tutorials, seminars, and group critiques.
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The assessment of cognitive skills is embedded in the assessment of coursework
and conforms to a School-wide assessment policy intended to evaluate the
student’s critical judgement: how much the student knows about the media and
ideas that relate to the course.
b. Subject-specific practical skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
1. direct research skills into written assignments and verbal presentations
2. develop drawings into designs suitable for a range of outcomes supported by
appropriate research and preparatory work
3. undertake visual research into art and design concepts, process and contexts.
4. dye and print fabrics and work with a range of printed textiles processes
5. manipulate and develop imagery using CAD
6. produce a professional, contemporary display of work for assessment purposes
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated:
Skill 1 is promoted through a lecture programme supplemented with seminars and
tutorials. Skills 2-6 are promoted through a project based programme
supplemented with tutorials and group critiques. Students are encouraged to work
within the Printed Textiles studios and workshops as much as possible. Students
are encouraged to make external contacts and undertake work experience. Visiting
Lecturers discuss their own professional practice and give professional and
business advice.
Assessment is via coursework consisting of drawings, designs, fabric samples,
visual research books and written assignments. The assessment criteria conforms
to a School-wide assessment policy and is articulated to students in the form of
project briefs and through discussion at the outset of modules. It is intended to
identify how accomplished and inventive the student is in the application of media
and materials.
Key/transferable skills:
On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
1. Self Management: manage workloads and meet deadlines; anticipate and
accommodate change when working in the Print and Dye workshops.
2. Critical Awareness: formulate a reasoned response to the critical judgement of
others demonstrated by the preparation and selection of aesthetically
successful work for assessment.
3. Communication skills: present work and ideas to others during group critiques
and oral presentations
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4. Teamworking: be able to work in groups to a) create visual displays for
drawing, b) when required to evaluate the work of others, c) undertake group
design projects
5. IT skills: manipulate and manage information preparing it for retrieval in a
variety of sources; correspond and send attachments using e-mail
6. Numeracy: be able to calculate dye recipes; be able to re-size images using
CAD to comply with industrial repeat sizes
7. Problem solving: analyse information learned in workshops and lectures,
synthesise knowledge, make aesthetic judgements to arrive at personal and
creative design solutions.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated:
Key Skills are promoted by requirements of project briefs. Skill 1 is also promoted
by encouraging students to enter national design competitions where appropriate.
Success in all above skills is embedded in the work submitted for course work
assessment and conforms to a School-wide assessment policy.
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Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and
awards:
Credit weightings of modules are shown in brackets. Students are required to take
modules amounting to 120 credits in each of the three years of the programme.
YEAR
ONE
SEMESTER ONE
SEMESTER TWO
Research & Study skills in
Themes & Issues in Textiles
Textiles Design (10)
Design (10)
Introduction to Textiles: New
Textile Design: Innovation &
Horizons (40)
Application (40)
Core Visual Studies for Textiles (20)
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SEMESTER ONE
YEAR
TWO
YEAR
THREE
Practical Techniques in Printed
Textiles (20)
SEMESTER TWO
Printed Textiles Design
Development (30)
Printed Textiles through
Drawing (30)
Twentieth Century Design (10)
Printed Textiles Design
Development (20)
Printed Textiles Self-Directed
Project (20)
Printed Textiles Self-Directed
Project (10)
'Entrepreneurial and Business
Practice' (10)
CHS Options (10)
Study Abroad (60)
SEMESTER ONE
SEMESTER TWO
Printed Textiles Final Project (60)
Printed Textiles Innovation
(30)
Textiles Dissertation (30)
Textiles Critical Appraisal (30)
Year 2 Options available:
Theories of Art and Design for Studio Programmes; Music and the Visual Arts;
Textiles in Material Culture; The Fabricated Self; The Domestic Interior; Music
and Visual Connections; Expressionism in 20th Century Art; (10 credits in each
subject).
Study Abroad (one module in place of the Semester 2 modules)
Compulsory Year 2 Options:
Realising Entrepeneurship in Professional & Business Studies.
Either Printed Textiles Design Development (30 credit) with Printed Textiles
Self-Directed Project (10 credit) or Printed Textiles Design Development (20
credit) with Printed Textiles Self-Directed Project (20 credit)
Year 3 Options available:
Either Textiles Dissertation (30 credit) or Textiles Critical Appraisal (30 credit)
5. Criteria for admission to the programme:
Passes in five subjects (including English or Use of English) in the General
Certificate of Secondary Education at Ordinary level, Advanced Subsidiary level,
Advanced Supplementary level, and Advanced level. Two of these five passes should
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be at A level or equivalent. It is also expected that most applicants will have
completed either a one-year Foundation programme or a two-year art and design
programme (AVCE, National Diploma) in order to produce a portfolio on which, in
conjunction with an interview, selection is largely based.
6. Information about assessment regulations:
All modules are assessed at two points during each year of the programme where
course work is presented to show evidence of learning outcomes. Depending on
the module, this may take the form of studio-based projects or of written work.
The pass mark for all modules in all years of the programme is 40%. The course is
in 3 parts, A, B and C, corresponding to years 1, 2 and 3 of the full-time course.
Students have to pass all modules in one part of the programme before they can
proceed to the next part of the programme. Marks at part A are just required to
progress to part B. Marks obtained at part B count for 20% of the final degree
grade and part C marks count for 80% of the final degree grade.
In each part of the programme, students follow modules with a total value of 120
credits. The credit associated with each module is an indication of the amount of
student effort that is required to complete that module. 10 credits are expected,
typically to require about 100 hours of work.
Any student who fails a module has an automatic right of re-assessment on one
occasion only. Assessment can normally be attempted either by private study
during the summer, for re-assessment in September or in the course of the
following academic year. The School will normally try to assist a student who
wishes to attempt re-assessment during the summer vacation to do so. However
there may be occasions where either the extent of recovery work required or
problems of access to specialist facilities will cause staff to advise students to
repeat assessment the following year.
Where a student has to be re-assessed in any failed module, they will be given a
full written brief to indicate the nature of the work which has to be completed for
successful recovery.
Failure in any module in re-assessment will normally result in a student’s studies
being terminated.
Full details of the programme regulations are contained in the official Programme
Regulations (attached as an appendix)
7. Indicators of quality:
 The programme is in the School of Art & Design (LUSAD) which together with
the Department of Design and Technology received a near-perfect score of 23
out of 24 in the national teaching quality assessment (QAA) in 2000. LUSAD
was awarded a very creditable ‘4’ out of 5 in the national research assessment
(RAE).
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
The Printed Textiles course has an excellent record of success in national
competitions. Within the last 5 years 15 Printed Textiles students have been
shortlisted for the RSA Design Awards Competition with 10 winning major
awards; 25 students have won awards in the Bradford Textiles Society
Competition; 1 student has won an award at the New Designers Exhibition; 1
student won the Society of Dyers & Colourists ‘Colour in Design’ competition
with another shortlisted; 2 students were shortlisted for a B.I.T.A ‘Emerging
Talent’ award
 Students from the Printed Textiles course demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of the subject through exhibiting design work at international trade
fairs Indigo, Paris, and at Surtex, New York where many sales to industry have
been made.
 Students have been involved in live site-specific projects working both
individually and in teams for companies such as Volvo, Astra Zenica and for other
sites within the Loughborough University campus
8. Particular support for learning:
Library
The University Library (The Pilkington Library) provides technologically
advanced support for student learning in a purpose-built building. It holds a stock
of nearly half a million books (of which 30,000+ specifically relate to Art and
Design) and an extensive collection of journals, periodicals and magazines (124
Art and Design); over 100 PC computer workstations with Internet, e-mail and
printing facilities plus a full range of several hundred databases and electronic
journals; and self-service photocopiers. The library catalogue (OPAC) is available
online and can be accessed from any campus networked PC. It contains records
of all library material, information about loan availability, and renew and reserve
long loan and one week loan facilities. The Library is a designated EDC
(European Documentation Centre). Opening hours are extensive, 7 days a week
during term-time and 5 days per week during vacations. Information desks can be
found on all levels of the Library; printed leaflets are available on information
sources as well as on-line. A wide range of training sessions are offered, for
example the Lunchtime in the Library series, or subject specific sessions
organised in response to Department requests. Material not available in the
Library may be borrowed from other sources, mainly the British Library (fee
payable).
LUSAD staff regularly order new material for the Library, including both books
and journals.
English Language Study Unit (ELSU)
The Unit provides advice and support to both UK and International students who
have difficulty with the language they need for their studies. The ELSU offers
support for students with dyslexia and provides confidential screening tests.
Packages of support are planned together with the student and may include
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individual assistance with essay writing, small group sessions, and individual
tutorials to improve skills. There is a dyslexia lunchtime workshop every week.
Student volunteers, who are themselves dyslexic, are available to talk to, and help
new students. There is a Resource Room with specialist computer software.
Dyslexia Awareness sessions for staff are provided by the Staff Development
Unit. A member of the LUSAD staff is designated as dyslexia liaison contact.
The International Students Programme provides individual help and advice on a
wide range of issues including immigration, police registration, and personal
issues associated with living and studying in the UK. The ELSU runs presessional courses for those who are coming to Loughborough University as
students. A member of the LUSAD staff is designated as international student
contact.
Disabilities and Additional Needs Service (DANS)
The Disabilities and Additional Needs Service can assist in liaising with LEAs to
help students apply for funding from the Disabled Students Allowance, liaise with
Social Services Departments to help students apply for funding for personal care
needs, work with the department to ensure that a student’s additional needs are
taken into account, arranging a full assessment of a student’s additional needs, and
liaising with the Accommodation Service regarding additional requirements.
The support that DANS offers includes adaptation of course materials into large
print, tape, disk, etc., organising mobility training, BSL interpretation, provision
of communication support workers, notetakers in lectures / tutorials, assessment of
specific support, equipment and software needs, individual / small group tuition
for students who have dyslexia, representing students’ needs to academic and
other University departments, organising adapted accommodation, helping to
organise carers to meet personal care needs, and organising appropriate support
for students who have a mental health problem.
Learning and Teaching Development (LTD)
The LTD aims to implement more flexible patterns of learning and teaching
across the University supported by appropriate staff and student development. Its
objectives includes the encouragement of student centred learning and student
autonomy, encouraging learning that allows for different styles and approaches,
providing learning support for students that enables them to develop study and
learning skills and increase employability, encouraging innovation in all aspects
of learning and teaching, and achieving and sustaining high quality in learning and
teaching. The LTD offers workshops on learning skills, for example, presenting
with confidence, planning an essay, and writing an essay.
Counselling Service
The Counselling Service offers help to students with a variety of problems. It can
often help a student to talk to someone who is impartial and is not as involved as a
friend or family member. Counselling is a process of helping students explore and
express their thoughts, feelings, and behaviour within a confidential environment.
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This free service provides for six sessions in the first instance but arrangements
for further sessions can be made in situations requiring longer term work.
Computer Services
Computing Services provides the University IT infrastructure and supports
research, learning, teaching and administration providing a variety of
communications and information technology facilities. It works in collaboration
with Faculty IT Co-ordinators and the School’s support specialists in maintaining
staff PCs and departmental networked PC suites. There is a dedicated server for
web based teaching support, the LEARN server, accessible both on and off
campus; each member of staff is able to edit web pages on this server relating to
their own modules. All students have a password enabling access to e-mail and
the Internet through the PC network. LUSAD also offers an extensive Apple Mac
provision. Both systems are supported by technicians for both staff and students.
Careers Service
The Careers Service provides a continuous service for students seeking careers
guidance and help with job-search techniques. The careers library provides
relevant and up-to-date information in a variety of forms - reference files,
computer systems, the Internet, videos, and takeaway material - covering
vacancies, working overseas, vacation work, voluntary work, starting your own
business, mature students, students with disabilities, international students, and
postgraduate study. Careers Service staff visit the School to talk to student groups
and explain the services that are available.
Staff Development
The Staff Development unit provides an extensive programme of workshops to
keep the skills of all staff up-to-date, and for them to develop new skills.
9. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standards of learning:
The University has a formal quality procedure and reporting structure laid out in
its Academic Quality Procedures handbook, available online at:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/central_admin/policy/academic_quality/contents.html
and directed by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching). Each Faculty has an
Associate Dean for Teaching responsible for all learning and teaching matters.
For each Faculty there is a Directorate (responsible for the allocation of resources)
and a Board (responsible for monitoring quality issues within each department).
Support is provided by the Staff Development Unit and the Quality Assessment
Unit. Student feedback on modules and programmes is sought at regular intervals,
individual programmes are reviewed annually, and Departments review their full
portfolio of programmes as part of a Periodic Programme Review (every five
years).
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Minor changes to module specifications are approved by the Associate Dean
(Teaching) on behalf of the Faculty Board, and ratified by the University
Curriculum Sub-Committee in accordance with the University's quality
procedures. Major changes are formally considered by the University Curriculum
Sub-Committee.
All staff participate in the University's staff appraisal scheme, which helps to
identify any needs for staff skills development. Both probationary staff and those
seeking promotion to Senior Lecturer are subject to a formal teaching evaluation
scheme, administered by the Quality Assessment Unit and accredited by the
Institute for Learning and Teaching.
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