Set Design and Production

Are you interested in creating Theatre Sets, Film Sets, and Television Sets? Our Set Design and Production degree at UWTSD aims to equip you with the creative, technical, and professional skills needed to succeed in the creative industries. The programme is highly practical and industry-focused, embracing a multi-skilled approach to design methodologies and construction methods.

The course emphasises creative collaboration, working with industry professionals to ensure that our teaching remains current, relevant, and adaptable. You will be continuously developing a ‘toolkit’ of skills and making industry connections. This hands-on experience is essential for understanding the latest working practices in the Film and TV Industry and other creative sectors.

Our programme focuses on training you as a professional practitioner. You will gain in-depth knowledge of current working practices through a variety of skills-based practical modules taught by industry professionals. The skills and training embedded in the programme will prepare you for a portfolio career in various fields, such as design, scenic arts, self-employment, and entrepreneurship.

Throughout your studies, you will develop technical skills and design aesthetics, crucial for roles in Art Departments. You will also gain experience in 3D form, prop making, and sculpting, which are essential specialist skills in this field.

Our course is structured to provide you with the necessary work experience to be industry-ready when you graduate. We offer a collaborative studio environment, allowing you to engage in creativity and design while working on real-world projects. This experience will enable you to bring visual worlds to life, whether for stage and screen or for other TV & film set design projects.

The programme also includes training in costumes and props, enhancing your ability to tell stories through your designs. You will learn the art of storytelling and how to apply it to different media, giving you a competitive edge in the job market.

Our industry links ensure that you stay connected with professionals and trends in the creative sectors. This network will provide you with invaluable insights and opportunities for your future career. By the end of the programme, you will have a well-rounded skill set that includes niche skills, making you a versatile and sought-after professional in the creative industries.

Located on our immersive Carmarthen campus, as a Set Design and Production student you will have access to our specialised workshops. Embracing the philosophy that everywhere is a classroom within our creative community, you’ll also engage in creative collaboration across the Performing Industries portfolio.

Modules

n your first year, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of set design and production, developing basic building blocks in the production process, where you establish your ‘toolbox’ of skills that will carry you through your degree. You will develop your creativity through practical projects, learning about design aesthetics and the basics of theatre, film, and television production techniques including areas such as scenic construction and props.

Year One - Level 4 (Cert HE, Dip HE & BA)

• Personal Project (20 credits; optional*)
• Principles of Design (20 credits; compulsory)
• Production, Performance and Genre (20 credits; compulsory)
• Production Technologies (20 credits; compulsory)
• Props and Production Roles (20 credits; compulsory)
• Scenic Art and Costume (20 credits; compulsory)
• Scenic Construction and Drawing (20 credits; compulsory).

Your second year will delve deeper into advanced design methodologies gaining hands-on experience in prop making, sculpting, and model making. This year emphasizes refining your technical skills and expanding your portfolio with real-world applications with opportunities for internships and industry networking to enhance your career prospects and international study.

Year Two - Level 5 (Dip HE & BA)

• Creative Industry (20 credits; compulsory)
• Design Process (20 credits; compulsory)
• Design Realisation (20 credits; compulsory)
• International Mobility Opportunity (60 credits; optional**)
• Personal Project (20 credits; optional*)
• Production for Screen (20 credits; compulsory)
• Production Project (20 credits; compulsory)
• Virtual Production Practice (20 credits; compulsory)
• Work Placement (20 credits; optional**).

This year is designed to smoothly transition you from university to the professional world. In your final year, you will focus on professional practice. You will undertake a major design project, often in collaboration with industry partners, showcasing your creativity and technical expertise. Alongside this, the Professional Practice module will help you develop your portfolio, CV, tax awareness, interview techniques, SWOT analysis, and personal development plans. This comprehensive preparation will ensure you are ready for your career in the Creative Industries.

Year Three - Level 6 (BA)

• Independent Project (40 credits; compulsory; Graduate Attributes Framework module)
• Individual Project (20 credits; optional*)
• International Mobility Opportunity (60 credits; optional**)
• Major Project (30 credits; compulsory)
• Personal Project (20 credits; optional*)
• Professional Practice (20 credits; compulsory)
• Site-Specific Theatre (30 credits; compulsory)
• The Role of Assistant (10 credits; optional)
• Work Placement (20 credits; optional**).

*This optional module is designed to offer students a retrieval position where the collaborative tasks specified in a particular module make it impossible for those learning outcomes to be met, such as where there are extenuating circumstances or a failure.

**This is an optional work placement/international study module. Where this option is selected through consultation with student and module tutor, up to two compulsory modules can be replaced.

https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/programme-courses/undergraduate/performance-dance-and-musical-theatre/set-design-and-production

Projects/Performances/Events
Students regularly have opportunities to take part in performances and events, this assists their professional growth and application of skills and knowledge.

Regular tutorials
We hold formal and informal tutorials throughout the degree. Each student can discuss their work with the module tutor or Programme Directors during tutorials. We look at practical development, conceptual growth and future ambitions.

Presentations
Presentations normally take place at the end of a module, exhibition or performance, in order to measure a student’s performance against established assessment criteria.

Process workbooks
At levels four and five, students will document their process and practical output in a workbook that demonstrates their learning and individual pathway preferences. At level 6, students write about their work in written tasks.
During this course, students may be required to explore texts containing themes and issues that may be perceived as intellectually, socially and emotionally challenging.