MA - Graphic Design and Visualisation

Having studied at Loughborough for my undergraduate degree, I was able to see exactly what the University offers and gauge how well I fitted into the University’s environment and systems. The Creative Arts department offers incredible facilities only to be seconded by the staff that work there. For me, the University had what I needed most; the time and space to hone my skills and the support and encouragement to help guide my way in doing so.

Teaching, and especially supervision in MA courses, is key in bridging the undergraduate experience with becoming an independent researcher and meeting professional standards in workflow and outcome. The structure of the course and intended learning outcomes reflect the importance of these preparations and are orientated to strengthen and assess research related activities, and the professionalism of art and graphic based artefacts. Without this course, the levels of confidence, independence and self-reliance demanded by the PhD could have come as an overwhelming and destabilising shock.

The course was instrumental in sharpening social, hard, and soft skills. It can be frustrating seeking a greater level of skill yet struggling to see it manifest. I was reminded that patience is the sustaining force, not only to continuously seek improvement, but accept its evidence is often deferred. My understanding of people’s backgrounds was broadened as my course enjoyed a great level of diversity with international students and a greater mix of professional experiences than on my undergraduate course. The most-noteworthy development, however, was of my animation and illustrative ability and knowledge which completely, and very fortunately, changed the trajectory of where I thought my life might head.

Before undertaking my MA, I was a student at Queen Elizabeth’s High School in Gainsborough. I was attracted to the ethos of Loughborough – everyone I had spoken to had stressed the fact that it is one of the best universities in the country for student experience, something that I was drawn towards considering I preferred the campus university setup, as opposed to the city university setup. I was also massively attracted to the sporting opportunities presented by Loughborough, knowing that I would be able to train in facilities suited for international-level competitors, and that these facilities were on my doorstep – this inspired me because I train nearly every day, so having well-priced sporting facilities within walking distance massively swayed my favour towards Loughborough.

Now studying here, I enjoy working in an environment where everyone has a similar interest (in my case creative writing), but everyone is unique and working towards their own goals to suit their own interests (mine being experimenting in different styles of poetry and testing the boundaries of poetry).