Course Objectives

In the second specialisation year in the Folk Art study programme, students will further improve their skills in crafting and designing using a chosen material. They will learn to master skills in forming a chosen material in a way that combines technical and aesthetic skills in achieving their objective, as expressed in a finished product. They will focus on theoretical issues within the area of arts, crafts and design in their chosen material and test these out when working with specific assignments. Through the development of ideas and working with specific material, students will experience how working purposefully with formal basic principles influences and determines how a product develops.

The student will:

• Increase his/her knowledge of the material and the material’s qualities and characteristics.
• Work with topics related to continuing the practice of traditional arts and reformulating new artistic expressions.
• Work with design problems related to specific technical challenges and solutions.
• Acquire more knowledge and training in developing an idea that culminates in a finished product.
• Work independently and reflect on choices and solutions.

Course Description

Students will have the opportunity to specialise within their chosen field (wood, metal or textiles), both theoretically and practically.

Course unit 1: Material, Design and Techniques (20 ECTS credits)

The finished product is a combination of the factors material, design and technique and the craftsman’s familiarity with and knowledge of skills in relation to mastering these factors. Students will be introduced to traditional techniques, and on the basis of this work further with their own experiments and studies using formal basic principles when working with different material qualities. Students should also work on techniques that they have learnt in the previous courses in the study programme, but with an aim to further exploration, perhaps for other purposes and with other topics within the aesthetic field.

The student will:

• Acquire knowledge of new techniques.
• Explore the relationship between form, material and techniques in relation to specific topics.
• Work with relevant experimental methods and find new solutions.
• Reflect upon and evaluate the aesthetic challenges and solutions concerning the continuation of tradition in the creation of new products.

Course unit 2: Subject Theory (5 ECTS)

Theoretical knowledge and insight will increase students’ understanding and ability to analyse and reflect upon tradition and aesthetic topics and expressions. This course builds further on the theory introduced in the two previous courses in the study programme. Students will acquire a foundation for assessing their own artistic expressions in a contemporary context and develop an awareness of the aesthetic tools used in traditional material arts and other areas of artistic expression. Theory will focus on general art-theoretical expressions and more subject-specific theory related to traditions within the various material areas.

Students will:

• Familiarise themselves with theory related to practical instruction.
• Gain insight into the various artistic contemporary expressions and place these into a broader context.
• Be able to analyse and evaluate objects and artistic expressions.

Course unit 3: Research Methodology and R&D work (5 ECTS)

The research methodology will help students to make correct choices when completing various assignments, both in terms of practical and theoretical issues. Students will work systematically in order to acquire new knowledge. In this course unit, students will draft an outline as preparation for writing their specialisation assignments in the spring semester.

Students will:

• Limit their field of study, formulate questions, use source material, present and evaluate the results of their work.
• Gain knowledge of different methods for gathering data and on the basis of this select appropriate methods, in which the combination of practical and theoretical approaches will be central.
• Draft an outline which will form the basis for a larger work - a specialisation assignment.

Learning Methods

Teaching and learning methods include lectures, seminars, group work, study trips and self study. Teaching will be given in the autumn semester on fixed weekdays and intensive block teaching at the beginning of the course, and when introducing new topics.

Assessment Methods

Autumn semester, 30 ECTS

The following course requirements must be fulfilled in order to receive a diploma:

• 1 assignment assessed on a pass / fail basis in course unit 1
• 2 assignments assessed with grades in course unit 1 (75% of the final grade)
• 4-hour written examination (Subject Theory) (25% of the final grade)

The final grade will be entered on the diploma.
A-E are passing grades and F is a failing grade.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean