Sam
Plane

What made you choose to study at NTU?
“I chose to study my MA at NTU as I had such a great experience studying at NTU as an undergraduate and wanted another year to really refine what I had learnt. The staff are friendly and there is a great community vibe throughout the University. In addition, all of the facilities are brand new and open to anyone.”

How do you find the course staff?
“The course staff are always on hand to help and are very supportive. They provide insightful and constructive criticism – this informs your progress and development massively. If you’re not sure about how to do something or where to get it done, they’re always happy to point you in the right direction or give you a hand.”

What do you enjoy most about your course at NTU?  
“I’ve found that the MA Visual Communication courses give you a great opportunity to explore your interests in more detail. I’m focused heavily on user experience and digital design, so I’ve been able to spend a year focusing on my research and technical skills. The course is built entirely around you and what you want out of it.

"Apart from the project work there are also opportunities to present your outcomes and progress, network with professionals from within industry and undertake internships. I believe that these extra-curricular aspects of the course are just as vital in securing you that edge. All of the MA Visual Communication courses are taught together, this allows you to see what everyone’s up to and exposes you to new ideas that you may not have thought of.”

Can you tell us about your project?
“My project aims to solve complexity of transport. I really like working on projects that break down large problems into easy to understand solutions and so this was a perfect choice for me! At the beginning of the project, I researched deeply into the heart of the problem with transport branding and usage today - I presented this as a bound book to underlay the foundation to my solution. My base research greatly informed the visual development and workings of my solution (which is called GO). As the project developed, I had to consider how the service/app adapts for different kinds of people, as not everyone is completely comfortable with technology, which involved focus group testing.

"The outcome of the project is a subscription-style travel app, which adapts from smart watches to tablets. I also worked on the branding for the service, which adapts from the physical world (smart cards and printed materials) into the digital world, in the app.”

What do you think about the facilities available to you?
“There are so many facilities available to you! There are plenty of Macs available to students as well as more hands-on facilities like screen-printing. Chances are, if there is something you want to try then it will be available.”

What do you like about studying and living in Nottingham?
“I like that everything is so easy to get to. There is a huge variety of things to do in the City Centre and the countryside isn’t too far away either if you’re looking for somewhere a bit quieter.  The rest of the UK is within easy reach from Nottingham - London, Birmingham and Manchester are only an hour or two away. It’s definitely worth checking out the independent shops too!”

Why would you recommend your course to someone else?
“If you want the opportunity to spend a year being able to focus entirely on what you want to learn then MA Graphic Design is the perfect choice for you. There are so many opportunities to received feedback through tutorials and staff feedback. I also had the opportunity to undertake an internship alongside my MA, this is encouraged as part of the course and allowed me to combine leaning with real experience. An MA at Nottingham Trent University is all about you and your personal and professional development.”

How do you think this course and postgraduate qualification will help your future career?
“I think that the course has improved my confidence drastically and I feel well prepared to make the next step into my career as a result. Everything I have learned through my undergraduate studies has been refined massively and I've developed new skills that previously I hadn't had the time to. All of this combined, I think, gives you an edge over candidates without an MA.”