I really did think my learning days were over when I finished college in the 80's. But as every creative knows, you NEVER stop learning in this industry. What a sad day it would be if you knew everything you were ever going to know.

So the epiphany happened on a rainy Thursday afternoon. The weirdest thing was picking up the phone to enquire about MA Design Studies. "Am I really doing this?" I quickly put the phone down. "MA Design Studies... are you really sure about this, Rich?". I made that call and arranged an interview. And the rest as they say... is the future!"

                                                The course
MA Design Studies is a course that 'provides an approach to the study and application of creative innovation.' You are exposed to questions specially designed to stretch and develop you ability to solve issues way beyond your comfort zone'

Throughout the two year course, is split into 3 main units that end with the completion of the final self initiated project and a final end of year exhibition. Here's a brief summary of each unit.

Unit1: Feeding the Imagination:
Does technology facilitate or inihibit creativity?
Packed with the question and a fresh outlook, we are asked to present our findings and research for this question during a two hour presentation This also involved finding a speaker to contribute their views and opinion to the evening. Our group felt that this question had enough scope to warrant inviting two speakers to talk at opposit ends of the spectrum. Carl Honoré, author of "In Praise of Slow" was invited to speak on his views on how technology may inhibit creativity. Patrick Burgoyne, Editor of Creative Review was asked to be a guest speak on the subject and give his views on technology and how it facilitates creativity. Both speakers put their respective points across before facing a live panel debate and questions from the MA cohort.

Unit 2: Applying the Imagination:
Starting to apply research skills to identify and evolve a creative resolution to a business and /or social opportunity.
In order to gauge the terrain for my final project, I started to look at the creative sector and factors that may have an effect on the industry. So I chose to look at "intuition" as an intangible force that may or may not have a big effect on the the way we make decisions. The research began with reading up on intuition and our ability to make snap judgements. This raised questions on the reliability of our intuition and that perhaps, our intuition can let us down. I developed a short movie called "Intuition in the Creative Industries". The movie and short presentation were inveiled at a symposium held at CSM in November 2005.

Unit 3: Testing the Imagination:
How can the benefits of creative collaboration between graphic design students and professionals be highlighted, so that work placements become integral to studio culture?

"In order to safeguard the future...we must let our great talented stars of tomorrow grow through us". (Glenn Tutsell, Creative Review, 2006)

Imagine a world where young creative students and graduates are looked upon as the new creative power generation. A world where they are a regular valued contribution to the creative process. A world where industry competes to recruit the finest young talent - and where the finest young talent aspires to be recognised and valued within studio culture. This is a project about encouraging industry and students to acknowledge and embrace the benefits of creative collaboration during work placements. A journey that investigates and interrogates a set of assumptions, perceptions and statistics in the view to making work placements integral to studio culture.

Unit 3 culminated in an exhibition held at the Candid Arts, Isliington, London, in December 2006. Featured during the 3 day event was the short film "Silent Debate" – a 5 minute movie featuring a debate taking place between students and professionals in the graphic design industry. A 40 page report on my research findings was also on display along with samples of an ad campaign to promote the benefits of student and professional collaboration in the graphic design industry.