Jewellery Design Technology
Welcome to Jewellery Design Technology
BA (Hons) Jewellery Design Technology
We are honored to have you become part of our community here at the Jewellery Design Technology Department and we welcome you to join us on our mission towards the achievement of ACDT’s vision. Learn essential core skills in jewellery making, to build confidence and know-how. A carefully structured series of projects will introduce you to a range of materials, techniques and processes.
Course description – degree
DJD 111 – Introduction to Jewellery Design 3 Credit Hours
There is a general consensus that the history of jewellery closely runs parallel to the history of mankind. While some societies wore amulets to protect against harm and were also worn on ceremonial occasions, jewels also signalled wealth and power. The course is intended to expose students to the history of African Jewellery from the 17th through the 19th centuries, and then from that period to the present century and how these jewellery relate to costume and fashion.
DJD 112 – Workshop Practice Basics 3 Credit Hours
The jewellery workshop is the place where all the activities related to jewellery making takes place. The tools and materials if not properly used could inflict damage on a user. It is therefore, necessary to adhere to certain safety rules since these tools and equipment may need certain conditions for proper execution or use. Students will have a good understanding why it is important to ensure that the workshop is properly laid out for efficient use of tools and equipment.
DJD 113 – Foundations in Technical Drawing 3 Credit Hours
Technical Drawing in some circles is referred to as graphics communication where subjects such as sketching, lettering, the making of 3-D models for analysis and then the manufacturing process are all covered. In this course, students will be introduced to the significance of the graphics language and the associated tools needed to carry out technical drawing.
DJD 114 – Basic Drawing 3 Credit Hours
This course introduces basic drawing techniques and it is designed to increase observation skills. The knowledge and understanding gained through drawing from life directly enhances our ability to draw from the imagination. Emphasis is placed on the fundamentals of drawing.
DJD 115 – Introduction to African Art and Culture 3 Credit Hours
During the past century or more, there has been an interest in African cultures. This was due to the discovery of gold on the African continent, especially Ghana and the trade that developed in the various parts of Africa. Archaeologists may still have much to discover throughout Africa but a good understanding is needed of the African societies in order to fully appreciate the true meaning of the art developed by the various societies in Africa.
DJD 116 – Communication and Study Skills I 3 Credit Hours
The importance of being able to use effective communication and study skills for academic work cannot be overemphasized. In all fields of endeavour, it is important that one is able to show a mastery of the spoken language as well as the skills needed in the presentation of information.
DJD 121 – Experimental Jewellery Practices 3 Credit Hours
The subject matter of the course involves the elements of 3-Dimensional Design in the context of contemporary jewellery making and metal forming. Students will experience a workshop environment including demonstrations, lectures, examples and assignments followed by group and individual critiques.
DJD 122 – Workshop Safety Practice 3 Credit Hours
This is a laboratory course for inducting students into the safe operation of hand tools, power tools, stationary machinery, chemicals and other equipment for the fabrication and finishing of industrial jewellery design models and prototypes as well as designed items or artefacts which have to be cast, electroplated, or enamelled.
DJD 123 – Orthographic and Multiview Projections 3 Credit Hours
Orthographic projection is a parallel projection technique in which the plane of projection is positioned between the observer and the object and is perpendicular to the parallel lines of sight. The Orthographic projection technique can produce either pictorial drawings that show all three dimensions of an object in one view or multiviews that show only two dimensions of an object in a single view.
DJD 124 – Introduction to Computer Aided Design 3 Credit Hours
This course introduces students to 3D modelling as an innovative approach to the visualization process and how Computer Aided Design (CAD) is revolutionising the design manufacturing industry and promoting the integration of computers into the design process.
DJD 125 – Communication and Study Skills II 3 Credit Hours
This course provides students with the knowledge and skills to communicate professionally on many levels including writing, speaking and the conducting of meetings. It is also, designed to improve the students ability to speak and understand spoken English through a variety of listening, pronunciation and speaking activities.
Design and all its related activities is a process for discovering or mentally taking things apart and putting them together to furnish new insight for the solution of problems in both art and industry. This course seeks to introduce students to some of the methods employed in stimulating creativity such as Synectics and Lateral Thinking as an initial step towards the making of models for design analysis.
DJD 232 – Fabrication and Finishing Basics 3 Credit Hours
This course is designed to give the student a first-hand attempt at making a piece of jewellery or an assigned object using the appropriate studio tools and equipment. This course is an introduction to basic jewellery fabrication techniques. Emphasis will be on technical skills in the fabrication of single pieces of jewellery.
DJD 233 – Alloy Calculations, Measuring and Marking 3 Credit Hours
Lowering or raising Gold and Silver quality may involve some calculations in order to obtain the desired quality for jewellery work. This may also require that the student or jeweller is knowledgeable about the different measuring systems used in the business.
DJD 234 – Introduction to Metallurgy 3 Credit Hours
This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of metallurgy. This will involve the study of ferrous and non-ferrous metals from the ore to the finished product. Instructional emphasis will be placed on metal alloys, heat treatment, hard surfacing, welding techniques, forging, foundry processes, and mechanical properties of metal including hardness, machine-ability, and ductility.
DJD 235 – Assaying, Refining & Hallmarking 3 Credit Hours
Quality Control and the refining of Gold and Silver is a very important part of the Jeweller’s business. All the systems designed and adopted to ensure that jeweller and buyer get a quality material worth the money expended is a form of insurance against fraud.
DJD 236 – 3D Modelling in Computing 3 Credit Hours
Three-dimensional solid modelling is a rapidly emerging area of CAD, revolutionizing the way industry integrates computers into the design process. A number of commercial 3-D modelling packages have been introduced to the Jewellery industry and it is worthwhile that students get used to these tools though these 3-D modelling tools have not yet completely replaced more traditional 2-D documentation or physical prototypes.
DJD 237 – Introduction to Entrepreneurship 3 Credit Hours
This course is an introduction to the concept of entrepreneurship. The course will cover the characteristics of and types of entrepreneurs, identifying problems and opportunities, creative problem solving, developing a viable business model and entrepreneurial ethics. The major learning aims of the course are to develop students’ knowledge about entrepreneurship and its synergistic impact on job creation and innovation.
DJD 241 – Concept Design Modelling 3 Credit Hours
Developing a concept or an idea for a product, system or even a jewellery item is a part of the visualization process. Visual thinking is a very important component of the practice of design and the visual arts. Even in the practice of jewellery making, most designers clarify and develop their thinking with sketches and models.
DJD 242 – Fabrication and Finishing Techniques 3 Credit Hours
Fabrication is the process where the various hand tools together with the various techniques devised for making jewellery come together. Finishing is a final and separate activity, which ensures that the final product is free from any form of contamination that could mar the surface treatment intended for the jewellery piece.
DJD 243 – Jewellery Casting Methods 3 Credit Hours
The realization that metal when heated to a high temperature becomes fluid and plastic, opened up new possibilities when the mould was developed to contain it until it cooled and solidified. The casting process has developed to the point where intricate objects can be produced by jewellers using either the simple one-piece open mould or the two-part closed mould.
DJD 244 – Jewellery Surface Coating Methods 3 Credit Hours
The various surface coating methods developed as a form of metal finishing has as its aim a desire to achieve a desired surface appearance. The techniques for achieving this are several and are categorized as manual or mechanical.
DJD 246 – Advanced Computer Applications 3 Credit Hours
The sharing of design ideas has always been important for the jewellery designer. Today however, the level of sophistication of some clients of the jeweller has made it necessary that design ideas are presented through some of the popular computer graphics techniques made possible by such design and rendering software as MAYA, RHINO, GemMATRIX, AUTODESK etc.
DJD 247 – Project Work 3 Credit Hours
The project work is a culmination of all that the student has managed to acquire in terms of knowledge and skills during the course of study. The final project is to be determined in conjunction with his/her supervisor and when approved, taken through the appropriate and relevant design process to completion. The final object may be a prototype or a fully functioning object.
EXAMINATION / ASSESSMENT OF COURSE WORK
Class Assignment, Quizzes and Tests – 25% (at least THREE ENTRIES a semester)
Mid – Semester Examination – 15%
End of Semester Examination – 60%
Note: A student who does not take Mid – Semester Examination does not qualify to take End of Semester Examinations.
Grading at the end of each semester
|Cumulative Grade point Average||Class|
|3.50 – 4.00||First Class|
|3.00 – 3.50||Second Class Upper|
|2.50 – 2.99||Second Class Lower|
|2.00 – 2.49||Third Class|
|1.00 – 1.99||Pass|