MRes Typeface Design

University of Reading

Our MRes Typeface Design course is targeted specifically at experienced, practicing typeface designers and typographers who want to develop a deeper understanding of the historical and theoretical aspects of their field, and gain a research-intensive qualification that allows them to teach a postgraduate level.The course is structured on a hybrid model, over two years of part-time study. This structure extends the core seminars of the residential MA Typeface Design course, and integrates intensive sessions modelled on the TDi short course.Most of the work is conducted online, with three residential periods of two weeks each providing targeted research skills and archival work. The aim is to combine self-directed learning through guided study, discourse development through engagement with peers, face-to-face feedback on presentations and discussion, and hands-on experience with sensitive artefacts.The course follows a two-semester structure per academic year. Students start the course in September of Year 1, with the first residential period at the beginning of the semester 1 (late September). The second residential period takes place in the semester 2 of the first year, at a time that coincides with the vacation period of most HEIs. The third residential period takes place in the semester 1 of Year 2.The course is ideal for practitioners transitioning to teaching careers, and educators seeking to gain higher qualifications in a research-intensive environment. Graduates can expect to have a deep engagement with the literature in the field, and a unique opportunity to work with archival material. They can also expect to build broader academic skills in research and writing. The main output takes the form of a rigorous dissertation based on original research. We expect the better examples to be of publication quality, and contribute to the nascent scholarship in the field.From the students’ point of view the course will begin with the preparation for the first residential period, which involves some key texts on methodology and resources that help define the discipline. During this period of a few weeks students will also develop skills in using the online channels and the VLE that will be used during the course.During the first residential period in September of Year 1, students will focus on working methodologies, writing and critical reading skills, and preparing for studying the thematic seminars. This period combines elements of orientation in the resources available in the University and two series of intensive seminars. The first outlines the themes of the seminars and introduces the relevant key texts, together with a first round of hands-on sessions with relevant archival material. The second series focuses on research methods and academic writing skills. At the end of the two-week period students should be familiar with the Department’s approach to research and study, have familiarised themselves with our resources and made preliminary notes, and established working relationships with core staff. Some of the orientation sessions will be shared with students on the residential MA courses, helping establish the wider PGT network in the Department. MA Typeface Design and MRes Typeface Design students are located in the same studio for the duration of the residential period.The first online period revolves around the online delivery of the themed seminars. The assumption is that students will be in different time zones, so the key interactions will be asynchronous. The delivery of each theme happens in two phases: in the first, I introduce the key texts and initiate a discussion amongst the group by setting questions to be answered in the earlier seminars this discussion will be more structured, with a more open-ended approach once the group has established a pattern for working.