Studies & Degrees in Jewelry and Metals

Choose where you would like to study Jewelry and Metals:

Creativity, critical thinking, craft skills, ingenuity, and patience are some of the qualities needed to complete the Jewelry and Metals program. Students are prepared to master courses in jewelry arts so that they will not simply create unique and stunning jewelry pieces and arts but be able to establish a strong foundation in understanding the vocabulary and skills linked to working with metal materials used in jewelry and art pieces making.

Techniques are employed as students are helped to cultivate respect for technical skills in arts. Students are taught how to identify jewelry pieces and objects made of metals that have both monetary value and artistic values. The visuals or the aesthetics of jewelry and metal pieces posses certain qualities that express meaningful messages. Throughout the course, every student is able to recognize the intrinsic values of a specific piece of jewelry based on expressions delivered by the piece.

Some interesting classes under the program include the following:

- Basics of jewelry and metal designs;

- Metal manipulation and tools used in metalwork;

- Arts behind jewelry and metal objects;

- Art of advanced fabrication, surface treatment, and patination (the coloring of metals through chemical process that simulate oxidation);

- Casting and stone setting;

- Repoussé and chasing;

- Enameling and advanced forming;

- Special problems about arts; and

- Sculptural objects.

Organizing a thesis exhibition is the final requirement for most graduate studies and further studies can be taken by undergraduates, too.

Metalwork is not just an interesting field of study but a unique program that gives students the familiarity they need about traditional and sophisticated ideas when working on metals. The technical and conceptual challenge behind the program is compelling enough to equip students with the right education. Later on, students will be able to consolidate materials and process them with the objective of creating strong and expressive ideas about metal arts. Meaning to say, students are being taught to develop their advanced skills on metal works and make use of their artistic and creative abilities in discovering and inventing new ideas in jewelry and metals. Moreover, a bright future lies ahead graduates of Jewelry and Metals program as they strongly possessed the qualities and knowledge needed in becoming an effective jewelry historian, consultant, gemologist, teacher, and get positions from antique and jewelry shops or important cultural institutions like museums, culture and the arts agencies and non-government organizations that are responsible in preserving and enhancing valuable treasures made of precious and vintage metals for instance.

The technique of bead setting is one technique in jewelry making. The beads can be replaced with other valuable gemstones. Some other techniques that can be learned are: die rolling, damascening (a decorative technique), etching (a decorative technique), fabrication, forging, granulation, gypsy setting, invisible setting, and saw piercing. In the end, genuine artisan and craftsmanship of the student is achieved.

Jewelry making and understanding much more complex metal works are the highlights of the course and will make students get inspired in advancing their knowledge once they take Jewelry and Metals program.