Curious about studying Jewellery and Silversmithing - HNDat Birmingham City University? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Higher National Diploma - HND
Vittoria Street
Full Time
Sep 2026
2 Year
Our HND course in Jewellery and Silversmithing specialises in training you in traditional skills while also introducing you to new technologies through live and collaborative projects, preparing you to become the next generation of jewellers and silversmiths. We are driven by high levels of craftsmanship, industry standard practice and employment. While studying with us you can expect to master a range of fine jewellery and silverware techniques, including hand engraving, and are the only university course in the UK to teach optical diamond setting. There is a shortage of heritage skills within all areas of the UK’s craft industries, this is especially true in Jewellery and Silversmithing industries. Our course shares university-level knowledge and understanding while supporting you to develop the practical making skills you need to step into these roles which can range from fine jewellery mount makers, finishers, and chasers, to seal and gun engravers and fine gemstone setters. In this way we bridge the gap between apprenticeships and academic studies.
This module introduces you to the jewellery and silversmithing workshop as a professional working environment. It provides a foundational understanding of workshop organisation, tools, machinery, materials, and industry-standard health and safety regulations. The module establishes safe working practices and professional behaviours that will underpin all future practical and workshop-based learning.
This module is the first practical module within the course and introduces you to the foundational hand-making skills required for a career in jewellery and silversmithing. Delivered within a fully equipped, professional workshop environment using authentic jewellers’ benches, the module provides an essential grounding in traditional small-scale metalworking techniques.
This module introduces you to key manufacturing processes used within the jewellery industry, with a primary focus on multiple and batch production. It develops an understanding of how these processes support the efficient and commercial manufacture of jewellery while maintaining creative integrity.
This module introduces you to key STEAM-related skills that support contemporary jewellery and silversmithing practice. Focusing on the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics, the module explores non-workbench skills essential to the jewellery and silversmithing industry, including Computer Aided Design (CAD), gemmology, and rendering for design. These skills are tools that complement and enhance traditional bench-based making.
In this module you will develop an in-depth understanding of manufacturing techniques, including repair work and CAD. There will be a greater focus on the commercial applications of lost-wax casting as a means of bespoke production. You will also learn about using the laser-welder as a means for the rapid repair and modification of castings, as well as for other industry process requirements.
This module introduces you to the skills and techniques used by silversmiths in the formation and finishing of larger-scale metal objects, commonly referred to as silversmithing and small-works. You will work with metal on a scale that contrasts with jewellery-making, gaining an understanding of its working properties, how it responds to tools, and the application of heat.
This module provides you with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in response to an external professional brief. Each brief, set by an external client or agency in consultation with the tutor, may present a real-life problem or a simulated scenario. You will engage professionally with their subject area, developing practical and creative solutions that integrate both traditional handmade mounts making techniques and technical skills used in traditional jewellery practice.
This module introduces you to working within commercially relevant briefs while providing the flexibility to explore and expand specialist skill sets aligned with individual career aspirations. You will select a brief from a curated range of industry-relevant options and develop a project within the framework of that brief.
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