Metals and Jewelry Design Minor

Overview for Metals and Jewelry Design Minor

The metals and jewelry design minor gives you an opportunity to immerse yourself in a creative environment of problem solving and to develop traditional and contemporary metals and jewelry design skills. Through a personal investigation of traditional metal techniques and material processes for the fabrication of small objects and jewelry, you will develop a personal design aesthetic and vocabulary. This will be demonstrated through the creation of a portfolio of work.

Notes about this minor:

  • This minor is closed to students majoring in the studio arts BFA who have chosen options in metals and jewelry design option.
  • Posting of the minor on the student's academic transcript requires a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the minor.
  • Notations may appear in the curriculum chart below outlining pre-requisites, co-requisites, and other curriculum requirements (see footnotes).

The plan code for Metals and Jewelry Design Minor is METAL-MN.

Featured Profiles

Curriculum for 2023-2024 for Metals and Jewelry Design Minor

Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements

Course
Required Courses
CMTJ-124
Metals and Jewelry Studio Survey
This course is an introduction to the field of metals and jewelry design. It is designed to develop fundamental skills in working with nonferrous metal through various metalsmithing processes and techniques. The course will focus on the understanding of materials and processes for the fabrication of small objects and jewelry. Decorative surface texture, pattern and forming techniques will be studied as well as cold connection, soldering and hollow construction. The course will also explore the use of alternative materials as a medium to create work along an assigned theme or conceptual framework. The student will learn to evaluate new techniques, materials and concepts to succeed in more advanced Studio Arts course. **Fee: There is a materials fee required for this course and an additional course fee applied via SFS bill. See course notes for course fee information. ** Studio 5 (Fall or Spring).
Choose one of the following:*
   CMTJ-207
  Design, Fabrication, and Forming
This course will introduce the student to intermediate silver soldering and gem setting. Students will explore forming techniques used in the fabrication of jewelry and functional objects. Students will acquire technical understanding and demonstrate the comprehension of materials through assigned projects motivated by current themes in contemporary art and jewelry design. Students will be instructed on the proper use and maintenance of the metals shop. Students will be required to conduct research on a historical metals topic, write a paper, and give a presentation. Fee: There is a lab fee for materials required for this course. (Prerequisites: CMTJ-124 or CMTJ-206 or CMTJ-211 or equivalent course.) Studio 6 (Spring).
   CMTJ-212
  Fabrication, Casting, and Mold Making
The course focuses on the fundamentals of jewelry and metal design. Current styles and formal characteristics of jewelry and metal objects will be studied through a series of design problems. Students will learn casting and mold-making techniques for small scale objects and jewelry. Instruction will include vacuum assisted and centrifuge casting, sand casting, wax carving, replica casting, and silicone rubber mold making. Students will acquire technical understanding and demonstrate the comprehension of materials through assigned projects motivated by current themes in contemporary art and jewelry design. Students will be instructed on the proper use and maintenance of the metals shop. Students will be required to conduct research on a historical metals topic, write a paper, and give a presentation. Fee: There is a lab fee for materials required for this course. (Prerequisites: CMTJ-124 or CMTJ-206 or CMTJ-211 or equivalent course.) Studio 6 (Spring).
Electives
Choose three of the following:
   CMTJ-206
   Methods and Practice
This course will introduce students to basic jewelry hand tools. Students will learn about composition and working properties of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, which will serve as primary materials. This course will provide in-depth instruction on fundamental design and fabrication techniques. Students will acquire technical understanding and demonstrate the comprehension of materials through assigned projects motivated by current themes in contemporary art and jewelry design. Students will be instructed on the proper use and maintenance of the metals shop. Students will be required to conduct research on a historical metals topic, write a paper and give a presentation. **Fee: There is a lab fee required for this course** (Prerequisites: FDTN-112 or FDTN-212 or FDTN-122 or FDTN-222 or FDTN-132 or FDTN-232 or FDTN-141 or IDDE-102 or ILLS-206 or ILLS-209 or INDE-102 or equivalent course.) Studio 6 (Fall).
   CMTJ-211
   Design and Fabrication
Students will engage in fundamental design and fabrication techniques, materials, and processes within the broad historical and social context of jewelry design and metalworking. Working with precious and non-precious metals, students will learn traditional metal and jewelry methods of construction and fabrication. Students will acquire technical understanding and demonstrate the comprehension of materials through assigned projects motivated by current themes in contemporary art and jewelry design. Students will be instructed on the proper use and maintenance of the metals shop. Students will be required to conduct research on an historical metals topic, write a paper and give a presentation. **Fee: There is a lab fee required for this course** (Prerequisites: FDTN-112 or FDTN-212 or FDTN-122 or FDTN-222 or FDTN-132 or FDTN-232 or FDTN-141 or IDDE-102 or ILLS-206 or ILLS-209 or INDE-102 or equivalent course.) Studio 6 (Fall).
   CMTJ-207
   Design, Fabrication, and Forming
This course will introduce the student to intermediate silver soldering and gem setting. Students will explore forming techniques used in the fabrication of jewelry and functional objects. Students will acquire technical understanding and demonstrate the comprehension of materials through assigned projects motivated by current themes in contemporary art and jewelry design. Students will be instructed on the proper use and maintenance of the metals shop. Students will be required to conduct research on a historical metals topic, write a paper, and give a presentation. Fee: There is a lab fee for materials required for this course. (Prerequisites: CMTJ-124 or CMTJ-206 or CMTJ-211 or equivalent course.) Studio 6 (Spring).
   CMTJ-212
   Fabrication, Casting and Mold Making
The course focuses on the fundamentals of jewelry and metal design. Current styles and formal characteristics of jewelry and metal objects will be studied through a series of design problems. Students will learn casting and mold-making techniques for small scale objects and jewelry. Instruction will include vacuum assisted and centrifuge casting, sand casting, wax carving, replica casting, and silicone rubber mold making. Students will acquire technical understanding and demonstrate the comprehension of materials through assigned projects motivated by current themes in contemporary art and jewelry design. Students will be instructed on the proper use and maintenance of the metals shop. Students will be required to conduct research on a historical metals topic, write a paper, and give a presentation. Fee: There is a lab fee for materials required for this course. (Prerequisites: CMTJ-124 or CMTJ-206 or CMTJ-211 or equivalent course.) Studio 6 (Spring).
   CMTJ-301
   Metals and Jewelry Design Junior I
This course continues instruction in jewelry and hollowware rendering, chasing and repoussé, and tool making, providing in-depth instruction on advanced design and fabrication techniques. Through the use of kumboo 24k gold and bi-metal overlay technique, acid-etching and hydraulic die forming, students are introduced to jewelry and hollowware design and production methods. This course also introduces intermediate gem setting, identification and gemstone anatomy. Students will obtain instruction on the proper use and maintenance of the metals shop. Students will be taught advanced machine skills, hand skills and tools. Students will be required to conduct research on a historical metals topic, write a paper and give a presentation. **Fee: There is a materials fee required for this course and an additional course fee applied via SFS bill. See course notes for course fee information. ** (Prerequisites: CMTJ-206 or CMTJ-207 or CMTJ-211 or CMTJ-212 or equivalent course.) Studio 12 (Fall).
   CMTJ-302
   Metals and Jewelry Design Junior II
This course continues instruction in intermediate and advanced metal fabrication and introduces students to welding techniques and their application to metals and jewelry design. Students will be introduced to design alternatives for the creation of complex jewelry objects that may incorporate both metal and alternative materials as a means of design development and expression through artwork. Students will reflect appropriate application of material and process with regard to contemporary jewelry trends and historical context. Additionally, students will examine the ways in which materials and techniques influence meaning. Students will obtain instruction on the proper use and maintenance of the metals shop. Students will be taught advanced machine skills, hand skills and tools. Students will be required to conduct research on a historical metals topic, write a paper and give a presentation. **Fee: There is a materials fee required for this course and an additional course fee applied via SFS bill. See course notes for course fee information. ** (Prerequisites: CMTJ-301 or equivalent course.) Studio 12 (Spring).
   CMTJ-530
   Form and Fabrication: Metals and Jewelry Design†
This is an elective course providing an opportunity for introductory study in metals: either hollowware or jewelry. Development of metals techniques, design fundamentals and encouragement of personal expression will be encouraged. The student will learn to evaluate new techniques, materials and concepts. Slide lectures, technical demonstrations, field trips, hands-on experience and critiques will be used. **Fee: There is a lab fee required for this course** (This course is available to RIT degree-seeking undergraduate students.) Studio 6 (Fall, Spring, Summer).
   STAR-503
   CAD Drawing
This class covers basic CAD (computer-aided design) drawing for both design and presentation. Topics covered will include a broad range of drawing types, three-dimensional modeling, and presentation techniques. The course includes demonstrations, lectures, group-discussions, projects, and presentations. At the completion of this course students will use skills obtained in CAD orthographic drawing and 3-dimensional modeling to refine and present ideas and projects. Lec/Lab 5 (Fall or Spring).

* Students take either CMTJ-207 or CMTJ-212 as a required course. The other course may be taken as an elective to fulfill the total credit hours.

† CMTJ-530 can be taken a maximum of two times for this minor.

Latest News