MA Fine Arts

Faculty of Arts

York St John University College

MA Fine Arts
York St John University now offers a taught Masters programme in Fine Arts.

The curriculum, which also supports awards at Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma levels, is focused on developing artists’ abilities and capacities for professional, vocational and academic innovation. We emphasise relationships between composition, reflection, practice and dissemination across a dynamic breadth of fine arts disciplines and discourses. We seek capable, questioning and dedicated practitioners to contribute to our research-driven learning environment and make the most of the opportunities our programme offers.

The key features of this programme include:

• Your own practice is at the centre of the programme
There is a constant thread of practice-based modules in the programme, maintained from start to finish, whether you are enrolled full-time or part-time.

• Fluid interrelationship between theory and practice
The MA is designed to address dynamic interrelationships between theory and practice, with all modules delivered in seminar, workshop, studio and virtual environments. Theoretical concepts will be explored in relation to practice; practice will inform conceptualisations.

• Opportunities for cross-disciplinary work
The MA Fine Arts is located within the Faculty of Arts’ Creative Practice hub and shares delivery of core curriculum regarding practice-led research methodology with a parallel degree in MA Performance. This allows the possibility of cross-disciplinary study and the opportunities for new insights and lateral thinking that such work allows.

• Focus on reflection and documentation
The programme recognises the deep interrelationship between reflection, documentation and production, both in terms of the development of an artists’ work and in terms of the work’s critical and public dissemination.

Programme structure
Students follow two strands of modules through the programme:

Practice, Reflection, Dissemination
This strand consisting of two 40-credit modules is designed to enhance students’ abilities as self-reflective practitioners. It recognises the deep interrelationship between reflection, documentation, dissemination and production, in terms of the development of an artist’s work and practice in terms of its function and operation within critical and public domains. Students will be introduced to the variety of ways in which composition, creation, dissemination in the production of fine arts practice has evolved into its present media and forms. This will be accompanied by investigation into the potential of strategies concerning documentation as useful modes of reflection and realisation.

Creativity and Knowledge
This strand, consisting of two 20 credits modules, is designed to deepen and broaden students’ understanding of the interrelationship between arts practice, knowledge and research. It will consist of investigation into concepts of practice-based research in the arts and the examination of the epistemological and ideological implications of the widening of traditional concepts of research that such developments entail. The modules will also interrogate, through workshop-based practice, the possibilities for the generation and communication of knowledge in and through practice.

Masters Independent Project
Together these taught elements lead MA into the final Independent Project module, where students undertake an extended period of supervised practice-based research.

Attendance
The programme is offered in the following modes of study:

Full-time: Over 1 year
Part-time: Up to 5 years duration

The programme begins in September each year. The taught modules will normally consist of weekly sessions scheduled on one day a week, with full-time candidates attending the whole day, part-time students for half the day. There may also be the occasional intensive weekend session.

Awards
Students would normally enroll onto the MA programme (180 credits), however there is the possibility of undertaking the Postgraduate Diploma (consisting of 120 credits of taught modules but not the Independent Project) or exiting with the Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits).

Entry requirements
Candidates for entry to the MA programme must normally posses one of the following:

• Graduates with an honours degree at 2:2 or above in a related subject.
• Applications are welcomed from those working in a professional arts environment or with extensive experience of arts practice. Academic tutors will consider such applications on an individual basis.

Students not meeting the above criteria may be considered for registration on the Postgraduate Diploma, with progress to Masters level work reviewed on successful completion of programme requirements.

International students will need to demonstrate that they have equivalent experience /qualifications as home students. If their first language is not English they must show evidence of English Language competence at IELTS level 6.0 (in all areas of the test) or equivalent.

For all candidates there will be an interview and consideration of a portfolio of work. Arrangements for interview by telephone are possible where appropriate.

Finance
The current 2008-09 fee is £3240. Programme fees are payable by module and subject to an annual increase. For overseas students the standard international fee will apply.

Applications
Applications should be made direct to York St John. E: admissions@yorksj.ac.uk

Further information
For further information please contact Matthew Reason E: m.reason@yorksj.ac.uk