Fine Art MA 2012-13

This course embraces the diversity and complexity of contemporary art practices. You will study an in-depth programme that enables concept, production and reception of art to be tested within a scrutinised framework of current practices.

We aim to provide an opportunity for individual growth and professional development. Your work is analysed and supported through a developed critical framework of critiques, seminars, individual tutorials, studio workshops and lectures. A dynamic interplay between theory and practice expands critical discourse and conceptual/creative development.

The ethos of the course is to assist the development of ambitious artists, helping to recognise individual strengths and professional currency that will be central to a sustained and long-term career in national and international contemporary art arenas.

The course is one of a suite of Masters programmes in the School of Art, Design & Architecture which share a common structure. You will work along side students from related disciplines as well as undertaking subject specific modules particular to your own Fine Art MA specialism.

•  Induction

This is an Introductory 4 week intensive module taken at the beginning of the course. It equips you with research skills and techniques and introduces the learning and assessment strategies used throughout the course.

•  Critical Contexts - Creativity in Context

These two modules provide the theoretical underpinning for your studies, Business and Cultural theory as well as research methodologies vital to your subject research. There are individual and team projects similar to the Induction experience. The course philosophy is based on the principle of cross fertilization of creative disciplines and the value of learning from other specialisms, the team projects are organised in to ‘clusters’ of related disciplines for example:

3D Digital Designers working with Spatial Designers or Digital Media Designers,
Fashion Designers working with Costume and Textile Designers, Digital Media Artists working with Fine Artists, Fashion Managers with Design, Marketing and Communication students. Graphic Designers with Fashion Promotion or Photographers etc.

•  Exploration in Practice - Exploration through Practice

Are the major subject specialist modules where you develop your key subject knowledge and expertise. You will be supervised by specialist tutors particular to your own interests often 1:1 or in small groups. You will work with your tutors to link the 2 modules to develop your skills and personal interests which will culminate in the final project.

•  Master's Final Project/Thesis

This is a project you negotiate with your specialist tutor(s), you will have been encouraged to think about and plan this project through the proposal development stages embedded within the course. Your final project can be purely aligned to your own personal interests if you wish. Most students however, relate it closely to their career ambitions and often work with potential employers or undertake ‘live’ briefs, using it as an opportunity to showcase their specialist skills, knowledge and approach.

The intention is to foster contemporary artists to practice in the art world but there is a range of opportunities, both nationally and internationally, within the art sector for creative producers, thinkers and practitioners to work in culture-media, arts business, exhibition, marketing and promotion, film, TV, stage and illustration, as well as more traditional artist routes. Our graduates are also well placed for further academic study to PhD level or careers in the education sector.

Teaching strategies include lectures, tutorials, workshops and making art. Modules are assessed on a combination of the production and critique of art work, presentations and a dissertation, culminating in an exposition of work in the form of theoretical and/or practice based work.

Here at the University of Huddersfield, we continue to work hard to ensure that we set a fee for postgraduate students that is fair and offers you value for money. The tuition fees for postgraduate taught courses will cover the cost of your study at the University as well as charges for registration, tuition, supervision and examinations. For more information about funding, fees and finance, please see Fees and finance.

You can sign up to iHud here to make sure you receive our 2013 fee information as soon as it is published.

If you are interested in postgraduate research degrees, you can find information about research degree fees and finance here.

Research degrees are also available in this area. Contact us for details. Interim Awards A Master's course is 180 Master's level credits, which would normally take one calendar year full-time study. Interim awards are available at Postgraduate Certificate level or Postgraduate Diploma level should you decide to exit the course early. Please contact us for details of the credits required for these interim awards.

We hope you are interested in what you have seen and want to apply to join us.

If you are a student from the UK or from a country in the European Union (EU), you can find application information here.

If you are an international student from outside the European Union (EU), you can find application information here.

Research plays an important role in informing all our teaching and learning activities. Through research our staff remain up-to-date with the latest developments in their field, which means you develop knowledge and skills that are current and highly relevant to industry. For more information, see the Research section of our website.