MA/Postgraduate Diploma Fine Art

This postgraduate programme in Fine Art is mindful of students of serious artistic intent who wish to develop their artistic practice in a robustly critical environment so that they may ultimately work as artists in a professional context with the confidence to exhibit publicly, or engage in practice-based doctoral research. There are two diverging routes within the programme, one leading to MA in Fine Art the other leading to Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Art. The difference is marked by the fact that the MA acknowledges recent developments in practice-based research upon which it lays more emphasis, whilst the postgraduate diploma acknowledges a more purely practical perspective.

The programme has at its core a strong interrelationship between practice and theory that is relevant to contemporary fine art production, meaning and curatorial trends, and benefits from membership of the University Network based at Tate Gallery Liverpool where two of its theory modules are delivered.

A distinctive feature of the Fine Art Department at University of Chester is its research interests and specialist provision in the areas of innovative and non-toxic printmaking, and textiles within a fine art context, and it would welcome candidates who wish to develop their practice in these areas. The department, however, recognises and cherishes the competencies of painting, sculpture and lens-based media and has staff expertise in all of these areas. In addition to its specialist academic staff, students also benefit from a programme of visiting artists/professional practitioners.

Programme Aims

• To promote studio practice through which students can deepen artistic knowledge, extend expertise and develop artistic potential as independent learners.
• By relating theory to practice, allow students to understand critical ideas and subject their work to robust scrutiny thus negotiating contexts that will lead to new artistic insights.
• By developing an attitude of scepticism and enquiry enable students to give their work a sharpened focus and purpose.
• To promote a level of self-confidence that will enable students to extend the ambition of their work and to practise and exhibit as artists in a professional context or to continue as practice-based researchers.

Programme Structure

The programme is structured primarily for part-time study over 24 months although full-time study over 12 months is possible. Generally part-time students take two modules in each semester [full-time students take four]. In the first two semesters students take two practice-based modules and two theoretical modules. This core suite of four modules in itself constitutes a route to Postgraduate Certificate in Fine Art. Upon successful completion of the Postgraduate Certificate, students are offered, in the third semester, a choice between a double module that will lead to MA and a single module that will lead to Postgraduate Diploma. During the fourth and fifth semesters, students, whether following the MA or Postgraduate Diploma route will be engaged in realising a creative project independently that will be publicly exhibited. The MA project is considered as a research project where a body of creative work is accompanied by a critical and contextual rationale of 2,000 words. There is scope within the module for students to develop the rationale into a short thesis of 6,000 words if this is appropriate. The Postgraduate Diploma project has a more practical emphasis where a body of creative work is accompanied by a contextual journal and a critical evaluation of 1,000 words.

Each of the taught modules comprise 10 - 20 contact hours with tutors and a learning time of 120 - 150 hours which will be self directed study undertaken by the student. Candidates for the part time mode of study will normally be required to attend lectures/seminars on Wednesday evenings with tutorials arranged on an individual basis with appropriate members of staff. Whilst part time students have full access to all the facilities of the department, it is expected that they will also have their own studio/workspace.

Entry into the programme will depend on candidates being able to demonstrate during the admissions procedure that they have reached a level of competence appropriate to meeting the demands of the programme and having the potential to benefit from it. Candidates will normally hold a minimum 2:1 honours degree in Fine Art or Art and Design [or appropriate academic or professional equivalent]. They should also have evidence of recent work. EC or overseas candidates with evidence of successful completion of an equivalent Higher Education course in Art and/or Design will be considered for entry.

Interested candidates should in the first instance contact the University registry office and ask for an application form for postgraduate admission. Applications to join the programme should include a statement of intent supported by either 8 - 12 colour slides, good quality digital images or video footage [preferably not exceeding 5 minutes in duration] showing evidence of recent work. Colour slides of work should be numbered and clearly labelled with the candidate’s name. There should be an indication of which way the work is to be viewed if this is not obvious. The title of each work, date, medium and size should be listed against the corresponding numbers on a separate sheet.

The statement of intent should be written separately on no more than one side of A4 typewritten sheet [font size 10] and should include a description of the nature of current work, its artistic and/or critical context and an account of how candidates see their work developing having joined the course. Candidates should indicate whether they are interested in full-time or part-time mode of study. Suitable candidates would normally be invited for interview, to which they should bring a portfolio of recent original work [or photographs in the case of three-dimensional work]. The application form asks for two referees and it would be in candidates’ best interests if at least one of the nominated referees were able to give an informed opinion of their work and their potential to benefit from the programme.

Applications may be made throughout the year for entry in September. Although applications will be acknowledged as they are received, there may be a delay before interviews are held. Candidates accepted on the programme may be eligible for consideration by the AHRB for a Postgraduate bursary. The deadline for the receipt of applications for AHRB awards is the 1st of May. Further information may be obtained from the AHRB website.

For further information contact:

Maxine Bristow, MA Fine Art Programme Leader
e-mail: m.bristow@chester.ac.uk
tel: 01244 515722

Gaynor Lovett, Postgraduate Officer
Postgraduate Admissions
University of Chester
Parkgate Road
Chester
CH1 4BJ

E mail: g.lovett@chester.ac.uk
Tel: 01244 511511