MA
Fine Art
Specialise in a practical or theoretical aspect of fine art
Course Overview
Why take this course?
This course is designed to enable you to control, discuss and critique your own work.
The course is centred on a self-initiated project in an area of your choosing allowing you to discuss the relationships between your work, current theories and texts with fellow students, helping you to become a questioning, critically-reflective practitioner.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Use our purpose-built studios and workshops which offer a wide range of production methods
- Study in a supportive environment where you and other artists can discuss the boundaries and developments within fine art
- Benefit from our lively local art scene ranging from cooperative run exhibition spaces to poetry and performance events
- Visit our course blog to find out more
What opportunities might it lead to?
Take your professional practice to a higher level and become a specialised practitioner in your chosen field. This course enables you to go on to careers in design, fine art practice and many other roles within the creative industries.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- practicing artist
- curating
- publishing
- teaching
- television
- theatre
I saw this as an opportunity to continue on my creative journey and work alongside new and different creative people.
Sue Carter-Hearne, MA Fine Art student 2012
Key Facts
- Duration
- 1 year full time, 2 years part time
- Entry
A good honours degree in a related subject, or equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. All applicants should have strong self-motivation and a commitment to self-directed research. A portfolio of art and design is required. Additional evidence of in-depth engagement in the subject and/or relevant work experience is ideal.
English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 or equivalent with no component less than 6.0.- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £5,000, part-time students: £1,670 in year 1 and £3,330 plus inflation in year 2.
International full-time students: £10,500, part-time students: £3,500 in year 1 and £7,000 plus inflation in year 2.
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- create.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 2421 - Department
- School of Art, Design and Media
Structure & Teaching
Your learning will be split into two stages. The first stage will involve you planning and carrying out the required research for your chosen area of study. This includes identifying the practical strategies that will help to bring your project to life. The second stage focuses on the production element of your project, followed by its presentation, usually in the form of an exhibition or display.
Here are the units you will study:
Stage One
- Question of Research: This unit will introduce you to the theme of the research question as a basis of enquiry.
- Project Proposal: This unit relates to the first in that you will develop your own project proposal and related research.
Stage Two
- MA Fine Art Resolution: This unit will involve you undertaking research and developing a body of work from this in answer to your proposal.
- Project Contextualisation: This unit is a critically reflective report documenting the development of your research and resolution, whilst outlining the various relationships to theory and historical and contemporary contexts for your chosen research area. You will also position your work in relation to what is happening at the forefront of the subject area.
Teaching and Assessment
Though there is an emphasis on self-initiated learning and project work, you will be supervised and receive full support from staff throughout the course. We also aim to encourage seminar-based discussions where you will have the chance to share knowledge with fellow students and become critically-reflective in your learning.
How are you assessed?
You will mostly be assessed by a mix of written and practical coursework. The majority of your assessment will stem from assignments centred on your project such as the presentation of your work and supporting documents.
Facilities & Features
Our Gallery
Promote yourself and your work by exhibiting your art outside of and around the University
Guest Speakers
We invite a lively and diverse line-up of visiting speakers
Print Workshops
Take advantage of our many workshops
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information
Our Gallery
Promote yourself and your work by exhibiting your art outside of and around the University. We have plenty of gallery and exhibition spaces, and we regularly host the work of our students, alumni and visiting local artists. Alternatively, display it online through the Faculty’s own ‘CCI Showcase’ reel.
Guest Speakers
We invite a lively and diverse line-up of visiting speakers, including artists, curators and arts administrators to lecture on their work. This is a great way to bring you into contact with professional life, while encouraging a vibrant culture of debate and interaction.
Print Workshops
Take advantage of our many workshops such as the printmaking, 3D and photographic workshops. The excellent facilities include a digital darkroom, lightbox room and computer suites.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
The tutor and technician support at the University is fantastic and there was always someone available to assist me.
Joy Moore, MA Fine Art student 2012
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
In the past, our graduates have gone on to pursue careers as exhibiting artists and work in community art environments. Others develop careers in curation or arts management and administration. There is a strong tradition of many of our graduates going on to further study at a higher level and this course also proves to be a firm base for entry to teacher training.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- contracted gallery artists
- public artists
- gallery managers
- curators
- academic researchers
Career planning
One of the benefits of studying at Portsmouth is the support that we provide to our Master's and Research Degrees students in career planning. Our careers and recruitment service – Purple Door – can assist you in career research and finding employment opportunities. Help is also available if you wish to find a part-time job while studying your degree. We offer our postgraduate students and alumni one-to-one appointments with a careers adviser, or an online service for those not able to travel back to the University. Our alumni can call on our career services for five years after graduation.
In addition, regular employability events offer you the chance to meet employers, find out about different career sectors and improve your applications or CV. The Graduate Summer Programme provides a range of guidance and employability seminars and workshops.
The course itself was hard work and required me to find the independence and self motivated attitude required to survive as an artist.
Lucy Best, MA Fine Art graduate 2012