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Student explaining a piece of artwork

Art

Postgraduate Pathway in Art

If you’re serious about working in the creative industries, Birmingham City University’s postgraduate degrees offer the specialist resources and opportunities needed to launch a successful career. Join a community of like-minded creatives to drive transformation and celebrate your individuality.


Duration

  • Two or three semesters

Intakes

  • September
  • January
  • May

Entry Points

  • Pre-Master’s

Progression Degrees

MA Art and Design: Interdisciplinary Practices

This course will help you develop your professional practice, contextual understanding and research skills. You will work across a range of mediums and processes, including:

  • Photography
  • Installation
  • Sculpture
  • Digital media
  • Curatorial practice
  • Textiles
  • Sound.

Find out more: MA Art and Design: Interdisciplinary Practices

MA Arts and Education Practices

This MA, based in Birmingham School of Art, provides a unique platform for the art educator. During the course, you will explore the arts and their value as taught subjects, both within the institution and outside of it.

Find out more: MA Arts and Education Practices

MA Fine Art

This course is conceptual at heart, considering art in relation to philosophy, history and theory, contemporary discourse and global contexts. You will have the freedom to take risks and be driven by your imagination. Modules change to reflect contemporary practice and have included the following topics:

  • Philosophy and Aesthetics
  • Social Practices in the Visual Arts
  • Creative Publishing
  • Small Arts Business Set up.

Find out more: MA Fine Art

MA Visual Communication

This course is interdisciplinary in its approach, reflecting the dynamic practices within the creative industries.  Enjoying an immersive learning experience, you can choose to specialise in one of the following areas:

  • Photography
  • Graphic Communication
  • Illustration
  • Film and Animation.

Find out more: MA Visual Communication

Programme Details

Pre-Master’s Modules

Creative Practice*

You will develop advanced approaches to art and design techniques through the creative exploration of your ideas within a studio environment.

Critical Thinking for Postgraduate Study

You will learn how to critically assess arguments and evidence from a range of academic sources, as well as gaining an understanding of effective critical reading at postgraduate level.

Interactive Learning Skills and Communication for Postgraduate Study

During this module, you will learn advanced skills in topics such as:

  • Public speaking
  • Writing techniques and language styles
  • Research and referencing techniques.

Research Methods for Postgraduate Study

You will gain an understanding of research methods and methodologies for postgraduate study, as well as learning how to plan and undertake effective research at postgraduate level.

Final Project

This module will equip you with the advanced skills you need to develop and shape your own creative practice through the production of a final project.

* Three-semester programme only

Entry Requirements

You must submit a good portfolio if:

  • You are entering the two-semester programme without a related academic subject
  • You are entering the three-semester programme.

Workshop Requirements

All students accessing the 3D workshops, plaster room, glass room, water-jet cutting room and the kiln room will need to wear safety footwear with toe caps. Such footwear can be purchased from any safety footwear provider (e.g. Sports Direct) and can be as affordable as £12. The shoes should be S1P and comply with EN 20345.

There is no long-term storage facility for personal items in the workshops, so you will need to bring the safety footwear with you each day you are accessing the workshops.

Industry-standard Facilities

Birmingham School of Art is based at the heart of the city centre, just round the corner from Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Take a look at where you will be studying and the facilities available to you.

Our Facilities – School of Art
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