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An abstract piece of art from a fine art student.

Fine Art MA

  • Intro
  • Course
    content
  • Careers
  • Entry
    criteria
  • Fees
  • Location
  • Stay in
    touch
  • Related

Intro

Our Fine Art MA is for disciplined artists who want to grow their ideas and practice – you will challenge yourself creatively by critically examining your work, your artistic identity, and your motivations and ambitions.

You will engage wholly with what it means to practise as an artist today, with a tailored programme of study and regular personal tutorials. As part of a community of artists on the course you will participate in weekly lectures, seminars and crits, benefitting from working alongside your peers.

The course is taught by a team of experienced artists and curators, with guest lectures, workshops and professional practice seminars aimed to broaden your understanding of contemporary art in context.

As a full-time student you will work in dedicated studios at Dorset Place in central Brighton, and there is an on-site Fine Art MA gallery space where you can exhibit work to the public.

 

Key facts

Location Brighton: City campus

Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2 years

Book onto our online event

See all our other online events

Apply online

Please review the entry requirements carefully and if you have any questions do get in touch with us.

Apply now for your place

Art and design at Brighton is ranked 8th in the UK and 51st globally by the QS World University Rankings 2020.

It was a great decision to take the Fine Art MA course at Brighton. The artists and academics that taught on the course were supportive and knowledgeable. I continue to benefit from my time there and it transformed my art practice.

Billie Laidlaw, graduate

Course content

How this course is delivered

We've made some changes to the way our courses are taught to keep everyone safe, connected and involved in university life.

At the moment, students have a blend of on-campus and digitally enabled remote learning that provides lots of opportunities to interact and engage with lecturers and other students.

Find out what these changes mean for this course

Course structure

The course runs for 12 months full-time and 24 months part-time.

Regular seminars, tutorials and crits take place each Tuesday and Wednesday. Most students are part-time and attend each Tuesday in Year 1 and each Wednesday (plus Tuesday evening) in Year 2. Full-time students attend group activities on both of these days and spend the rest of the week either researching or working in our shared studios.

Part-time students research and make work in their own studios outside the university and use university facilities (such as workshops or libraries) for practical and presentation purposes. All students have access to the Postgraduate Project Space to install and exhibit work.

Follow Fine Art MA on Instagram.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Art display

Areas of study

The course is split into two main sections. Both involve elements of theory and practice – together with portfolio and visual documentation preparation – and culminate in assessed exhibitions.

Section 1

The first section (one year part-time or six months full-time) concentrates on the identification and development of your chosen mode of practice, with a degree of re-evaluation and experimentation being the norm.

You will display and discuss your work within a group to form a social and professional bond with your fellow students. You will also attend lectures and seminars given by the regular staff team and visiting guest speakers.

Section 2

The second section prepares you for the final assessment exhibition. This involves regular crits and group meetings. You will present a seminar linked to your work, develop your professional practice and networking skills, and receive tutorials on the extended essay that you write during the summer vacation.

Modules

  • Reconfiguring Practice: Proposal and Presentation
  • Research and Practice Methods: Research Journal and Research Portfolio 
  • Research and Practice Methods: Presentation
  • Consolidating Practice: Exhibition and Visual Documentation
  • Critical Review Essay
  • Fine Art Mentoring (option module)

Student views

“Tutorials were very good, helpful and to the point.”

“It has been interesting to have a varied response to work from different tutors, advisers and mentors.”

“I attended video editing and woodwork inductions – both of which were clear, thorough and well led. The Media Centre is particularly fantastic.”

“The course has helped me to reconfigure my practice and has enabled me to get to the next level – putting my work into a theoretical framework has been a valuable tool.”

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Meet the team

Amy Cunningham

Amy Cunningham is a multidisciplinary artist, lecturer and researcher, who uses the singing voice, video, materials and drawing to explore the texture, patterns and glitches in technologies and environments. Addressing both the obsolete and the futuristic, her artworks have included a fictional computer game in a real 18th century garden, opera as a video installation and an Internet broadcast as a song cycle.

Currently she is developing a series of work which explores the relationships between the architecture of leisure, wildlife and industry within coastal environments.

Read more about Amy Cunningham and visit Amy's Vimeo site.

Other teaching staff include Sean Dower, Alex Pollard and Louisa Buck.

 

Our latest news

Join Fine Art MA course leader Amy for experimental Sound & Light workshop

Join Fine Art MA course leader Amy for experimental Sound & Light workshop

Artist Amy Cunningham is running an experimental workshop (Sat 6 March) in collaboration with the De La Warr Pavilion in which she invites participants to listen to and record sounds and images found around the home.

Fine Art MA students launch group show

Fine Art MA students launch group show

Ventures into Perception featuring work by students Jo Bell, Amber Franks and Trisha Stone is now live.

Fine Art MA show online now

Fine Art MA show online now

Visit the exhibition site and see work by eight of our talented postgraduate students, live until 5 March.

School of Art lecturer is part of UoB team delivering pioneering research into sanitation crisis

School of Art lecturer is part of UoB team delivering pioneering research into sanitation crisis

Alice Fox from the School of Art is among an interdisciplinary team of University of Brighton academics delivering pioneering research to help address the sanitation crisis across Asia and Africa.

Read more from our blog

Careers

As well as going on to become practising fine artists, our graduates take up jobs in galleries including Fabrica Gallery, Chrysalides House Art School and Gallery, and Pallant House Gallery.

Many go on to lecturer and research positions at universities including University of the Arts London, University College Falmouth, Northbrook Metropolitan College, the University of Brighton and the Malta College of Fine Art and Technology.

People looking at students work at the Graduate show

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2021. They should be used as a general guide. 

Degree and experience
Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant area. Other candidates with relevant experience and demonstrable ability are also considered.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

International students whose language skills do not match the IELTS scores set out here should consider applying for this course through the Extended Masters programme at the university's Language Institute.

Deadline
We do not have a set deadline to receive applications, but recommend submitting before the end of May.

Research statement
When submitting your online application, we ask that it include a research statement. This should detail your interests as an artist and outline the scope and method of your intended study. It should also include a short bibliography. It does not need to be any longer than one side of an A4 sheet and you should add any back-up sketches or photographs you feel you need on a separate sheet. As a brief guide, we suggest you write your statement under the following headings:

  • title and any sub-title of the work proposed
  • aims and objectives of the work
  • a description of what the work will involve
  • how you would start your research for the work
  • possible technical requirements
  • any other information you think is relevant.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Portfolio

In your portfolio you should present 15–20 still images (or other formats if working in sound and media arts) online. Please provide a URL for your portfolio in your application.

We strongly advise you to upload your images to an image-sharing website where tags can be used as specific search criteria to help us locate your images quickly. If you wish to host your images on your own website, the URL must be clearly marked on your application.

Each image should be clearly marked with the following information.

  • Description: Please include the title of the work and the date it was completed (time‐based work can be presented as screenshots/stills)
  • Optional information: A brief description of your work related to each still image (max 20 words per image)

Image specification and format
All images must be in JPEG format: flattened, optimised for web/screen viewing and 72ppi (pixels per inch), with maximum dimensions of 500 pixels on the longest side. Adobe Photoshop is the ideal programme to use for this.

Find out more about how to create and submit your portfolio.

 

Student art

Fees

Course fees

UK (full-time)7,704 GBP

International (full-time) 15,300 GBP

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included, whilst studying a course in the School of Art are listed here.

  • For most courses you will need to budget for the cost of specialist materials, equipment and printing and are likely to spend between £50–£300 per year.
  • Costs in your final year of study are very likely to be higher than in earlier years as you bring together your final body of work and portfolio, and you may need to budget between £200 and £1,000.
  • For some courses you may also need to budget up to £100 for specialist personal protective clothing which, with care, will last for the whole of your course and beyond.
  • For most courses you will have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits, for example to galleries, exhibitions and studios both in the UK and overseas. These are optional and are not required to pass your course. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken, and typically range between £100 and £700 across the duration of your course.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software at City campus and at other locations across the university. However, many students choose to buy their own hardware – usually a laptop, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.
  • Course books and a wide range of magazines and journals are available in the university libraries. You do not need to have your own copies, but if you wish to, you should budget up to £200 over your course to buy them.
  • For courses in which there is an optional placement year, you will need to budget for living costs (rent, food, travel etc) in that city/country, as if you were on site at the university.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships, as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2021–22.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city’s reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year. Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements, live briefs and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

We provide support and venues for key events in the city’s arts calendar including the Brighton Festival, the Festival Fringe, the Great Escape, the Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Photo Biennial and the CineCity Brighton Film Festival. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate Show transforms our campus into the largest exhibition space in the South East as we celebrate the outstanding talent and creativity of our students.

As a student you’ll get lots of opportunities to experience these events at first hand and to develop your skills through the volunteering and other opportunities they offer.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Campus where this course is taught

City campus

Located in central Brighton, this campus is home to 3D design and craft, fine art, graphic design and illustration, digital music, digital media design, fashion and textiles, history of art and design, humanities, media, photography and film.

The facilities for making and designing, the theatre, galleries, workshops, studios, archives and the independent arts organisations based on site provide a unique and inspiring environment where creativity thrives.

St Peter’s House library and Phoenix halls of residence are close to the exhibition and learning facilities in the Grand Parade main building where you will also find the student centre with careers, counselling, student advice service and disability and dyslexia support. Edward Street provides extensive teaching and gallery space for media, photography and film.

Also on site are Photoworks, Screen Archive South East and University of Brighton Design Archives. Leading visual arts agency Photoworks runs the Brighton Photo Biennial and a national programme which frequently features the work of our graduates, staff and students. Screen Archive South East holds a wealth of material capturing life, work and creativity from the nineteenth to the twenty-first centuries. Our Design Archives received the Sir Misha Black Award for Innovation in Design Education in recognition of our contribution to design history scholarship and the quality of primary materials about British design held in the archive.

The Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, the iconic pier and beach are a very short walk away. The independent shops and businesses of the North Laine and Kemptown, and Brighton main line station, with frequent express services to London, are 10 minutes walk.

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Grand Parade exhibition space

Accommodation

Brighton: City campus

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
  • City campus is linked to Phoenix halls.
    • Phoenix halls are self-catered, but if you prefer you can add in a food and drink plan.The halls are a short walk from City campus in the centre of Brighton. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there's a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.

Want to live independently or in a university-managed house? We can help – find out more about unihomes and unilets or private renting.

Phoenix Brewery Halls Accommodation

Accommodation for City campus is in the nearby Phoenix Halls

Student kitchen in Phoenix Halls

Student kitchen in Phoenix Halls

Relaxing in nearby Pavilion Gardens

Relaxing in nearby Pavilion Gardens

Maps

City campus map

Stay in touch

Book onto our online event

See all our other online events

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

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