A COURSE THAT CHALLENGES AND EXPANDS YOUR PRACTICE
Our MA Fine Art is an intensive postgraduate course rooted in critical experimentation and self-directed research. You’ll interrogate your practice in depth, supported by a community of artists, writers, and cultural practitioners who will challenge and encourage you to push the boundaries of your work.
The structure of the course is designed to be responsive to your individual interests and practice goals — with space to test ideas, refine methods, and locate your work within wider contemporary debates. We support criticality as a way of thinking and making: your research is not secondary to your studio work, it’s embedded in it.
LEARNING THROUGH DIALOGUE AND RIGOUR
The course is taught by practising artists, many of whom exhibit nationally and internationally. Tutorials, seminars, group activities, and practice-led workshops build a rigorous yet supportive teaching environment. There is no house style here — what we offer is time, expertise, and critical dialogue to help you develop your voice.
You’ll be part of a close-knit cohort of peers with diverse practices and backgrounds. Whether you’re returning to study after time in industry, or coming straight from undergraduate study, you’ll be working alongside others who are committed, curious, and ambitious.
STUDIO SPACE AND FACILTIIES
MA Fine Art students work from studio spaces during the academic year, with access to a range of specialist workshops and technical facilities. Full-time students are based in studios at the Art School; part-time students work from their own studios offsite and have workshop access during term-time teaching days.
CRITICAL THEORY, VISUAL CULTURE & RESEARCH
The Critical Model Dissertation (CMD) unit supports the development of your research voice. You’ll participate in taught seminars, workshops, and tutorials that introduce you to key thinkers and ideas in contemporary critical theory and visual culture.
Your dissertation will evolve from your studio practice and we’ll help you shape it with clarity and purpose. You’ll be supported by a personal dissertation supervisor and a wider teaching team with a range of research specialisms.
FINAL PRESENTATION OF WORK
MA Fine Art students present their final body of work in a curated exhibition at the end of the course. This is a professional installation that forms part of the final assessment process, and a valuable opportunity to test the public presentation of your work.
A CULTURE OF SUPPORT AND CHALLENGE
The course benefits from a teaching team who are deeply engaged in contemporary visual culture. We expect a high level of commitment from students: regular attendance, active participation in discussion, and time spent in the studio are all essential to getting the most from the course.
Teaching happens primarily face-to-face, usually between Monday and Wednesday, with additional time built in for independent research and studio practice.
SUCCESS BEYOND THE COURSE
Our graduates go on to build dynamic practices as artists, curators, researchers, writers, educators, and cultural producers. Alumni have shown work at Bloomberg New Contemporaries, the John Moores Painting Prize, the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize, among others. Many go on to win awards, gain residencies, and exhibit internationally.
We also support graduates through opportunities like the Artists’ Collecting Society Studio Prize — a £7,000 award towards establishing a studio in the year after graduation.
You can download a pdf of our prospectus and check out our News page to find out what’s been happening at the Art School.