Fine Art MFA

Start date

Level(s) of Study: Postgraduate taught
Start Date(s): September 2024
Duration: 2 Year(s)
Study Mode(s): Full-time
Campus: City Campus
Entry Requirements:
More information

Information for 2024/25

Introduction:

This course allows you to develop your artistic practice whilst engaging professionally with the rich and vibrant arts community in Nottingham, which is recognised as having one of the most active artist-led scenes outside London. You will critically engage with, interrogate, and resolve your own practice, as you develop an informed and established body of work.

With an emphasis on professional practice and audience engagement, you will widen your network with partners across the city, including Nottingham Contemporary and New Art Exchange.

This will prepare you for the rigours of contemporary practice as both an artist and researcher. Successful completion of this course will give you grounding to progress to PhD study, or our Professional Doctorate course.

Key features:

Dedicate yourself to the studio, focusing and exploring your practice
Work with the arts community in Nottingham to widen your practice and professional network
Take part in a programme of professional practice, including career development planning and professional work experience
Be supported by staff who are practicing artists in their own right.
Participate in a School-wide Masters 20-credit Culture and Collaboration module

Choose between 20-credit modules Professional Pathways in the Arts or Advancing Research Design, the latter ideal for students thinking of progressing to PhD or Professional Doctorate study.
There is an opportunity to go on study trips within the UK. You will also have the opportunity to study abroad with a partner institution, through the Turing Scheme.
Benefit from working in a close-knit community; with just ten places available per cohort, the MFA offers great opportunities to forge strong working relationships with academic staff, technicians, and fellow students
Benefit from our extensive links with festivals, arts organisations, and artists’ groups locally, nationally, and internationally, including our own Bonington Gallery

What you’ll study

On our MFA Fine Art course, you will be able to develop a specific focus to your practice and studies according to your individual needs and abilities while participating in critique, the exploration of relevant contexts and theories of art in order to engage critically with your practice.

Year One

Research and Development

(80 credit points)

This module starts with you focusing on the critical review of your practice. Studio practice and theoretical investigation will be integrated, and you’ll be supported and encouraged to engage in research and develop a reflective journal. A study trip will help to create a community in which you’ll work together and support each other.

With support from your tutor, you’ll create and develop a learning agreement that will outline your plans for the development of your self-directed practice. During the research and development of your practice, you’ll be encouraged and supported to create closer working relationships with organisations outside the University, focusing on professional practice and creating a basis for your future beyond this course. This stage of your studies is also a good time to engage in pushing the boundaries – taking risks, experimenting, exploring, and questioning.

Working with your tutors, and through discussion with your peers, you’ll be encouraged to evaluate the development of research, personal engagement and critical reflection that feed your practice. You’ll attend the Live Lecture programme organised by our Fine Art staff team. These will support you in the exploration of relevant research material and will provide additional feedback opportunities.

You’ll continue to develop your reflective journal, including all the material relevant to your work, providing detailed critical reflection of your journey. External exhibitions will provide you with an opportunity to engage in preparing your work for an audience, and to receive critical feedback.

You’ll also be asked to present your work to date in the form of an audio-visual presentation, and to submit your learning agreement, reflective document, and artwork for assessment. You’ll be asked to effectively articulate, critically analyse and reflect upon your progress through presentations of your work, and in your reflective document.

Culture and Collaboration

(20 credit points)

Advancing Research Design

(20 credit points)

or

Professional Pathways in the Arts

(20 credit points)

Year Two

Project Realisation and Presentation

(120 credit points)

During the first part of this module, you can choose from one of the following options:

Intensify your professional engagement through activities such as work placements (in Nottingham, or abroad), international collaborations, or the development of a group exhibition.
You’ll critically engage with your chosen activity at the start of the module, and integrate it into your reflective journal, which forms a useful resource when you come to write your reflective document, which is reviewed and assessed holistically together with your artwork at the end of each year-long module.

The course culminates in a presentation and celebration of your work, held at a venue outside of NTU and organised by you and fellow students as part of your professional practice.

Student Profiles

Szilvia Ponyiczki

Having the chance to try out lots of different ideas in the workshops is great. It enables me to complement my painting practice with ceramic, wood, and metalwork too.

Richard Emslie

'No' is a very underused word here, so if you can imagine it then the chances are you can probably do it!

Yajie (Sophie) Jiang

I chose to study at NTU because of the great reputation of the School of Art & Design and its high graduate employment rates.

Alasdair Ambrose-Thurston

“I have found the input from the tutors invaluable; they really push us towards standing on our own feet and being prepared for life outside of university.

Emily Simpson

The course staff are really friendly, helpful and amazing. They offer a lot of support both in terms of practical and theoretical work and on a personal level. I can’t fault them!

Student Work

The MFA students during a crit session

A previous MFA students exhibition 'When I grow up, I want to live in a grey area' at Primary Gallery, Nottingham

'Fetish or The Woman who Made her Own Statue' by Klara Szafrańska, MFA

Phases by Hannah Fletcher-Tomlinson from the Aftermath Exhibition at Nottingham Contemporary.

How you’re taught

You'll spend most of your time in a creative studio environment. Teaching and learning experiences will include:

independent studio practice
feedback tutorials
studio seminars
individual and group presentations
study visits
self-directed research
workshop inductions
technical surgeries
self and peer evaluations
Live Lecture programme

Find out when our postgraduate term dates for the Nottingham School of Art & Design are. Please note that these are slightly different to other Schools within the University.