Fine Art - MA
- Level: Postgraduate Taught
- Starting: September 2021, January 2022
- Study mode: Full Time, Part Time
- Location: Margaret Street
Studying with us in 2021/22
It is possible that the 2021/22 academic year may be affected by the ongoing disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Any arrangements put in place by the University for the 2021/22 academic year will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, pandemic-related/health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.
Our MA Fine Art Master’s course embraces art practice, in whatever form it takes (drawing, painting, sculpture, print, photography, installation, lens-based media, performance, participatory, interdisciplinary and expanded practice) and in whichever circumstance it occurs.
It is conceptual at heart, pursuing strong ideas and challenges of art in real life. The artist Joseph Beuys, working in Social Sculpture, famously said: "Each and every man has the most precious building in the world in his head, feelings and free will. And the French poet Baudelaire said: the best form of art criticism is another work of art."
We agree and so art is considered in relationship to philosophy, art history and theory, contemporary discourse and global contexts, establishing critical frameworks in which artists make work. We also have strong links with art galleries and artists communities, including Eastside Projects led by Gavin Wade and Céline Cordorelli.
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What's covered in the course?
This expansive programme offers you a specialist education in Fine Art with both core practice modules and optional modules, that change to reflect contemporary ways of practising. These have included: Philosophy and Aesthetics; Social Practices in the Visual Arts; Creative Publishing; Technical Methods; Small Arts Business Set up; Models and Methods of Curatorial Practice and Photography as Research. These help develop and frame your practice whilst also introducing you to contemporary contexts and debates.
It will enable you to take risks, be imaginative and self reflexive in the development of your work. It builds your confidence, enhances your critical and analytical skills and prepares you for a career in the creative sector.
Numerous alumni have gone on to be successful: presenting work at the Venice Biennale and becoming a Turner Prize judge. Uniquely, you will be encouraged to personalise your learning therefore preparing you for life as a professional artist or PhD researcher. Collaboration and personal development are encouraged alongside attention to pastoral care.
This programme is lead by Esther Windsor a curator, artist and writer who has curated at The ICA, Camerawork Gallery and Darkroom, The Photographers’ Gallery and established two art school galleries, the waiting room, University of Wolverhampton and mirror, LCP London. She was director at Hull Time Based Arts and co directed 1000 000 mph, London. She previously taught Theory and Practice on MA Art and Space with Cullinan and Richards at Kingston University. You will also be taught by staff with different specialisms, including painters and staff located in the knowledge of the regions history of radical practices.
You will be located at Birmingham School of Art (Margaret Street Campus), an impressive Grade 1 listed purpose built resource, with a specialist team of friendly, experienced and dedicated technicians.
Why Choose Us?
- Birmingham School of Art is an internationally recognised (REF 3*/4* rated) centre of excellence for art-based learning and research. You will become a valued member of one of Birmingham School of Art’s research centre.
- The MA Fine Art programme has a significant international reputation with alumni in over 20 countries worldwide, with strong exhibition profiles and working in a range of institutions and organisations.
- You will have the opportunity to interact with students from other Master’s courses located at Birmingham School of Art and the wider faculty/university.
- You will be supported by a highly professional staff team, doctoral researchers, technical demonstrators and artists in residence in a caring and supportive environment.
- We have good external links with internationally recognised galleries (Ikon, BMAG, Tate) and organisations in the creative industries (ELIA) and the wider community. Our graduates have shown work in renowned galleries (including Tate Modern) and at prestigious events (such as the Venice Biennale).
- A high number of graduates have been awarded fully funded Arts and Humanities Research Council and Birmingham City University Scholarships for PHD study.
- Financial support may be available via the Postgraduate Loan initiative, Birmingham City University Scholarships, the Gertrude Aston Bowater Bequest and Mike Holland Trust.
Open Days
Our Open Day for this course will take place in Spring 2021. Register now and we will contact you when the booking form goes live.
Register your interest
This course is open to International students
Discover Birmingham School of Art
Visit our School site for more student work and extra information.
Where our students go
Our students have gone on to work with companies such as:
- New Art Gallery Walsall
- NHS
And in jobs such as:
- Professional artist
- Teachers and academic lecturer
- Community arts project worker
New £11,222 postgraduate loans
You may be able to take advantage of the government’s plans to make loans of up to £11,222 available for postgraduate study.
Entry Requirements
Essential Requirements
| Essential | ||
|---|---|---|
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BA (Hons) Degree in Fine Art or Art and Design, or other Arts-based Degree course, related subject. The minimum academic qualification required is a 2:2 award. Those with equivalent prior professional or life experience will also be considered. |
International Students
Don't meet our entry requirements? You could apply for courses at our International College.
- UK students
- International students
Award: MA
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £7,700 per year
- Full Time
- 18 months (including Professional Placement - see below*)
- £8,500 per year
- Part Time
- 2 years
- £3,900 per year
Award: MA
Starting: Jan 2022
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £7,700 per year
- Full Time
- 18 months (including Professional Placement - see below*)
- £8,500 per year
Award:
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 18 months (including Professional Placement - see below*)
- £14,600 per year
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £13,200 per year
Award: MA
Starting: Jan 2022
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £13,200 per year
- Full Time
- 18 months (including Professional Placement - see below
- £14,600 per year
If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead. The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
*Professional Placement option
The Professional Placement version of the course is optional and is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course.
This will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.
You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement. The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will also benefit from support sessions delivered by Careers+ as well as advice and guidance from your School.
Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course. All students who do not find a suitable placement or do not pass the competitive selection process will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.
Portfolio Guidance
You are required to submit a digital portfolio of no more than 12 high quality images of your recent artwork. You may submit it as a power-point, comparable form of presentation such as Prezi or direct us to your website.
If you are working with video or sound you must submit a show-reel of selected work no more than 20 minutes in length.
All items must be accompanied by the title of the work, date, media, and size. For time-based work you must state the length of each individual work.
Personal statement
Students are required to submit a personal statement as part of their application for this course.
Your postgraduate personal statement is going to shine a light on your personal experience, academic success, personal skills and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:
Your passion and motivations
Studying a postgraduate course usually means you want to specialise in something. So what’s driving you?
Why this course?
Show that you’ve researched the course offering. What is it about this particular course that appeals to you? Is it the lecturers? The modules? Etc.
What makes you a good postgraduate candidate?
Tutors want to know that you can handle postgraduate study, so show them how your undergraduate experiences or work life has equipped you for a more advanced level of study. Key areas to address are research and group work but this can vary depending on your chosen course.
Relevant academic or work experience
Add anything relevant that relates back to your chosen course and shows how your skills will contribute towards your learning. What extra-curricular activities have you taken part in? What awards have you won? What employment or voluntary experience do you have that has helped you develop transferable skills? How do these specifically relate to the course you are applying for?
You should also mention your future plans and how a postgraduate qualification fits in. Try to look beyond your postgraduate study – do you plan to jump straight into a specific career or follow your studies with a research degree? Lastly, use plain, professional English and, where possible, utilise the language of your chosen industry.
Get more information on writing personal statements.
Additional costs
Our courses include activities such as performance, exhibitions, field trips and production of works or artefacts which may require you to purchase specific equipment, instruments, books, materials, hire of venues and accommodation, or other items.
Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £50 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials. All our students are provided with 100 free pages of printing each year to a maximum total value of £15.
Accommodation and living costs
The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.
For more information please contact the School Admissions Office. Tel: 0121 331 5150 / Email art.admissions@bcu.ac.uk
On receipt of your application form, your application will be considered and you may be called for interview. After interview, if you are considered suitable for the course you will receive an offer of a place.
When you complete your application form, tell us something about your artistic, educational and/or professional experience thus far. Tell us why you want to apply to the MA Fine Art course and what you hope to gain from the experience. Your application must be accompanied by evidence of your art-based practice. We require 12 images of recent work on power point. If your work is film based you need to prepare a show-reel and if your work is web-based you need to direct us to it with the appropriate link.
Financial Support
We offer further information on possible postgraduate financial support. This includes the type of loans, grants and scholarships available both from the government and from Birmingham City University.
Did you know that you can apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £11,222 for some courses and options?
Modules
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 160 credits):
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules.
Course structure
The staff team is highly professional with extensive expertise within their individual specialist subjects and fields of research. As an MA Fine Art student you will be able to request tutorial support from other academic and technical members of staff and the PHD student group if it is important to your study.
Learning strategies include:
- Independent learning
- One to one tutorial support
- Group tutorials
- Taught staff led seminars
- Student led seminars
- School of Art Public Talks Series
- Lectures and conferences
- Library research/resources
- Field trips (where appropriate)
Classroom activities and projects
The programme begins with an evening induction event culminating in a meet and greet with drinks and nibbles. You will join our Pecha Kucha sessions where you will be invited to present your work. This is a fun and light-hearted way of introducing you to each other.
You will be involved in group tutorials and student-led seminars that invite you to present your research and practical work for the group to consider and critically evaluate. The intention here is to share your ideas with other people who become ‘critical friends’ to help you think through your work in new ways.
There is a fantastic opportunity to show your work by contributing to the Interim Show and the Final Masters Exhibition. Both events are open to the public and they are major well-attended events that attract people from all over the region and further afield.
Our students have a reputation for being ambitious and year on year our shows are exciting and thought provoking. All of our students work towards the shows with the support of the technical support team and you will be enabled to test out your work and gain feedback from your peer groups, academic staff and the public. As a result of the final shows numerous students have gone on to establish their profiles internationally.
Student stories
Grace Williams
Grace is an artist and lecturer, currently based at De Montfort University. After her graduation from the MA Fine Art course she became the Gertrude Aston Bowater award holder for practice-led PhD research working toward the thesis 'The Supernatural Sex: Women, Magick & Mediumship: Assembling a Field of Fascination in Contemporary Art'.
Traversing photography, film and installation her work explores the performance and sexual politics of the female body within the fields of Mediumship (channeling conduits) Magick (Occult, black magic), Magic (vanishing women) and pre-narrative cinema; with a specific focus on the materialising mediums within the Thomas Glendenning Hamilton photographic archive, for which she received the T.G Hamilton research Grant from the University of Manitoba, Canada.
Images: Escamotage / After Cecil Beaton
Ning-Hsin Chang (Losa Cola)
Losa is a sculptor, installation artist and poet. Her work is concerned with the experience of women in Taiwan and the expectation of traditional gender roles that she works to subvert in a nuanced way through the creation of anthropomorphic post-human creatures and partial body parts. Her work uses a range of material but most commonly involves the use of clay, wax, fabric, text and sound.
Images: Strange Attractors (2016) / Untitled Creature (2016)
Overseas opportunities
As an Art-based Master’s student you can study abroad through the Erasmus + scheme. This enables you to work abroad in an institution or professional organisation or one of our many international academic institutional partners for example: Rotterdam, Gent, Dublin and Rome.
Candidates are expected to research their proposed destination prior to making an application in consultation with your Programme Leader. The study period may be organised during or upon completion of your programme and can last for up to 18 months. It offers a unique opportunity to network, make friends enhance your CV and experience new cultures.
Further Study
Many students progress from undergraduate to postgraduate study. For some it is an opportunity to build on what they have achieved so far, for others it is about consolidating what has yet come to fruition. For all it is about identifying new directions within a research context.
MA Fine Art graduates have been highly successful as doctoral researchers receiving fully funded scholarships. By joining us if you decide to progress to higher degree research you will be eligible to apply for the prestigious M3C AHRC doctoral training award (£14.6million research fund) that enables strong research to emerge in the Midlands.
Trips and visits
Art-based Master’s students have benefited from the trips run annually by Birmingham School of Art. Recent visits have included: Berlin, Florence, Liverpool, London, New York and Venice. Master’s students are encouraged to operate independently and visit regional and national cultural centres on a regular basis, such as Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), Ikon, Eastside Projects, Grand Union, New Art Gallery Walsall, Nottingham Contemporary, Tate Modern, ICA, Tate Liverpool and independent and alternative spaces in the city and beyond.
“Visiting the Venice Biennale was incredible and impacted positively on my approach to my work. There was so much to see and digest and as a part time student the visit came at the right time and in preparation for year 2. It repeatedly informed my work in the second year and gave me great confidence to do what I wanted to do.”
Julie Robertson - Graduate - MA Fine Art
Student stories – Samira Nejad
Enhancing employability skills
As you study this course you will develop a set of transferrable skills such as creative problem solving, communication and presentation skills, adaptability and flexibility, independence and teamwork, and good time management.
Specific modules have been designed to address employability, for example; Managing Arts Events and Projects, Technical Methods, Workshop Practice and Learning, Small Arts Business Set Up, and Creative Publishing and Public Dissemination.
Placements
Placements are one of the possible ways of fulfilling your Research in Practicemodule and numerous students across the ABM Programme have chosen this route. There is scope for placements with a number of organisations in the city and beyond, however it is your responsibility to plan and organise your placement with the organisation you wish to work with.
Placements can last for a few weeks or for a longer period of time. They provide you with a great opportunity to gain insight into how an organisation works and your reflection on their activities can be useful to them as you develop your research. You will also find that this is a great way to meet and network with people in the creative industries. Our members of staff are able to guide and support you through this process.
OpportUNIty
OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.
It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.
Our graduates
Graduate employment is high. In the 2014-2015 DLHE survey 100% of full time and 87% of part time students who joined the Art-based Masters programme graduates were in employment with graduates from 2013-2015 earning between £20,000 and £35,000 per annum. A high number of 2014-2015 graduates reported that the programme prepared them well or very well for employment.
Our alumni
Hannah Honeywill
Hannah employs objects that already exist, in particular furniture, as it has a history and functionality. Her research has been heavily influenced by the ideas and concepts within queer theory. It is the play, history, silliness and the absurdity of queer methodologies that is present in her artwork.
She was selected for New Art West Midlands, 2016 and shortlisted for the Broomhill National Sculpture Prize, 2016. In 2015 her artwork was long-listed for the Aesthetica Art Prize and she won the Next Wave Prize in Birmingham in 2014. Her work was selected for the Art Laguna Prize in Venice in 2012 and the Threadneedle Prize in London in 2011.
Recent exhibitions have included:
- Barber Institute Residency 2016-2017
- Wellcome Trust Arts Grant 2015 -2016
- Pete Lloyd Lewis Studio Award 2015-2016
Feng Ru Lee - Winner of the prestigious Taipei Prize in 2000
Feng-Ru Lee’s practice is rooted in her Far-East Asian Cultural background her work crosses a range of different media and often-incorporates video, two dimensional works, performance and installation. Toying with ideas of mass production and genetic engineering, Lee’s practice is often seen as both a critique and an attempt to understand the seemingly controversial issues involved in the state of the contemporary human condition. Lee explores ideas that centre on the status of the transition/ migration between cultures and humanity, whilst also addressing notions of the materialisation of objects and beings. Subjects, such as Eastern philosophy and Western science that seem immediately differential, hold intrinsically deep and thought provoking issues for both the artist and viewer. Lee has exhibited throughout the UK, Taiwan and internationally including the USA, Middle East, Japan, and across Europe. In 2001 she represented Taipei, Taiwan in an artist residency programme between Taipei and Jerusalem. Lee has also completed residencies in Berlin and recently at the New Art Gallery Walsall.
Recent exhibitions have included:
- Venice Biennale, 2015
- Flux Fest at VIVID, Birmingham,
- Jam: Cultural Congestions in Contemporary Asian Art at South Hills Park
- Shift Time - The Festival of Ideas in Shrewsbury
- Solo Exhibition at Entrance Gallery in Prague, Czech Republic.
Graduate jobs
A significant number of our graduates have become highly successful arts professionals. Numerous others have been employed in a number of other professions including:
- Conference/exhibition organiser
- Web designer
- Health professional
- Graphic designer
- Business professional
- Insurance underwriter
- Industrial relations officer
A significant number of our graduates have been appointed in Higher Education Institutions nationally and internationally.
Andrew Hunt, Director of Focal Point Gallery, Southend on Sea, UK
Andrew was previously curator of International Project Space, Birmingham, UK and assistant curator at Norwich Gallery, UK.
He regularly organises independent projects. Freelance exhibitions include The Affirmation, Chelsea Space (2007), Writing in Strobe, Dicksmith Gallery (2006) and Like Beads on an Abacus Designed to Calculate Infinity, Rockwell (2004). Publishing activities include the imprint Slimvolume, produced on a yearly basis since 2001. He is also reviews editor at Untitled, a regular contributor to Frieze, Art Monthly and a number of other journals. He is currently editing three books about contemporary art criticism collectively titled Laboratory of Synthesis with the critic Robert Garnett, to be published by Book Works during 2008 and 2009.
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here.
- Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
- Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country.
- Learn where to find financial support for your studies.
Our international students
The Art Based Master’s Programme is an international community of aspiring researchers and professionals and the programme attracts candidates from all over the world including: Africa, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Taiwan and the USA.
This diversity provides you with an opportunity to study with people from diverse social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and who bring a wealth of experience to the programme. This gives the ABM programme a dynamic energy that enriches everyone’s educational experience.
£1500 Scholarship
Start in January and receive a £1500 scholarship on eligible courses.
Find out moreBirmingham City University International College (BCUIC)
International students who have a serious interest in studying with us but who perhaps cannot meet the direct entry requirements, academic or English, or who have been out of education for some time, can enter Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC) and begin their degree studies.
BCUIC is part of the global Navitas Group, an internationally recognised education provider, and the partnership allows students to access the University’s facilities and services and move seamlessly through to achieving a Bachelor’s degree from Birmingham City University.
Popular home countries
Our students come from around the world but our fine art course is most popular with international students from:
Our Facilities
We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £340 million on new learning facilities.
Birmingham School of Art (an impressive purpose built Grade 1 listed example of Venetian Gothic architecture) was the first major renovation project undertaken by the university (£5.5m refurbishment). The School provides an incredible resource for the production of art and its associated fields of study. The building has a range of facilities available including studios, workshops, specialist art and design library, bookable spaces and lecture/seminar rooms.
Meet our staff
The MA Fine Art staff team have a wealth of experience from a range of practical, historical, theoretical and philosophical backgrounds who work in both discipline specific and trans-disciplinary modes. These modes include drawing, digital media, installation, painting, photography and lens based media, print, sculpture, web-based practices and critical and creative writing. The staff are regionally, nationally and internationally recognised for their expertise in the field.