Follow a chosen visual practice discipline, from Contemporary Fine Art, Photography, Glass, or Ceramics. Re-evaluate, experiment and test new ideas, while collaborating with peers to extend your contemporary practice. Grow your practice in a creatively stimulating environment and establish yourself as a creative professional.
Overview
This Masters will enable you to develop your personal visual practice and follow your own interests and aspirations. You'll follow a chosen pathway for the duration of your MA study, with the option to be awarded with one of the following:
- MA Visual Practice: Contemporary Fine Art
- MA Visual Practice: Photography
- MA Visual Practice: Glass
- MA Visual Practice: Ceramics
We do not have a ‘house style’, instead you'll be encouraged and supported to uncover your own focus through independent creativity. You’ll improve your technical ability through expert support, using our excellent facilities, and will develop academic skills in research and communication.
You'll work alongside a diverse range of established artists, theorists, writers, curators, and specialist technicians to develop your practice and professional career, and you'll meet, share practice, and collaborate with staff and peers from a variety of disciplines as part of the MA Visual Practice community.
Why us?
- Complete personal development projects focused on your practice – allowing you to push the boundaries of creativity and prepare you for a future in employment, enterprise or further study
- We will support you to acquire advanced and versatile analytical, critical and production skills, underpinned by relevant understanding of professional contexts and requirements, so enhancing your ability to succeed in your creative career after you graduate
- You will be taught by research-active artists, creatives and academics immersed in their field, with extensive knowledge of theory and practice. All exhibit nationally and internationally and are well networked in their subject areas across the globe
- See how artists live, work and thrive through our Creative Lives talks programme, bringing you into contact with PhD students, artists and creative entrepreneurs
- Apply for the Robson Art & Design Masters award, a £1,000 cash scholarship designed to support students studying MA Visual Practice or MA Design
- Apply for the Richard Lynn Studham Scholarship, a £2,000 cash scholarship designed to support students studying MA Visual Practice: Ceramics
Course structure
Compared to an undergraduate course, you'll find that this Masters requires a higher level of independent working.
We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods and you'll have high levels of contact with tutors who give regular feedback and support. Our aim is to provide a stimulating and supportive learning environment where emerging ideas and strategies can be tested and debated with reference to appropriate professional contexts and challenges. The teaching emphasis will therefore be on encouraging self-reliance, sustainability and personal creative responsibility through lectures, seminars, workshops and peer reviews, supported by group and individual tutorials. This is supported by a range of guest speakers from diverse academic and creative industry backgrounds.
Part-time students will study alongside full-time students in the daytime.
Facilities
You'll work in excellently equipped studios, giving you access to many events and exhibitions as well as visiting professionals (including artists, designers and makers). You'll have access to workshops in printmaking, 3D printing, digital photography, digital sewing and embroidery, woodwork, metalwork and casting as well as support in the development of film and sound. You'll also have access to FabLab on City Campus.
The University of Sunderland’s Glass and Ceramics area is based at National Glass Centre which provides the infrastructure, creative environment and support for independent creativity in these areas. Fine Art facilities are based at the Priestman Building on City Campus, where you’ll be allocated your own workspace. Photography students will be working in the Northern Centre of Photography at the Sir Tom Cowie Campus, with opportunities to meet and learn from many visiting international photographic practitioners.
Career ready
On completing this course, you'll be equipped for roles throughout the creative industries. The course is focused on developing your own perspective of professional practice. Key issues will include: how to develop and sustain your individual creative practice; disseminating your work; identifying, reaching and developing your audiences; ethical practice and how to foster successful partnerships and modes of collaboration in both arts and non-arts sectors. You'll develop your own personal creative projects and career plans throughout.
Career opportunities
Many recent Sunderland graduates are now working as independent self-employed artists and are successful practitioners around the world, while some have moved on to teaching in schools and lecturing positions at universities. Others have chosen to move into other areas, including jewellery, architecture, interior design, engineering, photography, painting and sculpture.
During the course we'll encourage you to gain creative industry experience which will enhance your skills, build up a valuable network of contacts and boost your employability. This experience can take the form of working on live commissions, entering competitions and exhibiting work in public exhibitions. We also have the Digital Incubator Unit and the Enterprise Place who can offer assistance for you to start your own business or freelance practice.
Creative industry links
The University has close links with arts organisations including Arts Council England, the BALTIC, Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA) York, National Association for Ceramics in Higher Education (NACHE), Equal Arts, The Biscuit Factory, Tyne and Wear Museums Service and Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA).
We also have international links in USA, China, Czech Republic and Australia.
For Photography, international perspectives and professional opportunities are offered through the affiliate organisation NEPN.
Sunderland Culture
Sunderland Culture is a collaboration between the University, council and the city’s key cultural organisations. This partnership brings big-name creatives in contemporary visual arts, glass, ceramics and performance to the city; showcases exciting local talent; and gives our students unique experiences including exceptional career-enhancing opportunities.
My name is Kavisha Prince Anthony, and I always had a dream of studying abroad. Thankfully, that dream came to life since I applied to the Study Advisor. I was able to receive my visa within four days. I also had some visa refusals in the past; I had about six UK visa refusals in the past, but thankfully, it was not an issue since the Study Advisor was able to make things work this time. I highly recommend Study Advisor for your dreams of going abroad, whether it be the UK or any other European country there is.