MA Visual Practice Full-time

Follow a visual practice discipline, such as Contemporary Fine Art, Photography, Glass, or Ceramics. Re-evaluate, experiment, and test new ideas. Collaborate with peers and extend your contemporary practice.

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Four colourful abstract paintings mounted on a wall in a gallery

Start date/study mode:

Course codeCID1405

Duration1 year

Fee(s)View fees

LocationOn campus

Course summary

In this master's, you will 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. Upon completion of your study, you'll earn one of the following:

MA Visual Practice: Contemporary Fine Art
MA Visual Practice: Photography
MA Visual Practice: Glass
MA Visual Practice: Ceramics

We don't have a 'house style'. Instead, we will encourage and support you to uncover your own focus through independent creativity. You’ll improve your technical ability through expert support and using our excellent facilities. Helping you to develop academic skills in research and communication.

You'll work alongside a diverse range of established professionals, including:

Established artists
Theorists
Writers
Curators
Specialist technicians.

They'll help you to develop your practice and professional career. 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 Sunderland for Art and Design

What you'll study

Many of our courses include a range of modules you can choose from. Some options may only be available if you’ve already studied specific modules. If you’re not sure what you need before picking a module, your course leader can help.

Postgraduate module credits should total 180. If optional modules are available alongside core modules on your course, you should choose an amount that totals 180 credits. Exceptions include Applied routes, where the placement module (60 credits) would take the total credits to 240.

How you'll learn

You'll find that this course requires a higher level of independent working when compared to an undergraduate course.

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods, and our tutors will give you regular feedback and support. We aim to provide a stimulating and supportive learning environment where new ideas can be tested, debated and nurtured.

We focus on encouraging self-reliance, sustainability and personal creative responsibility. Group and individual tutorials will support you as you attend:

Lectures
Seminars
Workshops
Peer reviews.

A range of guest speakers from diverse academic and creative industry backgrounds will enhance your experience.

Entry requirements

We usually require an honours degree in an art or design discipline. You may also be considered if you have relevant experience and can demonstrate your suitability for the course.

Portfolio requirements

We'd like to see evidence of your creative potential. You'll be expected to prepare a portfolio of your creative work which shows what you have done so far and what interests you. We're not looking for perfection as we appreciate you're still developing work.

Your portfolio should be a PowerPoint presentation, ZIP file or links to websites or videos. Here are some of our top tips:

Remember it's about quality not quantity – aim for between 10-20 pieces of your work.
Display a range of styles and techniques.
Show us work completed in or outside of your studies.
Include ideas that didn't work.
Demonstrate your research, for example, design sheets or sketchbooks/scrapbooks of things that inspire you.
Include photographs of 3D or large 2D work.
We also like to see uncompleted or work in progress.

If English isn't your first language, please see our English language requirements.

Fees and finance support

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Start date/study mode:

Current students

Current undergraduate students of the University of Sunderland, please use this apply link.

Full-time October 2027
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Disclaimer

We want to make sure you have clear and accurate information about our courses. Our website always shows the latest updates. If you’ve applied and you're offered a place, we’ll contact you in writing if anything important changes.

For more information, view our programme specifications. These include course content, learning outcomes, and the skills you'll gain.