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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.
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:
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.
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.
We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.
We usually require applicants to hold an honours degree in an art or design discipline. We may also consider applicants who have relevant experience and who can demonstrate their suitability for the course.
Please prepare a portfolio of artwork that shows your interests and what you have done so far. We are not looking for perfection as we appreciate you may be still developing your practice.
Your portfolio should be a PowerPoint presentation (preferable for applicants interested in the photography route), ZIP file, or links to websites or videos and can include:
We suggest between 10-20 slides/images would be sufficient.
If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.
Full-time fees are:
Part-time fees are £445 per 10 credits. Please note that part-time courses are not available to international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK.
*European Union (EU), EEA (European Economic Area), and Swiss nationals who do not qualify for the EU Settlement Scheme are classed as international, however, for 23/24 admission you will receive a European student fee scholarship and will pay the home tuition fee rate for the duration of your studies. The discounted fee will be reflected in your offer letter. Learn more in our Help and Advice article.
If you are unsure whether you qualify as a UK, EU, or international student, find out more in our Help and Advice article.
Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.
This information was correct at the time of publication.
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.
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.
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 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.