Candidates for all MA courses are assessed on their existing qualities as demonstrated in their work and in their interview, as well as on their potential to benefit from the programme and to achieve MA standards overall. The assessment will consider: creativity, imagination and innovation evident in the work; ability to articulate the intentions of the work; intellectual engagement in relevant areas; appropriate technical skills; overall interview performance, including oral use of English.
Applications are assessed through Part 1 and Part 2 of the Entrance Examinations by a panel of tutors and students as well as the Head of Programme and the Senior Tutor.
For Part 1 the panel views the initial portfolio of images to select and invite candidates for Part 2, which is the interview, where applicants are invited to bring physical works, supportive material, and film/video works.
Following the interviews the panel makes their selection for the following year's cohort, including a reserve list. Applicants are selected on the strength of their portfolio, their interview, the potential of their work and the nature of their work, to ensure a dynamic range of tendencies and agendas in any one year group.
The applications procedure is presented in full during Open Days, outlining how the applications are seen and assessed.
- The application procedure focuses on searching out those candidates that are highly motivated, independent and demonstrate they have the critical skills necessary to develop and further their existing ideas. In short, those artists that – given the opportunity to join the Painting course – would utilise their time with us to the full, and have the generosity to support their fellow students.
- Students apply from all kinds of backgrounds, but generally having completed a BA degree. In recent years, people have come from fine art, printmaking, painting, sculpture, photo media, conservation, illustration, design, textiles, architecture, art history and interactive arts courses.
- While many students enter the course after years of independent work, we also accept students directly from undergraduate courses.
- Ultimately we want to attract to the course those artists that want to work in a supportive environment and have the drive and ambition to realise the full potential of their studio practice, in turn energising their peer group.
Images can be uploaded to the Online Applications website from January 2013.
Portfolio submissions will be accepted in the following
format only:
- Ten digital images in .jpg format with the following
dimensions:
width: no larger than 36cm (1024 pixels).
height: no larger than 27cm (768 pixels).
- All images must be of 72 dpi (dots per inch)
resolution – please re-size all images appropriately.
- All image files must be saved as .jpg format.
- No actual paintings, portfolios, photographs, slides,
DVDs/videos should be submitted at this stage.
For the portfolio submission, only still images of
time-based works will be considered. If invited to
interview then these works will be viewed.
- Submission of any material in any other format than
the requested .jpgs will invalidate your application.
- The ten images of your work should include, if
possible, a few examples of earlier as well as recent
works.
- Each image should have all the relevant information
(i.e. date, size, medium, title) on the image
list. Please note the that we
will only accept ten images.
- We do not consider any late applications.