Bath Spa University

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Fine Art

Fine Art is a wide ranging field of activity, from painting to electronic and live art, and has grown rapidly in recent years to become a key cultural factor as demonstrated by the growth in the audience for art and in the media attention it attracts.

The MFA is a studio based programme dealing with the whole range of Fine Art, from painting and sculpture to video and live art, each supported by good facilities and taught by nationally and internationally practicing artists and including discussion of artists' practice, exhibiting and curating.

Course Structure and Content

On this practice-based Master's programme an individual programme of studio work, negotiated with staff, will re-establish and then develop your work, potentially to professional, exhibiting level. Progress is guided by both scheduled and optional individual tutorials, and group critiques of work.

The context for studio work is informed and clarified by a programme of seminars and discussions which set out a wide range of practice, both in terms of individual artists' work and contemporary museum, gallery, exhibiting and curating activity.

This programme is taught with contributions from the staff and from artists and directors and curators of galleries of national and international standing. The programme content varies from year to year according to material available in exhibition in Bristol, London and other centres to which study visits occur on a regular basis - there are currently six to eight study visits to London each year between October and June as well as optional participation in two overseas study visits each year, currently to Paris and New York or Berlin.

Teaching Methods and Resources

The programme runs for a 45 week, three trimester year, from October to January, February to June and June to September. Full-time students will have studio spaces in the Bath School of Art and Design. Part-time students provide their own working facilities in the Bath area and the university may be able to assist with these arrangements.

The course is organised in conjunction with the Artist Teachers Scheme (itself organised by the National Society for Education in Art and Design with support from the Arts Council) through which specialist art teachers prepare for Master's level study.

Specialist facilities include computer studios with over 70 Macs, as well as flatbed and transparency scanners. There is a recently re-equipped digital media studio. All students have access to workshops in photography, sound and video, etching and litho, as well as the specialist Art and Design library.

Tutors and Visiting Lecturers

• Roger Clarke: A sculptor who has exhibited in Europe and the UK.
• Colin Crumplin: A painter who has exhibited in Europe, the UK and the USA and has works in many collections including those of ACE, Saatchi and Deutschebank.
• Robert Fearns: A video maker who has presented his work in Europe and the UK.
• Maria Lalic: Professor of Painting, who has exhibited worldwide and has work in collections including those of the Tate, V&A, ACE museums in Germany and Austria, DTI and Deutschebank.
• Ed Whittaker: An artist who uses photography and has exhibited in Europe and the UK and has work in many collections including the IWM.

These staff will be supported by other members of the fine art staff and a team of visiting lecturers, who in recent years have included: Glenn Brown; John Chilver; Mathieu Copeland; Stephen Cox; Andrew Cross; Kathy Dalwood; Natalie van Doxell; Peter Fillingham; Mick Finch; Stephen Foster; Matt Franks; Martin Grimmer; Alexis Harding; Gerard Hemsworth; Tania Kovats; Wendy Lewis; Sandie Macrae; Craig Martin; Mariele Neudecker; Kay Pallister; Barry Schwabsky; Rosie Snell; Andrew Southall; Michael Stubbs; Xa Sturgis; Tom Trevor; Paul Winstanley; John Wood and Richard Woods.

Assessment Methods

Examination of each stage of the studio element of the course is by exhibition and students make an oral/visual presentation of their ‘position' at the Postgraduate Diploma stage.

Entry Requirements

A good first degree in Fine Art or its equivalent in terms of learning or experience. Fundamentally you will be selected on your ability, as demonstrated in a portfolio and interview, to succeed on the course.

Employability

Bath Fine Art graduates from BA and MFA courses have worked and exhibited widely as professional artists, had work purchased by the Tate and other institutions, represented the UK in exhibitions such as the Sao Paulo Biennale and have been nominated for the Turner Prize. Graduates work as curators and gallery professionals in public and private galleries and for arts councils and organisations, and write for journals. We anticipate that with the collaboration of the Artist Teacher Scheme there will be regular recruitment from the profession and that a number of graduates will return to teaching or become lecturers.

Student Profiles

I chose to do the MFA in Fine Art as I wanted to devote time to focussing on the development of my work. I completed the programme part-time and liked the structure of the MFA at Bath Spa. I particularly valued the small size of the group and the ease of communication with staff. Postgraduate study takes financial investment and I felt that the programme respected this and provided “value for money”. The nature of this course has given me the confidence and understanding of how to carry on developing my work. Since completing the course in 2009 I have made a successful application to join new studios in Bristol; been selected for two exhibitions; joint curated an exhibition; and have been invited to exhibit work in a show.

Deborah Feiler, MFA Fine Art 2009.

I wanted a studio based course that would allow me to develop my work and contextualise it in the contemporary art field. There is a good balance of staff support and student led learning at Bath Spa University. There are some excellent tutors who are successful practicing artists with a width of valuable knowledge and experience.

The critical group sessions were good as they gave me the opportunity to hear feedback from my peers and helped me build my confidence in speaking about all types of art, not just my specialist area. Bath Spa has an excellent reputation and is located in an amazing city. The beautiful campus, Sion Hill, was a peaceful and idyllic place to learn and the studio spaces were large, light and airy. After my Fine Art degree from Leeds Metropolitan University, I did a secondary PGCE in Art and Design and taught art full time in a school in Oxford. I've been very busy since finishing the course, enjoying residency at the Meantime Space in Cheltenham culminating in my first solo show. The qualification has helped me to secure teaching positions in better schools and colleges and will enable me to work in arts education within galleries or museums.

Kristy Campbell, MFA Fine Art 2006.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: Who should apply?
  • A: Recent art graduates or mature students who are keen to develop their own work and deepen their understanding of contemporary art and the context in which artists work.
• Q: What resources are available to us?
  • A: Full-time students have studio spaces and all students have access to the relevant well-equipped School Workshops including photography, printmaking, digital imaging, video, sculpture and library.
• Q: What is the dissertation requirement?
  • A: The dissertation stage (Master's) of the degree takes the form of an exhibition of work accompanied by a written statement. The programme contains no written essay component but does include a verbal presentation with visual material (Pg Dip).
• Q: How many days a week is the course?
  • A: There is one key day each week when all students, full-time and part-time, attend together for lectures, critiques of work and seminars. Tutorials and other teaching can be on other days. The study week is 40 hours full-time and 20 hours part-time.