Skip to main content
Postgraduate

MA Fine Art

Inflatable sculpture of woman wearing a leopard print dress by Rosie McGinn.
Rosie McGinn.
, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
College
Camberwell College of Arts Start date
September 2023 Course length
15 months (full time)

MA Fine Art at Camberwell College of Arts promotes the idea of practice as research. It offers pathway specialisms in computational arts, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture. During the course you will develop a critical relationship to tradition. You will examine the ways in which methods and materials shape the agenda in contemporary art practice.

Course overview

Fine artists have traditionally been recognised for their disruptive innovation. The MA Fine Art course prepares you to be socially and critically engaged in your understanding of the world.

The course consists of 6 pathways designed to transform your individual practice. You will be part of a supportive and stimulating postgraduate learning community, which questions and  shares subject based enquiry.

MA Fine Art at Camberwell promotes the idea of practice as transformative research. It offers you the opportunity to make a deep investigation into your chosen subject.  

The course situates art practice in relation to a broader set of discourses, including sustainable and ethical approaches to making and presenting art. It also looks beyond Camberwell’s location. You will be encouraged to share your practice in a variety of contexts. This includes events, exhibitions and an online reflective platform.

Our professional toolkit supports your skills in preparation for your continued progression into the professional and academic worlds. 

The pathways:

MA Fine Art: Computational Arts 

Invites you to explore the potential of virtual media through emergent digital processes. It will look at the ethical context of digital artistic practice, encompassing the decolonisation of technologies and the environmental impact.

Through virtual exhibitions you will explore the nuances and opportunities of working digitally, as well as, analyse audience engagement with your work.

You will be encouraged to familiarise yourself with open source software that will enable you to have a sustainable practice post-graduation.

MA Fine Art: Drawing

Asks students to test, redefine, and expand the limits of contemporary drawing. Firmly rooted in making, the pathway encourages risk taking and material exploration. It is supported by rigorous research and continual engagement with contemporary art practice and theory.

MA Fine Art: Painting

Explores a discipline that has an enduring capacity for invention and reinterpretation. Through material investigation and critical research, you will interrogate the discipline’s response to urgent contemporary debates and past world traditions in painting.

MA Fine Art: Photography

Be it still, moving, digital or analogue this pathway tests the possibilities of the contemporary image. It understands photography as an expanded form and questions its agency, be it located in a gallery, online, cinematically or within a publication format.

MA Fine Art: Printmaking

Sees print as a diverse and interdisciplinary practice that embraces a history of image making through technology, media and materials.

MA Fine Art: Sculpture

Enables you to explore material and immaterial processes in relation to a range of private and public spaces.

What you can expect

  • A course that encourages a range of practices and disciplines.
  • You will develop your visual literacy, agendas, material and discursive skills through a re-orientation of your practice.
  • Cross-pathway lectures, seminars and crits to help you locate your practice within the broader field of fine art and other social, cultural and ethical contexts. These will include postcolonial, feminist and disadvantaged discourses.
  • Enhance your creative attributes and leadership skills through the Professional Toolkit, studio teaching and public facing events.
  • Engage with the wider research culture at University of the Arts London.
  • Have access to Camberwell shared workshops. View the Camberwell facilities.

Mode of study

MA Fine Art is offered in full-time mode and runs for 45 weeks over 15 months. You will be expected to commit an average of 40 hours per week to your course, including teaching hours and independent study.

Contact us

Register your interest to receive information and updates about studying at UAL.

Contact us to make an enquiry.

Course units

Unit 1 - Locating practice within subject 

  • An introduction to the teaching, learning and research culture of Camberwell.
  • You will identify your aims and intentions.
  • Test ideas, experiment, and deeply challenge your approaches to making and critical thinking.
  • An introduction to key practice-based research methodologies.
  • Interrogate and debate key ideas and developments within your subject.
  • Build upon your technical, practical and presentation skills.
  • Cross-pathway MA Fine Art lectures, seminars and crits.
  • Submit a body of work along with a concise online reflective journal, which includes an artist’s statement and a synopsis of your progress over the unit that contextualises your practice.
  • Professional Toolkit that supports professional skills.

Unit 2 - Testing beyond subject

  • You will focus on the creation of new artworks in or beyond the studio.
  • Support to help define your own unique set of creative processes.
  • Lectures and seminars around current debates within art and society.
  • Identify and engage with potential external collaborators and/or research resources.
  • Present your work and research in a pathway-specific exhibition, as well as, in seminars and crits.
  • Submit a body of practical work and a concise online reflective platform, which contains an artist’s statement and a synopsis of your progress over the unit that contextualises your practice within and beyond subject and showcases your professional skills.
  • Professional Toolkit supports professional skills.

Unit 3 - Making public

  • You will focus on collaboration and considering audiences.
  • You will exhibit your work in a public exhibition.
  • Mentoring, crits, seminars and workshops to support your research and learning.
  • Develop your studio practice.
  • Work with other students to stage a public research festival where you will present your research via one of a range of formats.
  • Submit a public facing platform, which contextualises your practice within and beyond subject, and showcases professional skills and future career projection.
  • Professional Toolkit that supports professional skills.

Note: 120 Credits must be passed before the final unit is undertaken.

Learning and teaching methods

  • Artists talks 
  • Crits 
  • Independent practice and research 
  • Knowledge exchange with external agencies 
  • Lectures 
  • Presentation of work through exhibitions 
  • Professional Toolkit
  • Reading groups 
  • Seminars 
  • Tutorials 
  • Workshops and inductions 

Student work

  • camberwell-college-of-arts-MA-Fine-Art-Painting-2019-Heejoh-Lee.jpg
    Heejoh Lee - MA Fine Art Painting
    , Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
  • camberwell-college-of-arts-ma-fine-art-drawing-Rachel-Bacon-16-9.jpg
    Rachel Bacon
    MA Fine Art, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
  • Camberwell-MA-Printmaking-Gill-Smith-2-1860.png
    Gill Smith - MA Printmaking
  • camberwell-college-of-arts-MA-Fine-Art-Painting-2019-Jack-Candy-Kemp.jpg
    Jack Candy-Kemp - MA Fine Art Painting
    , Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
  • camberwell-college-of-arts-MA-Fine-Art-Printmaking-Juliet-Bankes-16-9.jpg
    Juliet Bankes
    MA Fine Art, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
  • camberwell-college-of-arts-MA-Fine-Art-Painting-2018-Ben-Pollock-2.jpg
    Ben Pollock - MA Fine Art Painting.
    , Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
  • Camberwell-MA-Printmaking-Janie-Kidston-1860.jpg
    Janie Kidston - MA Printmaking

Film

A look into MA Fine Art: Computational Arts

Staff

Fees and funding

Home fee

£12,700

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

International fee

£25,970

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

Scholarship search

Or view all

Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirements for this course are:

  • BA (Hons) degree in either art and design or drawing-related disciplines, including social and other sciences or engineering
  • Alternative qualifications and experience will also be taken into consideration
  • Personal statement
  • Portfolio of work

Entry to this course will also be determined by the quality of your application, looking primarily at your portfolio of work and personal statement.

APEL - Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning

Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:

  • Related academic or work experience
  • The quality of the personal statement
  • A combination of these factors

Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English language requirements

All classes are taught in English. If English isn't your first language you must provide evidence at enrolment of the following:

Selection criteria

We look for:

  • Commitment and motivation for studying the subject at Masters level
  • Work that shows potential for further development
  • Demonstrate a holistic understanding of research
  • Ability to identify or speculate on the direction and development of practice and research
  • An awareness of contexts and frameworks for contemporary practice
  • Able to communicate clearly in order to present and discuss work and ideas with others
  • Able to demonstrate written skills

Apply now

Home International

Apply

Home students apply by direct application. You must apply to the pathway you wish to study.

Apply to MA Fine Art: Computational Arts

Apply to MA Fine Art: Drawing

Apply to MA Fine Art: Painting

Apply to MA Fine Art: Photography

Apply to MA Fine Art: Printmaking

Apply to MA Fine Art: Sculpture

Personal statement

This should be about 500 words long and include:

  • Your motivations for choosing the course.
  • 2 examples of relevant contexts you feel your work relates to.
  • Key themes and ideas explored in your work/your interest in the field.
  • A summary of your creative practice and how this course will help you achieve your future plans.
  • Relevant education and/or experience.

Portfolio advice

  • A maximum of 20 pages showing evidence of an independently produced, sustained body of work, with key images set out as 1 image per page.
  • Evidence of related research exploring a coherent set of ideas, subjects or concerns that are relevant to Masters level.
  • Critical reflection on your practice.
  • A sense of direction for future work/study.
  • An interest in fine art/other visual art forms.

For more support, please visit our Portfolio advice page and PebblePad advice page.

Video task

If you are applying to MA Fine Art: Painting you do not need to submit the video task.

The video task is only for the following pathways - MA Fine Art: Computational Arts, Drawing, Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture.

  • We'd like you to submit a 2-3 minute video to help us learn more about you.
  • Please speak clearly in English and face the camera.
  • Your video task is submitted along with your portfolio. Read our guidance for how to submit your video task and which file types we accept.
  • Your video task will be different depending on which pathway you're applying to.

As part of your video task please respond to the following direction:

  • For MA Fine Art: Computational Arts, MA Fine Art: Drawing and MA Fine Art: Printmaking explain what your research intentions will be and what you're hoping to achieve on the MA.
  • For MA Fine Art: Photography and MA Fine Art: Sculpture introduce and explain your future research interests for your MA study. Describe how they form part of a project you can develop whilst studying in London.

What happens next

Communicating with you

After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We’ll use this portal to contact you to request any additional information, including inviting you to upload documents or book an interview, so please check it regularly.

Initial application check and selection

We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course. If you do, you will be invited to submit a digital portfolio through UAL’s online portfolio review system. These will be reviewed by the academic team.

Following the review of the digital portfolio, a small number of applicants will progress to the interview stage. All interviews are held online and last 15 to 20 minutes. For support with your interview, visit our Interview tips page.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

You will receive the final outcome of your application through the UAL portal.

Applicants for this course may be given an alternative offer. This decision will be based on our assessment of your creative and potential interests.

Feedback requests:

If you would like to request feedback please contact us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

Deferring your place

Read our Admissions Policy for details, and request your deferral by contacting us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units/modules on your current PG course and wish to continue your studies at Camberwell College of Arts, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible. Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and transcripts.

Please be ready to provide an official document (translated into English if necessary) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 2023

For postgraduate courses at UAL there are 2 rounds of applications. This is to ensure equal consideration and fairness for all of our applicants. You must apply for 19 December 2022 for Round 1 or by 3 April 2023 for Round 2 for equal consideration.

If there are places available after 3 April, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled. We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to resolve any initial queries about your application as quickly as possible.

When you'll hear from us

If this course requires a digital portfolio as part of the application process, we will contact you to invite you to submit this through UAL’s online submission tool, PebblePad. For Round 1 applications, you will need to submit your portfolio by 9 January 2023 at the latest and by 20 April 2023 for Round 2.

This course receives a high volume of applications. We need to make sure that we give all applications equal consideration, so the course team will review them in 2 rounds, after each application deadline date. This means you won’t hear from us about the outcome of your application until after the relevant application deadline date. Outcomes for Round 1 will be released by (at the latest) end of March and outcomes for Round 2 will be released by end of June 2023.

Remember to check the outcome of your application in the UAL Portal. If you apply in Round 1 and don’t hear back from us, we will consider your application within Round 2.

Find out more about what happens after you apply.

Apply

There are 2 ways international students can apply to a postgraduate course:

If you are making a direct application you must apply to the pathway you wish to study.

Apply to MA Fine Art: Computational Arts

Apply to MA Fine Art: Drawing

Apply to MA Fine Art: Painting

Apply to MA Fine Art: Photography

Apply to MA Fine Art: Printmaking

Apply to MA Fine Art: Sculpture

Read our immigration and visa information to find out if you need a visa to study at UAL.

You can only apply to the same course once per year. Any duplicate applications will be withdrawn. Read the UAL international application advice for further information on how to apply.

Personal statement

This should be about 500 words long and include:

  • Your motivations for choosing the course.
  • 2 examples of relevant contexts you feel your work relates to.
  • Key themes and ideas explored in your work/your interest in the field.
  • A summary of your creative practice and how this course will help you achieve your future plans.
  • Relevant education and/or experience.

Portfolio advice

  • A maximum of 20 pages showing evidence of an independently produced, sustained body of work, with key images set out as 1 image per page.
  • Evidence of related research exploring a coherent set of ideas, subjects or concerns that are relevant to Masters level.
  • Critical reflection on your practice.
  • A sense of direction for future work/study.
  • An interest in fine art/other visual art forms.

For more support, please visit our Portfolio advice page and PebblePad advice page.

Video task

If you are applying to MA Fine Art: Painting you do not need to submit the video task.

The video task is only for the following pathways - MA Fine Art: Computational Arts, Drawing, Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture.

  • We'd like you to submit a 2-3 minute video to help us learn more about you.
  • Please speak clearly in English and face the camera.
  • Your video task is submitted along with your portfolio. Read our guidance for how to submit your video task and which file types we accept.
  • Your video task will be different depending on which pathway you're applying to.

As part of your video task please respond to the following direction:

  • For MA Fine Art: Computational Arts, MA Fine Art: Drawing and MA Fine Art: Printmaking explain what your research intentions will be and what you're hoping to achieve on the MA.
  • For MA Fine Art: Photography and MA Fine Art: Sculpture introduce and explain your future research interests for your MA study. Describe how they form part of a project you can develop whilst studying in London.

What happens next

Communicating with you

After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We’ll use this portal to contact you to request any additional information, including inviting you to upload documents or book an interview, so please check it regularly.

Initial application check and selection

We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course. If you do, you will be invited to submit a digital portfolio through UAL’s online portfolio review system. These will be reviewed by the academic team.

Following the review of the digital portfolio, a small number of applicants will progress to the interview stage. All interviews are held online and last 15 to 20 minutes. For support with your interview, visit our Interview tips page.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

You will receive the final outcome of your application through the UAL portal.

Applicants for this course may be given an alternative offer. This decision will be based on our assessment of your creative and potential interests.

Feedback requests:

If you would like to request feedback please contact us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

Deferring your place

Read our Admissions Policy for details, and request your deferral by contacting us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units/modules on your current PG course and wish to continue your studies at Camberwell College of Arts, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible. Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and transcripts.

Please be ready to provide an official document (translated into English if necessary) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 2023

For postgraduate courses at UAL there are 2 rounds of applications. This is to ensure equal consideration and fairness for all of our applicants. You must apply for 19 December 2022 for Round 1 or by 3 April 2023 for Round 2 for equal consideration.

If there are places available after 3 April, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled. We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to resolve any initial queries about your application as quickly as possible.

When you'll hear from us

This course receives a high volume of applications. We need to make sure that we give all applications equal consideration, so the course team will review them in two rounds. This means that offers won’t be sent to successful applicants until after the relevant application deadline date. Outcomes for Round 1 will be released by 31 March 2022 and outcomes for Round 2 will be released by 30 June 2022.

Remember to check the outcome of your application in the UAL Portal. If you apply in Round 1 and don’t hear back from us, we will consider your application within Round 2.

Find out more about what happens after you apply.

Careers

Camberwell College of Arts

Contact

Telephone

+44 (0)20 7514 6302
Address
Camberwell College of Arts
45 - 65 Peckham Road
London
SE5 8UF