Fine Art (blended delivery)

Develop your passions and reach your potential in a small, welcoming environment within a community of like-minded people.

Why choose West Dean?

An international reputation for excellence in conservation and arts education.
94% of students studying at the College felt the programme had enhanced their skills and abilities (2019 student survey)
A rich arts environment and a focus on craft skills with vocational application.
Be inspired by the unique historic character and beautiful South Downs setting.
Located close to Chichester on the South Coast, with easy access to London.

The Course

The MFA (blended delivery) at West Dean provide a stimulating and supportive environment for you to develop your capacities in practical, theoretical and professional domains, with an emphasis on specialist studio practice. Students are provided with generous studio space, weekly tutorial support, access to a broad range of visiting artists and lecturers, and year-round access to exhibition spaces. Programmes are delivered through a combination of seminars, lectures, workshops, individual and group tutorials, critical sessions and self-directed research.

Students can choose to specialise in one of three main disciplines of Painting and Drawing, Sculpture, Tapestry and Textile Art, or to explore interdisciplinary practice. With access to excellent workshop facilities and unique opportunities to engage with other college departments, you will develop your practical, theoretical and professional skills in relation to a variety of different materials, methods and ideas.

Students have the opportunity to engage with West Dean House, Collection, Archive and Estate, are given support from highly skilled technical staff and a range of specialist facilities, plus assistance for visiting exhibitions, events and developing professional opportunities.

MFA students can expect

Support in consolidating studio practice to a level of accomplished practitioners
Access to facilities, workshops and expertise
Opportunities to employ innovative approaches to studio practice
To develop originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the Visual Arts
To consolidate a systematic understanding and critical awareness of current debates in contemporary art practice
To develop aptitude for professional practice, independent research or employment, inc. opportunities for public exhibition
To possess independence, self-reliance, as well as promotional enterprise skills

Teaching

You are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical workshops, individual and group tutorials, critique sessions, oral and written presentations, and external visits. The division of learning hours, on-site and online periods are:

Three one-week, on-site blocks each term (10 per year inc. induction week)
Online delivery
Independent study

On each of the study blocks you will have around 11-12 contact hours per week, typically consisting of:

2 hrs lectures
1 hr seminars
2 hrs of one-to-one/group tutorials
1-2 hrs of critique sessions
4 hrs of practical workshops
1 hr of external visits (average)

Independent learning

When not attending lectures, seminars, workshops or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-directed study. Typically, this will involve:

working in your own studio (or the on-site studio during study blocks)
developing supporting material and research portfolios
undertaking research in the library
reading journal articles and books
working on specific unit assignments
preparing presentations and self-assessments.

Overall workload

33% of your time is spent in scheduled teaching and learning activity
Scheduled teaching and learning: 785 hours
Independent learning: 1615 hours