Fine Art
Fine Art
MA Fine Art at Manchester Met is designed for ambitious artists who want to challenge their thinking, refine their practice and build the confidence needed to thrive in today’s contemporary art world. The course gives you the time, space and support to push your creative practice further.
This studio-centred masters places your individual practice at the heart of the learning experience. Through experimentation, critical reflection and personalised mentoring, you'll be encouraged to explore new concepts, develop innovative approaches and create work that reflects your unique artistic vision. The course emphasises independent thinking, creative risk-taking and the development of a strong professional identity as an artist.
Alongside studio practice, you'll engage with lectures, seminars, group critiques and artist talks that explore themes relevant to contemporary art practice. You'll develop valuable skills in research, critical analysis, communication and project development, while learning how to articulate your ideas and position your work within wider artistic and cultural debates.
A key strength of the programme is its combination of practice-based learning and professional development. You'll be supported to expand your experience through projects, research opportunities, exchanges, work experience or collaborations with external partners and organisations. The course is taught by practising artists and maintains active links with an international network of art professionals, helping you build connections and gain insight into the realities of professional artistic practice.
You'll benefit from your own studio space as a full-time student, access to the School of Art's workshops and resources, a rich programme of visiting artists and professionals, and extensive art and design collections within the University library.
By the end of the course, you'll have produced a substantial body of work for exhibition or public presentation and developed a clear strategy for your future practice. Whether your ambitions lie in exhibiting, freelance practice, curation, education, research or the wider creative industries, MA Fine Art will equip you with the skills, networks and confidence to shape a sustainable creative career.
Features
- —The course is taught by practicing artists and maintains active links with an international network of art professionals and organisations.
- —Full-time students will have their own spaces within communal studios, part-time students are expected to have their own studio provision, both modes of study will have access to the full range of the School’s workshops and other resources.
- —Regular programme of artists talks and studio visits from professionals working in the field.
- —The University library has outstanding Art and Design holdings, including a special collection of artist's books and ephemera.
MFA Fine Art graduate Jenny Eden talks breaking down, building up and developing her practice through her two years of study, and what role Manchester has played in the process.
Course Content
MA Fine Art is a studio-centred masters that supports you in developing a confident, independent and sustainable artistic practice. Through experimentation, critical reflection and research-informed inquiry, you'll expand your creative ambitions while refining the ideas, methods and processes that shape your work.
Throughout the course, you'll focus on the development of your individual practice. You'll begin by analysing and reappraising your existing work, identifying new concepts, themes and approaches through a personalised programme of study. Supported by mentoring, seminars, lectures and group critiques, you'll explore how your practice connects to contemporary artistic debates and wider cultural contexts.
As your studies progress, you'll build a substantial and coherent body of work while developing a deeper understanding of professional artistic practice. You'll investigate the role of artists within galleries, institutions and the wider cultural sector, with opportunities to gain experience through research projects, exchanges, collaborations and professional partnerships.
Typical student projects include exhibitions, installations, painting, sculpture, interdisciplinary practice and public-facing artistic interventions. The course culminates in a major exhibition or public presentation, allowing you to showcase a fully realised body of work and establish a strategy for your future practice.
Based within Manchester School of Art, one of the UK's oldest art schools, you'll learn from practising artists, research-active academics and visiting professionals who bring contemporary industry insight and innovative thinking into their teaching. The programme is strengthened by active links with national and international art networks, alongside regular artist talks and studio visits.
Full-time students benefit from dedicated studio space and access to specialist workshops, resources and extensive art and design library collections, including artists' books and ephemera.
By graduation, you'll have developed advanced creative, research and professional skills, preparing you for careers as an exhibiting artist, freelancer, curator, educator, researcher or creative practitioner. Equipped with a strong portfolio and professional network, you'll be ready to make a meaningful contribution to contemporary culture and the wider creative industries.
Year 1 (MA Full-Time)
MA Fine Art is made up of three core modules plus one option module, totalling 180 credits. You'll exploring key topics in the study of fine art and select option modules depending on your interests.
Practice 1, Art: Fine Art, Working Synopsis and Development
Practice driven and focused on the analysis, reappraisal and development of your existing practice. Identification and exploration of new concepts and approaches negotiated through an individual Working Synopsis. The module is informed by the School of Art’s international research strengths in Fine Art and will engage with national and international research agendas.
Practice 2, Art: Fine Art
Driven and focused on the development of your practice through the realisation of a comprehensive and coherent body of work, this module builds upon the previous Practice 1 module and provides an opportunity to sustain the development of practice over a concentrated period of time. Within this module you will be expected to resolve a comprehensive understanding of their practice, its place in relation to the broader related discipline and the potential professionalisation and sustainability of future practice. You will be expected to be able to communicate the summary learning journey of your programme of study, the relevant methodologies used to develop your practice and the future professional pathways being explored. There is a break within this module to allow for a period of reflection that will contribute towards the final written component necessary for assessment.
Professional Practices
This module extends your understanding of the professional context of Contemporary Curating, contemporary Fine Art, and Painting practices. Through an examination of artworld institutions and structures you will be guided to consider a range of possible positions that the contemporary artist or curator can occupy in the professional domain. The module will extend your experience into the professional sphere, either through a practical project, research context, exchange, work experience, or other negotiated professional set of interactions with an external partner and/or peer group of students.
Option Units (Subject to Change)
Culture and Context (Expanding Fields and Exploring Practices)
This module offers a structured opportunity for you to extend and enhance your practice by exploring and analysing work from the wider field of art practice. The study of the historical and critical framework of art practice (through both student led and staff led gallery visits and looking at actual practice) is vital to any serious artist, curator and practitioner. The module is student focussed and helps create an individual map of the specific environment of their current work.
Art and Design: Culture and Context (MA:X)
This module offers focussed opportunity for you to extend and enhance your practice by working in a wider design research community. The study of the cultural and critical contexts of art and design practice is vital to any student of the creative disciplines, this module will develop your abilities to contextualise your practice through a series of themes addressing contemporary issue in art and design.
Student Work
Visit our online MA Show galleries to see examples of recent work by our postgraduate students.
Graduates
The programme enables you to develop an ambitious, sustainable art practice. It will provide you with the professional skills and practical knowledge required to support working as a self-employed artist.
Graduates exhibit their work internationally, and have been selected for major exhibitions, awards and prizes, such as:
- John Moores Painting Prize
- Bloomberg New Contemporaries
- Manchester Culture Awards
- Manchester Airport Commission
- Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grant
MA Fine Art also prepares you for further academic study on Doctorate or Academic Practice programmes together with working in areas of research, exhibition, curation, or Lecturer roles.
Graduates develop advanced capabilities in:
- Contemporary Fine Art practice
- Development of an individual artistic vision
- Making professionally resolved works of art
- Critical thinking, creative judgement and decision-making
- Practice-led research and visual inquiry
- Integration of theory with creative practice
- Experimentation and advanced development of making skills
- Communicating complex ideas
- Collaboration across creative disciplines and cultural contexts
- Reflective practice and continuous professional development
- Articulating and positioning individual practice within the field of Fine Art, culture and research
Making an Application
Entry Requirements
You will normally have an undergraduate UK honours degree (or international equivalent) or a degree-equivalent postgraduate diploma or a professional qualification. Alternatively, you may be admitted if you can demonstrate appropriate knowledge and skills at honours degree standard. In addition, you may also need to submit a Digital Portfolio.
Overseas applicants will require IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in any category, or an equivalent accepted English qualification. Accepted English qualifications can be viewed here.
How to Apply
Please apply online using the link below. In your personal statement please include a web address to an online portfolio containing a selection of images or videos of your past work. You should also explain how you would like to develop your practice during the course.
Fees 2027 Entry
UK and Channel Island students
Fees for this course have yet to be confirmed and will be updated shortly.
Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide with our scholarships for UK students.
EU and non-EU international students
Fees for this course have yet to be confirmed and will be updated shortly.
Many of our international students are eligible for a discount on their tuition fees. Visit our scholarships and funding pages to find out what’s available for you.
Additional information
A masters qualification typically comprises 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits, and an MFA 300 credits. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of study provided the course is completed in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
Eligible alumni receive a 20% discount on their postgraduate tuition fees. Find out more about our Alumni Loyalty Discount.