What is special about this course?
Are you committed to a career in an art practice that creatively engages with your community? If so, the MA Art and Social Practice is ideal.
Artists in the 21st century increasingly find themselves working in participatory settings where skills in creative and social engagement are essential. This programme addresses these changing needs and facilitates a shift in thinking away from conventional ideas about where art practices are located and how work is disseminated.
The course offers focused provision enabling you to develop an appropriate level of knowledge and research to inform practical work, together with the critical and analytical processes and technical skills required to effectively deliver a project in the public domain.
Special features
- Taught by an inter-disciplinary team of artists and specialists from social anthropology, curating, art history and theory, who work across a range of local, national and international contexts, from urban centres to remote and small communities
- Opportunity to engage with fellow students, professional practitioners, academics and organisations committed to the field of socially engaged art
- Project work will be based around your own interests, networks and location
- Opportunity to join in the Virtual Symposium, an international forum for students, artists and organisations. Initiated by Shetland College UHI, the symposium is hosted in collaboration with other universities
- The course is delivered through online learning so you can study when and where it suits you, in the UK and internationally
- You can study individual modules for personal or professional development, or work towards the PgCert, PgDip or masters degree
Entry requirements
- 2.1 honours degree in a relevant subject such as art, design or new media, art history, and cultural studies or other closely related discipline such as community development, arts administration or management
- Applicants with other qualifications or relevant experience are encouraged to apply and will be considered on an individual basis
*Funding support notice*
A limited number of funded places may be available for full-time, Scottish or EU fee status students.
Postgraduate Loans (SAAS) (Scottish domiciled and EU students)
Loans for tuition fees are available from SAAS for eligible Scotland domiciled and EU students, and loans for living costs for eligible Scottish students.
(see fees/funding tab for more information)
Access routes
Students can access the course from a range of our undergraduate programmes including:
PgCert
Core modules are:
- The new social practitioner
- Communities of practice
- Professional practitioner
PgDip
Core modules are:
- Research skills and methods
- The developing social practitioner (double credit)
MA
To achieve the award of MA you must complete the social practice project.
How will I study my course?
- You will study through supported online learning using the university's virtual learning environment (VLE)
- Full-time
- Part-time (Structured)
- Part-time (Unstructured)
How long will my course last?
- Full-time: 15 months
- Part-time (structured): minimum 3 years
- Part-time (unstructured): maximum 6 years
Where can I study my course?
- Shetland College UHI - You can study this fully online Masters from any location. You will be enrolled and receive support from the Centre for Rural Creativity
Start date
- September
Fees
The following fees apply to this taught postgraduate course:
| 2018-19 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish online |
Rest of UK (inc EU) online |
International online |
|
| Per module (20 credits) | £560 | £650 | £900 |
| Postgraduate certificate (3 modules, 60 credits) | £1,680 | £1,950 | £2,700 |
| Postgraduate diploma (6 modules, 120 credits) | £3,360 | £3,900 | £5,400 |
| Masters degree (6 modules + dissertation) | £5,000 | £5,850 | £8,120 |
| 2017-18 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish online |
Rest of UK (inc EU) online |
International online |
|
| Per module (20 credits) | £520 | £650 | £852 |
| Postgraduate certificate (3 modules, 60 credits) | £1,560 | £1,950 | £2,556 |
| Postgraduate diploma (6 modules, 120 credits) | £3,120 | £3,900 | £5,112 |
| Masters degree (6 modules + dissertation) | £4,680 | £5,850 | £7,660 |
Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.
Enquiries from employers for multiple student registrations are welcome and special fee arrangements may apply.
Funding
A limited number of places may be available with full tuition fee support for Scottish-domiciled/EU students, studying full time, on this course starting in September 2018 to help talented students join this key growth sector for the Scottish economy. Fees will be funded by the European Social Fund and Scottish Funding Council as part of Developing Scotland’s Workforce in the Scotland 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Fund Programmes.
To be eligible for this funding students must meet the criteria for Scottish domiciled or EU fee status and be domiciled in the Highlands and Islands Transition Region for the duration of their studies. In accordance with funding regulations, tuition fee support will only be available to students who meet the funding eligibility criteria and are self-funding i.e. who are not in receipt of funding for tuition fees from other sources, including employers. Funded places will be allocated and successful applicants notified from end of June onwards. There is no separate application process, applicants holding an offer will be considered against the eligibility rules.
Applications are welcome from all suitably qualified applicants. Students who do not meet the eligibility for the tuition fee support, or are not successful in being allocated one of the limited places, will be responsible for paying their own fees. However there are other potential sources of funding support available.
From 2017, eligible Scotland domiciled students studying full time can access loans up to 10,000 from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). This comprises a tuition fee loan up to £5,500 and a non-income assessed living cost loan of £4,500. EU students studying full time can apply for a tuition fee loan up to £5500.
Part-time students undertaking any taught postgraduate course over two years up to Masters level who meet the residency eligibility can apply for a for a tuition fee loan up to £2,750 per year.
Full details can be found on the SAAS website. Applications for loans open in April.
Students from the rest of the UK who meet the eligibility requirements may be able to apply for a loan from the Student Loan Company
You may also be able to apply for a government Professional and Career Development Loan
What can I do on completion of my course?
On successful completion of the course, you will be well placed to work freelance, develop your own social enterprise or seek employment in a range of settings such as community development, health, museums or education, the prison service, day centres and galleries. You would also be able to work with a range of individuals and participant groups including children, young people, older people, people with learning disabilities or those who might be marginalised, such as refugees. You will be able to develop, plan and deliver participatory arts projects for local authorities, voluntary sector organisations and other public sector agencies.
Can I progress into further study?
You may progress to a PhD to undertake research in the field of socially engaged art practice.
Is there more information available online?
You can use the above QR code to connect directly to the course details.