Course Summary
MA in Contemporary Art Practice is an intensive and stimulating taught masters course in Fine Art.
College Link
Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Entry Requirements
The MA in Contemporary Art Practice welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds. Those holding a Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree in Fine Art or an associated discipline, with a minimum of an Honours 2.2 (or equivalent) are eligible to apply for the programme. Graduates from other subject areas are invited to apply provided they meet the entry requirements.
Applicants who hold a Level 8 award at pass level or a Level 7 award (or equivalent) may be considered on the basis of significant relevant experience. In certain circumstances mature applicants with professional experience will be considered for eligibility through recognition of prior and experiential learning, policies for which are well established in MTU.
How to Apply:
The MA in Contemporary Art Practice closing date is Tuesday May 6th at 10am.
All applications will be reviewed the week following the deadline, and applicants who are successful in stage 1 of application review will be invited to meet with academic team for interview. Interviews will be held in May.
MA in Contemporary Art Practice operates a rolling closing date, and late applications will continue to be considered up until Tuesday, May 6th at 10am. Note: late applications are not eligible to apply for 2025 Fees scholarship.
Applicants will be required to pay an acceptance fee of €450 online if a place on the course is offered. This fee is deductible from the overall course fee.
Please upload the following supporting documentation with your application:
Sample of Written Work may include one of the following: 1 x chapter of thesis plus full bibliography / an abstract of recent piece of writing/a critical review of a recent show which you consider to be significant.
Statement on your current practice and concerns (Max. 500 words)
How do you think this course would benefit your practice? (Max. 200 words)
Images:
Up to 10 images, saved as a single PDF document (max file size: 20MB)
This should include relevant contextual information (material, dimensions, installation details etc.)
Video:
Video should be uploaded in the form of links to YouTube/Vimeo/personal website where work is hosted.
Maximum of 3 samples, in extracts of no longer than 5 minutes each.
Links can be listed and uploaded as a text document (Word/PDF) along with relevant supporting information (duration, installation details etc.) or listed in the Additional Information field
Note: Choose the format above most suited to your practice and label all files clearly.
What is RPL?
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is when formal recognition is given for what you already know prior to starting on a programme or module. With recognition of prior learning, the focus is on learning and not on experience as such. You can apply for RPL in any MTU accredited programme or module. Programmes which are accredited by professional bodies or any external awarding bodies may have their own procedures for RPL, which you should refer to.
Application Details
Fees
The MA in Contemporary Art Practice is delivered full-time over 3 semesters; Please read the tuition fee information below.
Full-time:
EU Applicants: €4,500
Non-EU Applicants: €13,500
For information on visa requirements, please see www.mtu.ie/international/non-eu
*Full-time students - Union of Students in Ireland (USI) Levy
The USI membership levy of €7 has been introduced as a result of a referendum where students opted to affiliate to the national Students’ Union. This levy must be paid before the start of Semester 1.
?Part-time:
EU Applicants: €4,500
Part-time fees are calculated based on the credit value of modules undertaken annually.
Fees quoted relate to the academic year 2025 only and are subject to change on an annual basis. Course fees must be paid before attending lectures.
MA in Contemporary Art Practice applicants eligible for Ireland’s SUSI grant support can apply when a course offer is made.
Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) is Ireland’s national awarding authority for further and higher education grants.
The Student
Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.
Creative
Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.
Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.