Course Summary
The two-year Master of Fine Arts (MFA) provides an immersive education in the development of professional practice as an ecologically oriented artist while the one-year MA provides a master’s-level education in art appropriate for a diverse range of applications.
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
Applicants should normally have a Bachelor’s degree with First or upper Second Class Honours in Fine Art; or a Bachelor’s degree with a major in Fine Art, with a GPA of 3.50 or above, or evidence of equivalent achievement. In the case of an outstanding portfolio, a Bachelor’s Degree with a lower Second Class/2.2 hons/GPA 3.0 may be accepted. All eligible applicants are interviewed either in person or by phone.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Applicants who do not meet the minimum programme entry criteria are encouraged to contact Burren College of Art to discuss eligibility under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process. Such applicants may be interviewed to ascertain their suitability for the programme. Recognition of Prior Learning for module exemptions is not available on this programme due to external professional accreditation requirements.
Application Details
Closing Date: Apply by 1 February 2024: applications will continue to be considered on a rolling review.
Apply online via the Burren College of Art: www.burrencollege.ie
Next start date: September 2025
Fees
Irish and EU tuition: €9,500.
International tuition €18,500.
Scholarship information available at www.burrencollege.ie
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.
Naturalist
Not surprisingly, some aspect of the natural sciences will run through the Naturalist's interests - from ecological awareness to nutrition and health. People with an interest in horticulture, land usage and farming (including fish) are Naturalists.
Some Naturalists focus on animals rather than plants, and may enjoy working with, training, caring for, or simply herding them. Other Naturalists will prefer working with the end result of nature's produce - the food produced from plants and animals. Naturalists like solving problems with solutions that show some sensitivity to the environmental impact of what they do. They like to see practical results and prefer action to talking and discussing.
Career Progression
Graduate artists find work in related fields, such as art curating, gallery administration and art education. The knowledge, skills and understanding developed in this programme are transferable to a wide variety of applications, depending on the individual graduate.
Duration
2 years (4 semesters), full-time (MFA)
1 year (2 semesters), full-time (Post Baccalaureate HDip)