Fine Art
MFA (Master of Fine Art)
Campus Open Day – Friday 25 October 2024 - Register now
Virtual Open Day – Tuesday 19th November 2024, 5-7pm - Register now
Applications open
Duration: 2 academic years (36 weeks pa) full time course
School: Arts
Location: West Dean
Scholarships and bursaries: See available funding
The MFA (Master of Fine Art) at West Dean College is an advanced two-year full-time masters of fine art designed to further advance students' capacities in practical, theoretical and professional domains, with an emphasis on specialist studio practice. MFA students will establish and refine core concerns and ambitions, as well as subjecting the work to critical scrutiny and self-reflection. Interdisciplinary practices are encouraged and supported, as well as those focused on a single discipline such as Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Drawing, Tapestry and Textiles. You will benefit from sustained periods of studio-based activity, with dissertation requirements coming early in the second year.
Learning environment
- Large individual studio spaces
- Excellent staff-to-student ratio with regular tutorial support
- Specialised lectures, seminars and workshops with regular visiting lecturers and artists
- Expert support from workshop technicians
- Professional development - gallery visits and other external events
- Contact with a regular series of professional Artists-in-Residence
- An immersive environment with rich connections to art history, particularly Surrealism, through the legacy of College founder Edward James
You can expect
- Support in consolidating studio practice to a high standard
- Access to facilities, workshops and expertise for the fabrication of artworks relating to the individual student's ambitions.
- Large individual studios and outdoor facilities make it possible to realise ambitious work
- Opportunities for innovative approaches to studio practice so conceptual ideas can be tested and informed using selected media
- 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 Fine Art
- Systematic understanding and critical awareness of current debates in contemporary art practice
- To develop aptitude for professional practice, independent research or employment, including opportunities for public exhibition
MFA units include
- Studio Work units run consistently throughout the MFA programme
- Creative Research Strategies (18-weeks) - with access to the on-site Edward James Archive to develop new work and supporting research.
- Art Research and Criticality - lecture series with support in research skills
- Professional Practice - supports you in preparations for the Summer Shows and include workshops dedicated to Artist Statements, documentation, profile building and curator-led critiques.
Interdisciplinary study
Students are encouraged to collaborate with other College departments, particularly the full-time programmes in the School of Conservation, making the most of the wide range of specialist knowledge, materials and equipment that is available.
Virtual tour & gallery
Summer Show 2024
Summer Show 2024
Exhibition opportunities
Each year students stage a series of public exhibitions, including pop-up exhibitions, an annual fundraising exhibition and the celebrated Summer Shows that are held at the College and one other location, recently London and Margate, Kent. Through these, students develop skills in the requirements of exhibition management, such as production, installation and marketing.
As well as being encouraged to exhibit externally, both locally and nationally, during their studies, students have the unique opportunity to propose installations within West Dean House and West Dean Gardens. Project proposals are encouraged to reflect the rich heritage of West Dean and the legacy of College founder Edward James.
West Dean Summer Show
The West Dean Summer Show offers an opportunity for students on our Graduate Diploma and MFA qualifications to showcase their talents in a diverse range of practices including sculpture, installation, print, painting, film, ceramics, and textiles.
Artist in Residence Programme
The Artist-in-Residence programme sees a series of professional artists living and working onsite, amongst Fine Art students. They enrich the creative learning environment by offering tutorial sessions with students as well as public presentations on the work produced during the residency and their wider practice.
School of Arts
Explore and expand your work in a uniquely immersive environment with its own connections to art history. Our School of Arts students enjoy specialist studio spaces dedicated to painting and drawing, sculpture and tapestry and textile-based work as well as exceptional exhibition space.
Fees and funding
Course fees are the same for UK and international students
- £4,160 per term (£12,480 per academic year)
Lunch, accommodation and other living expenses are additional. Find out more
A £250 course fee and £200 accommodation deposit (if residential) is required to secure your place. Details will be provided to you in your offer. Fees are billed termly in advance. Please see the Terms and Conditions for further information.
We may routinely increase our course fees from year to year for one-year courses as well as courses lasting two or more years and may review and change such course fees without notice.
Scholarships and bursaries are available.
Entry Requirements
The following qualifications will be considered for entry on to the MFA:
- An Honours Degree or equivalent qualification in Fine Art or a related discipline
- Relevant work experience in an arts-related field which demonstrates your ability to study at postgraduate level
- Portfolio: including evidence of current practical work, sketchbooks, documentation, and evidence of critical writing
- An appropriate level of engagement with current debates in contemporary arts and making is required
- English language: CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) Level 2 or IELTS 6.5 or above.
How to create a portfolio
Do you need help creating a portfolio to apply for Master of Fine Art? Read our portfolio advice to learn about the general requirements, what we look for in a good portfolio, and what it should reflect.
How to apply
Applications for this course can be made by submitting a completed application form and emailing it to: [email protected].
Any questions?
Email [email protected]; call us on: (01243) 818 300 and select option 1, or read more about our Admissions processes.
Commendations
Commendations from the University of Sussex include:
"The high quality student experience and strength of student representation within the College."
"The changes to units so they draw on and make use of specific collections within the archive."
"The linking of theory and practice, and delivery of theory by studio technicians."
School of Arts blog
3rd September 2024
Foundation Diploma in Ceramics: Exhibition
This Foundation Diploma in Ceramics is a new course to West Dean and it aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of the material. Enabling students to gain a wide variety of clay techniques from hand-building to throwing, decorating and glazing work, that will develop skills and build up a creative language. After completing their first year, the students recently displayed their work: ...
Short Courses Blog
28th August 2024
Silversmith Career Change. West Dean alumnus, Richard Denne's "Crazy journey"
Life has many 'sliding doors moments' but West Dean seems to play host to these at an above average rate. In this latest example we see how a gift voucher for a one day silversmithing course leads to a career change and a Masters at the Royal College of Art. To find out more we sat down with Richard Denne, attendee of John Norgate's silversmithing summer school and regular shor...
Short Courses Blog
19th August 2024
Meet the Maker: Jenney Kelly
In this instalment of Meet the Maker, we introduce Jenney Kelly, a new tutor running a short course in traditional Indian block printing. Jenney’s love of travel influences her work, where she draws inspiration from local textiles and design, as well as learning first-hand from local craftspeople. In this interview we learn about what drew her to block printing and why she belie...
16th August 2024
FdA Clocks: First year clockmaking project
By Foundation degree Arts student, Yu Hsuan Chang,who specialises in clocks.
I am currently in my first year, studying for a Foundation Degree Arts in Clocks. I previously completed a MA Conservation Studies, specialising in metals, from West Dean College. I have always been fascinated by the moving parts and mechanisms of dynamic metal objects, and therefor...
2nd August 2024
The Edward James Bookbinding Competition
This annual competition aims to acknowledge, support, and promote emerging bookbinders within West Dean's Books and Binding programme. It takes its inspiration from Edward James (1907-1984), who established West Dean College as an educational community for artists and makers. James was a prolific writer throughout his life and left an extensive collection of his writings, including over 20 ...
Short Courses Blog
31st July 2024
Meet the Maker: Sarah Villeneau
In this latest instalment of Meet the Maker, Ceramic Artist and new short course tutor Sarah Villeneau shares where it all began, the joys of working with clay and why it's so important to experiment and play in the creative process.
Can you share a bit about your journey and how you got started with ceramics?
As a child I never had any thoughts of being an artist, thoug...
Tutors
David Stent
Subject Leader - Fine Art
Dr David Stent is an artist, writer, curator and performer. His practice has drawn on various media, from drawing and painting to film, video, sonic and sculptural installation. He holds a PhD in Fine Art from the University of Reading, and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Philip Sanderson
Subject Tutor - Tapestry, Fine Art
Studio Leader - West Dean Tapestry Studio
Philip Sanderson is Leader of the Professional Tapestry Studio and a Subject Tutor on the MFA in Fine Art. He is also the Tutor for the Tapestry Foundation Diploma and a short course tutor. During his time at West Dean Philip has translated the work of a number of artists into large-scale tapestries including Marta Rogoyska, John Hubbard, Tracy Emin, and Eva Rothschild.
Sarah Hughes
Programme Coordinator - BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft
Subject Tutor - Fine Art
Sarah Hughes is the Programme Coordinator for the BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft, and a subject tutor on our Fine Art programmes. Sarah, is an artist and composer with an interest in spatial practice.
George Charman
Subject Tutor - Fine Art & Art and Contemporary Craft
George Charman is an artist and lecturer based in London who teaches on the GD and MFA programmes at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation. Charman's practice-led research focuses on embodied social knowledge, exploring connections between dialogic social experiences and physical sensation in modes of creative production/fabrication.
Rebecca Partridge
Subject Tutor - Fine Art
Rebecca is an artist, writer and curator who has been exhibiting internationally since graduating from the Royal Academy Schools in 2007. While primarily a painter, her interests include cross-disciplinary approaches to landscape, contemporary Romanticism, synaesthesia and perception, with current curatorial research into the connections between contemporary painting and historical Land Art. She has been a lecturer at West Dean since 2012.
Jon Shaw
Subject Tutor - Fine Art
Jon K Shaw is a writer, editor and educator based in southeast London. He teaches in the Department of Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London; City & Guilds of London Art School; and West Dean College of Arts and Conservation.
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