Illustration - Contemporary Dialogues (Part-time) (MA)
Illustration continues to develop and evolve as a discipline, pushing the boundaries of conventional understanding.
This master’s course is responsive to the ever-fluctuating, ever-evolving market for illustrative visual material, and aims to build upon your existing knowledge, refining the direction of your practice to move in new directions and pathways that are informed, critical and imaginative.
Using traditional and digital methods to augment your practice through exhibition, publication or exciting new interdisciplinary forms, this MA will refine your understanding of contemporary illustration and your individual specialist interests.
You will consolidate the expertise gained from undergraduate study, or prior industry experience, by identifying, exploring and achieving future career aspirations, and engaging with a contemporary postgraduate, creative environment.
Course details
- On-campus
- Part-time
- English
- Bilingual
Why choose this course?
What you will learn
The master’s Contemporary Dialogues portfolio at Swansea College of Art offers a unique postgraduate experience.
Graduates and professionals from a wide range of specialities benefit from multidisciplinary learning together with expert lecturers and a broad range of facilities.
You will have the opportunity to draw
upon experiences and knowledge from across the different pathways and reflect this in your own personal study.
The research environment
benefits greatly from the input
of our teaching staff and visiting lecturers, most of whom are research-active artists, designers, and theoreticians of national and international significance.
In the first part of the programme, you will complete a series of taught modules. You will participate in multidisciplinary exchanges, through seminars and lectures involving students from all programmes within the Contemporary Dialogues portfolio, to stimulate new perspectives and challenge directions. The cross-fertilisation of ideas through such dialogues is expected to promote a rethinking of the perceptions and production techniques appropriate to your discipline.
Throughout the taught part of the programme, you will be expected to undertake material investigations and research into contemporary themes, with consideration given to environmental, economic, social, and cultural issues.
Compulsory
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(60 credits)
(60 credits)
Disclaimer
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We listen to student feedback and insights from industry and from professionals to ensure that course content is high-quality and up-to-date, and that it offers the best possible preparation for your future career or study goals.
For this reason, there might be modifications to the content of your course over time, to keep up to date with changes in the subject area or in the sector. If a module is no longer running, we’ll make sure to keep you informed, and work with you to choose a different suitable module.
Ratings and Rankings
Staff
Our People
You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for Teaching, Assessment and Feedback and Academic Support (NSS 2024) meaning that the support and feedback you get will help you learn and develop strong academic skills. Our students have placed us 1st in Wales for Learning Opportunities and Student Voice (NSS 2024) meaning that there are a wide range of opportunities available to enhance your studies and that students play an active role in shaping their learning experiences. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students place us as 1st in Wales and joint 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction (Times Higher Education, 2024, ‘Overall Positivity’ measure). Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses.
Accommodation
Further information
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We normally require an undergraduate 2.1. However, we also consider candidates with relevant experience and aim to interview all applicants. Where possible, we invite prospective students to experience a day of teaching to see if it suits their expectations.
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Assessment is carried out through coursework, both written practical and presented.
There is a 4,000-word theoretical essay with poster presentation in Semester 1, and a 5,000-word report in Semester 3, which accompanies the practical work.
There are no exams on this course. Students are formatively assessed throughout a module. Summative assessment takes place at the end of a module, which includes presentation of the work to the assessment team.
A variety of teaching and learning methods are used throughout the course, which include, among others:
Tutorials
These tutorials are held on a regular basis.In Semester 1, full-time/Year 1, part-time, each student sees and discusses his/her work with a member of staff as part of each module. In Semesters 2 and 3, full-time/Years 2 and 3, part-time, students work more independently and sign up for tutorials within, or across, their discipline, in addition to those scheduled when their work requires support.
As a team, we ensure that every student in the final semester/year of the course is seen by at least one member of the academic staff each week.
Group Tutorials/Seminars
These are held on a regular basis, across all stages of the course, with one member of staff. They provide an excellent opportunity for students to share and exchange ideas with their peers in a structured manner, in addition to valuable input from staff.Informal & Formal presentations
Some of the modules have a presentation of ideas as part of the module outcome and are an essential way of sharing ideas across the course. Presenting work informally to peers is also part of the seminar teaching and a way of getting valuable feedback on the progress of the work.Exhibiting work
At the end of the course there is an opportunity, if appropriate, to show outcomes from the course in a curated exhibition. Students are also supported to create their own exhibitions during the middle part of the course, if they wish to do so. -
Our students have access to a diverse range of equipment and resources which, in most cases, is sufficient to complete their programme of study. We provide the basic materials necessary for students to develop their practical work within our extensive workshop and studio facilities.
However, it is likely that art and design students will incur some additional costs in the extension of their personal practice. Examples include purchasing their own specialised materials and equipment, joining optional study trips, and paying for printing.
Depending on distance and duration, optional study visits can vary in cost from approximately £10 to visit local galleries and exhibitions, to £200 plus for overseas or longer UK study visits. These costs cover such things as transport and entry to venues and accommodation. There are normally reduced rates for our students.
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You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Bursaries and Scholarships section.
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Graduates become active members of our creative culture, developing careers in a variety of professional roles, such as:
- Cultural entrepreneur
- Curator
- Educator – university lecturer
- Funded research degree student
- Practising artist/designer