Course title: Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Visual Art
Location: Sherkin Island, Cork
Interview and Portfolio of recent Artwork.
This four-year modular honours degree course - fully accredited, managed and delivered by TU Dublin - offers a dynamic and creative education in the Visual Arts. The course will have a particular focus on the investigation of the meaning of place, how it can be generated and regenerated through art-making and the exchange between the artmaker and her/his place and its people.
On completing the course graduates will be able to demonstrate an advanced comprehension of the nature, role and potential of Art in the context of their community and in a wider international context, a critical comprehension of historical and contemporary developments in Art; and a thorough mastery of the materials, techniques and skills appropriate to their own artistic interests. Additionally they will develop professional artistic skills necessary for the visual expression of significant ideas and concepts and an ability to present their work in a professional manner.
Learning Outcomes: What will I Study?
The first two Years are highly structured and are designed to give the participants basic technical skills in drawing, sculpture, painting, photography and digital media (both word-processing and image manipulation), and a good understanding of the critical concerns and context of modern and contemporary art practice.
The final two Years are increasingly self-directed allowing participants to develop their particular focus in terms of medium and content. This builds upon research methods and skills developed in stages one and two, which allows participants to develop a similar self-directed approach in Critical Theory.
Graduates establish themselves as professional artists and can also find employment in the cultural and community sectors as gallery and studio assistants, arts officers in County Council Offices as curators and as arts administrators. There are also opportunities for employment in the teaching profession and to pursue graduate studies up to PhD level.
In Year one, the emphasis is primarily placed on research. As analysis & development are required to organise information gathered during the course of research and to extend its scope, considerable emphasis is placed upon analysis & development. Realisation is a skill that is developed later as participants acquire greater experience of art practice and acquire greater physical and conceptual skills.
In Year two, the emphasis upon analysis & development and realisation is increased while the emphasis on research is maintained. Participants are expected to continue to develop the research and analysis and development skills acquired during stage.
In Year three equal emphasis is placed upon research, analysis and development and realisation. This marks a significant increase in the emphasis upon realisation as participants are expected to develop a critical understanding of their choice of medium in relation to the concept they are exploring.
In Year four emphasis in both Studio and Critical Studies is placed upon participants achieving a critical understanding of the nature of their particular practice. Consequently and in recognition of the diversity in approach of contemporary art practice, each participant is required to decide upon and agree with the course team an appropriate emphasis for the assessment criteria in relation to her/his work.
Please note, there is no advanced entry to this course.
Graduates who achieve the appropriate honours standard have access to a range of taught Masters, MPhil and PhD degrees by research in TU Dublin or elsewhere in Ireland and abroad.