Master of Fine Art (MFA)

The BxNU MFA is run in collaboration with BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and is based at BALTIC 39 in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne.

You will be given the unique opportunity to design and develop your own investigations, determining themes, questions and strategies and moving between experimentation and reflective analysis to production, presentation and publication.

Taught by a wide range of distinguished and internationally respected practitioners, you will undertake field trips and workplace visits, in addition to the option of a study abroad through the Erasmus Exchange programme.

This course offers the perfect opportunity for you to develop your professional skills and prepare for a broad range of jobs.

Our graduates are highly valued with employers thanks to the reputation of Northumbria University and our unique partnership with BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Arts.

On graduation you will be able to think and act independently, applying your disciplinary knowledge to complex issues in an imaginative, sustainable and reasoned manner whilst marry method, form and ideas. You will also possess an awareness of industry standards for presentation and communication.

Throughout your studies you will be encouraged to initiate opportunities to work with artists and arts organisations, in addition to bespoke opportunities initiated by staff teams. These opportunities include exhibitions, performance events, symposia and workshops which to date have included work in the UK, as well as Poland, The Netherlands, Northern Ireland and Stockholm.

Undertaking field trips and visits will also contribute to your employment prospects, with a study abroad further developing your experience, expertise and career prospects.

Your Future

The Master of Fine Art course will prepare you for a range of careers thanks to the diverse range of skills that you will acquire throughout your studies.

You may wish to pursue a broad range of jobs within the cultural sector, curating, professional research, teaching or doctoral studies.

The provision for enterprise or self-employment is delivered through professional exhibiting opportunities including grant and CV writing, developing your own web presence and testing writing with external stakeholders. You will also learn how to manage your time, resources and budgets.

Despite being a new programme, the Master of Fine Art course already boasts successful alumni, including Gethin Wyn Jones, currently a research fellow at the Royal Institute of Art, Stockholm and artist Joanna Hutton who was selected for EVA International, Ireland’s Biennial, less than a year after graduating.