1st year
The programme is structured across specialist pathways in painting, fine print, media, sculpture and expanded practices, textiles, ceramics and glass with workshops, resources and technical support provided in these areas. Every student has his or her own studio space working alongside each other in a supportive group environment. Specific research strands can emerge out of the ‘studio–lab’ and lead to productive collaborative projects, exhibitions and events.
Each MFA student has a personal tutor or supervisor who oversees their progress on the course and also has access to the team of MFA course tutors within the School of Fine Art. The MFA teaching team represent a wide range of practices and research within the field of contemporary art. Where possible visiting lecturers to the programme also work with students.
In addition to the core practice and theory modules, students may also choose from elective modules offered by the Schools of Visual Culture, Design and partner courses in UCD.
In the first year, second semester, of the MFA, students can travel to a partner college of NCAD under the Erasmus scheme. During the first year students are responsible for developing an interim public outcome which may take the form of a public exhibition or other event. In previous years students have worked with external curators and writers on these events and have exhibited work in different locations and venues.
2nd Year
In the second year, first semester of the MFA, students submit a written submission which represents an aspect of their research interests. In the second semester of this year, a Professional Development module is designed to assist students to mediate their work from writing a press release to giving a performative lecture. The course finishes with a major practice project and a public exhibition of the graduating MFA Fine Art. These graduate exhibitions are accompanied by a publication and have taken place in a variety of significant cultural venues in Dublin city centre over the years as well as on the NCAD campus itself: the RHA gallery, the Hugh Lane gallery, the Douglas Hyde gallery and Frawleys former department store.
