Art and Design in Education

In the first term, you and your peers establish shared foundations of art practice and educational models. During Practice Based Research you explore what it means to undertake research using studio practice, and its potential to investigate issues across the field of art and education. You also explore the relationships between practice and theory through a series of reading groups, workshops and writing exercises. Alongside this you will take Alternative Models for Art Education which enables you to critically analyse histories, theories and contemporary practices of art education in relation to global, contextual conditions.

During Term 2, you will commence the Dissertation and your focus will be on the development of your ideas, alongside optional modules you have selected to supplement your learning. You will be assigned a dissertation supervisor who will be a first point of contact to support the development of your research, with input from other staff. Recommended optional modules are either Material and Virtual Cultures, which explores issues in, and intersections of, digital, networked culture and artefacts, objects and the material cultures of museums and galleries; or Curation and Education which explores relationships between the curatorial and educational, and centres around the collaborative development and staging of a live exhibition.

In Term 3 you will be focussed on the production of your Dissertation through one of three pathways; Practice Based Research; Placement/Residency, or the Full Written Thesis. An exhibition in May provides a public platform for your research, after which you will shift focus towards the viva presentation and written component. You will gain increasing independence through scheduled tutorials before undertaking sustained independent work during July and August. Alongside this we recommend you take the optional module Contemporary Art and Artists in Education which critically examines the potential of contemporary art for learning through site visits, workshops and the critical analysis of exhibitions.

As a part time student, you will follow a similar structure to full time students, except that you will take one module per term. In year one you will begin with Practice Based Research, followed by an optional module in Term 2 (Material and Virtual Cultures or Curation and Education), and then Contemporary Art and Artists in Education in Term 3. In year 2 you will begin with Alternative Models for Art Education, followed by the Dissertation in Terms 2 and 3.

The flexible route can be taken over 5 years. It is expected that you will begin your studies with the compulsory module Practice-Based Research in Art and Design Education and that you will take the Dissertation in your final year of study. The second compulsory module Alternative Models for Art Education, and all optional modules, can be taken in Years 2-4 depending on your study pattern.