Illustration (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 Overview

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.

Career Opportunities

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

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.