About Photography, MA - at University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Course Overview

The central theme of the photography programme of study is the exploration of and experimentation with the concept and practice of photography. You are encouraged to utilise the medium as a cross-disciplinary, multimodal practice that can be seen as alternative and/or equivalent to conventional practice as a way of deciphering the contemporary world. You will be introduced to innovative concepts such as 'performed photography', durational and/or serial methodologies and photography as event.

The course ranges from documentary modes to conceptual modalities such as 'performativity', situation-specific work, and other event based participatory practices such as the 'performative encounter'. All modes of photography are welcome and there will be the opportunity to analyse your work theoretically through the optic of contemporary philosophy, via relevant figures such as Gilles Deleuze, Francois Laruelle and others.

The Contemporary Dialogues portfolio offers an exciting and innovative re-thinking of Postgraduate provision that reflects the strategic thinking of Swansea College of Art. The portfolio facilitates migration between diverse thematic disciplines, exploring new ideas and conceptual approaches to allow young artists and designers to confront the issues that face society today and into the future.

The portfolio's ethos of collaborative dialogues through material practices provides an innovative model of design, fine and applied arts education. This development allows students from all pathways to experience and share creative practices and innovative mind-sets through inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary dialogues. This ethos is enhanced within each programme to stimulate 'collaborative' practices and experimentation across a broader spectrum of specialist fields, developing graduates with the contextual awareness, creative thinking and technical skills to operate at the forefront of their discipline.

During the course of your studies you will be supported by specialist staff, leading professionals and practicing artists through lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. We have exceptional traditional and digital facilities, housed in spacious purpose-build workshops. Through these, we encourage creative freedom within all of our students and support you in challenging conventional thinking and established practices and facilitate new technological advances across a broad range of disciplines. We have found that through collaborative experimentation and innovative design thinking our students are able to produce work that meets the challenges and respond to the demands of the 21st century.

Facilities include:

• Firing kilns for glass and ceramics
• Printmaking, Screen Printing and Digital Textile Technologies
• Traditional and Digital Stitch
• Wood, Metal, Clay
• Cutting Etching and Engraving Technologies - Waterjet, Laser, Plotter
• 3D Printing and CNC
• Chemical and Digital Darkrooms
• Specialist computer facilities with commercial standard software

Key Features

• Chemical and digital darkrooms.
• Experimental participatory workshops.
• Weekly discussion groups.
• Exploration of collaborative practices.
• Innovative Learning & Teaching.

Students use the Masters Programme for all kinds of reasons; to gain an extra qualification, to achieve a higher and more sophisticated level of practice, as well as to have supported research and development time in order to elevate themselves to a more professional plateau with their artwork. Students from the Masters Programme have gone on to many varied careers in teaching and lecturing positions, in community arts and the cultural industries in general. Lots have continued to practice as artists and some have progressed to PhD study.

The programme has access to well equipped workshops including a resin, plaster, wood, metal and ceramic.'Beyond this specialist equipment, you will also have access to an extensive range of facilities including an excellent library, open-access computer suits and workshops in other areas within the art school. 'We currently have two research centres within the faculty.These research centres provide staff with research opportunities and access to high technology resources, they provide students with placement opportunity whilst also developing the creative industries infrastructure in the region, which will benefit graduating students.

The Creative Industries Research and Innovation Centre was established in 2005 and is a knowledge transfer centre for projects that support the creative industries in Wales.

Current projects include Moving Image Wales, which supports the digital media industry, the Textiles Technologies Project, which supports the textiles and apparel industries, CIME, which supports business through creative intervention and SATnet, which provides a link between artists and businesses in the science and technology sectors. In addition, IPCRES is also based in CIRIC and is developing and disseminating research about durational and event based practices.

Alongside the numerous projects operating within CIRIC, there is also a Design Bureau, with water jet cutting, laser cutting and fabric printing services.'The Centre for Lens Arts and Science Interaction is a research centre based within The Dynevor Centre for Art, Design, and Media at Swansea Metropolitan University. CLASI aims to encourage and promote interdisciplinary research projects, which stimulate research, innovation, and experimentation across photographic, digital and electronic arts. A strong emphasis is placed on research strands where the histories, philosophies and practices of art and science intersect. The definition of art and science is intentionally broad and the centre is aligned with SATnet and CIRIC.'?

Modules

Core Modules

• Collaborative Dialogues (20 credits) ?
• Co-Existent Perspectives (20 credits) ?
• The Thought Experiment (20 credits) ?
• Explorative Research Praxis ?(60 credits) ?
• Confirmative Praxis (60 credits) ?

International

Erasmus

During your time with us you will have the opportunity to study abroad with the Erasmus exchange programmes currently running with Universities in Norway, Barcelona and Sweden.

Study Abroad

Students can also take up the opportunity to study a semester in the USA and Canada.

For more information please click here.

Course Tutor(s)

• Dr Paul Jeff
• Angela Maddock
• Dr Catrin Webster
• Prof. Tim Davies
• Craig Wood
• Philip Thomas

Further Information

• www.facebook.com/artpostgraduwtsd
• www.twitter.com/artpostgrad
• www.facebook.com/swanseacollegeofart
  

Related Courses

• MA Fine Art
• MA Visual Communication
• MA Textiles
• Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Additional Costs

Our students have access to a diverse range of equipment and resources, which in most cases are sufficient to complete their programme of study. We provide the basic materials necessary for students to develop their practical work within our extensive workshop and studio facilities. However, it is likely that art and design students will incur some additional costs to extend their investigation of their personal practice. For example, purchasing their own specialised materials and equipment, joining in optional study trips, and printing.

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Entry requirements for this course

Contact University of Wales Trinity Saint David to find course entry requirements.

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Related information

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