Contemporary Art Practice - Moving Image, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture BA (Hons)
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-09-18 | 2023-05-05 |
Program Overview
This multidisciplinary BA (Hons) Contemporary Art Practice – Moving Image, Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture degree, focuses on developing your skills across technical, conceptual, contextual, personal and professional areas, through individual practice and collaborative projects.
The course is informed by current debates surrounding production, presentation and consumption of contemporary fine art, and provides you with a unique opportunity to develop your own visual art voice.
An integral part of your experience is the opportunity to undertake live projects, placement and work-experience, commissions, exhibitions and external events in close partnership with regional arts organisations and other industry partners. These opportunities will develop your practical and conceptual skills, and will inform the evolution of your own practice and determine your preferred working methodologies.
Program Outline
You are able to specialise in 4 pathways: Moving Image, Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture.
Year 1
You will develop fundamental core skills and knowledge of Contemporary Art Practice through studio projects, lectures, seminars and specific subject related technical workshops in drawing, printmaking, moving image, sculpture, photography and contextual and critical studies.
Year 2
You will extend your core skills in Contemporary Art Practice through emerging thematics and technically driven projects that enable you to develop your own personal interests and narratives. You will have the opportunity to participate in international and national study trips to broaden your contextual knowledge and increase your professional awareness within the field.
Year 3
Year 3 consolidate your skills acquisition and extends your personal direction and knowledge through self-directed study and development of professional skills in relation to external contexts. You will undertake a Professional Skills module focussing on external facing perceptions and the role of audience in the digestion of contemporary fine art.
Year 4
You will make an informed decision as to the nature of your supported independent Honours project, which will be reflected in your final award title. This year is about engaging in supported independent study that combines technical, visual, conceptual and contextual practice to produce a professional body of work for public consumption through exhibition and a written thesis.
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Modules
Modules and delivery order may change for operational purposes. The University regularly reviews its courses. Course content and structure may change over time. See our
course and module disclaimer
for more information. Detailed module informationLearning Methods
You will work in a spacious studio environment as well as dedicated workshop facilities for Printmaking, Sculpture, Photography, Moving Image; and advanced digital production in two and three dimensions.
The course’s teaching and learning focuses on the development of skills across five key areas: technical, conceptual, contextual, personal and professional.
You will learn though optional industry-linked projects, European exchanges, study trips, placements and live competitions, which are all an integral part of the course. Group activities are plentiful and manifest through exhibitions, publications and public art activities, developing your professional and practical experiences. There are also socially engaged learning through subject specialist external projects with partners in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and beyond.
Activity Summary
Year 4
How long is a BA (Hons) Contemporary Art Practice - Moving Image, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture course?
The duration of a Contemporary Art degree is 4 years. This includes lectures, seminars, independent study and other activities.
Independent Study
Throughout the course particular emphasis is placed on your development of independent learning through self-directed fine art project/s. In Year 4 you are required to study independently with the emphasis of supported study through tutorials, seminars, crits and exhibitions.
Staff Delivering on This Course
There is a combination of academic and technical staff teaching on this course, all staff having specific expertise in one of the named routes and are active researchers or practicing artists within the subject.
Expert practitioners in the industry contribute to course as Professional Associates, the ‘Life After Art School’ lecture programme and through the Guest@Grays programme, which invites national and international artists and designers to speak about their work and aspects of essential professional skills acquisition.
There is also input from Graduate in Resident artists, PhD and master's students.
Assessment
Typically students are assessed each year:
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Feedback
We aim to provide you with feedback within 20 working days of hand-in for all written exams, coursework and practical exams.
Academic Support
The Inclusion Centre advises and supports students who disclose a sensory or mobility impairment, chronic medical condition, mental health issue, dyslexia and other specific learning differences. Applicants are encouraged to arrange a pre-entry visit to discuss any concerns and to view the facilities.
The Inclusion CENTREOnline Learning & Support
All undergraduate and postgraduate students, whether you are learning on campus or by online learning, benefit from using our collaborative virtual learning environment, CampusMoodle. You will be provided with 24/7 online access to your learning material and resources, along with the ability to interact with your class members and tutors for discussion and support.
CampusMoodleStudy Skills Support
The Study Support Team provides training and support to all students in:
Library Support
The Library offers support for your course, including the books, eBooks, and journals you will need. We also offer online reading lists for many modules, workshops and drop-ins on searching skills and referencing, and much more.
University LibraryPlacements
In year 3, term 2, you will have the opportunity to undertake up to 4 weeks work experience within one or more placement experiences. This will enable you to gain first-hand experience and a real insight into professional practice. We have longstanding agreements with a range of organisations both in the city of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and beyond including Peacock Visual Arts, Scottish Sculpture Workshop, The Carbrach Heritage Trust and GHAT (Grampian Hospital Arts Trust). There is also opportunities for you to apply for open call placements in preparation for Year 4. Each placement is financially supported and the Student Placement and Support Manager will support you in finding placements.
placements at RGUStudy Abroad
In Year 3, Term 2, there is the optional opportunity to undertake a period of international study exchange with partner universities/colleges across Europe, Canada and the US.
STUDY ABROADJob Prospects
The course will provide you with a wide range of transferable and professional skills ensuring you will be equipped for a diverse range of careers within the creative and cultural industries and society as a whole.
Is Contemporary Art Practice a good career choice?
Previous BA Contemporary Art Practice graduates of Robert Gordon University have gone on to pursue the following careers:
You may develop your individual creative practice through exhibitions, residencies, public art projects and many other forms of arts-related activity. Options include independent production, publishing, advertising, curatorial and archival work, gallerists, video & TV, arts administration, teaching and community arts.
There is also the option of extending your academic experience through postgraduate study at Gray’s School of Art or other postgraduate institutions.
Find your Career Path
