Undergraduate Programmes

Fine Art / Mínealaín DT546

Qualification awarded: BA (Fine Art) Level 8 / BA (Mínealaín) Leibhéal 8
Duration of programme: 4 years
Type of programme: Honours Degree
Number of places: 38 approx.

Programme Description

The BA Fine Art provides students with an academic context for studying Fine Art practice and theory at an undergraduate level and prepares students for a career as an artist or a variety of roles in the art world. During the programme students learn appropriate skills to realise their ideas through fine art media and throughout the four years of the programme they will develop a critical and informed understanding of Fine Art, its contexts and critical discourses. Graduates will be able to originate, develop and articulate concepts towards a Fine Art practice. In addition they will be able to demonstrate and articulate a practical and theoretical understanding of Fine Art, through studio practice, essays, learning portfolios and a thesis and manage a self-directed study programme by implementing independent learning strategies.

What are my career opportunities?

Graduates establish themselves as professional artists and can also find employment in the cultural and community sectors working in galleries and studios, as arts officers in County Council Offices, as curators and as arts administrators. There are also opportunities for employment in the teaching profession and to pursue graduate studies up to PhD level.

What other options do I have after completion?

Students who have reached the appropriate honours standard have access to a range of taught Masters, MPhil and PhD degrees by research in DIT or elsewhere in Ireland and abroad.

What will I study on this programme?

Students will engage in practical work in painting, sculpture, printmaking and interdisciplinary areas from the first year. Much of the time is spent in the studios and workshops on practical projects producing real work. The history of art and study of the critical theory underpinning fine art and related areas forms a core part of the syllabus and will involve writing, critical analysis and presentations by students

Module listing

Studio Practice covers the following areas: Painting Media, Sculpture Media, Print Media & Interdisciplinary Studies. Other modules available within the Fine Art programme include New Media, Drawing Media, Critical Theory (Art Theory, History of Art, Aesthetics, Psychology & Research Methodologies), & Professional Practice & Arts in Context (Community Arts).

Year One

In Stage 1 the fundamentals of study within the Fine Art domain are addressed. As the students challenge their own efforts with increased awareness, they establish the beginnings of the interactive process of practice & critical theory. They also develop coherent methodologies of investigation into Fine Art which encourage a dialogue between what art is, how art can be made & why art is made.

Year Two

Students move towards increased critical awareness, theoretical knowledge & practical skills. They develop technical expertise through the Module Elements through a variety of methods including: videos relevant to theme/materials/elements, group discussion, group critiques, project work, workshops, studio practice, lectures, self-directed learning, learner reviews, & learning portfolios in fine art media. They are also introduced to presentation & communication skills in the context of working towards a professional practice.

Year Three

Students define their Studio Practice programme of self-directed study & make an appropriate selection from the range of modules available in the Fine Art programme & from a range available in the Institute. They are encouraged to develop technical expertise & critical thinking in areas relevant to practice with an emphasis on research & experimentation.

Year Four

In their final year students consolidate their modular programme of self directed study of which Fine Art studio practice forms the core, while continuing to engage in interdisciplinary activities & practice. Finally students are expected to articulate a critically informed understanding of Fine Art history & contemporary theory & realise & present a coherent body of work to a professional standard at the end of the year. Students present an exhibition of work based on studio practice, & a written thesis for assessment.

Entry Requirements

Minimum no of		Minimum Grade in
Subjects	Honours	Maths	English/Irish
6	2
Other Requirements Applicants must submit a portfolio on Thursday 1st or Friday 2nd of March 2012

Are there study abroad opportunities?

Students are encouraged to spend at least one semester studying somewhere in continental Europe under the Erasmus programme. The School has formal links with many of its key counterparts in France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, etc. There are also optional modules that involve short intensive workshops. Previous visits have included locations such as Tunisia, Prague and Shanghai. The School has partnerships with Columbia College Chicago and the Shanghai Institute of Visual Art Fudan University.

Further information

School of Art, Design and Printing
T: 01 402 4138 (School Office)
F: 01 402 4297
E: artdesignprinting@dit.ie
W: www.dit.ie/fineartdt546