MA at Norwich

I hope that you all had a good summer and you are looking forward to the year ahead at Norwich University of the Arts. This Welcome Letter tells you a little bit more about how to prepare and what to expect when you are here.

Introducing

Dr Kate Armstrong (Postgraduate Taught Coordinator, PGTC) and the subject leads for each discipline.  We are looking forward to welcoming you to the new academic year.

We currently have five MA Courses in our portfolio, which operate in both full-time and part-time mode, led by the following subject leads of the MA Course Team:

• MA Communication Design – Rob Nicol
• MA Fine Art – Dr. Desmond Brett
• MA Games – Dr. Dean Bowman
• MA Film – Dr. Roter Su
• MA Textile Design – Felicity Brown

The Culture of your MA Experience

Your PG taught experience at Norwich University includes lots of enriching experiences, symposiums, educational visits, talks, workshops, tutorials, group and 1:1 sessions with tutors.   Your taught experience has a focus on collaborative teaching and learning and you will be introduced to alternative and enhancing practical, creative and conceptual processes during your time with us. This approach introduces you to new ways of working and thinking about your work. Usually, we will provide all materials and equipment for these workshops.

It is useful if you bring your own laptop with you if you have one and notebooks pens/pencils, regardless of your discipline.

As you progress through the course and as your work develops, you may need to build upon your own toolkit. The University does have a shop, and you will be able to purchase additional items as your work progresses.

When you come to experience your MA at Norwich University of the Arts, you are joining an enriching, interdisciplinary experience, with collaboration at the heart of your time here.  As such, you will be working with fellow students across subjects beyond your own, including Film, Communication Design, Fine Art, Textiles and Games.  This deliberate mingling of disciplines in the curriculum scaffolding enhances your overall encounter during your time at Norwich University of the Arts and aims to enhance your practice, as you consider your work in context and in the wider lens of an interdisciplinary experience.

We also offer many opportunities for collaboration beyond your fellow Postgraduate Taught (PGT) colleagues.  Previous students have enjoyed collaborating across disciplines and levels (PG and UG) at our iconic Bank Plain building. We also have points in the year to engage with Doctoral (PhD) Postgraduate Research students (PGR).

As part of our Norwich Pedagogy, the way we teach, twice a year, we have an integrated Interchange Week, which allows students to learn new techniques and experiment outside of their regular disciplines.  Throughout Interchange week, students are encouraged to play with something new, explore creative practices and experience new ways of thinking, doing and being.  Workshops are held across the University, are free to take part in and are led by academics, technicians, visiting lecturers and sometimes by PGT students.

Throughout your time with us you’ll be invited to the Vice Chancellor’s series of high-profile visiting speakers, alongside demonstrations, talks, guest speakers, symposiums, an educational visit on the course and many more collaborations and opportunities to continue enriching your PGT experience.

Welcome Week

Your first session during welcome week will formally welcome you to the University and the teaching staff and you will also get an opportunity to meet other students on the MA Programme.  The details of the schedule will be shared with you but will include the following items.

Welcome Talk from the MA Course Team: This session is an opportunity for you to meet members of MA Course Team and ask any questions that you may have. For new students you will receive your campus card on the first day so that you can access the University’s buildings.

Orientation Walks with Subject Staff: MA Supervisors will be taking all students in course groups on a tour of the campus to familiarise you all with the rooms you will be working in throughout the year.

Welcome MA Social Lunch: The Student Union invite you all to a Welcome Lunch. This is a great opportunity to meet your peers and refreshments will be provided.

Library Inductions: Lauren Elmore will be delivering introductions to the library facilities available to you and it is important that you attend.

We are all looking forward to welcoming you all to Norwich University of the Arts and starting you on your MA Journey. Sending very best wishes from myself and the entire team here at the university and wishing you every success in your studies.

We look forward to seeing you in September.

Best Wishes,

Dr Kate Armstrong

Postgraduate Taught Co-Ordinator (PGTC)

Housekeeping

Reporting Absence

If for any reason you cannot attend the Welcome Day, please email your Course Administrator at postgrad@norwichuni.ac.uk and they will be able to advise. It is important that you report all absences throughout the year to your Course Administrator, as they will update your attendance record and be able to pass on any information necessary to your Course Teams.

Checking Emails

It is important that you check your student emails regularly for important information, as this is the main way in which we will contact you throughout the year. You can contact your Course Administrator at postgrad@norwichuni.ac.uk it is important that you email the Postgrad inbox rather than staff members’ personal Norwich University emails, so that other members of the Course Administration Team can respond to in the absence of your Course Administrator.

Watch

Below, you will see that we’ve included some suggestions of things you might like to look at before you arrive. Be curious and nourish your ideas.

Nina Simone ‘An Artists’ Duty’

Desiree Akhavan ‘Why you should disappoint your parents’

Professor Simon Ofield-Kerr ‘Vice Chancellor’s Talks’

7 Creative TED Talks you might want to watch