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Abstract painting with bold patches of yellow, red, white, and blue, featuring flowing dark vertical lines and textured strokes, creating a sense of depth and movement throughout the composition.
A metal disc with a hole in the center, lying flat on a white surface. Faded markings are barely visible on its surface.
Parts of a car balance on concrete blocks, alongside metal rods, in a minimal, white-walled room, arranged as an abstract sculpture.

Fine Art MA

Take your Fine Art practise to another level in a supportive environment that encourages artistic innovation, exploration and debate.

Our MA Fine Art course offers a supportive and collaborative environment for practising artists to explore and innovate. Tailored for individuals seeking critical awareness of their artistic practice, the course encourages engagement with contemporary debates and ideas surrounding your work and for you to master the necessary skills appropriate to your artistic interests. Through self-directed learning and a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, workshops, and tutorials, you’ll shape your projects with staff here to support, encourage, and challenge you to facilitate new ways of thinking.

You will immerse yourself in a diverse and dynamic artistic community, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. You will be guided by expert and visiting practitioners, who challenge and support you in developing critical and professional skills. Norwich has a long and well-established reputation as one of the leading providers of fine art education in the UK. The course’s strong connections with local, regional and national galleries, museums and festivals provide opportunities to participate in significant exhibitions and debates on contemporary art, preparing you for a wide range of career pathways in the arts, including further academic research, curating, and teaching.

  • A metallic sculpture sits on a white pedestal in an industrial gallery space. A large, circular, textured black and white artwork is displayed on the wooden wall behind it.
  • A contact sheet of black and white images, featuring the artist in a series of positions
  • A painting of a figure in heavy shadow. The only visible part of the figure is the shoulder and chest, with a hint of a face. The painting is made predominantly from black, dark grey and white paint.
  • A photograph from PG Fest. In the stairwell of St Georges Building, a giant bunny sculpture is suspended from a gap in the wall. The bunny has a giant head with it's ears pointing upwards, tapering to meet at the tips. The torso and limbs are made of blue and white circular sculpted balls.
  • A photograph of a framed piece of typography on a plinth, at an angle facing upwards. The typography reads 'all smiles now'. A pair of hands is reaching to the frame from the left of the image. Above the frame and on the wall are the words 'everything in its right place'
  • A large, curved sculpture made from cut cardboard. The sculpture resembles a large wooden curved shape, and stands upright against a white wall
  • MA Fine Art work of a sea swell by Janine Everitt at Norwich University of the Arts
  • MA Fine Art sculpture made by Tom Browning of a beast heads in the MA Degree Show 2019
  • Image of a plaster and wood sculpture
  • Painted image of child being carried
  • Rough and flakey white texture
  • Disjointed frames of different painted images in a modernist americana style
  • Trash arranged around a lightswitch

Why study with us

  • Advanced Artistic Skills

    Enhance your abilities in various art forms, including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, and spatial and time-based practices. to create sophisticated and expressive works.

  • Interdisciplinary Approach

    Benefit from a collaborative learning environment shared with other postgraduate courses encouraging interdisciplinary interaction and knowledge sharing, mirroring professional practices in the creative industries. Our very own East Gallery provides a showcase for high-quality public exhibitions that augment the MA Fine Art experience.

  • Professional-Level Resources

    Access specialised studios and workshops for painting, drawing, printmaking, and photography, as well having access to high-specification digital facilities, including digital darkrooms, media labs, and computer labs.

  • Ethical and Inclusive Research

    Engage with ethical considerations in your artistic practice, focusing on the social and ethical implications of your work encouraging you to create art that is both impactful and responsible.

  • Expertise and Industry Recognition

    Our students and graduates have been selected for countless prominent exhibitions and prizes, including Bloomberg New Contemporaries, MOSTYN Open, Aesthetica Art Prize, Signature Art Prize, and the Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Enterprise.

  • Professional Portfolio Development

    Throughout the course, build a comprehensive portfolio that showcases your artistic vision and technical skills. This portfolio will be crucial in preparing you for professional opportunities and enhancing your ability to communicate your ideas effectively in the art world.

Course Details

This programme is a one-year course including 30 weeks of direct teaching time and a 15-week final project. You will need to complete three units and one 60-credit Major Project (180 credits in total). All units on the course are compulsory and must be passed in order to complete the award. If you study part-time your modules will be split across two years.
For full course details including aims and assessment criteria, download the course specification.

Core Practice and Context (60 Credits)

This unit launches your Masters’ study experience at Norwich. It encourages you to broaden your practice and research by investigating relevant ideas, issues, materials, and processes relevant to your work and creative aspirations. You will consider fine art’s role in responding to global challenges, familiarising yourself with the United Nations’ 17 goals (UN17SG) for sustainable development. The unit offers opportunities to engage with the professional art world through external contextual platforms, while studio practice and reflective analysis provide a deeper theoretical context. The use of studio critique will form a central part of the unit, and you will be expected to interrogate your practice and that of your peers. Consideration of suitable methods for display and the wider dissemination of your work forms part of the group discourse, with an opportunity to exhibit work (or work in progress) as a group in the student project spaces or digitally.

Collaborative Challenge (30 credits)

This unit emphasises the importance of collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches in addressing significant global issues through the lens of Fine Art. You will be introduced to a range of contemporary global challenges and methods for crafting creative solutions. These may include working with external agencies on real-world projects, responding to specific briefs or competitions, or engaging with simulated scenarios aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This unit focuses on community, where students can experiment, innovate, and exchange ideas. Working in groups, you will leverage the diverse skills and backgrounds of your peers to devise and implement viable, innovative creative solutions. It culminates in a group submission and an individual reflective summary, with a strong emphasis on independent study, practical skills development, and building a strong professional network and experience in interdisciplinary collaboration.

Project Design and Development (30 credits)

This unit is designed to develop your ability to design and execute a creative or research project in Fine Art, providing essential tools and methodologies. It provides a comprehensive toolkit for undertaking major projects and prepares students for further academic or industry research. It introduces a broad spectrum of research methods from the arts, humanities, and social sciences, tailored to fit your unique artistic practice. The unit emphasises both practical and theoretical approaches, encouraging the use of traditional and contemporary media. Students will refine their skills in project planning, ethical considerations, and the application of both digital and analogue tools. The unit includes independent study and expert-led tutorials, culminating in the creation of a contextual review, a detailed project plan, and an ethics review. This foundation will prepare you to push the boundaries of your discipline and establish a distinct artistic voice.

Major Project (60 Credits)

The Major Project forms the culmination of your Master’s study and offers a unique opportunity for self-directed study, allowing you to deeply explore your creative vision and articulate it to diverse audiences. This unit challenges you to produce a professional-quality body of work, demonstrating an advanced understanding of your specialism within the context of other fine art practices and broader socio-cultural issues, including global challenges like social and environmental sustainability. You’ll refine your research skills, selecting appropriate methods and materials to innovate within your field. As the project progresses, you’ll work increasingly independently, with regular guidance from your supervisor. The final project outcomes will be expected to showcase your ability to apply your learning in both professional and research contexts, highlighting new insights and contributions to your discipline.

Download course specifications

Fine Art MA Course Specification (opens in a new window)

Learning and teaching

The course is delivered through a variety of engaging learning and teaching methods.

  • Lectures

  • Seminars

  • Tutorials

  • Technical labs

  • Independent and group work

Assessment

Our assessment methods will vary based on the unit you choose and provide a comprehensive measure of your learning and progress. These methods may include:

  • Critically reflective writing
  • Course work
  • Presentations
  • Learning journal
  • Reflective evaluation
  • Body of creative work
  • Reflective research report
  • Team project evaluation
  • Major project
  • Supporting documentation

Some of the people you’ll be working with

Meet all staff

Our Facilities

Look around our city-centre campus, and you will find studios, media labs, and creative spaces in 13 buildings that sit among the cafés, bars, independent galleries and shops of Norwich’s cultural quarter.

View all facilities
A spacious art gallery with exposed beams and brick, featuring sculptures on white pedestals, industrial lighting, and various artworks displayed along the walls.

Typical career paths

  • Studio manager
  • Gallery educator
  • Artist assistant
  • Gallery technician
  • Community artist
  • Practising artist
  • Artist-Curator
  • Exhibition organisation
  • Arts administration
  • Teaching/lecturing
  • Research/PhD Study

The UK’s creative sector is thriving, contributing £111.7 billion annually to the economy and offering over 2 million jobs.

Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS)

Entry Requirements

Entrants should normally have achieved a BA (Hons) / BSc Degree of 2:1 or above (or its equivalent), in a subject related to your proposed course of study.

Applicants who hold a Degree from another discipline may also be considered for entry, subject to the submission of a satisfactory portfolio of art, design or media-related work in support of their application.

Those with industry experience or relevant skills from non-traditional backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including individuals currently employed. If you’re unsure about your eligibility, please contact us for guidance before applying.

English language requirements (International/EU)

If English is not your first language, IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) is required, with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. we also accept other English language qualifications.

International Qualifications

We accept a wide range of qualifications from all over the world.

For information on entry requirements from your country, see our international pages.

A large, abstract, blue sculptural structure stands outdoors at dusk, surrounded by dark trees and foliage.

Fees and funding

Home

Tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year

  • Full time: £10,400
  • Part time: £6,500 per year

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK
(home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

The rules for inflation on fees in subsequent years depend on the type of fee status and level

For Home and overseas postgraduate degree students starting in 2025, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.

Funding your study

Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience. Find out more about scholarships and funding.

International

Tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year

  • Full time: £18,860

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK
(home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

The rules for inflation on fees in subsequent years depend on the type of fee status and level

For home and overseas postgraduate degree students starting in 2026, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.

Funding your study

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries for international students. To find out more and see if you’re eligible, please visit the scholarships for international students page.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert employability team, access to workshops and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are also other costs which you may need to consider.

How to apply

Home

Applications to our postgraduate courses should be made directly to Norwich University of the Arts using a Postgraduate Application Form.

Applications should be returned to admissions@norwichuni.ac.uk

Please see our Terms and Conditions and Admissions Policies for further details.

International

Postgraduate applicants can only apply directly by completing the below online application form or emailing the downloadable form to ioadmissions@norwichuni.ac.uk

Online Postgraduate Application Form (opens in a new window)
International Postgraduate Application Form (opens in a new window)

International students requiring a visa should apply as soon as possible in the year they wish to start. Email our International Team for more information. Please see our Terms and Conditions and Admissions Policies for further details

A photograph of a seminar room at Norwich University of the Arts, where an academic is giving a welcome presentation to visitors at an Open Day.

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