Fine Art Studio Tour, West Dean
Fine Art
MFA (Master of Fine Art)
Award: Master of Fine Art
Duration: 2 academic years, full time (September 2025)
School: School of Arts
Campus: West Dean
Scholarships and bursaries: See available funding
The MFA (Master of Fine Art) at West Dean College is an advanced two-year full-time masters of fine art designed to further advance students' capacities in practical, theoretical and professional domains, with an emphasis on specialist studio practice. MFA students will establish and refine core concerns and ambitions, as well as subjecting the work to critical scrutiny and self-reflection. Interdisciplinary practices are encouraged and supported, as well as those focused on a single discipline such as Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Drawing, Tapestry and Textiles. You will benefit from sustained periods of studio-based activity, with dissertation requirements coming early in the second year.
Learning environment
- Large individual studio spaces
- Excellent staff-to-student ratio with regular tutorial support
- Specialised lectures, seminars and workshops with regular visiting lecturers and artists
- Expert support from workshop technicians
- Professional development - gallery visits and other external events
- Contact with a regular series of professional Artists-in-Residence
- An immersive environment with rich connections to art history, particularly Surrealism, through the legacy of College founder Edward James
You can expect
- Support in consolidating studio practice to a high standard
- Access to facilities, workshops and expertise for the fabrication of artworks relating to the individual student's ambitions.
- Large individual studios and outdoor facilities make it possible to realise ambitious work
- Opportunities for innovative approaches to studio practice so conceptual ideas can be tested and informed using selected media
- To develop originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the Fine Art
- Systematic understanding and critical awareness of current debates in contemporary art practice
- To develop aptitude for professional practice, independent research or employment, including opportunities for public exhibition
MFA units include
- Studio Work units run consistently throughout the MFA programme
- Creative Research Strategies (18-weeks) - with access to the on-site Edward James Archive to develop new work and supporting research.
- Art Research and Criticality - lecture series with support in research skills
- Professional Practice - supports you in preparations for the Summer Shows and include workshops dedicated to Artist Statements, documentation, profile building and curator-led critiques.
Interdisciplinary study
Students are encouraged to collaborate with other College departments, particularly the full-time programmes in the School of Conservation, making the most of the wide range of specialist knowledge, materials and equipment that is available.
Virtual tour & gallery
West Dean Summer Show 2024 at the Edward James Studios, West Dean
Fine Art Studio Tour, West Dean
West Dean Summer Show 2024 at the Edward James Studios, West Dean
Study Fine Art at West Dean
Exhibition opportunities
Each year students stage a series of public exhibitions, including pop-up exhibitions, an annual fundraising exhibition and the celebrated Summer Shows that are held at the College and one other location, recently London and Margate, Kent. Through these, students develop skills in the requirements of exhibition management, such as production, installation and marketing.
As well as being encouraged to exhibit externally, both locally and nationally, during their studies, students have the unique opportunity to propose installations within West Dean House and West Dean Gardens. Project proposals are encouraged to reflect the rich heritage of West Dean and the legacy of College founder Edward James.
West Dean Summer Show
The West Dean Summer Show offers an opportunity for students on our Graduate Diploma and MFA qualifications to showcase their talents in a diverse range of practices including sculpture, installation, print, painting, film, ceramics, and textiles.
Artist in Residence Programme
The Artist-in-Residence programme sees a series of professional artists living and working onsite, amongst Fine Art students. They enrich the creative learning environment by offering tutorial sessions with students as well as public presentations on the work produced during the residency and their wider practice.
School of Arts
Explore and expand your work in a uniquely immersive environment with its own connections to art history. Our School of Arts students enjoy specialist studio spaces dedicated to painting and drawing, sculpture and tapestry and textile-based work as well as exceptional exhibition space.
Fees & funding
2025/26 Course Fees - UK & International Students
- £4,300 per term (£12,900 per academic year)
Lunch, accommodation and other living expenses are additional. Find out more
A £250 course fee and £200 accommodation deposit (if residential) is required to secure your place. Details will be provided to you in your offer. Fees are billed termly in advance. Please see the Terms and Conditions for further information.
We may routinely increase our course fees from year to year for one-year courses as well as courses lasting two or more years and may review and change such course fees without notice.
Funding
You may be eligible to apply for a Student Loan to cover course fees and/or maintenance; more information can be found on the Government Student Finance website.
Scholarships and Bursaries are also available based on individual need.
Entry requirements
The following qualifications will be considered for entry on to the MFA:
- An Honours Degree or equivalent qualification in Fine Art or a related discipline
- Relevant work experience in an arts-related field which demonstrates your ability to study at postgraduate level
- E portfolio of work related to application (optional at point of application. A portfolio will be requested if shortlisted for an interview)
- Critical work example (optional at point of application. An academic writing sample will be requested if shortlisted for an interview)
- An appropriate level of engagement with current debates in contemporary arts and making is required
- English language: CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) Level 2 or IELTS 6.5 or above.
How to create a portfolio
Do you need help creating a portfolio to apply for Master of Fine Art? Read our portfolio advice to learn about the general requirements, what we look for in a good portfolio, and what it should reflect.
How to apply
Applications for this course can be made by submitting a completed application form and emailing it to: [email protected].
Ask a question
Need more information? Have a question? Speak to our course advisors
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 01243 818 300 and select option 1
Commendations
Commendations from the University of Sussex include:
"The high quality student experience and strength of student representation within the College."
"The changes to units so they draw on and make use of specific collections within the archive."
"The linking of theory and practice, and delivery of theory by studio technicians."
School of Arts blog
24th March 2025
Student Finance at West Dean
Nearly all of our students pay for course fees through multiple forms of funding. This might include savings, student loans, West Dean bursaries and scholarships and funding from external organisations who support us.
Mid-March is when you can start to apply for a loan from Student Finance England for September 2025 courses. 1 April is an important deadline for West Dean bursaries and...
24th March 2025
'It's a cross between art and science' - Remy Dreyfuss-Deseigne on nanocellulose in conservation
Ahead of his course on nanocellulose next month, we sat down virtually with Remy to discuss the role of this important material in conservation.
Could you introduce yourself and what you'll be teaching at West Dean?
My name is Remy Dreyfuss-Deseigne and I’m teaching a course in nanocellulose. I'm a senior paper conservator, so I work with the paper artworks and...
18th March 2025
Students reflect on their work placement success
Students across the college kicked off the year by gaining invaluable real-world experience through work placements. From local organisations to exciting opportunities as far as New Zealand, these placements have allowed students to develop new skills and connect with industry professionals. Hear directly from our students about their experiences:
Interior Design
10th March 2025
Interior Design students experience the heritage of West Dean’s Sussex Campus
Over the course of two inspiring days, Diploma HE in Applied Interior Design - Part Time students from our London campus had the opportunity to explore the West Dean Estate at our Sussex campus, gaining valuable insight into the spaces they’ll be designing for their final projects. The commercial project focuses on the Old Biomass Building, transforming it into a craft shop and visitor ce...
Fine Art
25th February 2025
MFA pop-up exhibition 'Fragments & Echoes'
Each year, MFA1 students undertake an 18-week project based on material from the West Dean College Collection and Archives. Using these materials to discover and interrogate creative strategies within their practice, the works on display represent the culmination of research that explores fact, fiction, and the excavation of the Archive as a site of creative imagination. The exhibition includes...
Short Courses Blog
21st February 2025
Blacksmithing 'in a world of increasing conformity': A conversation with Andrew Smith
As the piles of flaming coke begin to die down after a busy few days in the West Dean forge we sat down for a conversation with blacksmith tutor and stalwart of West Dean, Andrew Smith. In this brief conversation we discuss the relevance of this ancient technique and what fuels his very evident passion for this medium.
Could you introduce yourself and what you teach here at West Dean?...
Tutors
David Stent
Subject Leader - Fine Art
Dr David Stent is an artist, writer, curator and performer. His practice has drawn on various media, from drawing and painting to film, video, sonic and sculptural installation. He holds a PhD in Fine Art from the University of Reading, and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Philip Sanderson
Subject Tutor - Tapestry, Fine Art
Studio Leader - West Dean Tapestry Studio
Philip Sanderson is Leader of the Professional Tapestry Studio and a Subject Tutor on the MFA in Fine Art. He is also the Tutor for the Tapestry Foundation Diploma and a short course tutor. During his time at West Dean Philip has translated the work of a number of artists into large-scale tapestries including Marta Rogoyska, John Hubbard, Tracy Emin, and Eva Rothschild.
Sarah Hughes
Programme coordinator - BA (Hons) Art &Contemporary Craft
Subject tutor - Fine Art
Sarah Hughes is the Programme Coordinator for the BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft, and a subject tutor on our Fine Art programmes. Sarah, is an artist and composer with an interest in spatial practice.
George Charman
Subject tutor - Fine Art & BA (Hons) Art & Contemporary Craft
Short course tutor
George Charman is an artist and lecturer based in London who teaches on the GD and MFA programmes at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation. Charman's practice-led research focuses on embodied social knowledge, exploring connections between dialogic social experiences and physical sensation in modes of creative production/fabrication.
Mary Dalton
Mary trained at the Royal College of Art, graduating with an MFA in Printmaking. She has been teaching since 2008, including running the lithography studio at the famous Curwen. Her work is in the collections of the Imperial War Museum and the Tate Library as well as international museums.
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