Master of Fine Art Course

Course structure

Learn more about the programme structure of each semester and the breakdown of study blocks.

Course units

Year 1
Term 1 (10 weeks)	Christmas Vacation	Term 2 (10 weeks)	Easter Vacation	Term 3 (10 weeks)	Summative Assessment
MFA 1A Creative Strategies - 15 credits				MFA 3A Criticality and Research - 20 credits
MFA 1B Applications of Philosophical Aesthetics - 15 credits				MFA 3C Studio Work 2 - 40 credits
MFA 1C Studio Work 1 - 30 credits				MFA 3C Studio Work 2 - 40 credits
Year 2
Term 1 (10 weeks)	Christmas Vacation	Term 2 (10 weeks)	Easter Vacation	Term 3 (10 weeks)	Summative Assessment
MFA 5A Dissertation - 20 credits				MFA 7A Professional Practice - 20 credits
MFA 5C Studio Work 3 - 40 credits				MFA 7C Studio Work 4 and Summer Show - 40 credits

Contact hours

Teaching

You are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical workshops, individual and group tutorials, critique sessions, oral and written presentations, and external visits.

On the Master of Fine Art (MFA) you will have around 11-12 contact hours per week, typically consisting of:

2 hours of lectures
1 hour of seminars
2 hours of one-to-one/group tutorials
1-2 hours of critique sessions
4 hours of practical workshops
1 hour of external visits (on average)

Independent learning

When not attending lectures, seminars, workshops or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-directed study. Typically, this will involve:

working in the studio
developing supporting material and research portfolios
undertaking research in the library
reading journal articles and books
working on specific unit assignments
preparing presentations and self-assessments.

Overall workload

33% of your time is spent in scheduled teaching and learning activity
Scheduled teaching and learning: 785 hours
Independent learning: 1615 hours

International study trips

The College continues to monitor travel advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with regards to any international travel. At this time, all international travel which includes study trips will be subject to agreement by the College.

term dates

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 Residencies

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.

School of Arts

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.

Scholarships & Bursaries

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.

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."

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.

MFA (Master of Fine Art)

Campus Open Day – Friday 7 February 2025 - Register now
Virtual Open Day - Tuesday 18 February 2025, 6-8pm - Register Now
Award: Master of Fine Art
Duration: 2 academic years, full time
School: School of Arts
Campus: West Dean
Scholarships and bursaries: See available funding

Course structure

Course units

Contact hours

Virtual tour & gallery

West Dean campus

Facilities

Alumni

Funding