Program Overview

Overview

This MA Arts is an exciting, challenging, and rigorous program of study, which offers you a choice of two pathways — Photography or Fine Art — so you can focus on one particular discipline and graduate with a named award in that. At the same time, as the boundaries between visual arts disciplines continue to blur, this Masters will encourage you to take part in a diverse range of activities and collaborate with other art and design students — especially those on the alternative pathway to you — so you develop as a multifaceted, original artist and practitioner.

Program Structure

• Postgraduate Certificate
  • Practice, Theory, Curation (Fine Art or Photography) (20 credits)
  • Reflective Processes and Visual Enquiry (Fine Art or Photography) (40 credits)
• Postgraduate Diploma
  • Critical Study (Fine Art or Photography) (20 credits)
  • Negotiated Study (Fine Art or Photography) (40 credits)
• MA
  • Choose one module on the third and final stage of the program:
    • Independent Scholarship and Critical Reflection in Photography or
    • Independent Scholarship and Critical Reflection in Fine Art or
    • Artistic Research and Critical Practice

Assessment

We'll assess you at the end of each module and provide written and verbal feedback on your progress. We use a range of assessment approaches, including the presentation of practical work, essays, reports including reflective journals, proposals, and presentations.

Career Opportunities

As a graduate from this program, you will have developed a mature body of work in photography or fine art, as well as gaining the language and skills you need to locate and explain your practice in the professional art world. You will be well-placed to forge a career as an independent artist/photographer, or look for employment in sectors such as the creative industries, education, museums, libraries and archives, or publishing and broadcasting.

Entry Requirements

We aim to attract well-motivated students who wish to further their study in a stimulating and professionally orientated learning environment. All applicants will be expected to submit a portfolio of artwork and Creative Positioning Statement to the Programme Leader in advance of the interview.

• UK and EU Entry Requirements
  • You will normally be expected to have an appropriate Fine Art, or other first degree appropriate to apply for the MA (Minimum 2:2 or above), or a professional qualification of equal standing, or significant practical or professional experience gained following your initial qualification that would support your application.
  • If English is not your first language, you'll also need an IELTS score of 6.0 (with 5.5 in each skills area), or equivalent.

Fees and Funding

2025/26 (August 2025 - July 2026)

• UK
  • Full-time: £9,720 for the full course
  • Part-time: £1,080 per 20 credits
• International
  • Full-time: £16,900 for the full course

Additional Costs and Optional Extras

• Included in your fees
  • Additional access to wider University Arts' facilities
  • Specialist equipment and access to a range of 2D/3D making workshops
  • Participation in the University Degree Show
  • Here at Derby, we provide excellent learning resources, libraries, and specialist laboratories and studios
  • The program benefits from a visiting speaker each semester
• Mandatory costs not included in your fees
  • We recommend students using photography or film/video to have their own camera
  • Approx. £100 per year for printing research material for journal work
  • Additional materials (printing, stationery, portfolio sleeves, folders, USBs/hard drives etc. £100 - £300)
  • National trips - coach (Approx. £8 - £12 , London £30+)
  • International trip (Approx. £500)
• Optional costs not included in your fees
  • Additional course related publications (approx. costs £100)
  • Specialist software/hardware (costs up to £1500)
  • Final year project costs (costs determined by student £200 - £600)
  • Travel for work placement opportunities (costs will vary dependant on location)