Computational Arts

Program Overview

MA Computational Arts

Overview

Develop your arts practice through the expressive world of creative computation. This Masters provides you with the historical foundations, frameworks and critical skills to produce a series of projects for public exhibition.

Why study MA Computational Arts at Goldsmiths

• This degree develops your arts practice through the expressive world of creative computation. Over a year (full-time) or two years (part-time) you will develop your artistic work and thinking through the challenge of developing a series of projects for public exhibition that will explore the technological and cultural ramifications of computation.
• You will learn the fundamentals of programming and how to apply this knowledge expressively. You will work with popular open source programming environments such as Processing, OpenFrameworks, P5.js and Arduino, and will learn how to program in languages such as Python and C++.
• Since computational artworks don’t necessarily involve computers and screens, we also encourage students to produce works across a diverse range of media. Supported by studio technicians in state-of-the-art facilities, our students are producing works using tools such as 3D printers, laser cutters, robotics, wearable technologies, paint, sculpture and textiles.
• You will also study contextual modules on computational art and the socio-political effects of technology. These modules provide you with the historical foundations, frameworks, critical skills and confidence to express your ideas effectively. You will have the opportunity to learn the cultural histories of technology, to reflect on computation in terms of its wider cultural effects, and to understand the way in which art provides rigorous ways of thinking.
• Through our masterclass series, we regularly invite world-class artists and curators to explain their work and engage in critical dialogue with the students. This allows you to develop a wider understanding of the contemporary art scene and how your work sits within the professional art world.
• The Department of Computing has a wealth of specialist facilities and equipment for students to use. From digital studios to motion capture, and games labs to sonic media.

Length

• 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

Entry requirements

• You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in a relevant/related subject and a portfolio of work (supplied either as a DVD or a URL directing to a relevant web page).
• You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

Fees

• Home - full-time: £13600
• Home - part-time: £6800
• International - full-time: £20000

Department

• Computing

What is computational art?

• Computation consists of all the changes brought about by digital technology.
• Art is an open set of ways of acting inventively in culture. Mixing the two together in a systematic way gives us computational art.

MA or MFA

• As well as the MA, we also offer an MFA Computational Arts.
• The MA is one year (full-time), the MFA is two years (full-time).
• The first year of the MFA is identical to the MA — you take the same classes and you learn the same things. The difference between the two courses is that in the MFA you get a second year in which you take additional courses that help you develop your arts practice further. These courses mean that you get a space to work under a tutor's supervision.

What you'll study

• Compulsory modules
  • Workshops in Creative Coding 1 (15 credits)
  • Workshops in Creative Coding 2 (15 credits)
  • Computational Arts-based Research and Theory (30 credits)
  • Final Project in Computational Arts (60 credits)
• Optional modules
  • Physical Computing 1 (15 credits)
  • Programming for Artists and Designers (15 credits)
  • Special Topics for Performance and Installation (15 credits)
  • Hacking your creative practice (15 credits)
  • Visual Game Development (15 credits)
  • Critical AI (15 credits)
  • Advanced Audio-visual Processing (15 credits)
  • Computational Form and Process (15 credits)
  • Data and Machine Learning for Artistic Practice (15 credits)
  • Physical Computing 2 (15 credits)
  • Experimental Computational Art (15 credits)
  • Extended Reality for Creative Practice (15 credits)
  • Audio Experience for Games (15 credits)
  • Game Development (15 credits)
  • Escape Room Design and Immersive Theatre (15 credits)
  • Motion Capture Techniques and Digital Embodiment (15 credits)
  • Applied AI for Industry (15 credits)

Teaching and assessment

• Taught sessions and lectures provide overviews of themes, which students are encouraged to complement with intensive reading for presentation and discussion with peers at seminars.
• Assessments build on lectures and seminars so students are expected to attend all taught sessions to build knowledge and their own understanding of their chosen discipline.
• All assessed work is accompanied by some form of feedback to ensure that students’ work is on the right track. It may come in a variety of forms ranging from written comments on a marked essay to oral and written feedback on developing projects and practice as they attend workshops.

International qualifications

• We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.
• If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Careers

• Our programme opens multiple career options including:
  • Solo artists/performers working independently and responding to commissions
  • Creative technologist in digital/creative agencies
  • Software developer in creative industries
  • Educator in creative computing at all levels
  • Technicians in arts/computing/digital fabrication environments
  • Postgraduate researchers
• Students are supported from the start to the finish of this programme in order to understand the different potential career journeys they can follow and to build a portfolio of work to demonstrate their capability to gain employment or freelance work in that area.

Skills you'll gain

• All programmes are designed in consultation with employers to make sure you develop transferable skills to improve your career opportunities and you will be applying your skills to real-world problems through live project briefs and group projects.
• The board and other employers attend showcase events where you can present your ideas, get feedback and build important connections.
• We have dedicated employability resource within the department to build employer relations and manage additional initiatives to support your future career opportunities, including regular communication of external opportunities for mentoring and work experience and an annual Career week (a focused week of career support in the department where you can access alumni panels and a range of industry talks).

Staff

• You'll be taught by our expert teaching staff, including:
  • Rebecca Aston
  • Katie Tindle
  • Federico Fasce
  • Rob Hall
  • Andy Lomas
  • Eleonora Oreggia
  • Atau Tanaka
  • Jesse Wolpert
  • Alan Zucconi
  • Daniel Berio
  • William Latham
  • Irini Kalaitzidi
  • Rachel Falconer
  • Nima Jamalian
  • Mattia Paganelli
  • Clemence Debaig
  • Patrick Hartono