BA Fine Art with Contemporary Cultural Theory

Year 3

(Award available for year: Bachelor of Arts)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the year/programme students should have provided evidence of being able to demonstrate:
- A sound understanding of a coherent and detailed subject knowledge and professional competency in relation to highly individual responses to, and engagement with, the complex nature of contemporary art practices; demonstrating their relationship to cultural and theoretical methods and debates.
- A consolidated examination of contemporary cultural theories and methods that firmly locate the individual practice within a broad contextual framework which includes the expanded definition of fine art practice.
- A comprehensive understanding of how this critical discourse informs the productive fusion of theoretical rigour and expressive speculation in resolved practice based studio work.
- A refined ability to identify and evaluate the appropriate use of different materials, processes and environments in approaches to problem solving, independently and/or collaboratively associated with fine art practices.
- An ability to effectively communicate a deep critical reflection on their work and locate this in an expanded contextual framework of contemporary cultural theory and its practices.
- An understanding of a 'deep approach to learning' in relation to the uncertainty, ambiguity, unfamiliarity and limitations of knowledge and adopt strategies and methodologies to engage with these issues in relation to their individual art practice.
- An ability to structure a highly coherent and critically-informed, articulate and reasoned argument in oral and written forms.
- An ability to deploy knowledge and understanding in order to initiate and execute an extended body of research-based writing through which they can work through the relations to and interactions between established intentions processes, outcomes and contexts.
- An ability to display and activate effective interpersonal skills through collaboration collective endeavour and negotiation.
- An ability to show initiative and resourcefulness in the planning and resolution of set and/or self-initiated projects and be entrepreneurial as independent learners and emerging practitioners and academics.

Transferable (key) skills

Students will have had the opportunity to acquire, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:
- Communication
- Project/time management
- Negotiation (with peers, staff and external agencies)
- Administration (legal/ethical/safety issues)
- Leadership (within group dynamics)
- Independence (with regards their time management)
- They need to be adaptable, flexible and have initiative. They are required to build confidence through promotion of their practice and arguments/ideas.
- Research skills.
- Articulation of complex ideas and theories in both oral and written form.

Assessment

Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include:
- Consolidating and critically applying a diverse range of skills acquired at levels 1 & 2
- Fully engaging with the complex nature of contemporary art practices in a variety of media to develop critical
and analytical skills.
- Establishing a clear understanding of contemporary cultural theories and situate their own practice within such frameworks, issues and contexts.
- Consolidating personal studio work, monitor the development of this work and apply considered and critical skills to the appropriate models of its distribution and presentation.

This is achieved through the:
- Summative exhibition/display of practical work plus supporting materials.
- Research materials for dissertation topic, written up into a clear and convincing piece of work.
- Contextualising references and frameworks from contemporary cultural and critical theories in relation to a wider art practice through written assessments.