Postgraduate course content
Postgraduate course content
Postgraduate course content, structure and delivery
Masters courses at NUA can be studied either full-time over 42 weeks or part-time over 84 weeks.
Our approach to postgraduate study is designed to facilitate collaboration across our programmes, so whether you’re studying full-time or part-time, you’ll learn to specialise and work with others on creative projects and research.
MA structure
Masters courses at NUA can be studied either full-time over 42 weeks or part-time over 84 weeks.
Teaching is broken down into three teaching blocks per year, each comprising 14 weeks.
All full-time and first year part-time students participate in the Research into Practice and Award Specific Unit 2 at the same time, with opportunities to collaborate and discuss ideas and approaches.
Second year part-time students will have similar opportunities in Award Specific Unit 1 and the Masters Project, and will take part in the final exhibition together.
While there is no dissertation, students write evaluations and extended reflective journals for every unit.
Your idea, your practice, your discipline
Research into Practice
Understand practice-based research methods and engage in critical research around your practice. This unit will help you combine your practice with academic research.
Award specific units
Each course features two units where subject specialist issues are explored, promoting the acquisition of new knowledge and skills.
Self-negotiated study
Design and conduct an independent project within a given timescale. This unit will help prepare you for the Masters Project and encourages you to engage with creative industries and practitioners while you experiment and try new ways of working.
Masters Project
You’ll undertake a major independent project specific to your course and chosen specialism. The Masters degree culminates in a public exhibition of work in the final September of study.
"The NUA philosophy is that subject area knowledge is advanced by engaging with and critically challenging the individual’s creative work."
Marie Brennan, Associate Dean, Head of Taught Postgraduate Awards
NUA Masters courses – structure and delivery
| Full-time | ||
|---|---|---|
| Teaching block 1 | Teaching block 2 | Teaching block 3 |
| Award Specific-Unit | Award Specific-Unit | Masters Project |
| Research into Practice | Self-negotiated Study |
| Part time route: Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Teaching block 1 | Teaching block 2 | Teaching block 3 |
| Research into Practice | Award Specific-Unit | Self-negotiated Study |
| Part time route: Year 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Teaching block 1 | Teaching block 2 | Teaching block 3 |
| Award Specific-Unit | Masters Project | Masters Project |
| Core units | |
|---|---|
| Research in Practice | 30 credits |
| Self-negotiated Study | 30 credits |
| Masters Project | 60 credits |
| Subject specific units | |
|---|---|
| Award specific 1 | 30 credits |
| Award specific 2 | 30 credits |
Learning and Teaching
All of our MA courses are taught programmes of study. We use a range of approaches to maximise opportunities for learning and teaching, and to provide a stimulating and rich environment in which to study.
These include:
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Individual and Group Tutorials
- Interdisciplinary discussion
- Self-initiated study
- Independent fieldwork
- Presentation
- Critique
- Peer learning
Much of our teaching is focused on nurturing and supporting the development of individual research projects, encouraging students to focus their creative thinking towards innovative practice-based outcomes.
Need help? Chat to our friendly recruitment team
Book a place on an Open Day, or to find out more about how to apply for a course at NUA, please give us a call.
Call: +44 (0) 1603 610561
Email: studentrecruitment@nua.ac.uk
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