Independent Study (Art, Design or Humanities) MA

About the course

This MA allows you to study in a way that is most appropriate to your own circumstances and learning style, and also to be supervised by leading national and international scholars.

The course offers you the chance to design and pursue a tailor-made MA in an area of your choice. It provides you with a wide range of subject areas to choose from. These include traditional fields like Architecture, English, History, through to disciplines such as Applied Art, Dance ,Drama, Fine Art and Photography and including areas of study which are innovative or cutting-edge, for example Game Art, Digital Animation, Furniture Design, Fashion and Textiles and Music, Technology and Innovation.

MA Independent Study offers you the opportunity to create a programme of study which is interdisciplinary, drawing upon one or two different subject areas, for instance English and Drama, or Fine Art and Art Education.

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Key facts

Duration: One year full-time, two years part-time.

Start date: September 2013

Entry and admission criteria

You should have the equivalent of a 2:1 UK bachelor’s honours degree in a field appropriate to the area of study, together with a capacity for autonomous study;

If you have other professional qualifications and industry experience we will consider your application on an individual basis;

Evidence of creative or design work in a digital/portfolio of work may be required depending on area of study

International Students

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent is required for art and design subjects and an IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent is required for humanities subjects prior to starting the course.

English language tuition is available at DMU both before and during the course if required.

Teaching and assessment

Study may be full or part-time, or a mixture of both. The shortest period of study for the degree is one year full-time. The full-time route demands a commitment to study of about 40 hours per week, over 48 weeks of the year; the part-time route is approximately 20 hours per week over the course of two years. Assessment is defined in the learning contract but is normally continuous through a variety of coursework assignments, plus a major project or dissertation.

Course modules

You are able to exercise choice and control over the aims of your course, the content and context of your studies, and the criteria against which achievement is assessed. MA Independent Study is challenging: it demands a high degree of self-management and self-motivation.

You can take up to half of your modules from among our taught modules (subject to approval) and you can split your course between two subject areas. You begin by submitting an initial proposal in your application form. You are then supported in developing your personal learning contract by your two mentors, who will be experienced in the proposed field of study.

This learning contract is submitted to the Registration Board for approval, and you begin your course of study.

The range of specialisms we offer includes:

• Architecture, architectural conservation, architectural design, architecture and sustainability, cities and sustainability, housing design and sustainability, British architecture history, construction technology, interior design and architecture, spatial design;
• Art and design education;
• Applied art – ceramics, design crafts, glass, jewellery, metalsmithing;
• Creative Writing;
• Cultural Events Management;
• Dance;
• Design and innovation;
• Design Entrepreneurship;
• Design Management;
• Drama;
• English Literature, English Language;
• Fashion and Textiles – contour fashion, fashion buying, fashion design, fashion knitwear, fashion and bodywear, footwear design, accessory design, printed textiles, textile design, textile design and technology, Fashion Management;
• Film Studies;
• Fine art – drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, video and photographic practice;
• Furniture design, product design;
• Game Art;
• Global Media;
• History;
• Journalism, international journalism;
• Media and Communication;
• Music, Technology and Innovation;
• Photography, history of photography, graphic design, illustration, video, video production;
• Public relations, international public relations;
• Sports History and Culture;
• TV scriptwriting;
• Visual Journalism and documentary photography.

Academic expertise

Students who enrol on the course are assigned two dedicated mentors who are subject specialists and provide academic support throughout the course. DMU academic and research staff are experts in their field. They are engaged actively in a wide range of external activities including research, consultancy, publishing and exhibiting in both a national and international context.

Graduate careers

Independent study offers professional and academic development across a wide range of art, design and humanities career paths, including consultancy and design management. It can also lead to further PhD research study.

Fees and funding

Home (UK) and EU students for 2012/13 entry*

Full-time: £4600
Part-time: £2300**

Overseas students for 2012/13 entry
Full-time: £11,200

*Please note that if you have already completed a Masters level degree or higher, you will be required to pay Equivalent or Lower Qualification (ELQ) fees as follows: Full-time £5000 and Part-time £2500 per year for two years.
**Per year for two years.

Continuation Fee

This fee is charged on a monthly basis to any student who exceeds their registration period. To give an example, if you enrol on a one year full-time programme starting in September, your registration period will end on 30th September the following year. If by that date you still have outstanding work to be completed, you will be charged a continuation fee of £150*** per month for the duration of the time that the work is still outstanding. (***subject to change).

Scholarships

Learn more about postgraduate funding and finance|