School of Creative Arts

BA (Honours) in Visual Arts Practice

Award Code : Level 8 DL044

Associated Course Information

Course Info	Details
Duration:	4 years (ful-time)
Places:	50
Awarding body:	IADT
Head of department:	Mr Liam Doona
Course co-ordinator:	Mr Mark Joyce

Level 8 Award  

Application: CAO

What is Visual Arts Practice?  

Visual artists look critically at the changing world as they observe aspects of the natural, man-made and digital environment. By continually challenging ideas and practices they provide new ways of seeing as well as new responses. This is critical to encourage debate and change in contemporary society.

This programme introduces you to the challenges of working in the visually and critically sophisticated landscape of contemporary art. It offers you the opportunity to develop a visual art practice, which will help you explore the many opportunities that exist for artists, through the creative pathways of drawing, painting, video, sculpture, printmaking, photography, sound, installation, performance and other related areas. 

Our aim is to educate and inspire artists through an integrated and multidisciplinary experience. This will help you to create a comprehensive portfolio of work, tested against "real world" situations.

We also arrange for visiting lecturers, specialist workshops and themed seminars to open your eyes to new ideas. And you can take part in placements and international exchanges, as well as developing art events in groups and exhibiting independently.

What modules will I study?

Year 1

Visual Research Methods, Introduction to Visual Arts, Introduction to History and Critical Theory, Introduction to Self Direction, Workshops

Year 2

Studio Research Methodology, Critical Analysis and Critical Practice, Site Specific Environmental Practice, Workshops, Intermediate History and Critical Theory, Self Direction

In addition, you will be able to choose one module from the School of Creative Arts’ bank of electives. *

Year 3

Interdisciplinary Practice, Research, Workshops, Issues in Contemporary Practice, Self Direction, Thesis Preparation, Professional Practice

Year 4

Studio, Workshops, Seminars, Thesis 

Are there any costs for materials and/or field trips?

Approx. €500 to €1,000 per year 

Graduate Exhibition cost in year 4

What will I be able to do when I graduate?

Careers may open up in the creative industries as artists, art teachers, arts administrators, art directors, community arts coordinators, arts mediators, art critics, arts officers, content developers, image researchers, film-makers, art historians and gallerists.

Postgraduate opportunities include our MA in Visual Arts Practices (DL052). 

What are the entry requirements?  

• Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent) with a minimum Grade C3 in two Higher (or Common) Level papers, together with Grade D3 in four other subjects to include English. Foundation level Maths (D3) is acceptable
  
• A portfolio of relevant work
  
• You may be called for interview if further clarification on your portfolio is required
  
• Applicants with FETAC awards require distinctions in 3 (of 8) modules
  

FETAC Links for this programme are:

• AABXX: Art & Business
  
• AACDX: Art, Craft, Design
  
• AAXXX: Art
  
• ACADX: Computer Aided Design
  
• ACXXX: Creative Craft
  
• AGDXX: Graphic Design
  
• EMPXX: Media Production
  

CAO Points in 2010: 565 (Combination of Leaving Certificate and Portfolio assessment points)

We welcome applications from mature students, who must apply to the CAO.

What should my Portfolio include?

A portfolio is a sample collection of your best work. It should be edited, easy to look through, and well presented.

Your portfolio should:

• Be selective: include and highlight only your best work, excluding early works unless there are some exceptional pieces. Do not “pack” it with any more than 30 pieces. (We appreciate quality, not quantity)
  
• Show evidence of hard work, commitment and quality
  
• Not include 3D work (only 2D documentation of 3D work)
  
• Clearly identify your role if team work is included
  
• Include notebooks, cuttings, creative sketchbooks or visual diaries indicating your interest in the discipline
  
• Present your work to your best possible advantage
  
• Not be a copy from photographs. Do not include any artwork which is a copy of someone else’s work
  
• Include a CV (one per programme applied to) with details of hobbies, technical skills and involvement in activities related to the programme you are applying to. As information on age or educational background is not used for assessment purposes, this should not be included in your CV.

We would like to see a portfolio that demonstrates a high level of visual skill, creativity, self-motivation, inventiveness, experimentation, flexibility and stylistic variation.

For this programme, make sure you include:

• An edited selection of images made in a variety of media (paintings, drawings, photographs, collages, video, animations, photographs of 3D work)
  
• Work using media such as pencils, charcoal, water colours, oils, acrylics, crayons, pastels, coloured papers, photographs, video, construction in plaster, wood, metal, wax, found objects/materials, etc
  
• All these media and forms need not be present but some variety in media and format is essential
  
• Project work dealing with a theme of interest to you. Project work is work which demonstrates the development of an idea through a series of distinct stages from initial idea/theme, through experiment and research, to final outcome and conclusion. It may be presented in the form of project notebooks, sketches/test pieces and final outcomes, and it can be in any medium.
  

* Second Year elective modules

During your second year you will have an opportunity to choose one module from a bank of elective options.

This module allows you to work with students and staff from other programmes in the School and to explore combinations of materials, processes, creative strategies and critical thinking which will give you a greater appreciation of your main area of study.

Electives have been designed to encourage collaboration and experimentation and to broaden and deepen your understanding of the creative arts. They range in content from theatre and performance to media and politics, and include a wide range of learning experiences including overseas visits, practical workshops, lectures and seminars.

The current bank of elective modules includes: 

• Photography - Digital Imaging
  
• Performance in the Arts
  
• Animation Principles Experimental / 3D
  
• Theatre Workshop
  
• Drawing
  
• Introduction to Comics: Art and Culture
  
• Media and Politics in Ireland
  
• Sonic Arts 
  
• Creative Cities
  
• Puppetry
  

Visit www.iadtprojects.com to see the project work of our 2010 graduates