Social Sculpture - 2012 entry

Course content

MA Social Sculpture students take three compulsory modules - Creative Strategies, Theories and Practices of Social Sculpture and Research and Development - together with an appropriate Major Project.

PGDip students take the three compulsory modules but not the Major Project.

Modules may change from time to time; an indicative list is shown below.

Interdisciplinary modules

• Creative Strategies is shared by all four MA courses. This module explores methodologies and strategies for generating contemporary and cross-art-form work, sonic art and musical composition, social sculpture and related expanded art practices. You are encouraged to become aware of your working process as a creative practitioner and to understand the influence that certain methodologies and strategies have on the kind of work that you do. Through individual and collaborative practice-based work, staff-led seminars and feedback discussions, attention is focused on how we generate practice-based work. Strategies that encompass the intuitive, spontaneous, interventionist, discursive and analytical are used, individually or in collaboration with others.
• Research and Development provides the opportunity to identify an area of interest as a starting point for  investigation and speculation. You will develop project proposals through deliberate, rigorous and sustained research and exploration. The module emphasises practical research processes relevant to your own concerns.

Specialist modules

• The Theories and Practices of Social Sculpture explores the idea of social sculpture with special reference to the proposals, projects and legacy of Joseph Beuys, and examines the broader field of expanded art practices. You will have the opportunity to study the theoretical and philosophical frameworks that underpin these ideas, and to examine contemporary research and practice that explores the relationship of social sculpture to ecological sustainability. In addition, you will explore relevant practice-based methodologies and research strategies as the basis for developing your own practice-based, interdisciplinary social sculpture and expanded art projects.

At the end of the course there is an annual degree festival of the MA work. The Major Project is the culmination of your course of study. You can take an active role in the organisation, marketing and running of the festival, which in previous years has taken place at a variety of sites around Oxford as well as well as exhibition spaces in the School of Arts.

Faculty

Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment

Department

School of Arts

Course length

Full-time: MA: 12 months, PGDip: 9 months
Part-time: MA: 24 months, PGDip: 18 months

Teaching location

Headington Campus, Headington Hill

Start date

September 2012

UKPASS code

P034609

Entry requirements

The general entry requirements are:

• A good honours degree, ie an upper second or first, in any subject
• An internationally recognised qualification equivalent to a good British honours degree

Applicants without a first degree, but with extensive experience may also be considered and individual courses may have additional entry requirements to these.  Please contact the Admissions Tutor to discuss this.

Scholarships and funding

For general sources of financial support, see:

• funding for students from the UK and EU
• funding for students from outside the EU

Why Oxford is a great place to study Social Sculpture

Oxford is home to the ancient Colleges of the University of Oxford (along with their excellent museums and collections), the Ashmolean Museum and Modern Art Oxford (MAO), which is renowned for its exhibitions of international contemporary art.  Oxford enjoys a wealth of musical heritage, with world class performances taking place in the city.  The city boasts many theatres and mainstream cinemas plus 'arthouse' cinemas showing international and avant-garde films.  The city has a vibrant contemporary art scene, hosting numerous festivals and exhibitions each year.  Oxford Brookes has well established relationships with many arts organisations in the city. 

Because Oxford is one of the world's great academic cities, it is a key centre of debate, with conferences, seminars and forums taking place across education, science, the arts and many other subjects.

In addition to our own excellent libraries and resource centres, our postgraduate students have access to the world-renowned Bodleian Library, the Bodleian Law Library and the Radcliffe Science Library.

As a student in the School of Arts, you will benefit from excellent and well equipped facilities, 24 hour access to your own studio spaces and the help and support our team of practising artists and the other specialists in the field who work here.

Support for students studying Social Sculpture

Representation

The MA programme has a Course Committee meeting every semester. It is responsible for the day-to-day running of the MA programme in the School of Arts. The course committee deals with long and short term academic planning, and any changes to the programmes are first discussed in forum. The Course Committee includes the course director, course tutors the Head of School and the Subject Librarian.

The Course Committee also includes student representatives.  The reps are also invited to attend the School Board meetings, which take place once a semester. An election for postgraduate student reps takes place at the beginning of Semester 1; reps normally serve for the duration of their time at the University. Student representation on the committee is important: it is the most effective way in which students can make their views known about the running of the course.

Personal tutor

Although MA students are not assigned a personal tutor, the course leader and module leaders are available to provide the support, assistance and advice that a personal tutor would offer at undergraduate level.

Course evaluation

Evaluation offers you the opportunity to voice your opinions directly to those who teach you, and to make sure that changes are discussed in the light of your experience of learning. It is therefore an important vehicle for student representation within the University and you are urged to make every effort to take part in the evaluation of elements and of the course as a whole.

At the end of each module students have the opportunity to make a formal written evaluation of the content and teaching of the course. Many tutors also conduct an informal feedback session at which students can discuss the element with each other and the tutor.

Tutors are committed to producing a digest of student evaluations and copies are given to student representatives or are available from the Course leader.  Student feedback is taken seriously by staff and it often leads to changes in the way course elements are run.  Staff undertake their own collective evaluation of elements at a meeting which takes place at the end of each semester. Student views are taken into account in their discussions.

The opportunity to reflect on and evaluate the course is offered to students at the end of the course.  Your ideas and opinions are greatly valued, and you are urged most strongly to take a little time to fill out an evaluation form and if you wish to talk informally to a member of staff about your views on the course.

Counselling

You may always seek advice and help about your work on specific units from unit and seminar leaders.  Further advice on such matters as the choice of elements, the choice of a Dissertation or Independent Study topic and career possibilities may be sought from any member of teaching staff.

Personal problems can seriously affect you and your academic performance, so be sure to talk to someone quickly if a personal problem arises. Student support co-ordinators and your tutors are able to help with personal problems, but teaching staff may also be able to help; and certainly need to know if you are facing difficulties.

The opportunity to reflect on and evaluate the course is offered to students at the end of the course.  Your ideas and opinions are greatly valued, and you are urged most strongly to take a little time to fill out an evaluation form and if you wish to talk informally to a member of staff about your views on the course.

Counselling

You may always seek advice and help about your work on specific units from unit and seminar leaders.  Further advice on such matters as the choice of elements, the choice of a Dissertation or Independent Study topic and career possibilities may be sought from any member of teaching staff.

Personal problems can seriously affect you and your academic performance, so be sure to talk to someone quickly if a personal problem arises. Your tutors are able to help with personal problems, but teaching staff may also be able to help; and certainly need to know if you are facing difficulties. Student Services can provide advice and support in all areas of difficulty.

How Brookes supports postgraduate students

Supporting your learning

From academic advisers and support co-ordinators to specialist subject librarians and other learning support staff, we want to ensure that you get the best out of your studies.

Personal support services

We want your time at Brookes to be as enjoyable and successful as possible. That's why we provide all the facilities you need to be relaxed, happy and healthy throughout your studies.

Research excellence

The Interdisciplinary Arts programmes are taught by a team of research-active practitioners. In the most recent research assessment exercise (RAE) 88% of our work was judged to be of international quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour.  Our strong performance in the RAE has led to a 400% increase in external research funding for the Arts at Brookes with awards from bodies including ACE, AHRC, the British Academy, the Leverhulme Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.

Research areas and clusters

RESEARCH CENTRES

Our research centres provide a focus for research and a bank of expertise across the arts. They enable us to foster relationships with outside agencies and other academic institutions as well as facilitating debate and promoting interdisciplinary research within the university.

• Oxford Brookes : Exploring Research
• Trends in Opera (OBERTO)
• Popular Music Research Unit
• Sonar Art Research Unit (SARU)
• Social Sculpture Research Unit (SSRU)

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH CLUSTERS

Interdisciplinary research clusters exist in the following areas:

• The nineteenth century
• Modernism
• The early modern period
• Practice-based research

RESEARCH AREAS IN FINE ART

Research degrees can be undertaking in the following areas:

• Collaborative practice
• Interdisciplinary and intermedia arts
• Live and sonic arts
• Art in architecture
• Site specific installation
• Social sculpture
• Art, ecology and sustainability
• Art and participation
• The artist’s body
• Performance art
• At theory
• Curatorial practice