Ceramics MA

Course overview

Be inspired and create extraordinary ceramic pieces on UCA's MA Ceramics course, based in the World Craft Town of Farnham.

On this project-led and studio-based course, you'll have the opportunity to create a range of objects, experiment with different materials and processes, delve into your research interests and develop your individual style.

The course supports a wide range of ceramic techniques, including historical, traditional and contemporary practices, and encourages innovation in ceramics design and technology.

We'll guide you in maximising your talent and creative ability, further developing your skills for future engagement with the arts, crafts and design industries.

This course benefits from a cohort of expert staff that includes the nationally and internationally acclaimed ceramicist Professor Magdalene Odundo OBE and Nicholas Lees, as well as a number of visiting artists such as Steve Brown and Clare Twomey.

Our Farnham campus boasts first-rate facilities, with extensive workshops and equipment to support your studies. It's also home to our Crafts Study Centre - a purpose-built museum, research centre and gallery dedicated to crafts. The Crafts Study Centre possesses the world's most coherent collection of Leach pottery and a stunning collection of work by Lucie Rie, as well as pieces by contemporary makers such as Edmund de Waal.

Course entry options

Select from the options below to find out more about the different study options available for this course:

What you'll study

The content of the course may be subject to change. Curriculum content is provided as a guide.

Integrated International Pre-Masters (if undertaken)

For our students coming from a non-UK educational background, UCA has launched an Integrated International Pre-Masters year. On this course you’ll prepare for postgraduate study with a mix of online and face-to-face learning that will give you the study skills required to complete a Master’s, and you’ll also improve your English for academic study.

Term one

You'll be introduced to the University and the technical workshops and facilities available to you. The first term includes a range of lectures and seminars and you’ll start to explore your creative practice.

Theory and Analysis
This unit focuses on challenging and reflecting upon your practice. You'll achieve this through the development of critical reading, observation, handling and thinking deeply about products, craft artifacts and contextual research associated with your work and its field of enquiry.

Exploratory Practice
This unit focuses on developing your practice into a form of enquiry; a questioning, analytical and interrogative approach to your work that will enable you to become a reflective practitioner.

Term two

During term two you begin developing your MA project, evaluating and testing out the aims of your proposal over a sustained period of self-directed study.

Reflective Practice
This is one of the most important concepts for a creative practitioner. Reflective practice enables you to become critically aware and allows you to develop and progress your practice independently. The work undertaken in this unit should begin to address the research questions you explored in the Exploratory Practice unit. Work completed for this unit should be considerably more resolved and establish a clear line of enquiry through selected materials, concepts and a clearly articulated context. You'll also have the opportunity to complete a period of professional practice during this unit.

Term three

In the third term of the course, you'll apply the knowledge gained through your research to create a final body of work.

Major Project
This is the culmination of your studies and will form an exposition of the central ideas and concepts developed throughout the course. Its aim is to demonstrate the resolution of previous project units through evidence of advanced conceptual, theoretical and technical capability over an extended period of self-directed study.

Fees and additional costs

Tuition fees - 2023 entry

UK students:

Integrated Pre-Masters course - £10,500
MA course - £10,500

EU students:

Integrated International Pre-Masters course - £10,500 (see fee discount information)
MA course - £10,500 (see fee discount information)

International students:

Integrated International Pre-Masters course (30 weeks) - £17,500
Integrated International Pre-Masters course (15 weeks) - £8,750
MA course - £17,500

Additional course costs
In addition to the tuition fees there may be other costs for your course. The things that you are likely to need to budget for to get the most out of a creative arts education will include books, printing costs, occasional or optional study trips and/or project materials. These costs will vary according to the nature of your project work and the individual choices that you make. Please see the Additional Course Costs section of your Course Information for details of the costs you may incur.

Further information
For more detailed information about our course fees and any financial support you may be entitled to please see our fees and finance pages.

The fees listed here are correct for the stated academic year only. Costs may increase each year during a student’s period of continued registration on course in line with inflation (subject to any maximum regulated tuition fee limit). Any adjustment for continuing students will be at or below the RPI-X forecast rate.

Fee discounts and scholarships

To support our students and alumni to progress to the next level of study, we have developed a new range of fee discounts across a range of courses.

Read more about fee discounts

Course specifications

Please note, syllabus content indicated is provided as a guide. The content of the course may be subject to change in line with our Student Terms and Conditions for example, as required by external professional bodies or to improve the quality of the course.

Janet Ann Lines, MA Ceramics, UCA Farnham

Deborah Ingram, MA Ceramics, UCA Farnham

Ana Maria Lopes, MA Ceramics, UCA Farnham

Facilities

Our Farnham campus provides first-rate facilities with extensive workshops and equipment to support your study. This includes, a throwing room with wet and dry stores, hand building studio space and plaster workshop, glaze room with application equipment and Kiln room for gas, electric and reduction firing. It's also home to our Crafts Study Centre - a purpose-built museum, research centre and gallery dedicated to crafts.

View 360 virtual tour

Hand Building studio, UCA Farnham

Glaze room, UCA Farnham

Throwing room, UCA Farnham

Kiln room, UCA Farnham

Career opportunities

Industry links

As part of this course, you'll have access to well-established industry connections. These include:

Historical research, exhibition and curation with the Watts Gallery
Links with Froyle Tiles and Lambs Terracotta - providing an opportunity to research interior and exterior architecture, along with restoration and renovation projects
Local production of Dartington Pottery at the nearby Grayshott Pottery - beneficial to those researching surface and glaze
Farnham-based 318 Ceramics and the New Ashgate Gallery Trust

Careers

Our course will equip you with a host of valuable and transferable skills. Upon successful completion, you might decide to become a self-employed artist, or forge a career within the craft and design industries.

Recent graduates work as:

Artists
Designers
Makers
Arts administrators
Gallery curators
Teachers
Writers.

Further study

You may want to undertake further study or a research degree to specialise even more.

Explore our Gradshow

Visit our grad show site to see the incredible work created by our graduating students

Visit the Gradshow website

Ros Perton

"My time at UCA was really great; the diversity of expertise amongst both staff and students was very thought-provoking and encouraged experimentation, which the fantastic facilities made possible."

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

MA course

An honours degree or equivalent qualification in the subject or a related discipline

and/or

Relevant work experience, demonstrating your ability to study at postgraduate level.

Consideration will also be given to applicants who can make a strong case for admission in relation to a particular project and can demonstrate their potential to satisfactorily complete the course.

International and EU entry requirements

Check the equivalent qualifications for your country and the English language requirements:

Non-UK equivalent qualifications

English language requirements

Any additional entry requirements listed in the UK requirements section, e.g., subject requirements, work experience or professional qualifications, also apply to international applicants applying with equivalent qualifications.

MA course with Integrated International Pre-Masters course
A recognised bachelor degree or 3 year diploma with a strong portfolio in a relevant subject.

Don't meet the international entry requirements or English language requirements?
You may be able to enter the course through the following entry pathways:

Portfolio requirements

MA course
MA course with Integrated International Pre-Masters course

For these courses, we’ll need to see your visual or written portfolio for review. We’ll invite you to upload your portfolio online via your Applicant Portal – further information will be provided once you have applied. If you would prefer to meet the Academic Team in person for a review of your work on campus, this can also be arranged for you.

More portfolio advice