MA Ceramics

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tuition fees - 2024 entry

UK students:

• MA course - £10,500

EU students:

• 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 - £18,000

Further information
The fees listed here are correct for the stated academic year only. For more detailed information about our course fees and any financial support you may be entitled to please see our fees and finance pages. 

Financial support

There are lots of ways you can access additional financial support to help you fund your studies - both from UCA and from external sources.

Discover what support you might qualify for please see our financial support information

UCA scholarships and fee discounts

At UCA we have a number of scholarships and fee discounts available to assist you with the cost of your studies.

You'll find everything you need to know for your level of study on our scholarships page.

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.

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

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.

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

MA course

• A good honours degree or equivalent qualification in 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.

Portfolio requirements

For this course we will need to see your portfolio for review. We’ll invite you to attend an Applicant Day so you can have your portfolio review in person, meet the course team and learn more about your course. Further information will be provided once you have applied.

More portfolio advice

MA course

The entry requirements for this course will depend on the country your qualifications are from, please check the equivalent qualifications for your country:

• Non-UK equivalent qualifications

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.

Portfolio requirements

For this course we will need to see your portfolio for review. We’ll invite you to attend an Applicant Day so you can have your portfolio review in person, meet the course team and learn more about your course. Further information will be provided once you have applied.

MA course with Integrated International Pre-Masters course

• A recognised bachelor degree or 3 year diploma with a strong portfolio in a relevant subject.

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.

Portfolio requirements

For this course we will need to see your portfolio for review. We’ll invite you to attend an Applicant Day so you can have your portfolio review in person, meet the course team and learn more about your course. Further information will be provided once you have applied.

English language requirements

To study at UCA, you'll need to have a certain level of English language skill. And so, to make sure you meet the requirements of your course, we ask for evidence of your English language ability, please chcek the level of English language required:

• English language requirements