MA/PgDip/PgCert Applied Arts and Social Practice

at Queen Margaret University

For the PgDip and the MA, you complete the following modules:
 

• Practice as Research (20 credits)- This module  provides the theoretical framework to explore how the student’s own practice can be framed as research, and as such is helpful in framing the dissertation project. It presents reflective opportunities by exploring case studies and live projects, as well as the student’s own experimentation. This module also receives insights from guest speakers and experts in the field who can speak of their own practical experience of engaging in applied arts/social practice projects.
• Applied Arts: Theories and Histories (20 credits)- Taking a historical perspective as a grounding, this module examines the theoretical justification of Applied Arts, using case studies and past projects. It grounds the students thinking about the types of histories and legacies that can be drawn from to complicate the practices of engagement
• Social Practice: Working With People (20 credits)- This module examines the practical skills required to engage with people, examining concepts such as dialogue, inter-personal skills, group facilitation skills. The most practical of the modules, students get to try out and engage with groups and communities in order to expand their skillsets and experience in working with people. 
• Fundraising, Finance and Development (20 credits) - This module will equip students with a critical understanding of the principles and practices of fundraising, development and financial management. The assessments invite students to examine financial support mechanisms (eg, completing a funding application or designing a sponsorship pack) as well as financial literacy exam. This module marks our course as quite unique in this regards. 
• Planning and Marketing Cultural Projects (20 credits) - This module will provide students with a critical understanding of the principal skills, techniques and practices necessary to manage and market a cultural project. This modules looks at the practical realities of managing and marketing cultural projects and learning occurs around hypothetical projects that the students plan and market in groups. 
• The Only Way is Ethics: Art Representation and Ethics (20 credits) - The module is designed to develop critical and practical skills needed for students to engage with the public in the delivery of cultural projects. It looks at examples from history as well as contemporaneous projects that engage with people at the ethical edges of participation to challenge the student to develop their own ethical frameworks. 

• A UK honours degree (or equivalent) in a creative subject area OR significant work experience in arts-led community projects.
• You will be required to outline your creative practice as part of the application so that we can ensure we have suitable expertise and facilities to support the type of work you wish to undertake. If you don't have an honours degree, we may ask you to provide this in the form of a portfolio.
• International: You will be required to provide evidence of English language competence at no less than IELTS 6.5 with no individual component score less than 6.0.

Scotland/UK/ROI    
£6,000    

International
£15,000

This course aims to help students develop their own freelance career, but will also meet the growing needs of organisations with community-based outreach departments. Even though the course is relatively new, our current graduates have already gained work with, for example, the Lyceum Theatre, or have set up their own organisations, or are working in the field as successful freelance artists.