Art Writing at UCA

If you want to play an influential part of the art world’s future and be ready to drive the conversation, then our MA/MFA Art Writing degree course at UCA Canterbury is an ideal choice. 

This course is rooted in the conviction that art writing is not merely a supplemental art practice but a critical, expansive field that mirrors the dynamism of contemporary art itself. It offers an engagement with art that encompasses the inclusivity of global discourses, the regional specificity of art communities, and the evolving platforms of communication of the art world, from social media and blogging to meme culture. 

You’ll have the space for innovative thinking and independent research so you can use writing for critical research and express complex artistic ideas and navigate the digital landscape where contemporary art discourse thrives.  

This course runs alongside our MA/MFA Fine Art degree and there will be many opportunities to meet other students, develop collaborative projects and form a professional network that will give you a strong foundation on which to build or extend your career ambitions. 

The MA is also available as an MFA route which offers a further enhanced opportunity for students wanting to develop their professional portfolio to the highest level, or to build a proposal for Doctoral level study, and pursue an academic research career path. Applicants can apply to undertake the full MFA, or undertake an MA and transfer to the MFA at the end of the MA period.  

 

Course entry options

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

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Art Writing
MA (full-time)

A one-year course of advanced study for furthering your research skills and specialising within your discipline. 

Apply now Submit an enquiry
Campus
UCA Canterbury
Start date(s)
September 2025
Duration
1 year full-time
Entry requirements

Honours degree (or equivalent qualification) in the subject/related discipline
and/or
Relevant work experience

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Art Writing
MA (part-time)

The MA course is also available part-time over two years for student who do not require a visa to study in the UK.

Apply now Submit an enquiry
Campus
UCA Canterbury
Start date(s)
September 2025
Duration
2 years part-time
Entry requirements

Honours degree (or equivalent qualification) in the subject/related discipline
and/or
Relevant work experience

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Art Writing
MA with Integrated Pre-Masters

This course includes a year-long preparatory course of study to ready you for your Masters course, developing your specialist knowledge, research skills and confidence in working alone. 

Apply now Submit an enquiry
Campus
UCA Canterbury
Start date(s)
September 2025
Duration
2 years full-time
Entry requirements

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

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Art Writing
MFA

The MFA is a two-year course with a Summer break. You can apply to undertake the full MFA, or undertake an MA and transfer to the MFA at the end of the MA period.  

Apply now Submit an enquiry
Campus
UCA Canterbury
Start date(s)
September 2025
Duration
2 years full-time
Entry requirements

Honours degree (or equivalent qualification) in the subject/related discipline
and/or
Relevant work experience

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Art Writing

Apply now Submit an enquiry
Campus
Start date(s)
Duration
Entry requirements
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Art Writing

Apply now Submit an enquiry
Campus
Start date(s)
Duration
Entry requirements
What you'll study

What you'll
study

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

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 Masters course.

Experimental Writing 
You’ll undertake an in-depth exploration of writing practices in the arts, whether that’s viewed in the guise of art history, arts journalism, or creative and conceptual writings by artists and makers.  

Research Contexts 
You’ll explore the design, construction and expression of language as a fluid and complex tool and explore writing as a creative practice and writing as research. You’ll be introduced to critical research methodologies which you’ll employ in your independent research enquiries.  

Art Writing as Practice 
You’ll explore and examine methodologies in research to determine the relationship and balance between textual and artistic production, using this knowledge to create a body of work that could manifest as a book, an art form publication, interventions, reviews, catalogues, artist books, or artist writing.  

Professional Contexts 
Focused on professional development, this unit engages you with industry through opportunities and projects developed with partner organisations. Through group work and individual research, you’ll establish and develop a sense of your position in relation to your identified subjects, interests and practice areas. This unit also includes the opportunity to develop a creative business start-up or collaborative practice project.  

Major Project 
You will undertake a sustained, in-depth and critically informed research inquiry, defining your practice through your own work and an understanding of how it sits in relation to others, whether that’s identified industries, professional contexts, collaborators and/or audiences.  

The extension of your degree to an MFA means studying this Advanced Practice unit in addition to the units listed above. This unit is dedicated to developing, extending, and furthering your professional practice. Through advance research methods, you will have to demonstrate the skills, knowledge, confidence, and originality that you have developed as a curatorial practitioner. You will be supported in preparing PhD applications, curating exhibitions, organising public events, and seeking external platforms to work with artists and engage audiences.  

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.

Fees & funding

Fees & financial support

Tuition fees

MA course:

  • 2025/26 (full-time): £10,500
  • 2025/26 (part-time, year 1): £5,250

MFA course:

  • 2025/26 (full-time, year 1): £7,000 

Tuition fees

MA course:

MFA course:

  • 2025/26 (year 1): £7,000  (see fee discount information)

Tuition fees

MA course:

  • 2025/26 (MA): £18,000
  • 2025/26 (Integrated International Pre-Masters course - Sept & Jan): £17,500
  • 2025/26 (Integrated International Pre-Masters course - May): £8,750

MFA course:

  • 2025/26 entry (MFA year 1): £11,700

Please note: the fees listed here are correct for the stated academic year only. For more detailed information about our course fees please see our fees and finance pages. 

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.

Current UCA students and alumni may be eligible for a tuition fee discount.

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.

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 the Course Information Document for more details of the costs you may incur.

Facilities

At UCA Canterbury you'll have everything you need for your studies - three fully-equipped digital media suites with the latest Macs and PCs running up-to-date software, extensive library resources on-site and across all UCA campuses, and access to our fine art studios for collaborative work.

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Fine Art studios, UCA Canterbury

Library, UCA Canterbury

Library, UCA Canterbury

Fine Art studios, UCA Canterbury

Digital media suites, UCA Canterbury

Career opportunities

Existing and emerging professions might include: 

  • Art criticism or reviewing for print and online publications 
  • Writing for exhibition catalogues and art journals 
  • Art Writing as practice 
  • Art editing and/ or content creation for cultural organisations 
  • Art publishing, editing and research

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

Entry & portfolio requirements

For this course we will need to see your portfolio for review. You can either submit a digital portfolio or request an in-person portfolio review with the course team. Further information will be provided once you have applied. View portfolio advice

 

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