Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts
School of Social & Human Studies
Academic Freedom to Discover Your Purpose
Open Curriculum Design at Atlantic International University
Experience the intersection of creativity and innovation with Atlantic International University (AIU) Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts. This online master in contemporary visual arts program offers students distance education flexibility and an andragogy-led education, allowing students to explore, develop, and create their own artistic vision on their own terms. If you love contemporary art trends or mastering techniques in visual arts, then AIU is where you can express fully and creatively in a global community of artists and scholars. You will learn directly from experts and a global community of cultural innovators and artists eager to expand and push their art and cultural expression forward.
Core Courses & Topics: Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts
Important: Below is an example of the topics or areas you may develop and work on during your studies. By no means is it a complete or required list, as AIU programs do not follow a standardized curriculum. It is meant solely as a reference point and example. Want to learn more about the curriculum design at AIU?
Check here: Course and Curriculum
AIU’s Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts degree offers a broad curriculum linking theories, practices, and innovative forms of art making. The contemporary visual arts master’s program core subjects incorporate: Contemporary Art Theory and History; Visual Culture Studies; Advanced Studio Practices; Digital Media and New Technologies in Art; Critical and Curatorial Studies and Exhibition Design; Global Art Movements; Art and Aesthetics and Criticism; interdisciplinary practices in the arts, etc. Students can also engage with subjects such as: Sustainable Practices; Public Art and Community Engagement; Professional Development Systems for Artists. Through a wide variety of elective and project based mMasters in Contemporary Visual Arts modules, students can customize their master’s degree in contemporary visual arts experience and portfolio in order to map the studio art degree curriculum to their own practice, visions and aspirations.
- Contemporary Art Theory and Visual Culture
- Global Art Histories
- Studio Practices and Experimental Techniques
- Digital and New Media Arts
- Curatorial Studies and Exhibition Design
- Aesthetics and Critical Theory
Orientation Courses
AIU’s Masters in Contemporary and Visual Arts starts with orientation courses to set the stage for academic and creative success. The first graduate program in contemporary visual arts orientation course is The Philosophy of Education, which will encourage students to reflect on their chosen path of learning and the reasoning behind their personal development. The second contemporary visual arts master’s degree orientation course is Development of Graduate Study Skills, which will provide learners with tools to help with research, writing, and critical thinking. The last orientation course is Analysis and Evaluation of Knowledge in the Arts, which will develop an important conceptual foundation for students to engage with contemporary visual practices. These MA in contemporary visual arts orientation courses will ground a purposeful and an andragogic experience in the world of art and expression.
- Communication & Investigation (Comprehensive Resume)
- Seminar Administrative Development (Book Summary)
- Organization Theory (Portfolio)
- Seminar Cultural Development (Practical Experience)
- Experiential Learning (Autobiography)
- Seminar International Development (Publications)
Research Projects
Research Projects are fundamental to the Master’s in Contemporary and Visual Arts at AIU. They enable students to explore a subject, linking theoretical concepts to creative practice through self-led research. Based on its core pedagogical philosophy, AIU’s andragogical model empowers students to develop a distinct research project based on their particular interests and visions as artists, in consideration of their own cultural positioning and professional goals. This could include, but is not limited to, practice-based studio work, a critical review/essay, visual ethnography, a digital installation, or a collaborative multi-disciplinary art education project.
Students will engage with research projects with the authority of imaginative exploration, supported by the community of academic advisors at AIU, and a huge selection of online resources at their disposal. Possibilities for common subject matter include researching questions like identity in contemporary art making, visual activism, postcolonial aesthetic and aesthetics of resistance, or the implications of technology in visual storytelling, which will lead students towards producing a fine arts final capstone project that demonstrates both intellectual rigor and creative inventiveness.
- MBM300 Thesis Proposal
- MBM302 Masters Thesis (5,000 words)
Publication – At AIU, student publications represent a strong platform for giving original ideas, creative outputs, and research to a global audience. At the master’s level in Contemporary and Visual Arts, Master’s students have the opportunity to contribute visual essays, critical reviews, research papers, and curated digital portfolios, as these have all been made available to students through AIU’s online journals and student magazine AIU Voices, in addition to being available on a global academic platform.
The publications then provide students with a marker of their unique pathway as an artist, whilst also providing a legitimate opportunity for cultural and transdisciplinary engagement. Through the study contemporary visual arts online publishing process, students are able to develop a professional presence, academic voice, and engage in the changing conversation of contemporary and visual arts.
Thesis Defense for Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts
The pairing of the academic and artistic process of the thesis defense is a final juncture of the Master’s in Contemporary and Visual Arts program from AIU. It allows each student the opportunity to respond and justify to a cohort of academic advisors and non-academic art professionals. The thesis defense is held virtually so that all of AIU’s students around the world can participate.
It gives students the possibility to articulate the epistemological foundation, method, and impact of the project – whether a written thesis, curated exhibition, scholarly multimedia project, and so on. It is a formative and valuable experience, as the thesis defense celebrates students’ academic and artistic accomplishments, and strengthens the student’s critical thinking skills, communication skills, and professional presentation skills that are essential for advancing their career in the creative and academic sectors.
Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts Student Experience
Students enjoy a dynamic, customized, and enriched experience at AIU. Having the ideology of academic freedom and andragogy at the core, our students craft their learning curve. They get an exposure to innumerable learning components that can help them meet their highest educational goals. Our students have an excellent virtual campus that includes vibrant global forums, multimedia tools, and intelligent faculty and peers. With these unique features, AIU’s learners become independent thinkers and global artists.
Community & Social
In the Master’s program in Contemporary Visual Arts at Atlantic International University (AIU), community and social engagement provides applied opportunities to gain benefits from the educational experience. Community projects, exhibitions and collaborative projects create opportunities for students to connect art and socially engaged issues. Through workshops, seminars, and partnerships with local agencies, students engage in learning experiences to explore how art can promote social change, create cultural dialogue, and address problematic global issues. This engagement not only develops artistic skill sets, but also develops the socially engaged artist who actively contributes to their community and beyond.
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Academic Resources
AIU (Atlantic International University) offers a Master in Contemporary Visual Arts that includes a vast array of academic resources for creative exploration and scholarly development. Students will have services available via AIU’s Virtual Campus, a comprehensive online environment that includes over 260,000 books, academic journals, e-portfolio functionality, and other resources focused on the arts. The program includes virtual laboratories, studio simulations, AI researchers, creations, and tools, and accommodates various needs for personalized learning, with a focus on independent learning to support the arts community in purposeful inquiry and artistic development. These resources can be utilized by students to push their discipline, try new ideas, and provide a comprehensive theoretical and practical base for developing critically reflective contemporary visual arts practice.
Virtual Campus
Complete assignments online or offline at your convenience with 24/7 access to distance learning through AIU’s Virtual Campus. Step by Step guides including videos, tutorials, live webinars and examples for each course. All materials can be access on all web browsers as well as via AIU's Mobile App which brings all the features of the Virtual Camus to your Mobile Device.
My AIU Elements
MyAIU’s primary goal is to go beyond Academics, it looks to guide students through 11 elements that are key to living life optimally in all aspects. By identifying and reflecting on these key areas, an opportunity arises to holistically address them, through positive change, habits, reinforcement and tools to keep students on their chosen path.
AIU TV & Radio
The students have the opportunity to produce, edit and host their own show reaching a worldwide audience, the AIU community and giving notice of their expertise/passion in the subject. AIUTV & AIU Radio allow students to explore new ways to communicate, develop a platform and form potential collaboration with likeminded individuals.
AIU Campus Mundi
AIU Campus Mundi is a monthly magazine that gathers the most notable news and information about the university and its members in one convenient place. The magazine allows our community to be well informed, involved and keep in tough regardless of their geographic location. AIU Campus Mundi publishes, news, research, events, awards, academic achievements.
Graduation Ceremony
Each year AIU organizes graduation ceremonies where the students can assist and share their experiences with fellow students and academic members Participation in the ceremony is optional, the day’s events include conferences, research presentations, group meetings, networking, lunch and formal dinner.
Symposiums & Webinars
Symposiums are a productive and integral component of the AIU Master’s in Contemporary and Visual Arts, allowing students to engage with critical dialogue and share work and ideas with artists, scholars, and practitioners from around the globe. As virtual events, symposiums provide a suitable format for vital conversations around emergent trends, cultural narratives, and the shifting role of art in society.
Live Classes
The Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts at AIU is actively engaged, with two live classes a day affording possibilities of having an interactive learning experience. The live classes offer rich possibilities for artistic explorations, to deepen understanding, critique work in progress, and engage fully with contemporary issues in visual arts. Faculty and students will connect in shared experiences while considering; the historical development and meaning of art movements, the analysis of visual culture, and working collaboratively on our practices and portfolios.
The daily classes on modern art studies cultivate relationships and stimulate creativity for both personal and professional development. The needs of students taking contemporary art classes online benefit from the real-time engagement to further develop their individual artistry while engaging with students from across the globe in a shared academic experience!
Special Projects, Research, Publications, and Co-Authoring
The Master’s in Contemporary and Visual Arts program at AIU allows students to choose Special Projects, Research, Publications, and Co-Authoring as part of their degree requirements. These experiences help students to investigate their interests, explore cross-discipline engagements, and put forward original ideas back to the global arts community. The opportunities to do a research paper on contemporary visual culture, to co-author an article with faculty, or publish their creative projects through digital or other academic avenues or a combination of each one, can give students a strong academic and professional identity. While the work will develop their portfolio, it places the students as leaders and innovators in the contemporary visual arts arena.
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Career Center for Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts
The Masters in Contemporary and Visual Arts Career Center of AIU is a dynamic and inventive space that is designed to facilitate the professional journey of students. The center allows for personalized career counseling, industry insight, an application refinancing service, and networking opportunities to launch a career within a global context for the arts. While students may skill down the path of a gallery curator, a teaching artist, a multimedia artist, or an art director, students have access to individualised support to make a connection between their artistic pursuits with the suggested routes to potential employment. The Career Center also offers professional development workshops, and fills internship opportunities where students can put their skills to the test. The Career Center serves the visual arts students by connecting them with the national and world-wide artistic community, ensuring they have the skills, experience, and contacts, to excel in their selected creative career.
Job Description
The graduate students of the Master’s in Contemporary and Visual Arts at AIU are positioned to work at the broadest level of arts and culture employment globally, in a plethora of creative development and impactful professions. They will be able to take on roles as professional visual artists, curators, art teachers, gallery directors, cultural program coordinators, art critics, exhibition designers, and multimedia or digital artists.
With their critical and conceptual development and practice of visual arts, interdisciplinary development and experience will allow for involvement in industries outside cultural arts such film, advertising, fashion and publishing. The program design supports graduate autonomous ensemble working practice, representation and autonomy to create their own unique identity as emerging artists and to embrace independent practice through freelance, entrepreneurial and academic involvement.
Tools for Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts
The Master’s in Contemporary and Visual Arts program at Atlantic International University (AIU) gives students access to a wealth of tools used throughout industry to discover, develop, and communicate to a high standard their artistic intentions. The tools provided support students to pursue a range of artistic practices, from digitised illustration, remix, video production and sound design to collaborative plan making, allowing students to engage the correct forms to create expression through traditional and emerging platforms. Students will use these same tools as artists to uniquely articulate their intentions, whether creating immersive visual experiences or curating complex multimedia installations. These tools enable students to bring their vision to life.
At Atlantic International University (AIU), the Master’s in Contemporary and Visual Arts program integrates a wide range of essential tools that support creative exploration and professional development. These generalist tools empower students to produce, edit, and present their work across various digital platforms, fostering both artistic innovation and technical fluency.
Associations for Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts Professionals
Our professionals’ futures are greatly enhanced through association with premier global associations that promote the arts, cultivate developmental artistic opportunities, facilitate academic interchange and later career opportunities. These associations provide opportunities for powerful networking, grants, exhibition opportunities, and critical discourse forums, to enable artists to stay engaged and creative in an evolving arts space. Membership creates a visual arts theory backdrop for practice and pedagogy, connecting students and professionals to a dynamic international arts community.
Certainly! Here’s a list of prominent associations relevant to professionals in Contemporary and Visual Arts:
- International Association of Art (IAA/AIAP)
- College Art Association (CAA)
- National Art Education Association (NAEA)
- International Council of Museums (ICOM)
- Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC)
- The International Sculpture Center (ISC)
- Society for Photographic Education (SPE)
- Design and Art Society (D&AD)
- International Association of Curators of Contemporary Art (IKT)
- Visual Arts Network of South Africa (VANSA)
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Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts Admission Requirements
The Master’s in Contemporary and Visual Arts program at Atlantic International University (AIU) takes a flexible, inclusive and student-centered approach to admissions. Students interested to apply should normally have an appropriate bachelor’s degree or equivalent certification in visual arts or related fields, however, AIU recognizes diversity of background and experience. In addition to academic transcripts, it is highly recommended that candidates submit a portfolio of their creative work, a statement of purpose indicating their artistic vision and objectives, and in particular their updated resume. AIU embraces diversity and innovation, so previous professional experience, exhibitions or other ways of learning, are included in evaluations.
How Can You Apply?
Students interested in applying for the Master’s in Contemporary and Visual Arts program at Atlantic International University (AIU) first complete the online application form that can be found on the AIU website. The prospective students will also upload their academic transcripts, recent resume or CV, a statement of purpose regarding their artistic goals, and any intended portfolio of their work if applicable. Once submitted, an AIU admissions advisor will conduct an initial review, and potentially schedule a virtual interview so that AIU can get an understanding of the applicant’s background, and their fit with AIU’s philosophies. The applicants will receive an official admission decision, and once accepted, will continue with their enrollment, gaining access to the Virtual Campus and an orientation to start their student-oriented learning path.
Financial Support & Scholarships
Potential students interested in the Master’s in Contemporary and Visual Arts program at Atlantic International University (AIU) will have a wide selection of financial assistance and scholarship options to consider in order to assist with funding their education. AIU offers partial scholarships in a variety of ways: for lifetime or career accomplishments, community or volunteer service, or assessed based on demonstrated financial need through a personalized review.
How Much is the Cost for a Masters in Contemporary Visual Arts at AIU?
Pursuing an M.A. in Contemporary and Visual Arts at AIU is not just a means to nurture your creative passion; it is also an affordable option! The program has been conceived to be affordable and flexible via installments over time. The aim of the program is to allow creatives and emerging artists to engage in their educational experience without an excessive financial burden, and AIU takes ownership of this principle with pride!
FAQs
Who should pursue a degree in contemporary visual arts?
If you’re passionate about visual art, creative expression, visual storytelling, and cultural commentary, then a degree in contemporary visual arts may be for you, especially if you’re hoping to pursue a career as an artist, curator, designer, educator, or cultural practitioner/innovator. If you’re interested in learning more about contemporary art practices, engage with contemporary art theory and concepts in discussion and concept development, and follow and create art as it influences and shapes modern culture, then this would be the right course of study for you.
What are the career opportunities after completing this program?
Graduates of the Master’s in Contemporary and Visual Arts at AIU can take a number of paths in careers in the creative, academic, and cultural fields. Future employment opportunities may be offered in the following roles:
- Professional artist or visual designer
- Art director or creative consultant
- Curator for a gallery or museum
- Art instructor or lecturer at a university
- Cultural program coordinator or arts administrator
- Art critic or writer for art related publications
Is the program available online or only on campus?
The program is 100% online.
How long does it take to complete a master’s in contemporary visual arts?
Approximately 2 years
