Academy of Visual Arts

Master of Visual Arts

Programme Director: Dr Lau Chak Kwong

The Master of Visual Arts (MVA) programme with five concentrations is in-line with the inter-disciplinary approach that AVA adopted as its distinctive characteristic. The five concentrations intentionally cover wide range of aspects within the arts and culture ecology from creative practice (Experience Design/Studio Arts and Extended Media) to theory and criticism (Art and Culture); to art administration, promotion and audience building (Art Administration); and to social application (Utopics). Through the Shared Courses and the Specialized Courses built in the integrated programme structure, a good balance between cross-discipline synergy and professional development in a particular concentration will be achieved.

The programme aims (1) to nurture creative talents with contemporary research methodologies, in-depth professional knowledge and skills as well as cross-cultural and interdisciplinary awareness in diverse visual arts disciplines; (2) to engage students in artistic/academic activities that are placed within a professional and socio-cultural context; and (3) to guide students to develop own artistic/academic profile according to their research interests in a specific visual arts discipline (their chosen concentration).

Concentrations

1.	MVA (Art Administration)
2.	MVA (Experience Design)
3.	MVA (Studio Arts and Extended Media)
4.	MVA (Utopics)
5.	MVA (Art and Culture)

Curriculum and Programme Structure

The entire programme structure is distinguished into three stages of study. All the three stages in principle have the same structure and consist of only two courses in each stage - one Shared Course (3-unit) which is shared by all concentrations on offer; and one Specialized Course (6-unit), which is specific to the focus area of the particular concentration. In Stage 3, the Specialized Course is substituted by a self-directed Master Project (6-unit).

Shared Courses

Students from the five MVA concentrations will jointly attend the 3 Shared Courses: Research Practice for the Visual Arts, Professional Practice for the Visual Arts and Interdisciplinary Practice for the Visual Arts. The Shared Courses introduce common knowledge and skills for practitioners in different visual arts disciplines, as well as encourage interdisciplinary integration through combined group projects.

Specialized Courses

2 Specialized Courses with discipline-based emphasis will be offered for each individual MVA concentration to allow in-depth investigation in their respective professional disciplines. For MVA (Art Administration) and MVA (Art and Culture), a 6-unit Specialized Course in theory-based would be split into two 3-unit co-requisite courses.

Master Project

Master Project to be introduced in the last term of the MVA structure expects students to accomplish a self-directed exploration in their respective artistic/academic areas under the supervision of Principal and Secondary Supervisors.

Intensive Workshop

Apart from the credit-bearing courses, a non-credit-bearing Intensive Workshop will be scheduled in Year I/Trimester 3 (Summer Term). Students can select one from the various workshops being offered in diverse visual arts disciplines such as Drawing, Ceramics, Sculpture, Glass, Digital Imaging, Writing in Art, etc. These workshops intend to give students in different MVA concentrations exposure to studio environments other than their respective disciplines. Particularly, for students from MVA (Art Administration) and MVA (Art and Culture) who might not have any experience in studio practice, the Intensive Workshop will provide them opportunities to engage into at least one specific art form and to consider the relationship between art-making, presentation and interpretation.

Students who study in respective studio-based concentrations are expected to operate own studio space for individual practice.

Duo-exit-points

For MVA (Experience Design), MVA (Art Administration) and MVA (Art and Culture) which intend to accommodate on-job professionals in related visual arts fields, the programme structure contains defined duo-exit-points according to the different stages of study:

1.	Postgraduate Diploma in Visual Arts (PgDipVA) - Successful completion of the first two stages of study which includes 4 trimesters (18 units).
2.	Master of Visual Arts (MVA) - Successful completion of all the three stages of study which includes 6 trimesters, accumulate to 27 units.

For MVA (Studio Arts and Extended Media) and MVA (Utopics) students will only obtain an MVA degree after the completion of the three stages.

Requirements

Shared Courses				9 units
	VASC	7100	Research Practice for the Visual Arts	3 units
	VASC	7200	Professional Practice for the Visual Arts	3 units
	VASC	7300	Interdisciplinary Practice for the Visual Arts	3 units
	One of the following non-crediting bearing required workshops:
	VASC	7010	Intensive Workshop I
	VASC	7020	Intensive Workshop II
	VASC	7030	Intensive Workshop III
	VASC	7040	Intensive Workshop IV
	VASC	7050	Intensive Workshop V

Specialized Courses				18 units
	One of the following concentrations:
	Art Administration
	VAAA	7100	Management of Creativity	6 units
	VAAA	7200	Arts & the Public	3 units
	VAAA	7210	Art Curatorship	3 units
	VAAA	7300	Master Project for Art Administration	6 units
	Art and Culture
	VAAC	7100	Critical Analysis of Art & Aesthetics	3 units
	VAAC	7110	Current Issues in Visual Arts & Cultural Policy	3 units
	VAAC	7200	New Media in Society	3 units
	VAAC	7210	Creative Industries & Cultural Studies	3 units
	VAAC	7300	Master Project for Art & Culture	6 units
	Experience Design
	VAED	7100	Narrative Aesthetics	6 units
	VAED	7200	Scenographic Contexts	6 units
	VAED	7300	Master Project for Experience Design	6 units
	Studio Arts and Extended Media
	VASE	7100	Contemporary Art Issues	6 units
	VASE	7200	Extended Context/Extended Media	6 units
	VASE	7300	Master Project for Studio Arts & Extended Media	6 units
	Utopics
	VAUT	7100	Call for Future: New Artistic Tactics	6 units
	VAUT	7200	Critically Engaged: Artistic Practices in Context	6 units
	VAUT	7300	Master Project for Utopics	6 units
				────
				27 units

Students to be awarded the MVA degree (and/or Postgraduate Diploma in some programme areas) must get at least a pass in all courses and achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.

Distinction will be awarded to students graduating from the MVA programme with overall cumulative GPA of 3.7 or above, with no course grade below B- and no repeated course. Merit will be awarded to students who have attained an overall cumulative GPA of 3.40 - 3.69. Students who have not completed all courses may only be awarded Certificate of Attendance for the courses taken.

The graduate who has the highest cumulative GPA in the graduating class of the programme and whose cumulative GPA of no less than 3.70 will be awarded the scholastic award of that programme for the year. In any one year, if two or more graduates in the same programme have the same highest cumulative GPA at 3.70 or above, they all will be given the scholastic award.