My original plan was to teach within the United Kingdom, after attaining my degree in Fine Art from Arts University Bournemouth. However the direction of my journey has taken a drastic change. Coming from a academic background in America, a veteran art teacher in a primary school age setting for fourteen years. I thought teaching the arts in the UK would be a familiar yet challenging addition to my teaching career.
Being an international student and having to consider the ever-changing visa regulations, I went and consulted the international office at AUCB. Although they were very helpful and informative. I was discouraged finding out that as of April 6th 2012 those currently studying in the UK only have six months after acquiring there degree to A. find employment with the starting salary of 20,000 pounds or B. or find sponsorship with an employer. Although I have a plethora of knowledge in teaching, my credentials are not acknowledged for teaching in the UK. I then looked into the PGCE in Bath and Bristol. The cost for the PGCE was 8,000 to 10,000 pounds for international students. I contacted my student loan resources, and found that they do not support funding for the PGCE. This then led me to look into the post graduate courses.
I looked at various Universities in printmaking starting with the Royal College of art and Bristol University. For printmaking these two Universities are ranked very high and so is there tuition for international students. Grappling with the financial hardship this would place upon me I began to look at Universities that were within my financial allowance. Although I wanted to invest in prestige’s schools of printmaking I had to think realistically as a mature student. Not giving up on my endeavor, I kept looking at schools that catered to print and one that really stood out was Camberwell College of Arts. Although the tuition was reasonable for international students the cost of living would make up for it, as it is in London. After much consideration I began talking to a MA student in illustration on the campus of AUCB. I was explaining how I wanted to discover more in the field of print through an MA course, but the cost was obscenely expensive. She suggested I look in my own back yard as some would say, and consider the MA courses at AUCB. Although they didn’t have a specialized MA in printmaking, they did offer post graduate in illustration and fine art which would allow me to carry on my practice in the printmaking field.
Findings
Camberwell College of the Arts is widely regarded as one of the places to study printmaking. In relation to print as a medium Camberwell encourages and develops technical skills that sharpen ones critical and contextual thinking that widens your professional knowledge. Camberwell’s pathway promotes an innovative approach to traditional and digital media and all forms of autographic printmaking including intaglio, lithographic, relief, screen printing and computer generated processes. While encouraging self directed research projects, MA students are also given the opportunity to exhibit work both across the graduate school and externally through London. The international fee’s for MA students are 13,000 pounds for the 2012-2013 year and factoring in the cost of living in London would have to be considered, however I do plan on attending open day for the Ma in printmaking on May 23rd, 2013 to discuss any and all queries. I felt that Camberwell would have encourage my creativity and the capacity for individual discovery through print.
Arts Uiversity Bournmouth was another finding while researching my visa stipulations. I discovered that if one had studied a BA course at the University, they were eligible for a twenty percent discount for a post graduate degree. While my course leader brought this to my attention in a prior tutorial, I never thought to apply as I wanted to go into printmaking as a medium in it’s own right and it’s relationship to wider contemporary practices. My collective information led me to the contemplation of a Masters in Fine Art or Illustration. Although I had studied Fine Art I found my work to be more illustrative, so I was motivated to speak to the course leader of illustration, Lisa Richarrdson. Mrs. Richcardson is also from a Fine Art background and encourages students to explore the boundaries of contemporary art through their own practice and it’s place within the creative industries of media and beyond. This course also appealed to me with it’s traditional illustration techniques including drawing and printmaking. While studying Fine Art I felt that an MA in illustration would be familiar and allow me to carry on my practice within print and could potentially be beneficial on a professional and personal level.
Conclusion
In conclusion I feel because of the Visa regulations diverting my two year work experience in the UK after University. I think that an MA course in the arts would benefit me not only technically within my practice but it would also allow me various career opportunities in the academic feild within the United Kingdom.
Resources
Bath University (PGCE Program) http://www.bath.ac.uk
Arts University Bournemouth http://aub.ac.uk
Skitt Program PGCE Teaching Program http://www.bpdescitt.org.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment