Master of Fine Art (MFA)
FINE ART EDUCATION
The artistic and personal progress of the students is focused throughout the education at Trondheim Academy of Fine Art (KIT). Our teaching is based on openness, dialogue and critical reflection. The students move freely in a flexible environment. With support from teachers and guest teachers of different artistic orientation and background, the students may explore and challenge, gather knowledge, reflect and act. The Academy is actively engaged in an international contemporary art milieu and has contacts with artists, critics, curators and theorists from many areas of the world.
Trondheim Academy of Fine Art is an institute within the Faculty of Architecture and Fine Art at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and is one of three higher educational institutions in Norway offering courses in Fine Art. KIT is the only Norwegian art academy within the university system. This provides unique resources and possibilities to collaborate with other faculties such as polytechnics, architecture and the humanities.
The duration of the Master of Fine Art course is two years, ending up in a MFA degree. The students are supposed to develop their own artistic work conceptually, theoretically and practically during the Master study.
Teaching is conducted primarily on the basis of one-to-one discussion between teacher and student, but group discussion also plays a central role. Students are not formally divided into departments, but orient themselves to the teaching staff and studio areas that best suit the development of their practise. The Academy has an open structure allowing students to migrate between the areas of study; painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography and intermedia.
Each student has a personal tutor, but all are encouraged to discuss their work with several members of the academic staff. Group discussions of students’ work, involving both staff and students, take place in the school’s gallery where small shows are arranged most weeks. A comprehensive programme of visiting artists and lecturers provides the basis for a lively discussion and for the elaboration of a plurality of viewpoints.
Theory teaching is, as far as possible, integrated with the teaching programme in general, with a firm emphasis upon the theory and practise of contemporary art. Lectures, seminars and courses that combine both practical and theoretical work form the basis for a developing critical understanding of art, rooted in the student’s own practise.
Evaluation of students’ work is carried out every half year, and is based upon dialogues between tutor and student, participation in student exhibitions and attendance at lectures, seminars and courses. The students shall take part in the semester exhibitions and the group discussion connected to those exhibitions.
Students in their final year of MFA take part in a graduation exhibition which marks the completion of study. The MFA exhibition is considered to be a professional presentation of work signalling the transition from student to practising artist. It is held at Trondheim Museum of Fine Art and an external advisor/curator is appointed each year to co-ordinate the final exhibition. The exhibition is evaluated by an external sensor.
Application deadline is April 15th 2008
Please send applications to
Kunstakademiet i Trondheim, NTNU
N-7491 Trondheim
Norway
