History of Art - MA (Hons) students at Edinburgh College of Art will be working on a 10,000-word dissertation as they finish their final year. A piece of original research, it can be on any topic they choose. Dissertations have previously covered anything from medieval Islamic art, to the sculpture of Bernini, the sexual politics of the Renaissance nude, to the computer game Grand Theft Auto. This follows a third year where they may have studied abroad, or undertaken a work placement in a museum. History of Art can also be taken as a joint honours programme with Architectural History, Chinese Studies, English Literature, History, History of Music, and a range of modern European languages.
Fine Art - MA (Hons) students work across both Art and History of Art as subject areas during their studies, meaning that they split their time between academic studies and creating their own work in the studio. They will have done a dissertation, and then the final semester they will have been concentrating on their practical work for the Degree Show. Students on this programme work in all media, from photography, to painting, to installation.
As part of this year's Degree Show events, there will be a discussion called "Making Art and Making a Living: Examining the contemporary art career" led by History of Art student Nikki Kane.