Contemporary Art Practice MA (eca)

The autumn semester provides initial time for experimentation and reflection, followed by the spring period where you will focus on positioning your work outside of the studio or typical gallery space for diverse audiences. In the third and final semester you will focus on independent research as you develop your Masters Project, culminating in the Graduate Exhibition.

Teaching and Learning

Learning happens primarily through the exchange of ideas in studio seminars, group crits and 1-1 tutorials.

We emphasise the centrality of dialogue to developing innovative work. We are committed to supporting an environment to nurture risk-taking as fundamental to producing ambitious original art. Critical conversations and debates are informed by:

• Talks and presentations delivered by our team of award-winning teaching-artists.
• A programme of lectures by prominent artists, critics and curators from across the UK and further afield.
• Technical sessions in the workshops that support casting, metalwork, woodwork, textiles, photography and a spectrum of printing processes.
• Visits to galleries and museums in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
• Exhibition opportunities within ECA and with our industry partners in and around Edinburgh.
• Independent experimentation, reflection and research.

Assessment

You will be assessed on written texts, work presented for exhibition and a digital portfolio.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

• A critical awareness of current practices in contemporary art with an evolving understanding of conceptual and practical precedents, locally and globally.
• Ability to identify and apply appropriate methods of research, investigation and development in planning and executing original and creative work.
• Skills to be able to analyse and evaluate concepts and debates in contemporary art, with a deeper understanding of their significance within a wider cultural field.
• An extended understanding of the relationship of contexts and publics to how contemporary art is produced and disseminated.
• The confidence to exercise autonomy and initiative in developing an enquiry-led practice and a professional approach to working with others, respectfully, responsibly and ethically.

The programme will help you develop an ambitious art practice as well as provide you with the organisational and practical knowledge required to thrive as a self-employed artist.

Graduates produce exhibitions internationally, and have been selected for major residencies, exhibitions and prizes, such as:

• Bloomberg New Contemporaries
• RSA New Contemporaries
• John Kinross Scholarship
• Saatchi New Sensations
• Glasgow Film Festival
• Edinburgh International Art Festival

MA Contemporary Art Practice also prepares you for further academic study on doctorate or academic practice programmes.

Field trips

Postgraduate students have opportunities to work with our partners in Edinburgh and neighbouring areas on exhibitions and site-specific projects.

Campus facilities

The studio programme is resourced by workshops that support:

• printmaking
• metalwork
• woodwork
• casting
• painting
• photography
• reprographic and digital printing
• 3D printing and laser cutting
• analogue and digital textile printing
• audio-visual production
• animation and immersive technology.

While medium-specific focus in any of the above areas is supported, intermedial and interdisciplinary practices including installation, performance, and socially-engaged practice are strongly encouraged.

Lauriston campus redevelopment

ECA are excited to be undertaking a capital redevelopment of ECA’s Lauriston campus over the next 3 years, from April 2024 to April 2027.

The project aims to maximise the use of existing space, improve accessibility, and create a vibrant campus that fosters collaboration and innovation.

The project involves refurbishing and repurposing various spaces across the Lauriston campus, including technical facilities, student and teaching spaces, and the relocation of the Reid School of Music from Alison House to the Lauriston campus. New social spaces, seminar rooms, and studios are being created to accommodate our growing community.

You can find more about the project at the below link:

Building work starts at ECA’s Lauriston campus | Edinburgh College of Art

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

Normally a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

You must submit a portfolio as part of your application. Your portfolio should be formatted as an A4-sized PDF document of no more than 10 pages and contain:

• images of your work (the number is up to you, but we would advise that you do not put more than four images on an individual page)

• accompanied image text detailing title, medium, date and where appropriate web link to any supplementary documentation of the referenced work (for instance a link to video work)

• a short artist statement (no more than 250 words)

• no more than five URL links to any sites that further detail or document your work

Your application and portfolio should demonstrate:

• evidence of practical and theoretical knowledge of, and experimentation with, a variety of formal, aesthetic and conceptual approaches to the production, distribution and exhibition of contemporary art

• evidence of practical or theoretical work that addresses key thematic areas in contemporary art and theoretical discourse

• evidence of collaborative working practices, either in a capacity as an artist or working curatorially; evidence of independent working practices, as an artist or curator

If you do not meet the academic entry requirements, we may still consider your application on the basis of your portfolio and/or relevant professional experience.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Additional costs

No additional costs.

Tuition Fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money
  • taking out a loan
  • family support
• personal savings
• income from work
• employer sponsorship
• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

• Edinburgh College of Art scholarships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding