Master of Fine Arts (Community Cultural Development)

The Master of Fine Arts aims to provide opportunities for suitably qualified candidates to develop their potential for research, develop mastery in their field of practice and contribute to understandings of contemporary artistic practice and theories of arts and culture. High quality research subjects and independent supervision ensure artistic and intellectual excellence and leadership potential, and learning and training takes place in an international context.

The Master of Fine Arts develops the following skills in its graduate researchers:

· the ability to engage in independent and contextually-informed artistic practice;
· an ability to initiate research projects and to formulate viable research questions;
· a demonstrated capacity to design, conduct and report independent and original research on a closely-defined project;
· an ability to manage time to maximise the quality of research;
· an understanding of the major contours of international research in the research area;
· a capacity for critical evaluation of relevant scholarly literature and artistic practice;
· well-developed and flexible problem-solving abilities appropriate to the discipline;
· the capacity to communicate effectively the results of research and scholarship by oral and written communication;
· an understanding of and facility with scholarly conventions in the discipline area;
· a profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of research and scholarship;
· a capacity to cooperate with other researchers;
· an ability to manage information effectively, including the application of computer systems and software where appropriate to the student's field of study.

The Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree consisting of 200 points normally taking two years of full-time study or part-time equivalent. The degree requires the completion of two coursework subjects - a research methods and a research seminar subject - along with an individual supervised project of research and practice in the area of Community Cultural Development.

Specific Course Entry Requirements

The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant's ability to pursue the course successfully using the following criteria.

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

• an honours degree with at least an H2A (75%) weighted average, including a major relevant to the stream to which entry is sought, or equivalent; or

• a relevant undergraduate degree with at least an H2A (75%) weighted average and two years of documented work experience relevant to the stream to which entry is sought; or

• an undergraduate degree in any discipline and five years of documented work experience relevant to the stream to which entry is sought; or

• five years of documented relevant work experience related to the stream to which entry is sought and demonstrating outstanding artistic ability, together with evidence of ability in academic writing and research or scholarship appropriate for postgraduate study;

and

• performance in one or more of an audition, test, interview, workshop, portfolio or folio presentation, as prescribed by the Academic Board for the stream to which entry is sought.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the selection committee will consider:

• prior academic performance and/or the professional experience; and

• the performance in audition, test, interview, workshop, portfolio or folio presentation.

3. The selection committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance Band 6.5.is required.

Communication: Students must be able to participate in and produce performances and exhibitions as required; they will also need to communicate effectively and efficiently in oral and written forms. Communication with fellow students, professional and academic staff, and the wider public about their knowledge and application of practising Arts disciplines is essential.

Creative, Intellectual and Organisational Abilities: Students require the capacity for high-level creative performance or production. They are also expected to have the ability to develop problem-solving skills and to comprehend disciplinary and crossdisciplinary information. Students must have the ability to establish study plans and prioritise training objectives and outcomes.

Behavioural and Social Attributes: Students must possess behavioural and social attributes that enable them to participate in a complex learning environment. They must take full responsibility for their own participation and learning. Students also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative environments and must therefore demonstrate a wide range of interpersonal skills which consider the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

Disability: For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Overview, Objectives and Generic Skills sections of this entry.
It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this course are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

At the successful completion of this degree students will be eligible to apply for PhD studies.

Research Masters degrees at the University of Melbourne seek to develop graduates who have a capacity for defining and managing a research project characterised by originality and independence. Their training equips them for more sustained and original work at the doctoral level or for applied research positions in a wider variety of contexts.

Application Procedure
Detailed information for prospective MFA students regarding the application process, including application deadlines and the application form is available at http://vca.unimelb.edu.au/study/degrees