Master of Design for Performance

The MFA 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.

On successful completion of this course students will have developed:

• advanced technical and creative skills and understanding in design;
• understanding and use of theoretical frameworks to evaluate and critique specific elements used in the development of a performance, including but not limited to design;
• a capacity to evaluate, discriminate and make informed choices within both a pragmatic and artistic framework, as a senior member of the collaborative team;
• abilities to collaborate with other members of the design and performance team;
• an understanding and exploration of the performing arts as a communicative mode;
• an understanding and exploration of the potentials of diverse media in performance.

Qualification for the award requires satisfactory completion of all core subjects and a total of 200 credit points

STRUCTURE (see subject links below)

Year 1, Semester 1

Performance and Research Approaches 1

Applied Project A

Design Documentation and Communication A

Design Realisation and Collaboration A

Year 1, Semester 2

Applied Project B (Design)

Design Realisation and Collaboration B

Design Documentation and Communication B

Year 2, Semester 1

Graphic for Screen

Industry Investigation Project A

Industry Investigation Project B

Professional Practice

Year 2, Year-long

Design Projects 1

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
• either
– an undergraduate degree or equivalent with a weighted average mark of at least H3 (65%) in the last two years of the degree; or
– at least 4 years of documented relevant work experience related to design and/or making of screen-based media, with evidence of artistic ability and practice comparable to that expected of undergraduate degree holders in relevant disciplines.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
• prior academic performance or professional experience; and
• a selection project which may include written and visual elements; and
• a folio of previous work by the applicant; and
• an interview (for short-listed applicants only).

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

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate 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 cross-disciplinary 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: Students who have a disability which may prevent them from participating in tasks involving these inherent academic requirements are encouraged to contact the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/
Adjustments can be provided to minimise the impact of a disability; however, students will need to participate in the course in an independent manner

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