newcastle university fine art phd

Research Profiles

Research students.

The Unit has a thriving community of PGRs; it has built a strong reputation for quality of supervision, and for excellent resources for practice and research. This is evidenced by the exceptional success in AHRC BGP1, where, for the 5-year period, the unit secured 17% of all the UK’s PhD studentships in Fine Art and in Digital Media/Film. In addition we have two AHRC CDA studentships - linked to FACT in Liverpool and the North East’s AV Festival. The result of this is that of the 19 Research students currently based in the unit, 13 are RCUK-funded. The unit is now part of the AHRC-funded  Northern Bridge Doctoral Training Partnership , in conjunction with Durham and Queen’s University Belfast.

All staff in the unit are available as supervisors, and as part of a large university, we can also support those projects that cross disciplinary boundaries. Students whose projects are more digitally-oriented are based in Culture Lab with its attendant facilities; they therefore benefit additionally from working alongside researchers (Staff and students) within Computing and those attached, for example, to the RCUK-funded SiDE and Creative Exchange projects.  http://dm.ncl.ac.uk/blog/category/people/

All students are encouraged to participate in the Unit’s research culture by involvement with research seminars, including chairing seminars with visiting artists/researchers. The unit encourages students (both MFA and PhD) to engage with research across the university so they are aware of the multidisciplinary potential of their own research. The ‘Revisiting the Beach’ conference is a good example of this  http://conferences.ncl.ac.uk/beachconference . Organised by Mieves (PGR), it involved numerous other UK and international institutions, and was financially supported by an AHRC award. Students regularly receive recognition for their research beyond the university, for example, Jason Dee was the 2013 winner of the AVANCA | CINEMA 2013 – International Conference prize, with his paper "Celluloid´s Digital Other":  http://www.avanca.org/EN/historico.php?recordID=2013 . And Isabella Streffen very successfully completed a six month AHRC-sponsored period of research at the Library of Congress in Washington DC. This prestigious research residency subsequently led to the installation of an elaborate art work within the library, responding to the history of the library and items within its collection.

Research training for PGRs is provided at both faculty and unit-level; at faculty level, our students benefit greatly from working alongside research students from across disciplines, and take part in training that engages with: * theories of knowledge, explanation and enquiry

a broad range of methodological approaches

the broader research and practical skills and competencies necessary to complete their research projects – including training in ethical issues

the acquisition of key professional and transferable skills and knowledge about career paths.

Our  subject-specific doctoral research training  (to which MFA students are invited) provides a rich diversity of activities in the areas of practice-based, theoretical and historical research, including: * seminars on individual practice, and peer review

writing in relation to studio-based research and practice

appropriate methodologies for practice-based research

preparing papers for specialist journals and conference presentation

Further training is available through  Creating a Context , an extended Erasmus/British Council Intensive Programme project led by the unit. Training is also integrated with the cross-disciplinary  Connecting Principle  seminars and events, which presents broad interdisciplinary and collaborative opportunities for PGRs.

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Fine Art MPhil, PhD Newcastle University

Course options

Qualification.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Newcastle University

16-SEP-24, 06-JAN-25

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• UNIVERSITY INFO

Course summary

The internationally significant research profile of our staff and our excellent facilities provide a stimulating environment for practical or theoretical research.

Our Fine Art/Art History research degrees at Newcastle involve:

studio-based practice and research in Fine Art or research in Art History.

You'll engage in independent practice and research, with research support from our academic supervisor team. This team can also include academic supervisors from other areas of the university when appropriate.

To complete a practice-led based PhD, you'll produce a body of creative practice, together with a written text between 20,000 and 40,000 words.

A solely text-based PhD would entail a thesis of 80,000 words.

Both forms of the PhD should show evidence of originality and be suitable for publication.

All our staff are practicing artists and art historians. We offer supervision in a wide range of contemporary art practices:

• digital cultures
• art history

As a PhD student you'll also be allocated office or studio space.

We'll support you to produce work and research that makes an important contribution to your field of practice, including:

• digital, sound and time-based art
• performance
• photography
• printmaking
• installation
• film/moving image/video
• art writing

Tuition fees

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£ 22,800 per year

Tuition fees shown are for indicative purposes and may vary. Please check with the institution for most up to date details.

University information

University league table, campus address.

Newcastle University, King’s Gate, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, NE1 7RU, England

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Subject ranking.

7th out of 84 2

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Newcastle university: fine art, doctor of philosophy - phd, full-time, 36 months starts sep 2024.

The Fine Art MPhil PhD offers supervision in a wide range of contemporary art practices, in Fine Art, Digital Cultures and Art History. The internationally significant research profile of our staff and our excellent facilities, have created a stimulating environment for you to undertake your practical or theoretical research.

We offer the expertise to support you in producing work that makes an important contribution to your field of practice, including: painting sculpture digital cultures digital and time-based art drawing performance photography printmaking installation video

We are strongly committed to supporting your work through practice-led research. You will be encouraged to take advantage of the specific research and practice expertise of our fine art staff. We also have a fantastic range of resources and opportunities for interdisciplinary and collaborative research across the University. Review our fine art academic staff research interests to ensure your research proposal is compatible with our expertise.

Newcastle is one of the best cities in the UK in which to study contemporary visual art. Its diverse and lively arts scene goes hand-in-hand with our long and distinguished history in the research, practice and teaching of fine art.

Delivery The Fine Art MPhil can be practice-led or theoretical, with a final text submission of 40,000 words, or an equivalent combination of studio practice and text. You are expected to complete your submission within two years full-time or four years part time.

The Fine Art PhD can be practice-led or solely text based. The final submission for a practice-led PhD is a combination of an exhibition of creative work made over the period of study and a thesis. The thesis would typically be 30,000 words, which constitutes approximately 30% of the degree. A text based PhD is submitted as a thesis of 80,000 - 100,000 words. The submission is expected to take place between three or four years of study full time, or six years part time.

For both research degrees you will be supported by a supervisory team, comprising at least two members of staff with expertise in your area. Your supervisory team can include expertise from across a wide range of disciplines within the School.

Being part of the School of Arts and Cultures means that you will have the opportunity to engage and collaborate with a broad range of theorists and practitioners from disciplines.

Interdisciplinary and cross-media activity is core to much of the research within the School. You will benefit from the resources and training available through, for example, the Institute for Creative Arts Practice and the expertise of Culture Lab. This is a multi-user digital media facility that supports interdisciplinary research at the interface of art, digital cultures, humanities and science.

Fine art staff will encourage and support you to present at national and international conferences. You will also be able to maintain and develop your professional career through exhibiting, networking and other activities.

You will be encouraged to attend and make presentations at our regular fine art postgraduate seminars. These sessions aim to enhance research skills and encourage intellectual and practical exchange between you and our academic staff and visiting artists. You can also engage with research across the University to increase your awareness of cross-disciplinary potential and impact potential of your own research.

Facilities We provide well-resourced workshops and student studios, from the open-plan first year studios designed for project work to purpose-built painting, sculpture, printmaking and digital media studios, all with full technical support. You will have 24 hour access to your studio space. Our facilities also include designated gallery spaces, seminar rooms, and a large lecture theatre.

We are based in the same building as the Hatton Gallery, one of the largest exhibition spaces in North East England.

Part-Time, 72 months starts Sep 2024

Full-time, 36 months started sep 2023, part-time, 72 months started sep 2023, master of fine arts - mfa (pg), full-time, 24 months starts sep 2024.

Newcastle University's Master of Fine Arts is a two-year full-time studio-based course. It's designed for fine art graduates and those with other backgrounds to progress their position as practitioners in the contemporary art world. It also offers a solid grounding for those hoping to progress to PhD degree study. We support practice and research in:

- sculpture

- digital media

- performance

- photography

- printmaking

- installation

- film and video art

- art writing

Full-Time, 24 months started Sep 2023

Master of philosophy - mphil, full-time, 12 months starts sep 2024, part-time, 24 months starts sep 2024, full-time, 12 months started sep 2023, part-time, 24 months started sep 2023.

Newcastle University

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About us A Global Top 125 university (QS World University Rankings 2023), Newcastle University is dedicated to excellence, creativity and innovation, pioneering solutions that can change our world.

Through world-class research it tackles some of the biggest challenges facing society globally, leading in its key strengths of ageing and health, data, energy, cities, culture and creative arts. The UK’s Research Excellence Framework 2021 assessed its research as world-leading with outstanding impact.

Through high quality teaching it …

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Fine Art MPhil, PhD

Want to know what it's like to study this course at uni? We've got all the key info, from entry requirements to the modules on offer. If that all sounds good, why not check out reviews from real students or even book onto an upcoming open days ?

Different course options

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Newcastle University

16-SEP-24, 06-JAN-25

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Course info

Entry requirements, tuition fees, latest reviews.

The internationally significant research profile of our staff and our excellent facilities provide a stimulating environment for practical or theoretical research.

Our Fine Art/Art History research degrees at Newcastle involve:

studio-based practice and research in Fine Art or research in Art History.

You'll engage in independent practice and research, with research support from our academic supervisor team. This team can also include academic supervisors from other areas of the university when appropriate.

To complete a practice-led based PhD, you'll produce a body of creative practice, together with a written text between 20,000 and 40,000 words.

A solely text-based PhD would entail a thesis of 80,000 words.

Both forms of the PhD should show evidence of originality and be suitable for publication.

All our staff are practicing artists and art historians. We offer supervision in a wide range of contemporary art practices:

• digital cultures
• art history

As a PhD student you'll also be allocated office or studio space.

We'll support you to produce work and research that makes an important contribution to your field of practice, including:

• digital, sound and time-based art
• performance
• photography
• printmaking
• installation
• film/moving image/video
• art writing

What students say

It’s a great city to live and study in, it’s small enough to walk around the whole campus/city but there’s so much going on that it feels like a big place. The student night life.. Read more

... Read more

A 2:1 honours degree or higher (or international equivalent), in a related subject. PhD applicants also require a Master's degree at Merit standard or higher (or international equivalent). This requirement, in exceptional cases, may be wavered if you can demonstrate you have equivalent research skills.

Students living in

£4,712 per year

Students from Domestic

The mentioned fees is for 2023/24 entry. There may be slight increase in 2024/25 year.

£22,800 per year

Students from EU

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from somewhere in the EU.

Students from International

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from a country outside the EU.

Latest Fine Art reviews

Review breakdown, how all students rated:, newcastle university , newcastle upon tyne.

Newcastle University is a world-leading university renowned for the quality of its teaching and research....

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King’s Gate Newcastle upon Tyne Northumberland NE1 7RU

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Entry requirements

A 2:1 honours degree or higher (or international equivalent), in a related subject. PhD applicants also require a Master's degree at Merit standard or higher (or international equivalent). This requirement, in exceptional cases, may be wavered if you can demonstrate you have equivalent research skills.

Months of entry

Course content.

We offer supervision in a wide range of contemporary art practices, in fine art, digital cultures and art history.

We'll support you to produce work that makes an important contribution to your field of practice, including:

• digital cultures
• digital and time-based art
• performance
• photography
• printmaking
• installation

We're strongly committed to supporting your work through practice-led research. You'll be encouraged to take advantage of the specific research and practice expertise of our fine art staff. Ensure your research proposal is compatible with our expertise by reviewing our academic staff research interests .

Newcastle is one of the best cities in the UK in which to study contemporary visual art. Its diverse and lively arts scene goes hand-in-hand with our long and distinguished history in the research, practice and teaching of fine art.

Information for international students

English Language requirements: Direct Entry: IELTS 7.0 overall (with a minimum of 6.5 in all sub-skills).

If you have lower English Language scores, you may be accepted onto a Pre-sessional English course.

Fees and funding

See Fees and Funding tab in the Programme information in our online Prospectus.

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

• Campus-based learning is available for this qualification

Course contact details

Hatton Gallery

Managed by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums on behalf of Newcastle University

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• Telephone: 0191 2778877

Newcastle University Fine Art Graduates 2020

A virtual exhibition celebrating the work of the Fine Art graduates of 2020, whose degree show was cancelled last year due to COVID 19.

This virtual  exhibition  celebrates 45 emerging artists from the Newcastle University Fine Art Department, Graduate Class of 2020. It is an eclectic culmination of contemporary styles, encompassing the mediums of painting, print, sculpture, digital media, sound, and installation. The exhibition brings together work developed throughout their time at Newcastle University and during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Originally planned and curated to be exhibited in the Hatton Gallery, the show has been reimagined and transformed for a virtual viewing after the realisation that a physical audience would still not be a possibility. 

Visit the virtual exhibition

Find out more about the artists

A virtual exhibition celebrating 45 emerging artists. From 9 April.

Roberto de Abreu, Preciosa

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Fine Art MFA

Newcastle university, different course options.

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Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, university information, similar courses at this uni, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

MFA - Master of Fine Art

Subject areas

Course type.

Establish or extend your position in the art world with this MFA degree. Newcastle University's distinguished artists and historians will nurture your practical, professional and intellectual skills.

Newcastle University's Master of Fine Arts is a two-year full-time studio-based course. It's designed for fine art graduates and those with other backgrounds to progress their position as practitioners in the contemporary art world. It also offers a solid grounding for those hoping to progress to PhD degree study. We support practice and research in:

• digital media
• performance
• photography
• printmaking
• installation
• film and video art
• art writing

What you'll learn

Based in our purpose-built studio spaces, you'll work with internationally celebrated practicing artists

The MFA creates a platform to help you push your practice forward. You'll do this through experimentation and by developing inventive, rigorous, and focused working methods. We provide a rich creative environment, along with time and space to develop.

We'll support your development as an artist through:

• regular meetings with your studio supervisor
• cross-disciplinary seminars
• group studio discussions
• lectures by distinguished visiting artists

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

A good honours degree in fine art, or international equivalent, plus a portfolio of recent work. Applicants who hold non-standard qualifications and/or have other relevant experience will be considered on an individual basis. If you are based in the UK you will be invited to attend an interview. For those applicants outside of the UK, we may choose to conduct an interview with you via Skype.

Newcastle University is a world-leading university renowned for the quality of its teaching and research. The university is recognised internationally for its contributions to global problem solving in innovative and creative ways. Newcastle University is a prestigious founding member of the Russell Group association of research-intensive universities in the UK. The university enjoys an outstanding reputation as an institution at which... more

Fine Art MPhil, PhD

Full time | 36 months | 16-SEP-24

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• News |  
• Articles |  
• Newly promoted faculty 2024

CLA congratulates newly tenured and promoted faculty

The Auburn University College of Liberal Arts congratulates the following faculty on their tenure and promotion:

Associate Professor with Tenure

• Justin Gardiner, Department of English
• Deborah Solomon, Department of English
• Heidi Hausse, Department of History
• Jennifer Kosmin, Department of History
• Rachel Rudolph, Department of Philosophy
• Pellumb Kelmendi, Department of Political Science
• Richard Macatee, Department of Psychological Sciences
• Gargi Sawhney, Department of Psychological Sciences
• Eleanor Patterson, School of Communication & Journalism
• Lauren Woods, Department of Art & Art History
• Andrew Schwartz, Department of Theatre & Dance
• Rose McLarney, Department of English
• Melissa Blair, Department of History
• Keith Hébert, Department of History
• Elay Shech, Department of Philosophy
• Kelly Krawczyk, Department of Political Science
• Cathleen Erwin, Department of Political Science
• Virginia Kunzer, Department of Music
• Karen Sonik, Department of Art & Art History

Professor + Tenure

• David Miller, Department of Philosophy

Senior Clinical Lecturer

• Erin Reynolds, Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences

Senior Lecturer

• Katherine Brewer, Department of English
• Lori Redding, Department of Political Science
• Elaina Frieda-Siepmann, Department of Psychological Sciences
• Paul McCormick, School of Communication & Journalism

Tags: Political Science Psychological Sciences Communication and Journalism English Art and Art History Speech Language and Hearing Sciences Music Philosophy History Theatre and Dance

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Peter Higgs, who proposed existence of Higgs boson particle, has died at 94, university says

LONDON — Nobel recipient Peter Higgs, a physicist who proposed the existence of the so-called “God particle” that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang, has died at age 94, the University of Edinburgh said Tuesday.

The university, where Mr. Higgs was emeritus professor, said he died Monday “peacefully at home following a short illness.”

Mr. Higgs predicted the existence of a new particle — the so-called Higgs boson — in 1964. But it would be almost 50 years before the particle’s existence could be confirmed at the Large Hadron Collider.

Mr. Higgs’ theory related to how subatomic particles that are the building blocks of matter get their mass. This theoretical understanding is a central part of the so-called Standard Model, which describes the physics of how the world is constructed.

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Edinburgh University said his groundbreaking 1964 paper demonstrated how “elemental particles achieved mass through the existence of a new sub-atomic particle″ which became known as the Higgs boson.

In 2012, in one of the biggest breakthroughs in physics in decades, scientists at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, announced that they had finally found a Higgs boson using the $10 billion particle collider built in a 17-mile (27-kilometer) tunnel under the Swiss-French border.

Mr. Higgs was awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work, alongside Francois Englert of Belgium, who independently came up with the same theory.

Edinburgh University Vice Chancellor Peter Mathieson said Mr. Higgs, who was born in Newcastle, was “a remarkable individual – a truly gifted scientist whose vision and imagination have enriched our knowledge of the world that surrounds us.”

“His pioneering work has motivated thousands of scientists, and his legacy will continue to inspire many more for generations to come.”

Mr. Higgs’ work helps solve one of the most fundamental riddles of the universe: how the Big Bang created something out of nothing 13.7 billion years ago.

Finding corroboration wasn’t easy. It took more than two decades, thousands of scientists and mountains of data from trillions of colliding protons.

And it needed the world’s biggest atom smasher CERN’s Large Hadron Collider to produce the extreme surge of energies simulating those 1 trillionth to 2 trillionths of a second after the Big Bang.

One highlight of Mr. Higgs’ illustrious career came during the 2013 presentation at CERN in Geneva where scientists presented in complex terms — unfathomable to most laypeople and based on statistical analysis -- that the boson has been confirmed. He broke into tears, wiping down his glasses in the stands of the lecture hall.

Born in Newcastle, northeast England on May 29, 1929, Mr. Higgs studied at King’s College, University of London, and was awarded a PhD in 1954. He spent much of his career at Edinburgh, becoming the Personal Chair of Theoretical Physics at the Scottish university in 1980. He retired in 1996.

Mr. Higgs received honorary degrees from more than a dozen universities, including Edinburgh (1998), Swansea (2008) Cambridge (2012), St Andrews and Manchester (2013).

In 2013 he was appointed a Companion of Honor by Queen Elizabeth II.

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Fine Art BA Honours

• UCAS code: W150

Our Fine Art degree is a practice-based course in contemporary visual art for ambitious, motivated and imaginative artists.

You are currently viewing course information for entry year: 2024-25

Next start date:

• September 2024

Fees (per year)

• Home: £9250
• International: £22800

Entry requirements and offers

• A-Level: AAB-BBB
• IB: 30-34 points

View contextual offers

UCAS Institution name and code:

• How to apply
• Support for your application
• Sign up for an Open Day

Course overview

This unique four-year fine art degree focuses on developing your professional, practical and theoretical skills alongside your own exciting body of work. You'll graduate ready for a career in the field or progression to postgraduate study. 

You will have space and time to experiment and develop your ambitious ideas in the studio, as well as forming a deeper understanding of art history and contemporary art through taught modules.

Throughout your degree, you can choose from more than 20 specialist workshops, such as ceramics, photography, 16mm film, oil painting, performance and experimental printmaking. 

You'll become a confident fine art professional, with the skills and knowledge of what it takes to thrive in the contemporary art world through live projects, placement opportunities, exhibitions and your final-year degree show. Your degree show gives you the chance to display your work to hundreds of visitors. 

Download information about this course as a PDF

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions   Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19. View our  Academic experience page , which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2023-24. See our  terms and conditions and student complaints information , which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Quality and ranking

Professional accreditation and recognition.

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body.

Modules and learning

The information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Most degrees are divided into stages. Each stage lasts for one academic year, and you'll complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each stage. 

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Featured module

Explore the diverse range of ways in which the body has been represented in visual art.

Optional module availability Student demand for optional modules may affect availability. Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the  Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May. To find out more please see our terms and conditions.

You will explore fundamental aspects of making art through projects in sculpture, printmaking, painting, performance and video. This is complemented by history of art modules that introduce a variety of perspectives on art history.

From Semester 2 you will initiate and develop your own projects, with guidance from your studio tutor and professional technicians.

You will also organise and publicise an exhibition as part of LifeWorkArt, and gain skills in curating, installing, marketing, fundraising and project planning.

Your teaching is focused around you and your practice, supporting a self-initiated programme of studio work, driven by making in the studios and workshops. Each semester you can choose from several complementary specialist workshops in various media, and LifeWorkArt.

You’ll choose history of art modules, such as: Art and Protest, Art in the Creative City and Contemporary Art and Globalisation.

With the approval of the Degree Programme Director alternative optional modules may also be available.

You will learn to develop and sustain self-directed studio practice, and how to direct and resource your practice appropriately.

You'll make informed decisions about working methods, materials and technical approaches, and carry out a LifeWorkArt external project.

You will write an art history dissertation with an option to take additional art history modules.

You can select an additional module, if required, from those listed above (if not already taken at Stage 2) to bring your total credits for the year to 120.

You'll undertake a self-initiated programme of studio work, resulting in the production of fully realised work for presentation in the final Degree Show.

You can also choose to undertake additional modules, such as LifeWorkArt, Art Writing, and Career Development.

The annual LifeWorkArt conference offers practical workshops and gives you the opportunity to meet recent graduates, artists, curators and arts professionals.

We base these figures and graphs on the most up-to-date information available to us. They are based on the modules chosen by our students in 2022-23.

Teaching time is made up of:

• scheduled learning and teaching activities. These are timetabled activities with a member of staff present.
• structured guided learning. These are activities developed by staff to support engagement with module learning. Students or groups of students undertake these activities without direct staff participation or supervision

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methods.

Teaching is focused around you and your practice, and is driven by making in the studios and workshops. You will develop an increasingly self-directed studio practice across the four years.

This will be supported and developed through regular one-to-one tutorials with your studio tutor, group crits, taught workshops and strands introducing you to new working methods.

You will also benefit from visiting artists, critics and curators who contribute to tutorials and workshops, alongside Newcastle University staff.

Assessment methods

You'll be assessed through a combination of:

Assessments

Assignments – written or fieldwork

Degree show

Dissertation or research project

Practical sessions

Presentations

Skills and experience

Practical skills.

You'll explore, experiment and expand your abilities through practical experiences, working in some of the best studios in the country. 

You will have a dynamic programme of workshops, weekly lectures and seminars from artists, critics, curators, historians and art professionals to ensure you develop a broad perspective on art. 

You will gain real-world experience of working in contemporary arts through the LifeWorkArt programme.

You will learn how to set up and run a broad range of individual and group projects such as placements, exhibitions, public art, residencies, community and education programmes, and art therapy.

Business skills

There are regular study abroad trips, supporting both the art history and studio components of the degree. Recent trips include: New York, the Venice Biennale, Madrid, Florence and Berlin.

You will have opportunities to engage with staff on international projects, such as a recent summer residency in Uganda, and public art project in Bologna.

Research skills

In the third year of your degree, you'll research and write your art history dissertation. This gives you an opportunity to further investigate and analyse a topic of your choice.

Past students have focused on individual artists, art groups and movements, and social and political issues in art.

You'll develop a greater awareness of the historical, theoretical and critical issues in the subject, while developing your own skills in independent research and critical investigation. 

• Opportunities

Study abroad

Experience life in another country by choosing to study abroad as part of your degree. You’ll be encouraged to embrace fun and challenging experiences, make connections with new communities and graduate as a globally aware professional, ready for your future.

You may choose to spend one semester of Stage 3 on an international exchange at a partner institution. In order to qualify, you must have attained an overall average grade of 55 or more at your stage 2 assessments.

Find out more about study abroad

Work placement

Get career ready with a work placement and leave as a confident professional in your field. You can apply to spend 9 to 12 months working in any organisation in the world, and receive University support from our dedicated team to secure your dream placement. Optional work placements take place between stages 3 and 4.

You'll gain first-hand experience of working in the sector, putting your learning into practice and developing your professional expertise.

It will extend your degree by a year and is subject to availability. It isn't available if you're spending a year studying abroad. 

Find out more about work placements

Facilities and environment

As a Fine Art student at Newcastle you'll be part of  the School of Arts and Cultures and be based in the Fine Art Building in the University's historic Quadrangle, which includes the Hatton Gallery. Along with your own studio space, you'll have access to: 

• purpose-built studios
• exhibition spaces
• printmaking, metalwork, woodwork, sculpture/casting and digital media workshops
• an art supplies shop
• a student-run cafe

You'll have the support of an academic member of staff as a personal tutor throughout your degree to help with academic and personal issues.

Peer mentors will help you in your first year. They are fellow students who can help you settle in and answer any questions you have when starting university.

Your future

Graduates have gone on to work as artists and curators, and take up a variety of roles across the cultural and creative sector, such as:

• setting up and running art galleries
• establishing studio projects
• local council arts and cultural teams
• visual arts officers
• community arts specialists
• art therapists
• critics and writers
• art directors and technicians
• graphic designers
• illustrators
• set designers

Some graduates also opt to take arts-related postgraduate study in areas such as design and digital media. 

The most recent survey of the destination of our Fine Art graduates six months after graduation shows half of them in professional work and a third in further study with the rest combining work and study or supporting their art practice with non-professional work.

Of those working in the cultural sector, 58% were in the North East through links they made while studying here.

Make a difference

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Careers support

Our professional development programme,  LifeWorkArt is integrated during each year. This is run in collaboration with many regional and national arts organisations and galleries and prepares you for professional art practice through projects such as:

• organising exhibitions
• attending field trips
• undertaking a gallery placement
• preparing a public art project

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information .

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements and offers below apply to  2024 entry.

Other UK and the Republic of Ireland qualifications

Contextual offers.

Through one of our contextual routes, you could receive an offer of up to three grades lower than the typical requirements.

What is a contextual offer? Find out more and if you’re eligible for this or our PARTNERS Programme supported entry route.

Qualifications from outside the UK

English language requirements, entrance courses (into).

International Pathway Courses are specialist programmes designed for international students who want to study in the UK. We provide a range of study options for international students in partnership with INTO. 

Find out more about International Pathway Courses

Admissions policy

This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.

• Download our admissions policy  (PDF: 201KB)
• Other policies related to admissions

Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification.  Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course.

Fine Art portfolio submission and interview 

A very important part of our selection process for the Fine Art degree is our inspection of a portfolio of your work. Successful candidates at the portfolio stage will be asked to attend an interview. For overseas candidates, we can organise a Zoom interview.

Find out more about applying to Fine Art

Tuition fees and scholarships

Tuition fees for 2024 entry (per year).

The maximum fee that we are permitted to charge for home fee-paying students is set by the UK government.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Read more about fees and funding

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here .

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our  undergraduate scholarship page for more information.

Year abroad and additional costs

For programmes where you can spend   a year on a work placement or studying abroad,   you will receive a significant fee reduction for that year. 

Some of our degrees involve additional costs which are not covered by your tuition fees.

Find out more about:

• different tuition fees
• additional costs
• scholarships for UK, EU and international students
• Student Loans and Government financial support for UK and EU students

Open days and events

You'll have a number of opportunities to meet us throughout the year at our on-campus and virtual open days.

You'll be able to:

• explore our beautiful campus

• find out about our vibrant city

• discover what students think about studying at Newcastle

You'll also have the opportunity to speak to academic staff and find out more about the subjects you're interested in.

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually.

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University. Visit our  events calendar to find out when we're visiting your region.

Visit our events calendar for the latest virtual events

Apply through UCAS

To apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle University, you must use the online application system managed by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). All UK schools and colleges, and a small number of EU and international establishments, are registered with UCAS. You will need:

• the UCAS name and institution codes for Newcastle University (NEWC/N21)
• the UCAS code for the course you want to apply for
• the UCAS 'buzzword' for your school or college

If you are applying independently, or are applying from a school or college which is not registered to manage applications, you will still use the Apply system. You will not need a buzzword.

Apply through an agent

International students often apply to us through an agent. Have a look at our recommended agents and get in touch with them.

Visit our International pages

Get in touch

Call us on  +44 (0) 191 208 3333 and press option 1. Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 10am until 4pm.

Our NCL chatbot might be able to give you an answer straight away. If not, it’ll direct you to someone who can help.

You'll find our NCL chatbot in the bottom right of this page.

Fill in our enquiry form

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