Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Art

This honours degree course introduces you to ideas, skills and creative traditions underpinning contemporary art practices. It appeals to those seeking to explore and engage with the visual world through innovative and challenging ways. It fosters your visual curiosity and professionalism through specialist and multi-disciplinary approaches to art-making. Opportunities exist to study ceramics, digital media, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture through 2D and 3D.

These pathways are combined with art history, critical theory and professional development as a means to root the visual traditions of thought and critical inquiry with an awareness of professional working contexts of the visual art fields.

This inter-disciplinary approach develops specialist knowledge and a range of transferable skills. These enable successful graduates to explore the possibilities of the cultural sector in ambitious, innovative and enterprising ways. Studying Art is perfect for dedicated, enthusiastic, visually driven learners, who are interested in developing their skills in a range of visual disciplines. You can expect to develop a range of visual skills, critical independence and professional confidence. Graduates will possess a thorough academic and technical understanding of specific areas such as printmaking, painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, digital media and knowledge of the broader socio-culture environment within which art and design practices operate.

Learners are encouraged to examine critically and respond to their environments through various languages of visual culture, craft, design and art practices. This is a student-centred programme, taught through studio workshops, demonstrations, lectures, seminars, field trips and one-to-one tutorials.

The BA in Art is a dynamic, visually driven programme. Students are challenged to address traditional, contemporary, conceptual, conventional, and experimental approaches to thinking, making, performing, and writing about Art.

Skills are delivered in Ceramics, Curation, Digital Media, Drawing, Filmmaking, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Professional Practice and Sculpture in tandem with academic research and writing skills in Art History and Critical Theory.  

Learners are exposed to a myriad of technical and creative possibilities within their modules through lectures, workshops, demonstrations, seminars, tutorials and visits to exhibitions, galleries and museums. Students learn to decode familiar and unfamiliar environments within the broader socio-cultural contexts in which Art is made. Learners are encouraged to critically respond to contemporary questions about how we create sustainable visual cultures now and in the future. 

Following completion of this programme graduates will have many career opportunities including:

• Artist
• Art Educator/Teacher
• Art media roles including Bloggers and Cultural Commentators
• Art Writers and Critics
• Art Photographer
• Master Printer
• Arts Administrator
• Public Artist
• Community Arts Practitioner
• Museum and Gallery Assistant
• Educational roles within community and cultural institutions
• Exhibition Tour Guide
• Arts Researcher

Portfolio Assessment 2022
For information on ePortfolio Guidelines, please click here. (PDF 182KB)

Entry Requirements
Application/ entry is through a combination of CAO points and a visual arts e-portfolio.

Leaving Certificate entry requirements for the Level 8 Honours Degree programme is Grade O6/H7 or higher in six (6) Leaving Certificate subjects including Mathematics, English or Irish. Two of the 6 subjects must be passed in higher-level papers at Grade H5 or higher with a minimum of 160 points.

Leaving Certificate entry requirements for the Level 7 Ordinary Degree Programme is GradeO6/H7 or better in five (5) Leaving Certificate subjects including Mathematics, English or Irish with a minimum of 160 points.

Foundation Studies Certificate or any FETAC Level 5/6 award with three Distinctions will also meet the minimum entry requirements for Level 8 Honours Degree.

Foundation Studies Certificate or any FETAC Level 5/6 award will also meet the minimum entry requirement for Level 7 Ordinary Degree.

Holders of relevant FETAC Level 6 qualifications will be considered for entry to Year 2 of this programme.

Specialist Materials and Additional Materials Costs
Students will be briefed by lecturing staff at the beginning of all modules/projects on the wide range of specialist practice materials available to them. 

Regarding additional materials costs, a list of required and recommended materials or equipment will be distributed by the Lecturer for each module. 

Students engaged in individual projects are required to supply their own materials or meet the costs of additional materials and equipment not supplied by ATU, which may vary depending on the programme and year of study.

Note: Materials fees are not covered by Granting Authorities. Material fees are not applicable to Erasmus, Part-Time or Full-Time Non-EU students.

Further Study
Creative graduates work as self-employed artists and cultural, community and business innovators. They are employed through a huge spectrum of interdependent related industries. ATU Art graduates work as practicing painters, sculptors, printmakers, installation artists, craft makers, designers, illustrators, experimental and documentary filmmakers, photographers, art directors, curators, inventors, innovators, critics, writers, arts administrators, cultural managers, community facilitators, art therapists, web designers, cultural researchers, producers and programmers and art educators. Creative graduates also pursue further studies at levels 9 and 10 at Universities in Ireland and abroad. Art at ATU is approved by the Teaching Council of Ireland. 

Contact Us

Follow us on Instagram or contact:

Katherine West - Programme Chair

Tel: +353 (0) 91 770661
Email: katherine.west@gmit.ie

School of Design & Creative Arts

Tel: +353 (0) 91 770661