3.3 Masters of Arts in Fine Arts Programme Code: ARA09 / Plan Code: APRAFIA60 NQF Level: 9 / NQF Credits: 180 Courses: FINA8003A The Masters of Arts in Fine Arts by Research is a practice-based creative programme in which you will be required to produce both a body of creative work and a dissertation. During the course of the MAFA there are will be three outputs as part of your studies: •
A research proposal (2 000-3 000 words) presented with your practice-in-progress after 6 months of registration for students registered full-time and 12 months for students registered parttime. Please see below for more details on the MAFA research proposal process.
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A body of creative work: The creative work can be staged as one final iteration or as a series of iterations and inquiries across a year that are documented and presented for assessment. Originality of creative expression and sustained critical enquiry as proposed by the research topic.
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A written dissertation (20 000-25 000 words): We are open to experimentation with forms of the written research, as long as this meets the academic requirements of the Masters degree.
The final assessment of the degree is based on the integrity of the body of creative work and the written dissertation as a sustained focused research inquiry and is assessed by an internal and external assessor. We emphasize that the MAFA experience, however, should not just focus on the final exhibition and dissertation produced at the end of the degree but, instead, there should be a consistent commitment to making, research, writing and reading as process, producing iterative outcomes for both research and practice over the course of the oneor two-year degree.
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Research proposals should be submitted to the external reader by no later than within six months of registration for feedback. Regular meetings and submissions to supervisors are important steps in this process. Open studios are organised in each term over two days for students to engage peers and staff in critical feedback. Even if a student is not producing traditional studio-based work there should be some sense of development and regular showing of work-in-progress within open studios to peers and supervisors. New MAFA Research Proposal Process The Faculty Graduate Studies Committee or a panel, formally appointed by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee, must consider the recommendations regarding worthiness of Masters of Arts by Fine Arts candidate of the School, after an initial period of registration (6 months full-time or 12 months part-time) in order to decide whether to allow their registration to continue. A candidate is required to submit their research documents, from this initial registration period, demonstrating a focused and well researched topic that is elucidated in both practice and written form. For the proposal submission process, candidates are required to present the following to one identified proposal reader: •
Present a body of practical work that embodies/speaks to/ elucidates the trajectory of their research – this may be presented in physical form or in documentation;
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Present one draft chapter of the dissertation (approximately 2000-3000 words). This chapter can be written as historical, content, textual or visual analysis or a creative / performative response to your practice (and research focus) but must amply demonstrate the manner in which literature reviews are incorporated into writing in our field, while attending to the following: title of research; identifying a focused research question; stating the aims/rationale of the research; problems and gaps identified that the research is responding to; research methods employed (this includes creative research); ethical considerations of the research; 29
