Post Baccalaureate Programme Content

Since students whose artistic identity is not yet clearly formed are very diverse in their needs, this programme is structured through individually negotiated independent study. This structural flexibility distinguishes it from the MFA programme, which offers a developmental programme oriented to professional practice.

Studio Practice and Critique 1 & 2

These modules are the core of the programme and take the form of negotiated projects. Each student has his or her own dedicated studio space to which 24/7 access is available. Portfolio preparation and career planning are elements of these modules.

Studio Courses 1, 2 & 3

These modules provide teaching in a choice of drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media or time arts in which Post-Bac students work alongside undergraduate students.

Historical and Critical Studies

This module provides an introduction to key concepts and critical methods in modern and contemporary art to assist students to develop an understanding of the cultural context of their own developing art practice. This module may involve studying alongside MFA students but credit awarded is at Post Bac level (level 8 www.nfq.ie/nfq/eu/).

The Burren: Culture and Environment

The west coast of Ireland provides a unique context for personal and artistic development. This class introduces students to a wide range of environmental and cultural studies in the west of Ireland, ranging from natural history and geology through archaeology and art history to modern history. This course is invaluable to students seeking an understanding of the context of their new learning environment. Working alongside undergraduate students, Post-Bac students explore each week a topic that is introduced through a lecture and then explored through field studies (one semester only)

In addition to these modules the curriculum includes the following mandatory elements:

The Wednesday Session, a mandatory group session for all BCA students including visiting artists and group critiques

Dublin Educational Visit, one mandatory trip to galleries and museums in Dublin each semester.

Post Bac students also participate scheduled educational visits to European cities such as London and Berlin.

English-Language Module

From 2013 the Post Baccalaureate Programme at Burren College of Art will offer students an optional English Language Module for speakers of English as a second language.

The aim of this module is to provide students with the essential English language skills for academic work at Master’s level. Students will gain the language competence in academic English to write up projects and a final thesis to the required standard.

This 100 hour English Language Module is also a preparation for the IELTS academic test. Students who want to proceed to Masters Degree in the English speaking world generally require an IELTS score of 6.5 or 7.00. 

The entry requirement for the NUIG recognised Masters programme at Burren College of Art is an IELTS score is 6.5 or a TOEFL IBT score of 92 (or equivalent). As the Post Baccalaureate Programme of the Burren College of Art requires an English language entry level score of 5.5 in IELTS or 68 in TOEFL IBT (or equivalent) the English Language module will enable students to attain the higher score to aloow them to enter the Masters programme.

The Module will be provided by Clare Language Centre, an ACELS recognised English Language School on the Burren College of Art Campus.  The cost for the additional module is €1500