Post Baccalaureate in Studio Art

The Higher Diploma in Fine Art is the equivalent to the Post Baccalaureate in the United States, and is known informally as the ‘Post Bac’.  This one-year course assists you to find your voice as an artist and prepares you for application to and potential enrollment in an MA / MFA programme.  The Post Bac is also applicable for students who have a degree in a subject other than fine art and who wish to transfer onto a fine art educational track by progressing to an MA / MFA programme.

As a student who is in the process of finding your artistic identity, the Post Bac facilitates the development of your voice and studio practice through individually negotiated independent study.  As a Post Bac student you will produce a final exhibition, the quality of which will demonstrate your understanding of fine art practice at the graduate level.  You will develop and deepen your understanding of the critical discourse informing contemporary art and be prepared for the next stage of your artistic development.

Studio Practice and Critique is at the core of the programme, taking the form of negotiated projects for independent study that also involve portfolio preparation and career planning.

Studio courses provide teaching in a choice of disciplines where you work alongside undergraduate students.

Historical and Critical Studies examines key concepts in modern and contemporary art to assist you to contextualise your emerging art practice.

The Burren : Culture & Environment introduces you to a wide range of environmental and cultural studies in the west of Ireland, ranging from natural history and geology through archaeology to modern history (one semester only).

You will also visit galleries and museums in Dublin with optional visits to London and Barcelona.

Course Structure

Year 1, Semester 1

Studio Practice and Critique 1 :(Independent Study) 20 ECTS
Studio Practice and Critique 2 : (Taught), 5 ECTS
Historical and Critical Studies 1 : Introduction, 5 ECTS

Year 1, Semester 2

Studio Practice and Critique 3 :(Independent Study) 20 ECTS
Studio Practice and Critique 4 :(Taught) 5 ECTS
Studio Practice and Critique 5 :(Taught) 5 ECTS – optional
The Burren : Culture and Environment, 5 ECTS – optional
TOTAL FOR POST  BACCALAUREATE : 60 ECTS

Through our relationship with University of Galway, our postgraduate students will register both with the University and at Burren College of Art.  Final transcripts and the certificate of completion (diploma) will be issued by University of Galway.  

This course meets international standards with regard to coursework requirements, content hours, and faculty standards necessary to achieve the Post Baccalaureate in Studio Art. The Post Baccalaureate (Higher Diploma or HDip) is accredited by University of Galway and is recognized as a Level 8 Higher Diploma, Level 7 Major, by the Irish Register of Qualifications (QQI) HERE.

On completion of the Post Baccalaureate, students are eligible to apply to progress on to the MFA or MA with supervisor/faculty approval. 

Career Paths:

• Curatorial or administrative roles in galleries or museums
• Career as a professional artist
• Progression to MFA or MA degrees in Studio Art

While the emphasis in our teaching methods is not industry-focused, students are given the skills to prepare their portfolios and profiles to exhibit as professional artists.

Graduates have gone on to further research at Masters level and have subsequently acquired positions as lecturers and researchers in third level institutions. Graduates have also founded their own arts organizations and DIY gallery exhibitions.  Many are working as professional artists who regularly exhibit their work internationally.