MAApplied Arts

The MA Applied Arts and Social Practice focuses on the applied use of creative activities. It provide students with the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to best prepare them for applying the arts and creativity to areas such as third-sector organisations, public health, social welfare, education or criminal justice. It also aims to provide students with the enterprise skills to establish and market themselves as applied arts practitioners in a professional context.

The current teams expertise stems from community arts, applied theatre and socially engaged practice, and we define applied art as ‘creative processes and skills that are applied to a specific purpose or function. This could include any creative practice (such as theatre, art, music, dance or puppetry, just to name a few) that does not exist in traditional spaces (such as museums, theatres or galleries) but rather is based alongside and with individuals and communities in the public domain.

You may find the course particularly suitable if you have already worked within social practice and want to broaden your understanding of your professional social practice. It also works well for people with significant workplace experience who want to gain a formal qualification in a flexible manner. The course is also suitable for recent graduates of fine, contemporary or performing arts courses especially those who have developed a set of artistic skills and want to learn how to apply them to projects in a social context.

Over the past three decades within the UK, there has been a significant and sustained growth of the arts within a social context. Indeed, the current draft Cultural Strategy in Scotland looks at embedding artistic and creative practices across numerous sectors, inviting artists, theatre makers, musicians and all creative practitioners to be productive within industry, business, education and social settings.

Concurrently, the arts are becoming more important within health and wellbeing contexts and the recent national report ‘Creative Health: Arts for Health and Wellbeing calls for artists to play a vital role in the social health and well-being of the population to the extent that GPs in England can prescribe artistic activities in order to tackle social issues such as obesity, loneliness and depression. This MA will provide qualified students to service the growing demand for this type of creative practice.

• You'll be part of an international cohort of students working closely and collaboratively with staff, gaining the optimum balance of theoretical and practical learning.
• You'll benefit from a range of professional expertise as well as field trips to key cultural organisations and festivals across Scotland. 
• The combination of modules on this MA makes it unique in Scotland.
• The Edinburgh location facilitates rapid access to community and arts organisations.

We require students to take up industry-based learning opportunities where they can put theory into practice. Although we support students to find opportunities, you are responsible for securing your own arrangements in line with your personal interests. We have numerous connections across a wide variety of organisations and we are particularly well considered by our industry peers in the cultural sector. If you are already working in the sector, you can use your existing employment as the location for your industry based-learning.

The University requires all students to demonstrate sufficient academic English language proficiency to undertake and derive full benefit from their chosen programme of study. This page acts a guide to help you meet the English language requirements for your chosen course.

Students who are not a national of a Majority English Speaking Country, as recognised by the UKVI, must meet the English language requirements of their intended programme of study.

Available. Register as an associate student to study single modules in areas of interest. Contact Dr Anthony Schrag for more information.

Taught Postgraduate Courses

Applying online

You will find all our degree programmes listed on our course information pages. To apply for your chosen programme, click on the “Apply for thisCourse” button which appears top right on each course page.

Each programme will list the entry requirements, available awards, study modes and available start dates.

Select your programme and preferred start date and begin your application.

Application form

On our application form please input your basic details. Be careful spelling your email address as this is how we will contact you about your application in future.

As part of your application on the form, you will need to write a personal statement specific to the course that you are applying. This is your chance to sell yourself through highlighting your experience, suitability and motivators for wanting to join this course at QMU.

You will have the chance to upload supporting documents as part of your application. This is an important part of the admissions process and without seeing supporting documents, tutors will not have enough information to make a decision on your application.

The form allows you to save your application should you wish to complete it later.

Once complete you can submit your application to us and you will receive an automatic acknowledgement email confirming receipt of your application. You will also receive a QMU applicant ID number which you should keep a note of and quote in any correspondence to QMU.

Find your perfect course using our Course A-Z list

Alternatively if you know which course you'd like to apply for, you can apply using our online application form

Supporting documents

As part of your application you will need to submit to us:

• A copy of your degree certificate
• A copy of your academic transcripts
• One or two letters of reference, depending on the course. If you finished your degree within the last three years, we ask for an academic reference. References must be signed, dated and written on letter headed paper or sent directly from a professional email account. You can find more information on how to get references here.

If your documents are in any language other than English then they will need to be accompanied by a formal certified translation into English, by either the awarding institution or a sworn translator.

Students whose first language is not English are required to provide us with proof of their English language ability. More information on how to do this can be found on our English language requirements page.

If you have not yet graduated and don’t have your degree certificate, this can be sent to us at a later date.

Interviews

Some of our courses require interviews as part of the selection process. If your course requires an interview it will be noted on the course page and if successfully chosen we will contact you by email with further instructions and information. Where applicants are unable to attend an interview on campus, it may be possible to arrange a telephone or skype interview.

Deadlines

A number of our most popular courses have set a closing deadline for applications. Where a deadline has been set this will be detailed on the individual course page.

Decisions

You should expect a decision on your application within four weeks of submitting a fully completed application with supporting documents. Where programmes have set closing dates with an equal consideration deadline, decisions will be notified within four weeks of the closing date.