A one year programme (or two yrs PT) for creative practitioners/recent graduates wanting enhance their theoretical and practical skills when working with communities.

This MA will allow students to graduate with a better understanding of how artists (visual artists, musicians, theatre practitioners or any other other creatives) apply their work within communities, or engage with domains such as charities, healthcare, social welfare, education and criminal justice. This course focuses on both the conceptual but also the practical and enterprise skills to develop a sustainable career in their chosen field.

The combination of modules on this MA makes it unique in Scotland. The flexible study options and diverse curriculum make it particularly suitable if you are already working in the sector or wish to do so while studying. The PgCert consists of nine months of study, and the full MA programme may be studied in one year full-time or up to seven years on a part-time basis

The unique focus of this course is on the *practice* of working with communities in social contexts, and thus aims to ensure students gain knowledge in real time contexts alongside communities and organisations alongside theoretical considerations. Industry-based learning opportunities (ie ‘placements’) are available and the final dissertation of the MA would be a community-based project either in partnership with our local or national partners, or with a community of your choosing.

Taught (face-to-face) classes will take place only on Thursdays and Fridays during term time. When you are not in class, you are expected to spend time on independent learning/course work, including – where applicable – placement activity. The part-time route is more flexible, requiring approximately one day per week per semester of taught activity, and this pathway is stretched over two years.

Modules include: Fundraising, Development and Finance / Applied Arts: Theories and Histories / Social Practice: Working with People / Ethics and Engagement (“The Only Way is Ethics”) / Planning and Evaluating Cultural Projects / Practice as Research / Dissertation. Individual modules can be study stand alone as part of a CPD programme

Some funding may be available for the course from SAAS: please contact them directly: https://www.saas.gov.uk/index.htm. Hear stories about their graduates here: https://www.qmu.ac.uk/study-here/student-stories/guendalina-rota-pgcert-applied-arts-and-social-practice and https://www.qmu.ac.uk/study-here/student-stories/becca-young-ma-applied-arts-and-social-practice/

For further information, please contact Aschrag@qmu.ac.uk (Anthony Schrag) or visit https://www.qmu.ac.uk/study-here/postgraduate-study/2025/ma-applied-arts-and-social-practice/.