Master of Arts (Research) | Art, Design and Media

Our Strengths

• Our internationally renowned faculty members who combine theory and practice, preparing student artists to theorize their own experience in art, design and media.
• Dynamic hub where international scholars, thinkers, and artists share their experiences with graduate students through regular ADM Lecture Series, workshops, screenings, exhibitions, and Digital Humanities Research Cluster.
• Cutting-edge resources and facilities including ADM Library, research lounge for ADM graduate students, sound stage, motion-capture studio, 3D printing lab, movie theatres, dark room, print lab, digital sound lab, sound mixing studio, virtual reality (VR) studio, animation, and editing suites.
• Active graduate communities, such as Graduate Club and TGIF (Thoughtful Gathering and Insightful Friday), where students share their own research and thoughts.
• Interdisciplinary approach to embrace diverse disciplines at NTU while we stand at the centre of our core question on Art, Design and Media.
• Multicultural environment where diversity becomes a prerequisite for intellectual dialogues and creative collaborations for innovative thinking.

The admission requirements for the MA (Research) are as shown:

• A Bachelor's degree with minimum 2nd class honours upper or Honours (Distinction) or equivalent; in a field relevant to the proposed research topic from a recognized university;

• For applicants whose mother tongue is not English, a good IELTS score of at least 7.0 is required. This requirement is waived if applications have earned their bachelor's degree from a university where English is the medium of instruction;

• To demonstrate the ability to pursue research in the applicant's proposed field of advanced study, applicants should include with their application a 1,000 word research proposal; portfolio, if applicable; samples of academic writing; and a personal statement on why they intend to pursue the proposed area of study.

Option of Study

There are two options to complete the MA degree: thesis or art practice thesis:

Thesis Option

This option is mainly for students who are planning to continue their research at the doctoral level and wish to build a university teaching career in the areas of Art History, Media Studies, Cinema, Animation, Photography, Design, Game, Interactive Media, and Critical Cultural Studies. The M.A. requires only three courses to take so that students can devote more time for the chosen research topic while working intensively with individual members of the faculty. Students will produce a research work of 30,000 words written under the supervision of an advisor.

Art Practice Thesis Option

The M.A. Art Practice option is appropriate for students who want to apply theoretical inquiries to art practices in the form of film, animation, photography, design, interactive media, exhibitions/installations, and new art forms. Students are chosen for this option based on artistic potential and theoretical imagination. This option encourages innovative and experimental thinking to integrate an interdisciplinary approach to art practice driven by theoretical arguments and debates. The research will culminate in a thesis of 23,000 words with a practical artwork under the supervision of an advisor.

Required Coursework (for Master’s students admitted from August 2019 onwards)

MA (Research) students who are admitted into the programme from August 2019 onwards are required to pass 3 graduate courses (or earn 9 Academic Units) with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 within 12 months of the candidature. These comprise 1 core graduate course, and 2 elective courses, at least one of which must be taken within ADM, and the other from ADM or other Schools within NTU. Both electives should be relevant to the student’s thesis and approved by their respective supervisors.

The compulsory core graduate course is:

AP9049 Academic Research Methods for Art, Design and Media

With this course, the Graduate Programmes by Research ensure that all our candidates embark on their graduate studies with the requisite level of advanced knowledge and research competence to undertake research at graduate level.

Qualifying Exam and Thesis Examination

After fulfilling their coursework requirements, MA (Research) students are required to take a Qualifying Exam during the 12th or 13th month of their candidature. The key objectives of the Qualifying Exam are to ascertain that the thesis is a distinct addition to the knowledge in the chosen field and that the MA (Research) student possesses the level of competency required to proceed to the next stage of the candidature. MA (Research) students who pass the Qualifying Exam will continue with their candidature.

To graduate, MA (Research) students are required to submit their thesis for assessment by examiners from NTU (or other universities) by the end of their candidature.

Required Coursework (for Master’s students admitted prior to August 2019)

MA (Research) students who are admitted into the programme before August 2019 are required to pass 3 graduate courses (or earn 9 Academic Units) with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 within 12 months of the candidature. This comprises 2 core graduate courses and 1 elective course which can be taken at ADM or other Schools within NTU. They should be relevant to the student’s thesis and approved by their respective supervisors.

The two core graduate courses are:

• Graduate Seminar 1: Academic Research Skills (AP9031)
  This course is designed to introduce new students to the basic themes and methodologies associated with research at graduate level.
  
  
• Graduate Seminar 2: The Aesthetic (AP9019)
  The topic of the aesthetic is of prime value to students within the graduate program of ADM. In the first part of the course, a series of seminars introduces the history and practice of various traditions in the aesthetic. The second part is devoted to students' presentations, in which they are asked to develop their own aesthetic or investigate the aesthetic of a particular artist or art movement.
  
  

Qualifying Exam and Thesis Examination

After fulfilling their coursework requirements, MA (Research) students are required to take a Qualifying Exam during the 12th or 13th month of their candidature. The key objectives of the Qualifying Exam are to ascertain that the thesis is a distinct addition to the knowledge in the chosen field and that the MA (Research) student possesses the level of competency required to proceed to the next stage of the candidature. MA (Research) students who pass the Qualifying Exam will continue with their candidature.

To graduate, MA (Research) students are required to submit their thesis for assessment by examiners from NTU (or other universities) by the end of their candidature.

Length of Candidature

The MA (Research) can be pursued on a full-time or part-time basis. The minimum and maximum length of candidature are as shown:

Current students (Students admitted in AY2019 and before)

Prospective students (Students admitted from AY2020 and onwards)

The maximum course duration for Part-time Research programmes has been revised to be standardised with the equivalent Full-time Research programme.

Maximum Course Duration refers to the maximum candidature period of study, beyond which, students pay fees at unsubsidised rates.

Part-time Students to be admitted from AY2020 will pay fees at unsubsidised rates if they exceed the candidature period of 3 years for Masters as shown above.

Academic Calendar and Intake

Nanyang Technological University's academic year commences in August and ends in July the following year. ADM currently has one intake in August per academic year. The application deadline is shown below: