Programme Overview 

The Fine Art and Design (FAAD) programme aims at students who seek to develop an independent and original creative practice in the field of fine art or design. The programme curriculum places an emphasis on facilitating creative experiments and collaboration, while also sustaining self-reflection and critical scrutiny in a caring and responsive setting. Further emphasis is placed on students' ability to conduct research based on their practice and for the purposes of their practice.

The FAAD programme encourages a broad range of experimental, interdisciplinary, and collaborative approaches to art and design making in a total of 16 studios led by experienced tutors active in the contemporary art and design scene. On top of that, students can apply to practice in a studio led by an internationally renowned visiting artist. Studio-based practice is complemented by lectures and seminars in which FAAD programme students with diverse media practices and creative approaches are brought together to examine how their practices operate across different cultural, social, and intellectual contexts in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment. 

The aim of the programme is to equip students with competencies that would allow them to produce individual and collaborative work that is innovative, critical, and engaged in contemporary fine art and design debates. Graduates of the programme are able to take up a career as independently practicing artists or designers or as part of creative teams and interdisciplinary collectives. They are also well-suited for pursuing PhD programmes in the fields of fine art, design, and related disciplines.

The Faculty of Fine Arts makes effort to integrate students with special needs in studies.

Structure & Curriculum

FAAD is a postgraduate programme in English offered in a full-time mode which runs for four semesters over two academic years. The programme is credited at 120 ECTS credits. Students are expected to commit seminars, workshops, and independent study.

The FAAD programme is completed with the Final State Examination consisting of two, separately assessed parts: 1. the defence of the Research Paper and the presentation, and 2. defence of the Diploma Project. On successfully completing the programme, students gain an internationally recognized master's degree (MgA., Magister Artis), which is Level 7 under the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.

The FAAD programme curriculum consists of studio practice, lectures and seminars that develop and strengthen students' capabilities of critical thinking and contextualization, and elective courses aimed at expanding their knowledge of specific topics and developing specialist skills.

Core Courses

First Year		Second Year
Autumn Semester	Spring Semester	Autumn Semester	Spring Semester
Studio Practice 1	Studio Practice 2	Studio Practice 3	Diploma Project Seminar
Critical Practice 1	Critical Practice 2	Critical Practice 3
Art After 2000 1	Art After 2000 2
Contemporary Art in Local Contexts 1	Contemporary Art in Local Contexts 2
Research Through Art and Design 1	Research Through Art and Design 2	Research Paper Seminar 1	Research Paper Seminar 2

Studio Practice

Students in the FAAD programme make use of their own studio facilitated by a FAAD studio tutor. In their home studio, students gather for regular meetings and use it for some of their lectures, workshops and seminars. The FAAD studio provides them with space to test and take up their creative projects, as well as to study, relax and meet each other. In addition to their permanent base in the FAAD studio, students receive support in one of the sixteen FFA specialist studios or in the Visiting Artist`s Studio. At the beginning of each semester, students are assigned to a supervisor in one of the studios based on an initial consultation, during which a preliminary plan of activities and participation in the studio is agreed upon. Alternatively, they can apply to take part in the Visiting Artist's Studio led by a different internationally renowned artist or designer each semester. Under the guidance of their supervisor, students acquire theoretical knowledge and practical skills concerning material processes and technological procedures in the field designated by the specialization of the studio and address creative and critical concerns of their art or design practice during one-to one-tutorials. On top of that, they are welcome to attend studio meetings, workshops and field trips, as well as to use the studio space and equipment for their work.

The progress of students' work is monitored and assessed in FAAD studio group crits, one-to-one tutorials with supervising tutors and during mid-term critiques and end-of-semester projects' presentations and assessments. After the mid-term critiques, students decide whether they want to complete and present their semester project in their home FAAD studio or in the studio they are assigned to for that semester. At the end of the semester, students can either renegotiate their stay or choose to pursue their practice under a supervision of another studio's tutor.

Contemporary Art in Local Contexts

The course introduces students to the local art networks and encourages their participation in them. By way of sessions with invited speakers, visits to art events, and field trips to museums and galleries, students learn about how art institutions operate and examine structures that sustain them. Students familiarize themselves with life at the faculty and get acquainted with the art scene in Brno and beyond.

Art After 2000

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the topics, tendencies, and approaches that have had a significant place in contemporary art over the last quarter of a century. Knowledge of current art practices and themes that have resonated in major exhibition institutions should help students to critically articulate their own position and creative direction.

Critical Practice

The course provides a critical but caring and responsive platform for collective discussions, experiments, and sharing of experiences. Students learn how to critically reflect on their art or design work and on the work of others. Students examine creative practices in relation to their complex histories and their currency in wider social and cultural processes. They engage with what it means to be a creative practitioner today and how creative works and ideas are understood in and across different cultural, social, and intellectual contexts. Seminars are facilitated by experienced tutors who respond to the needs and concerns of the participants and ensure the in-depth critical analysis of examined topics.

Research Through Art and Design

The course familiarizes students with the historical roots, institutionalization, and current developments of artistic research, instigates discussion about the production of knowledge in fine art and design, and explores new avenues that research through art and design opens for creative practitioners. Students develop and advance their ability to recognize and build on research aspects of their creative work. They learn how to formulate research questions, choose appropriate methods, interpret results, and articulate research contribution of their creative practice.

Research Paper Seminar

The aim of the course is to support students during the process of writing of their Research Paper. The course consists of seminars, workshops, and individual tutorials assisting students with implementing a research plan on a relevant topic and writing a Research Paper based on that topic in keeping with required standards of academic writing. In seminars, students learn the basics of academic writing, examine challenges posed by writing about practice-based research, and practice their writing skills through individual and group assignments. Regular workshops facilitate the writing process through group feedback sessions and discussions about the obstacles that students encounter while writing. Individual tutorials with research paper supervisors focus on specific issues arising from individual research projects and take place based on individual needs of students and with a view to the completeness of their work.

Diploma Project Seminar

In the final semester of their study, students' work on the Diploma Project is facilitated by the Diploma Project seminar. Students present and discuss their work in progress in regular meetings with their Diploma Project supervisors who provide theoretical and practical assistance to students' working towards the successful completion, presentation, and defence of the Diploma Project.

Elective Courses

The FAAD study programme offers a wide range of elective courses in addition to the compulsory ones. These are divided into two groups – Workshops & Labs and Theory & Discourse. The first group of electives is designed to help students develop and master practical skills, techniques, and media. The second group includes courses aimed at expanding knowledge in contemporary art and design theory and related areas of the humanities.

Programme Timetable and Key Dates

Key academic year dates and timetables 2023/2024

Aims & Outcomes

Subject specific knowledge:

• High level of knowledge and understanding in the fields of art/design theory and history of art/design; ability to apply this knowledge in creative practice;
• Knowledge and understanding in the field of research through art/design; ability to articulate research concerns of creative practice;
• Knowledge and understanding in the fields of natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities relevant to specific concerns of creative practice; ability to deploy this knowledge for innovative objectives of creative practice;
• Understanding of what constitutes professional excellence in contemporary art/design; comprehensive understanding of the individual artistic and critical concerns of creative practice at a level of professional excellence;
• Well-informed insight into contemporary technologies of art/design making.

Subject specific skills:

• Ability to undertake independent practice, starting from finding and articulating a relevant topic, through determining project objectives and appropriate creative means and methods, to implementing a creative plan and creating the work of art/design;
• Ability to choose appropriate creative and technological solutions, ability to outsource work to specialists when appropriate;
• Ability to apply conceptual knowledge and critical reasoning for self-directed aims;
• Ability to subject the process of making of works of art/design, the ideas and concepts involved, and the works themselves to critical scrutiny;
• Ability to carry out independent research based on creative practice or for the purposes of creative practice; ability to communicate research outputs.

Transferable skills:

• Ability to present creative practice at a level of professional excellence (exhibitions at art galleries and museums of art, art competitions, public presentations, funding applications);
• Ability to discuss creative work competently; ability to take part in a debate on contemporary art/design at an expert level;
• Ability to work collectively, ability to assume different positions within a collective structure;
• Ability to defend creative practice as socially relevant;
• Willingness to expand knowledge, skills, and competencies.

Admissions

Applicants from diverse cultural backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Applicants to the FAAD postgraduate programme are expected to hold a first degree in fine art or design or to evidence an established fine art or design practice sufficient to qualify them for entry. Applicants must show through their portfolio and personal statement, that they are able to produce innovative work appropriate to the complexity of concerns within contemporary fine art or design and to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the creative and critical context of their work. Applicants are selected according to their current and potential ability to develop and contextualize an independent and innovative practice in the field of contemporary fine art/design.

Applicants whose first language is not English should demonstrate good command of English by presenting an English certificate: CERF level B2 (or IELTS 5.5–6.5, FCE, TEFL iBT 87–109, TOEFL CBT 227–269 a TOEFL PBT 567–636).

E-application

The e-application must include following attachments (submitted via e-application form):

1. A brief CV (PDF/DOC);
2. A personal statement (cover letter) describing the motivations for the applicant’s interest for studying at FFA BUT. It can include an assessment of past interests and study experience (PDF/DOC);
3. A portfolio of applicant’s work which shows a high standard and range of applicant’s artistic/design practice (PDF/ZIP, max. size 100 MB);
4. A scan (a photocopy, JPG/PDF/ZIP) of a document that confirms English language proficiency at the level of at least B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). This is not required when English is applicant’s first language – this should be clearly stated in the CV;
5. A scan (a photocopy, JPG/PDF/ZIP) of diploma or other document confirming that an applicant received a higher-education degree. Applicants who obtained a higher education degree in Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, or Slovenia shall submit a certified copy of their diploma. Applicants who have obtained a decision about the recognition of foreign higher education in the Czech Republic shall submit a copy of the relevant document. All other applicants submit a certified copy of their diploma or other certificate of higher education and apply for the assessment of foreign education. The fee for the assessment of foreign education within the admission procedure for the academic year 2024/2025 is set at 750 CZK / €32. The bank details, including the variable symbol, can be found on the BUT website after the application for the assessment of foreign education is submitted.

The admission exam consists of two parts: a portfolio assessment and an interview. The portfolio assessment is held without the presence of the applicant. The evaluation criteria are primarily the quality of the documented practice with the emphasis on the most recent works. The committee considers the structure of the portfolio, the complexity of the documented work, the ability of the presented practice to respond to the specific fine art/design histories and contemporary fine art/design context, and the applicants' ability to contextualize their work in the personal statement and portfolio text. The maximum number of points for this part is 20 points. The minimum number of points required to pass the first part of the admission exam is 10 points. Invitation for the second part of the entrance examination is sent to applicants at least 7 days before the event to the e-mail address provided in the application. The interview is conducted online in English. During the interview the committee assesses applicant's general orientation in the field of study (max. 10 points), motivation for study and ability to discuss a specific issue related to the applicants’ area of interest (max. 10 points) and English language proficiency (max. 5 points). The minimum number of points required to pass the second part of the admission exam is 15 points. The final ranking of applicants after the second part of the admission exam is determined by the sum of the points obtained in both parts of the admission exam. Applicants are admitted to study on the basis of successful completion of the entrance exam in the order determined by their point evaluation until the maximum capacity limit of the programme is reached. If more than one applicant is ranked last with the same number of points, all such applicants shall be admitted to study. Applicants receive the dean’s decision on admission to study within 30 days of verifying that all the conditions of the admission procedure were met. It is possible to make an appeal against the decision within 30 days of the notification.

Submit E-application

Key Dates

• 15 March 2024 – application deadline
• 27 March 2024 – portfolio assessment (without the presence of the applicants)
• 11 April 2024 – interview conducted remotely via video conferencing
• within 30 days – announcement of results

Enrollment

The enrollment instruction will be written in the Decision on admission to study.

Accommodation

Students can apply for accommodation in BUT dormitories. The online request for the academic year 2024/2025 will be open from April 2024. Students who have to apply for a visa are strongly encouraged to arrange for their accommodation well in advance.

Visa Process

More info: www.vut.cz/en/life/guide/visa/long-term.

Fees & Funding

Studying at the Faculty of Fine Arts can fit your budget: from the possibility of scholarships towards tuition fees to the low cost-of-living in Brno and affordable, reliable public transportation, we aim to make sure that cost is not a factor in your decision to attend. The Fine Art and Design programme tuition fee is set at €3,500 per academic year. The application fee for the academic year 2024/2025 is €30. Applicants who were provided temporary protection in the Czech Republic for citizens of Ukraine fleeing the armed conflict will be exempted from paying application fees. 

The cost of living is low in the Czech Republic compared to most Western countries, and students are able to live comfortably without spending large sums. The average living costs (accommodation, food, pocket money) of a student in Brno are estimated to be about €500 per month. The accommodation scholarship at BUT is 550 CZK (€20) per month.

Futher Information

Do you have any questions? Contact the study programme coordinator (Lenka Veselá) or programme administrator (Ján Podracký).

About the Faculty of Fine Arts

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The Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) is a part of Brno University of Technology. FFA resides in historical buildings of Brno's former German Technical University at 53 Údolní Street, close to the city centre.

FFA covers a diverse range of current approaches to contemporary art and design. The field of design is represented by the Graphic Design Studios 1 and 2 and the Product Design Studio. The field of intermedia and digital arts is represented by the Environment Studio, Performance Studio, Video Studio, Intermedia Studio, Photography Studio, Game Media Studio, and the Body Design Studio. The field of fine art is represented by the Sculpture Studio and Spatial Design Studio, Painting Studios 1, 2, and 3, and the Drawing and Printmaking Studio. Additionally, there is a studio led by a visiting artist, established in 2019. FFA studio tutors are notable artists, designers, and theoreticians active in the contemporary art scene who base their teaching methodology on their own artistic experience. Studio teaching is complemented by theoretical lectures on art history, aesthetics, philosophy, sociology, and a series of elective courses based on the needs of the studios. Lecturers at the Department of Art History and Theory are renowned Czech curators, art, design, and architecture historians and theorists. Tasks related to practical education and technology are supported by the Department of Audiovisual Technology, the Department of Design, the Department of Traditional Media, and the Department of 3D Technology which also includes the 3D Studio, established in 2007 as the first of its kind in the Czech Republic.

Thanks to cooperation with art galleries and the curatorial and organizational practices of academics, alumni, and current students, FFA offers numerous occasions for exhibitions and public presentations of students' work. Regular presentations of student' works enable public confrontation and networking with gallerists, curators, and collectors alike. Significant support is provided by the FFA Gallery, a lively communication space for the emerging and youngest generation of artists and curators. It is also something of an experimental laboratory of open dialog between the academia and the public.

In accordance with its mission, the faculty ranks among the country's top centres of education, independent knowledge, and creative activity. FFA plays an important role in the artistic, research, cultural, social, and economic development of society, providing access to higher education while respecting democratic principles. FFA preserves and expands human knowledge and performs artistic research, development, innovation, and other creative activities. As part of BUT, FFA is part of a Higher Educational Institution (HEI) that develops artistic talents of its students and links art education and artistic practice to research as a unique way of exploring the world and cultivating society. It does so through the creative work of its staff, students, and alumni who are active in the arts, design, and research sectors. The aim of FFA is to equip students with competencies that would allow them to take up careers as independently practicing artists or designers or as part of creative teams and interdisciplinary collectives, producing individual and collaborative work that is innovative, critical, and engaged.

Academic freedom is the traditional value from which FFA derives the principles of its activities. This value is associated in particular with institutional autonomy, political independence, freedom of thought, the right to present and defend opinions, the defence of equal opportunities, active participation in self-government, and the development of the principles of democracy. In collaboration with other art and educational institutions and other partners, the faculty creates space for public debate and contributes significantly to the openness, criticality, expertise, and sophistication of that debate. Aware of its position and role in society, FFA emphasizes ethical behaviour of its academic community, as well as all its employees.

Studying in Brno

Brno is a safe and awesome city popular among students. According to the Global Peace Index 2021, the Czech Republic ranks among TOP 10 safest countries worldwide. This also applies to Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic and an important centre of higher education. Brno is a home to 13 universities, 33 faculties, and over 80,000 university students. This means out of 380,000 people living in Brno, one in five is a student. According to the highly regarded Quacquarelli Symonds Universities Rankings, Brno is the 6th most popular student city in the world. Students appreciate its multicultural environment with a large and friendly international student community, as well as varied leisure-time options, including a vivid nightlife. Affordability and ease of getting around also contribute to Brno's popularity among students. Most of the attractions, from sights to theatres and cafes, are within a 15-minute walk from the city centre.

Brno has a vibrant cultural life, with various museums, theatres, and galleries located in the city. The Moravian Gallery in Brno is the second-largest art museum in the Czech Republic presenting works, trends, and history of traditional fine arts, applied arts, graphic design, photography, and architecture. The Moravian Gallery manages five locations, all in architecturally and historically significant buildings. Since 1963, it organizes the International Biennial of Graphic Design. If you’re interested in Central European art from the 20th and 21st centuries, you’ll enjoy the private Fait Gallery supporting contemporary artists from the region. At the Brno House of Arts, artists, including the youngest ones, can not only exhibit their works, but also build and strengthen their network of international contacts through its work and stay exchange programme. The city supports young and emerging artists and promotes contemporary art by offering exhibition spaces across the city centre under the name of TIC Galleries. Additionally, there are smaller artist-led and experimental spaces and initiatives located in the city, ensuring further opportunities for an upcoming generation of artists and designers living and working in Brno.

Brno is renowned for its modernist heritage in architecture and technology. Between the wars, Brno was a major centre of the Functionalist movement in architecture. Outstanding examples of modernist architecture such as Mies van der Rohe's landmark Tugendhat Villa (listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites) are attracting visitors from around the world.

Brno is also exceptionally well located to visit other centres of cultural life; it only takes two hours to travel to Austria’s capital Vienna, and under 3 hours on the bus or the train to reach Prague.

www.study-in-brno.cz

Students with Special Needs in Studies

In cooperation with the Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI), the faculty provides support to students with special educational needs. Special educational needs mean special needs on the grounds of:

• Specific learning disorders (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dysorthography, etc.);
• Disability (visual, hearing, or locomotive impairment);
• Autism spectrum disorders (e.g., Asperger syndrome);
• Mental disease;
• Long-term somatic disease.

Support in studies means adapting the study conditions by FFA and/or making the support services of the Institute of Lifelong Learning available for students. Information on the support services provided by the LLI is available on the website of the Alfons Counselling Centre. Barrier-free access is not possible at the Faculty of Fine Arts right now.

www.favu.vut.cz/en/international/special-needs

Study Regulations

• The Statute (PDF)
• Study and Examination Rules (PDF)
• Scholarship Rules (PDF)
• Disciplinary Rules for Students (PDF)

Attachments