Joint Degrees with History of Art and Design

BA in History of Art and Fine Art
BA in History of Art and Design and Craft Design
BA in History of Art and Design and Fashion Design
BA in History of Art and Design and Textile Design
BA in History of Art and Design and Visual Communication

Joint courses are designed to appeal to the student who is equally strong in both theoretical and practical studies. These degree courses offer the student an opportunity to combine the History of Art, or the History of Art and Design, with a practical studio input in equal measure (50%/50%); such joint courses in History of Art and Design with practical studio art or design are unique in the State.

Course Description

After successfully completing First Year (Core), selected students can specialise in a Joint Course with either a Fine Art or a Design discipline.

Apart from the regular classes in Visual Culture taken by all students, Joint Course students additionally attend lectures and seminars for a half day a week.

Students of all three years of study take a special series of lectures and seminars covering the history of Irish art, design and material culture from the late 17th century to the present day. There are three modules per year with each module focusing on a different period. Every year there is a module focusing on Irish art or design up to 1900, a second module focusing on Irish art or design of the 20th century and a third module focusing on an aspect of contemporory art or design in Ireland. European comparisons are made where relevant.

Visits to sites of interest or lectures by distinguished visiting scholars are a feature of the teaching.

The Joint Course is taken in conjunction either with the regular course on late 19th and 20th century history and criticism of art taken by all Fine Art students, or in conjunction with the common lecture series and seminars related to studio specialisms on the history of art and design, from the Renaissance to the present, taken by all Design students.

In view of the heavy demands of both academic and studio areas, students need to be strongly motivated, well organised and able to sustain a diverse work load and meet both studio and history of art deadlines.

Career Prospects

The Joint Course aims to produce graduates in art and design history who are also artists or designers.

Joint Course graduates are trained to build careers where creativity can be coupled with research skills and knowledge. These may be in many diverse areas: theatre, film or television design or background research; education; arts administration; publishing, journalism, critical writing; work in museums and private galleries; or pure art and design historical research and lecturing.

Joint Course graduates of exceptional ability will be in a position to apply for postgraduate research degrees at the National College of Art and Design (or elsewhere). Graduates might also apply for the postgraduate teaching qualification (Higher Diploma in Art and Design Education).

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