Master’s programmes

Liverpool School of Art and Design is the oldest art school in England outside of London, opened in 1825. Since then, we have continued to deliver innovative world-class education and facilities for students, and have consistently been named as a top ten art school in the country.  

Alongside our undergraduate provision we offer a suite of master’s programmes that combine theoretical and practical education with industry-specific professional development opportunities, utilising extensive relationships with external regional, national and international organisations. Delivered by specialist teaching staff and internationally recognised visiting practitioners, leading interdisciplinary research informs the curricula of each programme to provide a unique student learning experience.  

Applications are invited until August 2022 for the following programmes beginning in September 2022: 

The Art in Science programme brings artists and scientists together to collaborate across disciplines. Art and science have often been seen as two different entities with very separate ideas of what constitutes research, but over the past 30 years, a hybrid form of research has emerged where artists and scientists are interested in the creative possibilities and speculative futures of the intersection of these two cultures. The programme cultivates specialist, transferable skills directed towards future vocational opportunities; and facilitates transdisciplinary learning opportunities that are not often available to those singly defined as ‘artists’ or “scientists”.  

The Exhibition Studies programme explores in practical and theoretical terms what constitutes an exhibition in the 21st century, stemming from exhibition histories and developments from the 19th century onwards. It considers the history and practice of exhibition culture, specifically the mediation of practice in a variety of contexts such as galleries, museums, periodic exhibitions, and expanded spaces for art. Realised alongside an ongoing critical analysis of pressing contemporary issues, the programme has working relationships with a number of regional and international organisations and the university’s own Exhibition Research Lab, enriching student learning and development for future career progression. 

The Fashion Innovation & Realisation programme provides exciting opportunities to collaborate and explore the boundaries of Fashion. The programme recruits students who are ready to challenge the fashion industry socially, culturally and politically forming individual project proposals which define existing practice and broaden its scope and ambition by addressing real-world issues which extend beyond graduation.  The Fashion programme facilitates discussions and interactions across disciplines that traditionally are studied in isolation in Higher Education. A sequence of self-initiated projects provides opportunities for advancements, critical creativity, and encourages students to produce research and practice that may have a real-world benefit to society. 

The Fine Art programme focuses on supporting students in developing their artistic practice, as a singular artistic voice. We grapple with key questions of art practice and its social and cultural contexts. Through a dynamic rhythm of experimenting, testing and presenting we unpack relationships between experience, ideas and artistic forms. We have strong links with local partners which include a residency in the first semester. Our students often work with visiting artists of our cultural partners. We have a rolling programme of visiting artists, curators and other art world figures to keep our students informed of current debates and practices. 

The Graphic Design & Illustration programme is centred on the exploration of the cultural spaces within and around the constantly evolving Graphic Design and Illustration industry. The programme has been specially designed to examine the individual relationship between research and practice, as well as the use of various craft, technology and production tools. Students will explore the role of independent visual practice within the context of an increasingly post-disciplinary profession, and decide where to locate this within the rich and complex network of visual cultures that go to make up the diverse creative communities of Liverpool, the UK and across the globe.

Further information about each programme (including application portals) can be found here.