Content and structure

Course content.

The Master’s Major in Fine Arts equips you for a versatile career as a professional artist. By engaging in self-reflexive, analytical, and conceptual thinking, you strengthen your artistic positioning. Additionally, you explore contemporary discourses in art, research, culture and society to develop your own practice. You continue your own artistic work in our studios and present it in a variety of public contexts. Participation in seminars, critiques and the ”Art Talks” event series, as well as exhibitions and excursions, are part of your full-time studies. 

In this programme, we understand the work of faculty and teaching assistants with students as a collaboration that combines artistic and theoretical work with discursive, critical practice. As part of an international student community, you experiment with different forms of collaboration, self-organization and knowledge production, such as participating in study groups. The exchange with a wide range of different guest lecturers gives you the opportunity to expand your network with artists and other people involved in the field of contemporary art.  

Course structure.

The curriculum consists of block weeks. You largely design it yourself according to your artistic interests and skills. You are supported on your individual development path while engaging with the community of fellow students, lecturers and guests.  

The practice module (Semester 1 to 4) forms the basis of your studies. Through close engagement with your own work and current social discourses, you advance both your artistic practice and ability to reflect and contextualize. You also explore questions related to exhibiting and making artwork public. Moreover, you expand your specialist knowledge and skills through a wide range of context modules (Semester 1 to 4). These modules teach contemporary art and research practices, artistic positions and discourses.  

As part of your diploma, you develop a discursive thesis and an artistic work for the degree exhibition. 

Skills acquired in the course.

  • Independent refinement, contextualization and presentation of your artistic practice 

  • Positioning of your own work in the artistic and cultural field 

  • Adept communication and presentation of your own artistic work in English 

  • Expansion of your own network with relevant international professionals 

  • Independent and/or joint work in transcultural, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaborations 

  • Knowledge of how to develop your own economic context 

  • Taking an independent role in the artistic and cultural field and/or commencing a possible academic career by undertaking a PhD 

Admissions requirements.

You are an artist and hold a Bachelor’s degree in fine arts or in a related field. You bring along first experience of exhibiting your work or other professional experience in the artistic and cultural field. You are interested in collaborating with (inter)national students, lecturers and guests and sharing knowledge and experience with them. Moreover, you are prepared to critically question your own artistic thinking and action. 

Further requirements: 

You bring along: 

  • The ability to reflect and contextualize 

  • Initiative and curiosity 

  • Independence 

Benefits of studying at ZHdK.

Our students decide to study in the Master’s Major in Fine Arts at ZHdK for the following reasons: 

  • The programme is distinguished by its breadth, with links to (inter)national artists, curators, art theorists and art critics who bring their expertise to their teaching. 

  • The students are internationally and culturally diverse. Artists from various disciplines work together. 

  • The tuition in English will enhance your language skills. 

  • Our practice-oriented major will provide you with opportunities to exhibit your work within and outside ZHdK. 

  • The major works closely with research and the PhD in Fine Arts programme at ZHdK. 

  • Our study programme promotes a broad understanding of artistic models of working that spans the field of tension between studio practice, self-organization, collaboration and knowledge production. 

  • Zurich is one of the most important artistic hotspots in the world, with renowned museums, galleries, art collections and a lively off-scene.