The attached paper is a proposal from The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) for the introduction of the MLitt Art, Society and Culture commencing in September 2019.

The paper states that the ‘MLitt Art, Society and Culture (MASC) will address two gaps in postgraduate offerings at GSA:

1. Currently the school of Fine Art caters through its MFA and MLitt programmes for postgraduate students who are predominantly practice focussed fine artists or curators. The school at present does not offer postgraduate provision for students who strive to develop or maintain an academic base for their practices. MLitt Art, Society and Culture will fill this gap, aiming to attract a broad range and strong number of applicants. MASC students will be supported, but have significant amounts of self-directed time, opening up possibilities for finding balance between practice and scholarly activity.
2. GSA as well as SOFA currently lack a bespoke programme that invites students to engage in cultural studies and social critique as a base for their practices, and which sets out to recognise through its curriculum, the changing demographics and more globally integrated expectations of a growing number of contemporary students of art.
3. In offering a consciously global outlook on creative education and curriculum development, the programme directly addresses GSA’s internationalisation strategy’.

The programme proposal was approved by the GSA’s Executive Group on 1 May 2018. In the event that the programme proposal is approved in principle by Academic Standards Committee, it is the School of Fine Art’s intention to develop the approval documentation ready for consideration and approval by GSA’s UPC Programme Approval meeting in October 2018.

ASC is asked to consider and approve, in principle, the introduction of the MLitt Art, Society and Culture at GSA commencing in September 2019.

GSA.

None have been identified for the University.

Subject to ASC approval, the programme will commence in September 2019.

Equality considerations and equality impact assessment are embedded and mainstreamed at GSA. An Equality Impact Assessment is in progress, and there is ongoing consultation with the Head of Student Services. No discernible negative impacts on protected characteristic groups have been identified to date, but this will be monitored as the programme is further developed in course specifications and in the layout and planning for its space at Stow.