Master and objectives

Cycle 2 (Master’s Program)

Over the course of two years, the Master’s program allows students to develop and assert a distinctive and experimental artistic practice, to formulate original artistic and theoretical propositions, and to prepare for entry into professional worlds and/or the pursuit of research-based projects.

Students enter the Master’s program within a specific field of study (cursus), which serves as the backbone of their Master’s journey—a space where their practice is explored, built, and reflected upon.

The program is structured around one of three possible tracks:

• Specialized Track: a continuation and deepening of the initial Bachelor’s curriculum.
• Research Track: oriented toward preparation for doctoral studies (learn more: Research Master & PhD).

Throughout the two years, students shape their academic and artistic path by choosing elective artistic courses (CAC) and theoretical seminars. Artistic, theoretical, and technical instruction all contribute to enriching the student’s overall practice.

Professional internships and courses in professional practice prepare students for life beyond the school. The various projects they take part in help refine and personalize their individual journey.

As they progress, students sharpen their knowledge, gestures, and lines of inquiry, ultimately completing their artistic project with a final presentation before an artistic jury, alongside the submission and defense of their thesis.

By the end of the program, students will have acquired high-level theoretical, technical, and artistic skills. They will have demonstrated autonomy in their artistic work and will be capable of articulating the value and visibility of their production. They will have engaged with the realities of the professional world and developed a historical, theoretical, and critical awareness that allows them to situate their practice within the broader context of the art world.

In the first year of the Master’s program (M1), students choose an elective artistic course (CAC – Cours Artistique au Choix) that functions as a minor alongside their main field of study. This choice encourages cross-disciplinary exploration and fosters greater versatility across mediums and practices.

List of Elective Courses:

• Architecture / Studio
• Digital Arts / Multimedia Creation
• Color / Color Practice
• Sound Creation / Studio
• Book and Paper Design / Studio
• Urban Design
• Deconstruction / Moving Image
• Drawing / Studio
• Printmaking / Studio
• Painting / Studio
• Photography / Studio
• Sculpture / Studio
• Screen Printing / Studio
• Tapestry / Studio
• Collective Practices / “Récupérathèque”

In the Master’s program, each student selects a seminar to attend in both the first and second years. In the second year (M2), students may choose to continue with the seminar selected in the first year (M1), or opt for a new one, subject to availability. The seminar provides an opportunity to engage in a singular, collective theoretical research project on a given topic. Through a series of readings, including texts, images, writings by artists, or responses from viewers, and through presentations, intensive discussions, and questioning, students are encouraged to refine and specify their perspective, communication, oral presentations, and writing.

The distinctive feature of these seminars is their collective nature, where a group comes together to explore and reflect on specific issues collaboratively.

List of Seminars:

• Art and Architecture
• Contemporary Art Theory
• Performing Arts
• Philosophy / Perception and Interpretation of Space
• Anthropology of Art
• Literature / Contemporary
• Narrativity of the Image
• Philosophy / On Art
• Social Sciences / General
• Current Arts and Reflection on Art (in English)

At the end of their Master's program, students submit a thesis of at least 30 pages to complete their degree. The thesis is conceived as an "artist’s writing" in relation to the student's artistic creation. Drawing on the research conducted, particularly in seminars, the student utilizes the theoretical and historical knowledge, resources, and critical tools acquired throughout their studies.

During the first year of their Master's program, students take a methodology course focused on the thesis. This initial step in developing a singular research project prepares students to develop ideas for their thesis while involving them in the reading and writing of texts. At the end of the first year, students submit a proposed subject and a working note.

In the second year of the Master's program, students are supported by a thesis advisor, who is closely linked to the research undertaken by the student. The thesis advisor is a faculty member (either an artist or a theorist) from within the school. The goal of the artistic thesis lies in the development of original, high-quality writing. Students shape the form of the thesis to align with the content of their project. Additionally, students give an oral presentation of their thesis, known as the thesis defense. This defense takes place before the thesis advisor, an internal reader from the school (either an artist or a theorist), and an external reader (either an artist or a theorist) invited to participate.

Professional internships provide students with the opportunity to gain practical experience and immerse themselves in the professional world related to their field of study. They are an integral part of the Master's program for all students.

The academy is committed to creating connections between student life and professional life, whether through study partnerships or internships. These are extra-curricular learning activities that take place in Belgium or abroad, in cultural, industrial, or professional environments. Through these internships, students apply and confront the skills they have acquired with the realities of the professional artistic world in which the school is actively involved. Internships serve as preparation for integrating more effectively into professional life.

Students select and propose an internship location and project. This can involve any activity that complements the school’s curriculum, developing the student’s professional practice and allowing them to confront their acquired knowledge in real-world situations, promoting personal growth and autonomy, and providing new technical, artistic, and/or theoretical skills.

Proposals are validated by the workshop instructors, their assistants, or the teachers in charge of this task. Once approved and after the signing of an agreement outlining the legal and educational framework of the internship, the student engages in the internship and earns credits outside of the school. They are then evaluated both by their internship supervisor and their academic instructors, submitting a written internship report.

Any Master's student who wishes to and meets the necessary requirements can enhance their education through a semester-long study abroad program or an internship abroad. The school has an extensive network of partner institutions that allows students to enrich their training in an international setting.

The International Mobility Project is part of the M1 (Master's Year 1) program. Similarly, upon completing their Master's degree, students may choose to undertake an Erasmus internship for the following year. For more information, please refer to the International section.

This program offers reflective research training on artistic practice and design, specifically preparing students for access to doctoral studies in Art and Art Sciences.
The program is organized in collaboration with universities and benefits from the workshop infrastructure of ArBA-EsA.
It is a space for collaborative work and research between students, instructors, artists, theorists, and researchers.

The Master’s program with an advanced specialization consists of an artistic component — the student's practice — and a theoretical component, including courses, seminars, conferences, and the writing of a thesis. The artistic and theoretical research aspects are conducted together and presented as a cohesive whole during the final jury.

In the fields of design, research is often conducted in collaboration with research and development laboratories within both private and public companies.

In the field of art, an interaction is established between the artwork and theoretical reflection. This contributes to the development of artistic research, while the research itself generates new knowledge and understanding.

It is a two-year full-time academic program, with the possibility of concentrating the advanced specialization in the second year (M2).

In addition to the first year, which includes 60 credits, the second "advanced" year consists of:

• Artistic Work (30 credits)
  • Artistic Training: 20 credits
  • Final Thesis (Thesis – artistic component): 10 credits*
• Advanced Specialization (30 credits)
  • 5 credits to be chosen from a list of university courses that include an introduction to research methodology and scientific writing.
  • 10 credits from research seminars or advanced courses at the University or in collaboration with it.
  • 5 credits to be chosen from a list of courses or seminars organized by the Art Schools (EsA).
• Thesis – Advanced Component: 10 credits*

The artistic component and the advanced component together form the final thesis (20 credits). It is co-supervised by two advisors, one from the University and one from the Art School in which the student is enrolled.

Each program in the advanced specialization (30 credits) is validated by a joint commission from the University/Art School (the Art School in which the student is enrolled).

▶︎ More Information on Admissions to the Master's Program with an Advanced Specialization

Dirk Dehouck 
d.dehouck@arba-esa.be

Joint Teaching Program between the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of the City of Brussels and the University of Provence Aix-Marseille 1

The Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Brussels (ArBA-EsA) has been offering, starting from the 2011-2012 academic year, a Master's program with an advanced specialization in Fine Arts (Practice and Theory of Art) in European partnership with the Master's program in Arts, specializing in Fine Arts, “Research” track, from the Department of Fine Arts – Faculty of Letters, Arts, Communication, and Language Sciences at the University of Provence (UP).

It is an individualized program developed according to the student's artistic and theoretical work project. Its goal is to lead a high-level creation process in the field of visual arts, fine arts, and space, while providing training in reflective research on artistic practice and design, specifically aimed at preparing for doctoral studies in art and art sciences.
The program consists of an artistic component – the development and presentation of a work – and a theoretical component: courses, seminars, conferences, and the writing of a thesis.

The mobility of students from ArBA-EsA to the University of Provence takes place during the first semester of the second year (first term at ArBA-EsA).
The mobility of students from the University of Provence to ArBA-EsA occurs during the second term of the first year (second semester at the University of Provence).

Candidates for this joint program submit a research project (artistic creation and theoretical thesis) to the respective educational coordinators at their institution.
Students enrolled in M2 at ArBA-EsA submit their final thesis by the beginning of November of the following academic year at the latest.
Students enrolled in M2 at the University of Provence submit their final thesis by April 30th for the first examination session (defense before May 20th), or by May 31st for the second examination session (defense before June 30th).
The artistic creation work and the theoretical thesis are presented and defended simultaneously during the defense. A presentation of the work is held at the institution (school or university) where the defense takes place.

For students from ArBA-EsA, the partnership program is accessible to all students holding a bachelor's or master's degree in higher artistic education in the field of fine arts, visual arts, and space, or those who have completed one year of a master's program with transferable credits. It is also accessible to students with equivalent foreign qualifications, provided they have obtained equivalency for access to the required degree at each of the two contracting universities.

For students from the University of Provence, the partnership master's program is accessible to holders of a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from the University of Provence or from another French university.

Bruno Goosse
b.goosse@arba-esa.be