Advanced Diploma in Fine and Applied Arts
Culture and Arts - Visual Arts
Purpose and Rationale
Qualification: Advanced Diploma in Fine and Applied Arts
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to produce graduates who can contribute to South Africa's economy through the visual arts. Graduates will be equipped as Artists/Applied Artists/Crafts People who can impact society and the economy by engaging in entrepreneurial creative ventures. They will possess creative and artistic skills, visual and manual arts skills, creativity, research capabilities, and critical thinking. These skills prepare them for careers as artists or applied artists, contributing to arts, culture, and society. The inclusion of practice-based and theory-based research in this qualification also prepares learners for potential articulation into postgraduate programs, leading to contributions in the knowledge economy.
Rationale:
The Advanced Diploma in Fine and Applied Arts aims to deepen learners' knowledge in the fields of Fine Art and Textile Design and Technology. Learners can specialize in disciplines such as ceramics, fibre arts, glass, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and surface design. This qualification stands out by offering learners a unique opportunity to explore various disciplines not typically combined in other advanced diploma programs. It addresses the need for specialized skills in the creative industries by allowing learners to focus on a specific discipline while incorporating fine art, applied art, craft, or design approaches.
This qualification caters to learners seeking to enhance their skills and engage in original product development. It is designed to meet the demands of the creative industries sector by providing discipline-specific expertise and hands-on experience in various art forms. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers as Fine Artists, Applied Artists, Crafts Makers, Educators, or Product Developers in the formal or informal creative industries. The curriculum is aligned with industry needs, supporting the growth of small businesses in the arts and applied arts sectors.
Career Opportunities:
Upon completion of this qualification, learners can pursue various careers, including but not limited to:
- Designer in glass/ceramics/fibre
- Crafter in glass/ceramics/fibre
- Product Developer in glass/ceramics/fibre
- Painter
- Sculptor
- Installation Artist
- Printmaker
- Photographer
- Ceramist
- Fibre Artist
- Glass Artist
- Art Consultant
- Art Therapist
- Art Historian
- Art Critic
- Researcher in Arts
- Museum/Gallery Guide
- Gallery Owner
- Curator
- Illustrator
- Stylist
- Model Maker
Innovation and Employability:
This qualification encourages multi- and cross-disciplinary innovation within the various disciplines it encompasses. It aims to equip learners with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the creative industries by responding to market demands, trends, and socio-cultural contexts through their art. Graduates are primed for employment or independent work in diverse fine and applied arts fields, enhancing their employability and entrepreneurial capabilities.
Outcomes
- Demonstrate specialised knowledge and understanding of a range of methods, materials and techniques relating to the chosen discipline/s embedded in the qualification.
- Demonstrate an ability to conceptualise and create/develop art and applied art products.
- Demonstrate knowledge of key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories relating to the chosen discipline/s and the ability to apply this knowledge to complex practical and theoretical problem solving.
- Demonstrate the ability to gather, process, analyse, synthesise and contest information### develop and communicate ideas and arguments in an appropriately academic register### and show awareness of knowledge as contestable.
- Professionally engage with businesses and enterprises relating to the chosen discipline/s with a view to entrepreneurial innovation.
- Maintain a professional profile and standing in the industry on various platforms.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the importance of accountability and professional and ethical conduct relating to the chosen discipline/s as well as to academic integrity.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Demonstrated specialized knowledge and control of relevant methods, materials, and techniques through the conceptualization and production of fine or applied art products.
- Identified and explored the expressive potential of methods, materials, and techniques within the chosen discipline/s.
- Explored studio practice demonstrating specific disciplinary knowledge, originality, and competence in art making and design.
- Refined cross-disciplinary practices, showed innovation, and explored experimentation to generate new knowledge.
- Demonstrated the ability to position chosen practice/s within a relevant creative sector, industry context, or setting.
- Demonstrated technical and formal expertise in the selection of materials, processes, methods, finish, presentation in relation to the theme/content.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Demonstrated conceptual development of source material and iconography into an art/fine art product through creative experimentation.
- Produced art/applied art products independently suitable for the creative industries.
- Demonstrated original thought and judgment with a view to creating innovative, marketable products by applying appropriate techniques and technology.
- Displayed knowledge of contemporary issues and trends within an area of disciplinary specialization or creative sector.
- Translated and presented innovative ideas into finished art works showing evidence of an authentic approach.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Applied problem-solving skills to critically evaluate creative processes in studio practice.
- Demonstrated the ability to reflect and investigate when creative problems, questions, and challenges arise.
- Showed refinement of ideas and extensive experimentation for the further exploration of concept and process.
- Forged cross-disciplinary connections and explored a range of methods, materials, and techniques relating to the chosen idea and discipline/s.
- Demonstrated an awareness of the importance of safe working practices.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Demonstrated a deepened knowledge and understanding of theory and discourses relating to the fine/applied arts through structured theory-based assessments.
- Philosophically and critically appraised existing visual and applied arts practice and contextualized it in terms of postcolonial, post-African, feminist, and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) theoretical frameworks.
- Conducted assessments in the form of critical commentaries on current debates and discourses in the fields of fine/applied arts.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
- Planned, organized, and managed activities such as exhibitions, marketing, and advertising responsibly and effectively.
- Identified and documented entrepreneurial/small business opportunities and explored their educational and career potential.
- Demonstrated oral, curatorial, technical, and business skills, along with an understanding of professional practice, in assignments/projects/exhibitions within the area of fine/applied arts.
- Evaluated market trends, contemporary audiences, and existing merchandising to identify opportunities for self/employment within the fine/applied arts.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
- Successfully managed a professional profile on various platforms to enhance the learner's professional standing in the industry.
- Created a visual catalogue (digital or print) of the candidate's work to attract funding, commissions, clients, potential collaborators, or the support of a gallery.
- Presented a professional catalogue explaining the chosen theme and its relevance, discussing working processes, materials, techniques, and presentations in terms of their contribution to the overall intention and meaning of the work, and contextualization in relation to contemporary art and discourse.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
- Demonstrated ethical academic conduct regarding plagiarism and the development of original argument/s in a series of structured assessments.
- Showed awareness of the importance of accountability and professional and ethical conduct, a principled understanding of and engagement with industry, and awareness of the social and ecological impact of their choices.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Advanced Diploma
- NQF Level
- 07
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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