An innovative program, unique in Canada, is underscoring the need for highly trained professionals in the arts to provide focused solutions to pressing social and cultural issues.
The Faculty of Fine Arts is launching a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Fine Arts Multidisciplinary. Students in this one-year, course-based program will critically engage with a range of creative arts practices and learn how they inform and intersect with one another.
The advanced degree allows students to theorize and reflect upon their own and others’ creative practices, understanding how cultural, social and aesthetic contexts shape artistic expression.
The Multidisciplinary MA in Fine Arts is a research-intensive degree culminating with a capstone project. Graduates will be prepared for careers in the arts and culture sectors, as well as further education and research work.
Dr. Bryn Hughes, Faculty of Fine Arts Associate Dean, says the program’s shared emphases on praxis — the integration of theory and creative practice — professionalization and advanced research empowers students to develop leading expertise in critical analysis, creative thinking and adaptability.
“This program provides an opportunity for creative professionals and working artists to enhance their practice by working across arts disciplines and integrating advanced research, writing, communication and critical analysis skills,” says Hughes. “Students will build research, analytic and professional skills that support their careers, expand their cultural impact and, for those interested in further study, provide an exceptional foundation for doctoral research.”
For early career professionals in the arts, the new program is an ideal stepping stone in furthering their careers in leadership, innovation and collaboration.
Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Dr. Jennifer Copeland, says the skills developed in the Multidisciplinary MA in Fine Arts program are central to ULethbridge’s liberal education tradition.
“The new course-based MA reflects ULethbridge’s commitment to flexible, innovative and accessible graduate programs. By providing advanced education that brings together perspectives from across disciplines, the program will prepare professionals to navigate and contribute to an increasingly complex and interconnected world.”
Students in the program will explore how different creative arts disciplines can inform and strengthen one another, giving them the opportunity to deepen their practice by engaging with approaches from other fields.
“A multidisciplinary approach allows students to draw on perspectives from across the arts and beyond while maintaining the distinct strengths of each field,” Hughes adds. “By bringing different artistic perspectives into their studies, the program encourages students to make new connections, explore creatively and develop a deeper understanding of their own practice.”
Applications for the Master of Arts in Fine Arts Multidisciplinary are open now and will close on January 15, 2027. Interested students are encouraged to learn more about the program and apply at https://www.ulethbridge.ca/fine-arts/ma-fine-arts-multidisciplinary.