Master of Contemporary Art

Important! Please make sure you have read the How to Apply information for this course prior to reading the interview requirements below.

Interview dates

2027 Start Year Intake

International applicants:

Main round - Interviews will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of June.

Late round - Interviews will take place in November.

Domestic applicants:

Main round - Interviews will take place in November.

Interview requirements

Applicants will be required to attend an online interview via Zoom Web Conferencing to discuss their application and portfolio.

The interview will run for approximately 30 minutes.

At your interview, you may be asked about your:

  • Motivation for undertaking the course; and
  • Knowledge of, and engagement with contemporary art; and
  • Involvement with arts industries and communities; and
  • Use of materials in recent work; and
  • Ambitions for developing new work during the course; and
  • Academic achievements, professional experience, and examples of collaborative arts activities.

Please note that if you have also applied for the Master of Fine Arts (Visual Art),  you will be interviewed for both at the same interview. You must submit a separate application for both courses.

The University of Melbourne and the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all participants, regardless of their physical, sensory, cognitive, or psychological abilities. You will be asked if you have any accessibility requirements for the interview during the interview booking stage.

How will I be assessed?

Written Proposal

Applicants’ written proposal will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Quality of the conceptual framework for the proposed study
  • Feasibility of the written proposal aims and objectives, including the proposal’s logistics and occupational and safety requirements
  • Understanding of how their visual art practice is connected to contemporary art practice and theory

Portfolio

Applicants’ portfolio will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Alignment of work to the written proposal
  • Level of technical and conceptual ability in the production of artworks
  • Experience in exhibitions and industry recognition
  • Self-criticality and self-awareness

Interview (shortlisted applicants only)

Applicants’ interview will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Motivation for undertaking the course
  • Depth and quality of knowledge of, and engagement with contemporary art
  • Involvement with arts industries and communities
  • Articulation of their own practice and aspiration
  • Ability to communicate technical and creative ideas
  • Knowledge about own practice, its context, and histories

Please note that all applicants will be ranked based on the above criteria, up to the capacity of places within the course.