On successful completion of a Fine Arts degree, a candidate may make application to undertake a further honours year. The course allows students to concentrate on developing a body of work usually of a speculative and individual nature. The emphasis is placed on a spirit of excellence and a strong sense of independent enquiry. Experimentation is encouraged and the candidate should have a strong commitment to the articulation of visual art theory in written, verbal and visual form, and its integration into art practice. This will take the form of a proposal which establishes the framework for assessment.
Candidates undertake a seminar program.
The series will vary slightly each year but is devoted to a study of contemporary theory, methodology and criticism of the visual arts. Candidates can normally expect to present one seminar paper of approximately 4,000 words within this program. A second seminar paper of approximately 2,500 words which considers the candidate's current work and its theoretical context will be presented in semester 2. These papers will then be presented as part of a candidate's examination submission. For studio based candidates, the Art Theory component occupies approximately one-fifth of the course.