University of York: Home of creative study

Creativity underpins most of the global economy. But applications of creativity are changing rapidly. To meet contemporary needs, an enquiry-based, relevant postgraduate education proves essential.

Creativity reaches beyond simply being innovative: graduates must be multi-skilled, flexible, and able to work, driven by curiosity and research as they strive to solve advanced interdisciplinary problems.

Courses at the University of York, UK, address global needs across the world’s creative professions and industries. As a member of UK’s prestigious Russell Group, York uses the latest research to grant you access to the most recent developments.

Here, you’ll work alongside staff who’ve been recognised for producing ‘internationally significant’ work in the UK research excellence framework (REF). Courses encompass the interdisciplinary mindset crucial to today’s world, frequently linking creative output to technology, enterprise and society.

Challenging real-world situations and problems feature strongly in all courses, as does the opportunity to develop innovative individual creative practice. York received TEF Gold status – the highest Teaching Excellence Framework award category, highlighting its commitment to providing an outstanding education.

Check out York’s Creative courses 

York is a unique, internationally-facing and research-intensive, also hosting a diverse, friendly and welcoming campus. York itself was recently declared the UK’s best place to live by The Sunday Times. It’s a beautiful, historical city, standing at the forefront of developments in the arts and technology. The city was recently named as a UNESCO City of Media Arts.

Create your own virtual reality in the Department of Theatre, Film and Television. Source: University of York

Creativity and innovation are important parts of York’s academic departments.

The Department of Archaeology at York encourages creative encounters with the past. Programmes use cutting-edge technology to explore human uses of material culture from the deep past of our primate ancestors, to punk rock graffiti.

Students are encouraged to create 3D reconstructions of ancient ruins, soundscapes that bring the past alive, and to sit around a fire, sharpening tools to make antler arrowheads. Courses are designed to adapt to student interests, with courses on Community Activism, Heritage Filmmaking, the Archaeology of Human Bones, Ancient Biomolecules, Digital Imaging, and more.

The Department of English and Related Literature has creativity at its heart. It offers taught Masters across all periods, from medieval to contemporary literature, specialising in small group teaching and individually-supervised dissertations.

The department is unique in its warm and welcoming character and in its global outlook, with staff and students hailing from all over the world. Graduate students have achieved literary distinction, publishing prize-winning fiction and poetry among other amazing feats.

Staff support creativity across and beyond the curriculum with a prestigious visiting writers programme, well-established Writer-in-Residence scheme, and brand new Printer-in-Residence at the department’s cutting-edge Thin Ice Press. It’s the first UK department to achieve a world-leading 4* research (REF 2014) and houses one of the largest postgraduate communities in English in the country.

The History of Art Department at York collaborates with museums and galleries, giving you access to collections and experts in the field while providing the experience you will need to fulfil your ambition.

You’ll be taught by scholars who’ve worked with some of the world’s finest art museums as curators of major exhibitions. Together, learn how to devise your own exhibitions and discover the rich cultural heritage of England’s north – from magnificent cathedrals and stunning country houses, to challenging modern sculpture and the latest forms of digital art.

The Department of Music at York hosts one of the largest and most vibrant postgraduate communities of any UK music department, as well as an extensive collection of Asian Musical instruments, two Concert Halls, Gamelan and Recording studios (with large-format SSL mix facilities).

Source: University of York

Turn your passion for music into a rewarding career! Specialise in one of many different areas, including Performance, Education, Production, Psychology, Composition and Musicology. You’ll be taught by world-leading researchers and be part of a passionate community in a leading department for teaching and research. You’ll leave equipped with rigorous practical, theoretical and analytical skills relevant for the creation, performance and production of many different forms of music.

The Department of Theatre, Film and Television (TFTV) at York is at the forefront of innovation, seamlessly blending the critical with the creative.

Staff work with industry professionals across all teaching and research to inspire and engage students. Courses are designed to prepare graduates for successful careers in theatre, film, television, app and web design, games and beyond, and all students benefit from York’s regular masterclasses.

Programmes combine technical skills and academic relevance, with students benefiting from industry-standard facilities that include two theatres, two television studios, sound stage, production labs and extensive post-production facilities. Together with the British Film Institute and Screen Yorkshire, the department has recently secured multi-million-pound funding to grow the screen economy in the region and boost its contribution to the UK’s creative sector.

“Founded on principles of excellence, equality and opportunity for all, the University of York opened in 1963 with just 230 students,” the institution concludes.

“Since then we have become one of the world’s leading universities, carving out a reputation as an academic powerhouse where a clear focus on excellence has secured national and international recognition alongside longer established institutions.”

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