Burrem College of Art

Hi KRT, As both the Director of Admissions at the Burren College of Art and an American who completed both an MA and PhD in England, I can say that what a postgraduate degree from outside of the US gives you the advantage of is having an international experience in the arts and education which many employers find hugely valuable and unique in the States. The majority of our undergraduate Study Abroad and postgrad students are from the US and we have close partnerships with major institutions such as the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Maryland Institute College Art, San Francisco Art Institute and over 40 other colleges and universities. We have a thriving visiting artist program which brings professional artists and educators from all over the world to BCA to give presentations and also give independent advising sessions with our students. Our degrees are fully accredited through NUI Galway and are recognized as the equivalent of a US MFA. As you've learned, many of our alumni choose to stay in Ireland or Europe after graduating in addition to those who have returned to the US, and have developed fantastic connections internationally. The ability to be able to travel to Berlin, London or Venice in under 3 hours from Ireland allows for you to be able to attend major exhibitions or participate in events all over Europe, while having a base in the secluded west of Ireland. As an artist myself, this is what initially attracted me to studying in the UK and it's been incredibly rewarding in terms of connecting with a network of artists, festivals and arts organizations which extends across Europe and the US. Please feel free to get in touch with me directly at lisa@burrencollege.ie with any questions you might have. If you'd like to talk to any of our current postgrad students or alumni to hear about their experiences, I'm more than happy to get you in contact with them. Many thanks and I hope to hear from you soon - Lisa