Burren College of Art

[KRT]

Hi all, 

I have my main list of schools I am applying for this season. But still want to add a couple. I keep coming back to the Burren College of Art in Ireland. I like the student work and it seems like a fascinatingly secluded space. However, I am concerned about employment in the US after receiving an MFA from Burren. Does anyone have any insight on this or know of any alumni? 

Thank you!

[nongfuspring1]

What do you mean specifically by employment? If you're talking solely about how useful an MFA from Ireland is for finding a US job then probably not much different from a US MFA, though arguably an MFA in art won't help much for getting a job in any profession anyway (though many schools are eager to say otherwise).

If by employment you mean the development of an art career in the US then it's a bit more complicated. IMO the most useful thing about doing an MFA is the connections you make and the exposure you get during your studies. Unless a school is well connected internationally or has a global reputation, shifting countries immediately after study means you end up loosing a lot of the advantages an MFA will give you. I'm not familiar with Burren so I can't speak to your case, but I do know of graduates even from top schools like Goldsmiths, the RCA, Yale, etc., that left the country after graduating and had significant setbacks when it came to setting up networks in their respective countries in comparison to their classmates that stayed. 

[KRT]

Thanks for the reply. Good point about leaving the connections in Ireland. I was thinking about that also. I have looked at a couple of alumni CV's and it seems that the ones that stayed in Ireland were able to make connections. 

What I meant is the actual degree recognized by institutions in the US as an MFA ( equivalent to the US MFA)... 

[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  

[shim sham]

On 11/19/2015 at 8:34 AM, Burrem College of Art said:

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  

Just emailed you, Lisa! Excited to hear back!