Practical experience in weekly studio workshops
Learn from professional practitioners
Industry studios for creating and showcasing
Why choose fine arts at Deakin
Realise your full potential as a creator with Deakin’s Master of Fine Arts. Built around studio practice, creative research and a major final project, this course helps you refine your creative voice and graduate with a standout portfolio.
Be supported by discipline experts in areas such as dance, theatre, new media, photography, visual arts or visual communication design. Build transferable skills valued across the creative industries, including imaginative thinking, problem solving, collaboration, adaptability and research capability. The multidisciplinary aspect of the course means you might study dance, choose an elective in film writing and combine them for your final project and create a dance film. Through industry-relevant projects, internship opportunities and access to professional facilities, you will gain practical experience to shape your creative career or pursue higher degree by research.
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Top-rated creative spaces
Study at the #1 Victorian university for facilities and resources, with TV broadcast, dance, drama, photography, visual arts and design studios.
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Multi-disciplinary approach
Build transferable skills and be supported by leading experts in areas such as dance, theatre, new media, photography, visual arts, or visual communication design.
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Graduate with a standout portfolio
Build an eye-catching portfolio and industry experience for roles in design, production and freelance practice.
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Build industry connections
Gain internship opportunities through strong partnerships and build networks with like-minded colleagues.
Connected to industry
Deakin’s strong industry connections help shape your learning. Build practical experience in real workplace contexts through work-integrated learning, mentoring and networking opportunities. Industry advisory boards also help shape our degrees, which means what you study is current, relevant and aligned to what your future employers need.
Deakin puts employability first
Career outcomes
Develop specialist creative skills for careers across design, multimedia production and creative leadership. You may build a professional portfolio and contribute to projects across the creative industries.
Creative director
Lead the creative vision for festivals and projects, shaping visuals, messaging and design while guiding creative teams, budgets and timelines from concept through delivery.
- $130k
Typical annual salary in Australia
- 9.7%
Projected job growth in 5 years
Digital designer
Create digital content using text, imagery, animation, video and sound. You may interpret briefs, develop concepts and produce engaging work for digital platforms, creative agencies or screen studios.
- $105k
Typical annual salary in Australia
- 1,173
Jobs advertised
Professional areas
- Creative arts management
- Video production
- Sound production
- Multimedia production
- Art production and curation
- Creative consulting
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 7 February 2027
FAQs
A Deakin postgraduate degree can help you advance your career, deepen your expertise in a specialist field, pivot into a new industry and stand out in a competitive job market. Every course is built with industry input and taught by academics who are active practitioners, so the skills you gain are immediately applicable. Postgraduate study at Deakin is also your chance to connect with leaders in your field and build a network of industry contacts who become valuable professional connections, giving you an advantage that goes well beyond the qualification itself.
Most Deakin postgraduate courses are fee-paying, but there are practical ways to manage the cost of study. You can defer fees with a FEE-HELP loan, repaid through the ATO once you earn above the income threshold. A number of courses have Commonwealth Supported Places where the government covers part of your tuition. Deakin scholarships recognise academic achievement, professional experience and financial need. If you've studied at Deakin before, you may be eligible for a 10% alumni discount. Recognition of prior learning can also reduce costs by crediting past study so you finish sooner.
Yes to all three. Most Deakin postgraduate degrees can be studied online, on campus or a blend of both, and you may be able to switch between full and part time at the start of each trimester to suit your life. If you want to move faster, select courses offer a one-year masters degree designed for working professionals. With three start dates each year for most courses – March, July and November – you don't have to wait long to begin.
The main differences are depth, duration and career outcomes. A graduate certificate is a short, focused qualification, typically six months full time, ideal for upskilling quickly in a specific area. A graduate diploma offers broader knowledge or supports a career change, usually one-year full time. A masters degree delivers advanced expertise and professional recognition, typically one to two years full time. You can also stack qualifications – complete a graduate certificate and use the credit towards a masters.
Each Deakin postgraduate course has a unique structure, check the course stucture section of the course page to see compulsory units, electives and any specialisation streams available. All courses are shaped by industry, so content reflects real challenges in your field. Many courses let you tailor your studies through elective units or specialisations, and some include a capstone project where you apply your learning to a genuine workplace problem.
Entry requirements vary by course, so check this tab on the course page for specific criteria. Most Deakin postgraduate courses require a relevant bachelor degree, though some may accept significant demonstrable work experience as an alternative. You may also be able to build eligibility through a graduate certificate or graduate diploma, which in many cases could count towards a masters degree.
Deakin postgraduate courses are built with industry input, so you're learning skills employers are actively looking for. Depending on your course, you may access work-integrated learning through placements, internships or industry projects with partners including Microsoft, KPMG, National Australia Bank and the Geelong Cats Football Club. DeakinTALENT, Deakin's career service, supports you throughout your studies and for life, helping you grow your network and connect with opportunities in your field.
Yes. Recognition of prior learning (RPL) may turn your previous study or work experience into course credit, reducing both your study time and tuition costs. For some masters degrees, you may be able to receive credit for up to two-thirds of the course, if eligible. Use the RPL calculator to get an indication of what you might receive, and note that prior learning must generally be within the last 10 years, although some courses have a shorter time limit. You can apply for RPL as part of your course application.
*Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. Learn more about our achievements on our University rankings page, or explore our sources page for supporting references.
What will I study in the Master of Fine Arts?
Combine core creative study, flexible electives and research-led project work, with room to shape the degree around your interests while building skills that translate across creative careers.
Build your creative foundation
Shape your creative direction
Begin with core creative study that sharpens your practice and helps you define the ideas and methods that matter most in your work.
Broaden your practice
Electives let you extend your strengths or build capability in a complementary area, so your learning stays focused without becoming narrow.
Develop research-ready capability
Learn how to investigate creative questions, connect theory with making, and prepare for more advanced independent project work in second year.
Research, refine and present
Develop a major creative project
Undertake substantial practice-led work that turns your ideas into a polished outcome, supported by critical reflection and a clear research framework.
Apply learning
Work on industry-relevant and collaborative projects that help you test your practice in authentic settings and strengthen your professional portfolio.
Graduate
Finish with advanced capabilities in creative problem solving, communication and collaboration that can travel across a wide range of creative roles.
Course structure
To complete the Master of Fine Arts, you must pass 8, 12 or 16 credit points. The number of credit points required may vary, depending on your entry point or how much credit you receive as recognition of prior learning (RPL) based on your professional experience and previous qualifications.
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Are you a current student? For course information that applies to the year you started your degree, visit the handbook.
All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements
Units
Choose 4 credit points of units from ONE specialisation/discipline within the Master of Arts (Writing and Literature), Master of Communication, Master of Film and Television or Master of Artificial Intelligence for Design and Creative Practice.
Electives are to be chosen from units within the specialisations/disciplines of the Master of Arts (Writing and Literature), Master of Communication, Master of Film and Television or Master of Artificial Intelligence for Design and Creative Practice.
Course electives may be used to form a specialisation/discipline by selecting 4 credit points from the ONE specialisation/discipline.
The internship unit ACC700 is also available.
Please Note: Course elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.
What to expect while studying
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.
Students will undertake 6 credit points of research units consisting of research methods, theory and research-based project units where they will be required to undertake practice-led research, and traditional research in one of the creative arts disciplines incorporating a Creative Research Thesis and a Creative Practice Research project consisting of a major creative production (16,000-word equivalent) AND a critical exegesis (4,000-words).
At Deakin, we're committed to ensuring an inclusive environment that supports all students to belong, thrive and succeed. We work closely with students, where needed, to identify potential barriers to participation and where possible, provide tailored support so students can engage with learning and assessment activities.
If you are neurodivergent, have a disability, health condition or mental health condition that may impact your study or participation in university life, and want to know how Deakin could support you, contact our Domestic students (opens in a new window) or International students (opens in a new window) or Disability Resource Centre (opens email client) teams for a collaborative and confidential discussion. This discussion is to support you to make plans for your studies and future career and will not have any bearing on your application to the course.
When can I start?
When you study depends on your course, location and available intakes. Check the table to see when you can start and how study is offered throughout the year.
Your course learning outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and capabilities you’ll develop and be able to demonstrate by the time you graduate. Built into your course through your units and assessments, they provide a clear picture of what you’ll be equipped to know, understand and do – preparing you to apply your learning with confidence beyond university.
| Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|
| Apply and extend specialist knowledge and technical and creative skills in creative arts practice in one or more disciplines or areas of creative arts including drama, dance, photography, visual arts, animation, film and television and design. |
| Use specialist creative arts technologies and skills including writing, movement, film, image, and voice to interpret and communicate complex ideas to a range of audiences in academic and non-academic contexts. Harness specialist creative arts technologies, skills, and discourse to communicate complex ideas to a range of audiences in academic and non-academic contexts. |
| Draw on, analyse, and assess digital technologies to produce, document, present, and publish in the creative arts. |
| Evaluate, interpret, and synthesise complex ideas within creative arts drawing on discourse and practice. |
| Address theoretical and methodological challenges in the creation of work that is discursive and reflective and engages in creative decision-making processes within the relevant field. |
| Develop systematic and episodic reflective approaches to creative work practices. |
| Apply advanced interpersonal and communication skills to participate effectively in the critical culture of production, completion, and presentation of creative arts projects. |
| Establish ethical approaches that interrogate the value of art and performance in diverse communities and cultures and transfer creative practice outcomes into real world contexts. |
Approved at Faculty Board November 2018
- Award granted
- Master of Fine Arts
- Year
2027 course information
- Deakin code
- A759
- Level
- Higher Degree Coursework (Masters and Doctorates)
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9
Fees
Estimated tuition fee
$25,000
for 1 yr full-time - Full-fee paying place
The estimated tuition fee above is based on a typical first-year full-time enrolment of 8 credit points and is provided as a guide only. Your tuition fees are determined by your course and unit enrolment. Your tuition fees will vary depending on your study load, the course duration, and any approved recognition of prior learning. You may also be eligible for a FEE-HELP loan to defer all or part of your tuition fees.
Save 10% as a Deakin alumni
We love welcoming Deakin alumni back to continue their journey with us. If you're starting a postgraduate award course, you may be eligible for a 10% discount on your enrolment fees, applied per unit. It's our way of supporting your next step.
Scholarships
We want to help you excel at Deakin. Our scholarships recognise your dedication and achievements, providing financial support that can ease the cost of living and studying. With less pressure, you'll have more freedom to focus on what matters most – your education and future success.
Applications for 2027 are open
Ready to take the next step? Apply now to start your journey at Deakin and get ready for what’s next.
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 7 February 2027
Apply now
Apply direct
Simply create an account in the Deakin Application Portal, enter your personal and educational details, upload your supporting documents and submit your application.
Recognition of prior learning
We value your previous study and experience. Recognition of prior learning enables you to get credit for what you've already achieved. When you apply, we'll consider your previous study and experience for recognition of prior learning.