BFA Programme in Craft with Specialisation in Crafting Futures

The aim of the programme is to provide a foundational academic education within the field of Crafting Futures.

The BFA programme in Crafting Futures is a craft-led artistic education where students learn to develop a craft practice that bridges a variety of materials and media. By using the term craft-led the programme emphasise the way in which craftsmanship leads a knowledge creation that contributes to a broader discourse of contemporary artistic expressions and theories.

The programme is designed for those who want to develop artistic work focused on craftsmanship, material knowledge, and method. The courses within the programme are directed towards various artistic and social contexts where the approach is investigative, creative, and reflective. Emphasis is placed on how the choice of media, materials, and methods can position craft as co-creator of resilient ecologies.

With focus on the geographical position and rural identity of Campus Steneby, students form artistic methods that seek to preserve and develop local ecologies, places, and community environments – an educational effort that integrates place as a resource in artistic practice.

The students examine the foundational components of an artistic craft practice where recurring and established concepts will be challenged in relation to current norms within the field of Craft. This includes material choices, methods as well as expected artistic results.

Upon completion of the programme, students have developed the ability to work with artistic craft methods that apply tools, processes, methods, and theories in an investigative manner, taking into account and contributing to the creation of community-oriented resilience.

Students are prepared for a wide range of professional activities in the arts, including innovation, cultural heritage, conservation, community development, studio crafts, and public art.

The programme prepares for further studies at second cycle.

Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Craft with a Specialisation in Crafting Futures.

(Konstnärlig kandidatexamen i konsthantverk med inriktning Crafting Futures)

The programme is divided into courses that are specific to Crafting Futures, courses that are common to all BFA programmes at Campus Steneby, and programme courses that are elective within the department.

• Programme-specific courses totaling 97,5 credits, including a Bachelor's degree project of 30 credits
• Common courses totaling 67,5 credits
• Elective programme courses totaling 15 credits.

During the first semester, students are introduced to the subject of Crafting Futures. The common courses bring together students from different artistic subjects working with situated place and local material resources. Students practice 3D sketching and artistic processes through analog and digital materials where photography is included as a tool for communication. The history and theory course train students in academic reading, writing, information retrieval, and participation in student debates about future professional roles and societal challenges related to the subject as well as define, document, and analyse a site-specific ecology related to craft or design.

The programme-specific course focus on training techniques and methods, with an emphasis on artistic expression and investigative approach.

Students receive a comprehensive introduction to the programme-specific workshop and through craft-led assignments begin to develop a practice that encompasses multiple media and materials. Work focuses on decoding concepts established in artistic craft processes, challenging their possibilities and limitations with the aim to broaden the field through artistic practice. This work is complemented by study visits to places that relate to, and challenge these concepts.

Seasonal thematics as a pedagogical tool allow for ongoing material processes related to programme-specific courses when students are engaged in co-reading, further relating place as resource whilst training practical works and documentation techniques.

During the second semester, students receive an introduction to workshops specific to the other subject areas at Campus Steneby (Metal Art and Wood Oriented Furniture Design).

A common course on artistic processes and methods further develops skills in investigating, producing, and documenting artistic ideas. Historical and contemporary perspectives are further investigated in the second history and theory course, enabling students to work with future scenarios related to artistic craft practices.

In the programme-specific course the student continues their practical exploration through further questioning and defining of established concepts through the artistic craft practice. The seasonal thematic provides structure and continuity in the programme-specific learning throughout the semester.

During the third semester, students participate in a common course on exhibition methodology, which includes both physical and digital presentation formats, as well as the development of an artistic portfolio.

Students will take an elective course that is offered by the department and which complements their programme specific learning.

The programme-specific course emphasise awareness of the relationship to the world, contemporaneity, and history, with advanced training in relating craft practice to theory formation, materials, tools, and methods. Students explore how an investigative craft practice is shaped through the encounter between traditional and emerging practices, work that further enables speculative future scenarios.

During the fourth semester, students take a second elective course offered by the department.

In the programme-specific course, the work continues to define place as a resource and tool. With focus on Campus Steneby’s local surroundings and collaborative exercises, the concept of resilisent eologies will be contextualised and challenged with a focus on rural contexts. Skills from previous courses are applied and discussed through presented results. This semester serves as a further transition towards the independent work to be developed in the third year.

During the fifth semester, students apply their skills in societal and professional contexts with a strong focus on work experience and collaboration. Students choose whether to undertake an internship or take the course Design and Craft in a Sociocultural Environment. Students who choose internship, are offered support in establishing contacts with suitable practices and organisations through an existing collaboration with Mötesplats Steneby, as well as through contacts made during study visits in previous semesters. Both options aim to further contribute to the knowledge needed in the development of practical and theoretical skills required for the thesis work undertaken during the sixth semester. At the end of semester five, students will have developed a project description for a Bachelor's degree project.

During the sixth semester, students complete an in-depth artistic degree project within Crafting Futures. Students are also expected to present their degree project in a public context. Upon completion of the course, students are expected to hold the skills required for continued independent work within their professional artistic field.

About exchange studies

During semesters 3 and 4, the programme welcomes incoming exchange students.

In semester 4, students in the programme have the opportunity to participate in exchange studies after applying to one of the department's partner universities.

About elective programme courses within the department

Educational programmes offered at the department include compulsory elective programme courses. These courses aim to offer complementary education in artistic practices in addition to the programmes' subject specialisations. The range of elective courses provides opportunities for the student to broaden their knowledge and develop their skills and abilities. Within the elective courses, students meet across department subjects. Students apply for the elective courses based on an annual course offering.

The studies are divided into the following courses:

Year 1

Semester 1

Crafting Futures 1, 15 credits

Core Skills 1: Core Skills 1: Explorative Sketching and Documentation, 7,5 credits

Craft and Design: Histories and Futures 1, 7,5 credits

Semester 2

Crafting Futures 2, 15 credits

Core Skills 2: Artistic Processes and Methods, 7,5 credits

Craft and Design: Histories and Futures 2, 7,5 credits

Year 2

Semester 3

Crafting Futures 3, 15 credits

Core Skills 3: Meeting Publics, 7,5 credits

Elective course (department level course offering), 7,5 credits

Semester 4

Crafting Futures 4, 22,5 credits

Elective course (department level course offering), 7,5 credits

Year 3

Semester 5

Internship Course (elective at the programme level), 15 credits

Design and Craft in a Sociocultural Environment (elective at the programme level), 15 credits

Exploratory Preparation for Bachelor's Degree Project in Craft or Design, 15 credits

Semester 6

Bachelor's Degree Project in Craft with Specialisation in Crafting Futures, 30 credits

General outcomes for Degree of Bachelor in Fine Arts

According to Higher Education Ordinance (see SFS 1993:100, System of Qualifications, Annex 2):

For a Degree of Bachelor in Fine Arts the student shall

Knowledge and understanding

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the principal field (main field of study), including knowledge of the practical and theoretical foundation of the field, knowledge and experience of methods and processes in the field as well as specialised study within the field.

Competence and skills

• demonstrate the ability to describe, analyse and interpret design, techniques and content as well as to reflect critically on their artistic approach and that of others in the main field of study
• demonstrate the ability in the main field of study to create, realise and express their own ideas, identify, formulate and solve artistic and creative problems autonomously and to undertake artistic tasks within predetermined time frames
• demonstrate the ability to present and discuss their works and artistic issues in speech, writing or in other ways and in dialogue with different audiences, and
• demonstrate the competence and knowledge required to work autonomously in a professional capacity.

Judgement and approach

• demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant artistic, social and ethical issues demonstrate insight into the role of art in society, and
• demonstrate the ability to identify the need for further knowledge and ongoing learning.

Local Objectives

For a Degree of Bachelor in Fine Arts in Craft with Specialisation in Crafting Futures the student shall in addition be able to:

• make independent assessments within their own subject area in the development of resilient ecologies
• apply their own artistic practice linked to rural craft contexts
• develop an understanding of how a broadened implementation of materials and methods within the subject area can contribute to the continued development of artistic craft practices.

There are no special transitional provisions.

The language of instruction is English.

Materials and certain workshop costs are covered by the student.

The workshops provide basic techniques for a variety of materials. Beyond this, students may need to supply materials, tools, and equipment on their own.

Software and digital services not provided by the university are at the student's expense.

Additional costs for travel, study visits, and shipping may apply.

The study programme will be followed up and evaluated in accordance with the applicable Policy for the Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality Improvement of Education at the University of Gothenburg (Policy för kvalitetssäkring och kvalitetsutveckling av utbildning vid Göteborgs universitet).

A student who follows the programme at the normal pace is guaranteed admission. Guaranteed admission at University of Gothenburg consists of two kinds, it can be general or limited.

The programme applies a limited guaranteed admission to the elective programme courses, which means that it is not possible to guarantee admission according to the student’s ranking order of selected elective courses. However, the student is always guaranteed admission to one of the elective courses given at the department the current semester.