MgA. Art in Context
Follow-up Master's programme in English
Art in Context is a full-time, credit-based study programme with a standard duration of study of 3 years. The programme's main base is in the Jan Zajíc Studio building in Prague's Letná, close to AVU's main campus.
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees apply to the Art in Context programme. The annual tuition fee is set at 6 000 euros (year 1 and 2) and 3 000 euros (year 3).
Credits
Over the course of the three-year programme, students must complete a minimum of 180 credits. Enrolment in the next year of study is conditional on passing all examinations and assessments required by the study plan. To graduate, students must, in the 3rd year, pass the state examination in the history of art and architecture and successfully defend their diploma thesis.
Each course carries a certain number of credits depending on its workload – the more hours a student spends on lectures, workshops, seminars, or independent preparation, the higher the credit value of the course.
Credits are only awarded for successfully completed courses – that is, when a student passes the course through an examination or an assessment (zápočet).
The recommended number of credits required to advance to the next grade level is 60 credits per grade level.
Study progress is reviewed on a yearly basis, prior to enrolment in the next year. Students can check their academic progress in the STAG information system or at the Office of Academic Affairs.
The core elements of the Master's programme's study plans are compulsory and compulsory-elective courses taught entirely in English; the Studio course holds a special position within the curriculum (see below).
Studio
The studies are conceived as an intensive dialogue between practice and theory, with an emphasis on developing key skills for collaborative practice.
An important feature of studio teaching consists of regular end-of-semester presentations of student work (shows called Winter Semester Works and Summer Semester Works). Final-year projects are presented in graduate exhibitions.
Monday to Wednesday are generally set aside for regular meetings with the programme’s tutors. The remaining days are devoted to theoretical teaching and other educational activities. Attendance at regular meetings and programme activities is mandatory. The studio space is available to students throughout the academic year and they may use it for their creative work.
Compulsory Courses
The majority of the credit requirements are covered by the ‘Studio’ and ‘Integrated Disciplines’ courses, which students enrol in repeatedly throughout their studies. The combination of studio practice and integrated disciplines focused on enhancing skills in collective practice forms the core of the programme. This is complemented by an emphasis on the relationship with theory, which is covered throughout the programme by the Reading Writing Practise seminars, as well as lectures and seminars on ‘Contemporary Art’ and Central and Eastern European Art of the 20th and 21st Centuries’. AVU also offers the opportunity to gain international experience through study abroad under the Erasmus+ programme.
Compulsory-elective Courses
Compulsory-elective courses primarily expand the programme with practical skills needed for artistic practice, such as painting, drawing, hybrid and digital technologies, graphic techniques, and others. By arrangement, students may also enrol in elective courses from across the Academy of Fine Arts' full offering, provided the language of instruction of the given course allows it.
Most compulsory-elective courses run over the course of two semesters. Students enrol in them in the winter semester and then continue in the same courses in the summer semester. This is reflected in the method of assessment: the course is typically concluded with an assessment in the winter semester, while at the end of the summer semester students take an examination.
Sample Study Pathway
The pathway outlined below is indicative only – students choose their compulsory-elective courses themselves, according to the current study plan and their own interests.
| Povinné předměty | kredity |
|---|---|
| Studio | 10+10 |
| Central and Eastern European Art 1945-1989 | 4+4 |
| Int. Disc. I: Diving into the Scene | 4+4 |
| Int. Disc. II: Workshop | 4+4 |
| Reading - Writing - Practice I | 4+4 |
| kredity spolu: 52 | |
| Povinně volitelné sk. 1 | kredity |
|---|---|
| Painting and Poetry | 2+2 |
| Guest Lectures | 2+2 |
| Computer graphic and motion design essentials | 2+2 |
| kredity dohromady: 12 | |
| Povinné předměty | kredity |
|---|---|
| Studio / Intership | 10+10 |
| Contemporary Art | 4+4 |
| Int. Disc. I: Diving into the Scene | 4+4 |
| Int. Disc. II: Workshop | 4+4 |
| Reading - Writing - Practice I | 4+4 |
| kredity dohromady: 52 | |
| Povinně volitelné sk. 1 | kredity |
|---|---|
| Metal- Basics of Working in the Workshop | 6 |
| Metal- Specialised Work in the Workshop | 6 |
| Reading Architecture Seminar | 3+3 |
| Skills module: modelling | 6+6 |
| kredity dohromady: 20 | |
| Povinné předměty | kredity |
|---|---|
| Studio | 10 |
| Studio Diploma Project | 30 |
| Reading-Writing_Practice II | 8 |
| State exam | 0 |
| Final State exam | 0 |
| kredity dohromady: 48 | |
Upon completion of their study requirements in the first year, students will be awarded 52 credits for compulsory courses, 62 credits in the second year, and 48 credits in the third year. This makes a total of 152 credits. The remainder up to the 180 credits required for successful completion of the degree must be obtained from compulsory-optional courses.
Studium
Students are enrolled by attending the enrollment session in person, during which their previous studies are reviewed (this does not apply to first-year students). The enrollment date is usually in early September and is listed in the Academic Year Schedule. Admitted applicants receive detailed information by e-mail – either to the address given on their application, or, for current students, to their school e-mail address.
Compulsory courses are registered automatically by the Study Department. You register for compulsory elective and elective courses yourself, following the instructions provided. Registration for compulsory elective and elective courses takes place before the start of semester teaching. For the winter semesterof the 2026/2027 academic year, the registration period is set for 29 September – 4 October 2026. Dates can be found in the Academic Year Schedule. Between 6 and 13 October 2026, students may request to drop or additionally add unsuitable or desired compulsory elective and elective courses, once the regular registration period has closed; however, this period is not intended for routine course registration and is subject to capacity limits (requests are submitted through the Study Department). The same procedure applies for the summer semester, in the period 25 January – 4 February 2027.
The 2026/2027 academic year begins on Thursday, 1 October 2026. While teaching of both theoretical and practical courses begins on Thursday, 1 October 2026, your studio's first session will take place on Tuesday, 6 October 2026. The summer semester then begins on 8 February 2027. We recommend regularly checking the updated schedule
What should I do if I cannot attend the enrollment session? Enrollment in the next year of study is conditional on passing all exams and credit requirements set out in the study plan. The recommended number of credits required to advance to the next grade is 60 credits per grade. Study progress is checked at the end of each year, before enrollment in the following year. Under the Study and Examination Regulations, a compulsory course cannot be re-enrolled in if failed, though students do have the option of a resit exam date. Failure to complete a compulsory module will result in termination of studies at the Academy of Fine Arts.Students are required to earn the number of credits set by the study plan for the group of compulsory elective courses. Elective courses may likewise be re-enrolled in if not completed successfully, and students have the option of a resit exam date.
If a student is unable to attend the scheduled enrollment session for the next year of study, they submit an electronic request to change the enrollment date through the STAG information system. The Study Department will contact the student and offer an alternative date. However, a request to change the enrollment date should only be submitted in serious, justified cases (for example, due to health problems, a stay abroad, etc.).
The study plan for the Art in Context programme can also be found on the page above. The course timetable for all study programmes is available on the AVU website. The study plan represents the recommended, i.e. ideal, path through the programme, but the actual course of study may vary individually. Please consult any changes with your programme leader or with the Study Department.
An individual study plan is available for students with specific needs (you may come across the abbreviation SSP, "students with specific needs"). Ensuring equal opportunities for students with specific needs is governed by Rector's Decree No. 7/2025.
First-year students receive the AVU student ID card at the formal matriculation ceremony. The card entitles students to enter the buildings and workspaces, as well as to a discount on meals at Klub AVU. On presentation, students are also entitled to free or discounted admission to galleries and museums. If a student loses or damages the card during their studies, a new one can be issued for a fee of CZK 200. In the case of theft (with confirmation from the Czech Police), reissue is free of charge.
AVU does not issue the ISIC card itself; it only confirms the application for one. Students arrange the ISIC card themselves through the official portal. It mainly entitles holders to discounts on fares and purchases. If a student already owns an ISIC card, they can request its validation on the basis of a confirmation of study.
All communication with AVU's departments and offices takes place via school e-mail addresses, so the school will contact you exclusively at your school e-mail address. To contact lecturers, use the format firstname.surname@avu.cz.
Students may complete a placement in another AVU studio as part of their studies, on the basis of an approved request, and this is a welcomed practice. Requests for a placement within AVU are submitted electronically through the STAG information system, and their deadlines follow the schedule. We recommend consulting placement options with the studio in question in advance.
A request for a placement at another university is submitted by the student to the Study Department and is subject to approval by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs. A request for a placement at another university must be arranged before the start of the semester, directly with the university in question.
In the follow-up master's programme Art in Context, a placement is a compulsory course, and it is possible to go on a study stay abroad through the Erasmus+ programme for one semester, between the 3rd and 4th semester of study. The selection process takes place once a year, always in January.
In cooperation with the Erasmus+ programme, AVU offers students opportunities for mobility abroad – whether for study, professional practice, or collaboration on research projects. If interested, please contact the International Mobility Office – you'll find it right by the Study Department.
