College of Fine Arts
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- COFA redirects here. for the "Compact of Free Association" see that article.
- For the College of Fine Arts in Arizona, see Herberger College of the Arts
The College of Fine Arts (COFA) is the creative arts faculty of the University of New South Wales and is located on Oxford Street, Paddington, Sydney, Australia.
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[edit] History
The College of Fine Arts, a faculty of Sydney's University of New South Wales UNSW, can trace its history to the formation of The Sydney Mechanics School of Arts in 1833, which then evolved into Sydney Technical College in 1878. In 1958 the New South Wales government decided to combine all of the Technical Colleges under the one name: the National Art School. With another incarnation taking place in 1970 when The National Art School was amalgamated with the Alexander Mackie Teachers College. In 1975 Alexander Mackie College was made a College of Advanced Education, becoming a ‘multi disciplinary’ college with a School of Art and a School of Teacher Education. In 1982 Alexander Mackie College joined with Sydney Teachers' College and Sydney College of the Arts to become Sydney College of Advanced Education (Sydney CAE) and was renamed the City Art Institute.
In 1988 federal legislation eradicated the distinction between state owned Colleges of Advanced Education and federally funded universities. This meant that most CAEs were amalgamated with existing universities. Sydney Teachers College and Sydney College of the Arts joined the University of Sydney, while the City Art Institute joined with the University of New South Wales, although it is still located at the original Paddington Campus. In January 1990 it was renamed College of Fine Arts. COFA is a prominent player in the teaching and research in art, design and multi media, art history and theory and art education. It offers bachelor, master and doctorate degrees in fine art, art education, art theory, design and art administration.
[edit] Organisation
The College of Fine Arts consists of the following five schools:
- The School of Art
- The School of Art Education
- The School of Art History and Theory
- The School of Design Studies
- The School of Media Arts
And boasts a range of fully online art and design courses and an online Masters degree facilitated through the college's online academic unit:
- COFA Online
The College offers nine undergraduate degrees including some double degrees associated with other UNSW faculties. Bachelors degrees are offered in Fine Arts, Art Education, Design, Art Theory, Digital Media, Art Education/Design, Arts/Art Theory, Art Theory/Social Science, Art Theory/Laws. Postgraduate degrees in coursework are offered in Art, Art Administration, Art and Design Education, and Design. COFA also offers Masters degrees by research and has an active PhD program. In addition COFA runs non-award short courses that are open to the public.
The Paddington campus houses the Clement Semmler Library, which maintains a large collection of art and design literature, journals, periodicals and electronic resources. Also on site is The Ivan Dougherty Gallery, which has a regular schedule of exhibitions and seminars throughout the year, focusing on both student and professional work.
Students at the College are represented by the College of Fine Arts Students' Association.
[edit] Staff
Academic units are supported by various administration staff including a large technical support staff that helps maintain the various art, design and digital media disciplines undertaken at the College.
Prominent members of staff include:
- Dean: Professor Adrian Hall
- Head of COFA Online (online courses in art and design): Rick Bennett
- Head of School of Art: Sylvia Ross
- Head of School of Art Education: Kim Snepvangers
- Head of School of Art History and Theory: Dr Susan Best
- Head of School of Design Studies/Media Arts: Jacqueline Clayton
[edit] References
- Patrick O’Farrell, UNSW, a portrait : the University of New South Wales, 1949 - 1999, UNSW Press, 1999, ISBN 0-86840-417-9
- L.M. Koder (Editor), In transit : Sydney CAE, 1982-1989, Sydney College of Advanced Education, 1989, ISBN 0-86398-053-8
- Elizabeth Farelly, 2004, 'Life' in Darlo has whole new meaning
- About COFA
