130 Glasgow School of Art reviews

The facilities are amazing, but often difficult to access casually - you always have to get inducted into facilities which is more difficult to get into than you’d imagine. There seems to walls up around certain facilities that make them difficult to access quickly - you really need to plan ahead. Accessing facilities often requires you to write a proposal in order to be allowed to use them. The technicians and staff that work in these facilities are absolutely amazing - filled with knowledge and so happy to help.

Could be much better - these things seem very hard to find within the institution.

This course has very minimal contact time with tutors, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing - pre-covid, the people that will help you the most are the technicians and staff that work in the specialist facilities on campus. They are the ones who will teach you the tangible processes, whereas your course tutors will give you more ideas on how to thematically progress your own practice. You will have to do a lot of thinking on your own, and whilst it often feels like being thrown in the deep end - the lessons you learn here are invaluable. You spend a lot of time reflecting with your classmates and learning from each other.

20

There are great lectures and Q&A’s by previous alumni who now work in a variety of industries - encouraging at times, but also there never seems to be a clear cookie cutter path in how to get into stable employment immediately

No

access is limited, and they have cut opening hours every year since I began studying here

the counselling support is overbooked and it takes half a year to get onto a session with them. Student support otherwise is brilliant, offering workshops and getting to know you and your issues on an individual basis

the students union has been indefinitely closed, the student president does not reply to our courses emails with faculty.

I wouldn't know as I haven't been in to university, it campus is closed

There is one active society at the university, of 30 people.

tutors are brilliant, hands on supportive of your creative education. Student voice is non existent, the student union too, teachers have no ability to take your issues with the course further

1

they have some lectures

Private flats in Glasgow are cheap and beautiful, a great place to live

Very poor while I was studying painting, no fumigation space. Maybe it's better now but- I left when they built stow so I'm not too sure. I know they have a building I guess but I've heard it's overcrowded

I believe that the Glasgow School of Art is an extremely elitist institution I went there with a dream of becoming an artist and then slowly my dreams died off when I realised that I couldn't afford to buy art supplies and other children of rich parents would give them thousands of pounds for their degree show pieces and then they would get firsts and win all of the prizes and I tried so hard.. But I got a 2:2. They didn't support me at all. I have nothing now.

Student unions were great, we just weren't listened to.

It's in a good location, sure

Everyone was gay so queer soc was a bit of a joke

I quite like how we would have one-on-one discussions with our tutors but didn't feel frequent enough but I think that was because there were too many students. We would have about 2 tutorials a semester as well as group ones that could have been grouped better

24

No help at all I graduated last year, been doing bar work, volunteer work to try and get my foot in the door, it's all been me. I'm unemployed and gsa didn't prepare me for this

Again, they don't have much in terms of facilities, studio spaces can be really cramped, not spacious like their website claims. The technicians in the workshops are really nice but the system sucks. You can't use other majors' workshops without a specific project proposal, meaning you don't get time/space to play with different mediums/materials at all and they are not introduced to you in the curriculum. Visiting workshops you do have access to is also inefficient. They introduce you to the facilities in the beginning of the year but since you may not use them regularly for projects, you forget how to use a lot of the machines and will require technician's assistance to get whatever you need done properly.

Read my answer to question 12. Also it's not like guidance counselors can change the bad structure of the program.

right next to sauchiehall street and school

None

In an alternate universe I'd sue them for false advertising and wasting my time and money. I don't suggest looking at their website description at all, because it reads like propaganda when compared to my actual experience. 1: There is no allocated time to present or discuss interests/projects/struggles/opportunities with your classmates in the curriculum at all. There is no opportunity to present your works to the class so everyone gets to know each other as artists anytime during the year. 2: There are no actual "courses", they've separated the year into different projects and a new tutor comes in for every or every two projects or so. They often don't introduce themselves at all and in my experience are not willing to get to know students and help them with anything outside of the project. There're also no electives to engage students diversely. 3: Lack of talks/events/gallery spaces/professional connections. According to the curriculum plan, it seems that there is only one exhibition opportunity all the way at the end of 4th year. There is no move to develop students' personal art/work/practice and help them get publications/publicity/recognition in any form. As a result projects and time are often unorganized and left completely to students. Attendance issues are statistic and so is failure to finish projects. Worst of all, the dep head was very dishonest with me during the application process, he is either very unaware of how the program is actually doing or thinks it's fine to say whatever he needs to get me to pay the tuition. It's likely a mix of both but this place has a horrible sense of community and is living off of its former reputation. As it is now, it's not a place worth your time or money.

1

The program is very bad.

Expensive and cold, laundry is really expensive but overall alright.

Since the fire of the mac building, the architecture school have quite poor facilities, however everything that is needed is available. The planning in the building isnt the best.

Very good from what I heard. Never contacted them but they are trying to keep in touch with all students so that one knows where to turn

They are doing a good job but a lack of interest from the students.

Yes, close to everything!

Very poor. Since it's an art school a lot of student arent massive fans of sports and fun group activities

Most: all tutors are very passioned about the subject Least: Everything has to be done alone and there is little time for discussion and questions since most tutors are only here part time

8

They have lectures and start talk about placements early on so you have time to prepare yourself.

Very safe, fresh and a perfect location. Kitchen could be slightly better since it lacks space and utensils. The rent is also a bit high considering the space

New building has studio space and workshops with potential. However, we are a month in to the course and have not yet been allocated individual spaces - no work getting made.

Terrible - no regard given to disability or long-term illness. Conditions made through the learning support department do not get implemented by teaching staff. We are entirely left to our own devices.

Overpriced, disorganised, few activities.

Glasgow is depressing, threatening, wet and dirty.

Very few and not appealing to a wide range of people.

No contact time for weeks on end. No teaching, guidance or any form of explanation as to what students should be doing.

1

Nothing mentioned whatsoever

Facilities look better for design than painting but that may change with Stow building next year

Completely lack any support didn't attend for 6 weeks and nobody noticed Took me over a month to drop out as nobody answers their emails Feedback on assignments always felt rushed after months of working on a project to get feedback which should have already been mentioned during tutorials

Student Union always has different events on and lots of societies to join. Highly recommend the karaoke on at The Vic always a fun night

Friendly city with lots to do great places to eat and explore

Lots of clubs allow free entry with student card

Most- people on my course were very supportive Printmaking technicians are amazing really helpful and know their stuff Least- only had 2 part time tutors for 8 students so tutor time was non existent Badly organised no replacement tutors to cover illness Trips were badly organised or got cancelled Completely lacked resources in comparison to other years

2

No- the professional practice lecture completely useless basically told you to be careful with solvents in studio no help with employment or exhibitions

Margaret MacDonald house was overpriced but more homely than Blythswood house.Had many issues with plumbing including leaking sink, broken boiler. Kitchen appliances e.g. broken freezer and oven never replaced

The facilities for Silversmithing and Jewellery are probably the only decent thing in the whole department. They have literally everything you could possibly need. The only problem is you have to ask to be inducted on them and they don’t tell you what there is in the department so you don’t know what opportunities there are.

The support has been extremely poor, I suffer from mental health issues and my tutors have not supported this in any way, in fact a direct quote from the head of department was just to “leave all that at the door and get on with my work” which anyone with a mental health issue will know is not possible.

They are also useless, it’s really gone down since I joined GSA. There are also very few societies which I found to be disappointing.

I love Glasgow, there’s so much culture, the people are so friendly and the nightlife is amazing.

Rubbish, there’s very few and the majority of them are sport societies so it’s sucks if you’re not into that.

I don’t like anything, they are disorganised, unsupportive and I feel that I would have been better off hiring a studio space and teaching myself the techniques. All it has given me is a price of paper and the opportunity to network at degree show

2

They don’t really at all, I’ve just finished my final year and had next to no input in preparing me for employability

Excellent.

Very friendly and open and I can ask anything any time.

It seems well organised. I don't get involved much because of my studies.

Quite exciting. I could spend my entire day wandering the streets. :)

I got into the Mountaineering society, yet didn't get to join their activities yet - yes, I have to keep up with my studies.

I like the difficulty of the subjects (it's all about "go hard or go home" for me), their diversity and applicability in the 'real world' the teaching it's quite clear and helpful and interactive, I also like the assignments giving us short-term goals. Cannot think of anything I like least, sorry. :)

15

Career counseling, work and internship offers every week.