College of Fine Arts: Ceramics

What distinguishes this specialisation in Ceramics at An-Najah National University is not the mere fact of its being the only programme which awards a B.A. degree in this specialisation in the country, but rather because of the grand quality of education which the college of Fine Arts affords its students. There is no denying that this Major provides prospective applicant/students with the necessary theoretical and applied knowledge, skills in clay, pottery and ceramics and anything which comes along and has to do with the preparation and various formation of this raw material. In addition, this Major gives students the opportunity to learn about the techniques and methods of burning and glazing for the sake of reaching perfection and in order to allow students to create a genuine work of art with all its aesthetic, technological and artistic meaning through the use of the proper instruments, such as ovens and electrical wheels. Furthermore, this Programme provides students with the supporting skills pertaining to drawing and the making of moulds, heat printing and the methods of decoration along with providing students field training opportunities at certain locations which care a great deal for such specialisation.

This Programme cares a great deal about deepening students’ awareness of the national culture through their exposure to the art of ceramics and pottery which stand as a witness to the history of this country and the cultures that have lived throughout the life time of this Region. This Programme is designed in such a way as to reflect the theoretical grounding of the history of pottery and its extended periods in the Palestinian history and to afford students the practical training they need which culminates in enabling students to manage and run an art plant effectively. In addition, the Programme affords students the opportunity to enhance their innovation and creativity through offering advanced courses dealing with ceramic walls and manual designing that highlights students’ individuality and special character.
This is an instance where students will be able to display their artistic ability and put them on solid grounding for a real professional career on the local, regional or world levels.

The prospects for graduates of Ceramics and Fine Arts are promising on the ground that there is a lack of graduates in this profession in the Palestinian community. In addition, there are many job opportunities for students with this Major. For instance, graduates in this Major can open their workshops where they can develop their own techniques. This will also  then give them the opportunity to open personal exhibitions through which they can obtain a personal income as well as being an entry to popularity and fame. Furthermore, distinguished graduates in this Major can work for educational institutions and in academia since there is a real need for highly talented graduates in this field. Graduates of Fine Arts and Ceramics can also work at public and private schools teaching fine arts and crafts whose curriculum contains a great deal of designing.

Admission Conditions

To gain admission to the College of Fine Arts, prospective applicants should fulfill the following conditions:

• Should have a grade point average (referred to herein as GPA) of 65% or above in the General Secondary School Examination.
• Should pass a Placement Test in ceramics.

Ceramics is one of the Departments of Designing Arts. To gain a B.A., students of Ceramics have to complete 140 credit hours. These include University and College Compulsory and Elective requirements in addition to Departmental requirements.

Study requirements for obtaining a B.A. in Ceramics

The Department of Plastic Art at the college of Fine Arts is pleased to offer a specialisation in Ceramics which culminates in the awarding of a B.A. degree to prospective applicants provided that they fulfill all required courses successfully for this degree. This amounts to 140 credit hours which is distributed among University, College, and Departmental requirements.