Université de Brest

The university

In Brest, university-level teaching is provided by the Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO), a multidisciplinary university based in the Breton peninsula, with sites in Brest, Quimper and Morlaix. Art programs are run by the Faculté des Lettres et Sciences humaines Victor-Segalen, alongside literature, languages, history, philosophy and humanities.

Programs and approach

The licence Arts, offered via Parcoursup, follows a university logic: it combines artistic culture (art history, aesthetics, analysis of works, theory of the arts) with practical work or workshops, depending on the tracks open each year. This is a different path from that of art schools: the emphasis is on research, writing, methodology and the contextualization of practices, rather than solely on the studio-based art project.

The program notably prepares students to continue on to a master's degree (research, teaching, mediation, cultural professions) and can lead to teaching examinations (concours).

Environment

Brest offers a favorable cultural context: the scène nationale Le Quartz, the contemporary art center Passerelle, museums and festivals related to the sea and the performing arts. The city is also home to a site of the EESAB (École européenne supérieure d'art de Bretagne), which allows students to compare the two models — university and higher art school — before deciding on their path.

It is advisable to check the UBO website for the tracks and curricula in effect for the year of application.