Admissions
For high school students (undergraduate applicants)
School of Art and Design, University of Tsukuba — Pre-major Course in Art and Design (Total Plastic Arts)
The Total Plastic Arts course takes post-twentieth-century contemporary art as its foundation, offering integrated practice and theory in media art and installation art. In the Murakami Lab, students pursue the practice and research of contemporary art combining technology with form-making.
Where our graduates go
Nintendo; KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS; Square Enix; Sunrise; Pix; Hakuhodo Products; Japan Patent Office; high-school art teacher; graduate school; freelance designer; and others.
Entrance examination
For graduate applicants
Doctoral Programs in Art (Master’s course), University of Tsukuba — Total Plastic Arts area
Students from other universities, other disciplines, and those returning from professional careers are warmly welcome. The lab gives equal weight to studio practice and theoretical research.
Seminar
Mondays, 9:30–11:25 (weekly, April through December, excluding the summer recess)
Ideal student
Students with curiosity at the intersection of technology and form-making. Prior experience with programming or electronics is not required — enthusiasm for learning is what matters.
Past research themes (selection)
- “The Appeal Latent in Understated Works of Installation Art”
- “Is Art Necessary for Ecology?”
- “The Expression of Life in Kinetic Art”
- “Signs and Space in Installation Art”
- “On the Value of the Digital Image, Considered through the History of the Disappearance of the ‘Aura’”
- “The Influence of the Ideas Found in Constructivist Form-Making on Contemporary Practice”
- See also: Alumni Achievements & Career Paths
Entrance examination
FAQ
Q. Can I visit the lab beforehand?
A. Yes — please contact us by email to arrange a suitable time.
Q. Can students from other universities apply to the graduate program?
A. Yes. Students from other universities and disciplines are enrolled in the program.
Q. Can working professionals apply to the graduate program?
A. Yes. Students who enter the program after professional careers are also enrolled.