Sensing Ocean: Art, Critical Practice, and Marine Technologies
Summary
Interested in art, critical inquiry, and marine technologies in dialogue with the ocean?
More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans—an environment that, to a large extent, becomes knowable through sensors, data, and infrastructures.
About
Sensing Ocean is an interdisciplinary course on the ocean, artistic practice, and marine sensor technologies. The course explores the ocean as a life-sustaining yet difficult-to-access environment, and as an ecological and political field often understood through measurement and data—where sensors, data, and infrastructures shape what can become audible, visible, and intelligible.
In the course, marine sensor technologies are explored as artistic and critical nodes of inquiry, through which listening, seeing, and measuring can be understood as aesthetic, ethical, and political acts.
Course format
The course is aimed at students who want to work in an exploratory, project-based way within artistic practice, in dialogue with marine sensor technologies, sensor data, and critical perspectives.
It is offered online and combines theoretical perspectives from environmental and ocean-oriented humanities, studies of technology, and critical image and sound practices with digital technology labs, supervised workshops, and remote studio work.
Guest lectures and case studies with artists and marine natural scientists provide interdisciplinary grounding. Practical approaches may include acoustic and visual marine technologies as well as work with open data and open-source tools.
Students develop an individual artistic project connected to the course themes. An optional field study component may be offered as a deepening element (not assessed).
Course sessions
The course is typically scheduled for Fridays during daytime hours. Occasional changes may occur.
Prerequisites and selection
Entry requirements
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), 180 credits, including a minimum of 7,5 credits in visual communication, media technology, digital imaging, film, photography, design, audio engineering, music or media production, or equivalent qualifications.
In addition, proficiency in English equivalent to English 6, English B, or English Level 2 from Swedish upper secondary school is required, or an equivalent level demonstrated through internationally recognised tests such as TOEFL or IELTS.
Special instructions for application
Apply in three steps:
1. Apply for the course at antagning.se/universityadmissions.se. Deadline: 15 April 2026.
2. Submit a motivation letter and work samples in SlideRoom. Detailed instructions are available below. Deadline: 15 April 2026.
3. Submit documentation proving you meet the entry requirements of the course on antagning.se/universityadmissions.se. Deadline: 18 June, 2026.
The motivation letter should include:
- a brief description of previous experience relevant to the course focus (e.g. artistic research, research-based practice, work with sound/image/film/photography/installation/performance, technology- or data-related processes, interdisciplinary collaborations, field recording, work with archives/cartography/visualisation)
- why you wish to take the course and how you see it developing your practice in relation to the course theme
- a preliminary idea/area of curiosity: which question or theme you would like to explore (does not need to be fully developed)
Max 3,500 characters including spaces.
Work samples
Submit 2–3 work samples relevant to the course focus. For each work sample, include a short text (approx. 100–150 words) specifying:
- your role and what you did
- methods/tools (if relevant)
- what the work explored and what you learned (process/reflection)
Your application will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- ability to demonstrate relevant experience or interest in relation to the course focus (ocean/ecology, sensor technologies, data, critical practice, artistic research)
- ability to reflect on your own role and contribution in collaborative or interdisciplinary contexts
- ability to coherently communicate motivation and intentions in relation to the course focus
Selection
The selection will be made from the assessment of work samples.
