Art Foundation Course

This one-year course is aimed at students who have already completed a two-year programme of study at Sixth Form level and is specifically designed to prepare you for progression to a specialist Art and Design course at BA degree and HND levels.

The course is primarily studio based and diagnostic in approach, enabling you to explore the breadth of your interests and abilities within Art and Design, helping you make decisions about your future direction within the subject.

What will I learn?

The year will be structured in three stages:

Stage One

A broad introduction to a range of Art and Design approaches and practices exploring ideas through structured project work. Some projects will build on ideas already touched on at A level but many will introduce totally new and challenging processes and ways of thinking.

Stage Two

Development towards a personal programme of work focusing on a small range of chosen areas enabling you to select your final specialist area of study. Areas covered will include Fine Art, Painting and Sculpture, Graphic Design including Film and Photography, 3D Design and Fashion and Textiles as well as many forms of computer generated imagery.

Stage Three

An opportunity to move towards more independent, self directed study in one area, preparing a portfolio of work in support of your application to Higher Education.

Throughout the course you will be introduced to the work of other artists and designers and through lectures and seminars you will be encouraged to explore political, social and contemporary issues that affect the artist/designer today.

And afterwards?

Occasionally our students have gone directly into paid employment with local design companies but for most the Art Foundation Course is a springboard into degree or HND level study at Universities and Colleges of Art and Design throughout Britain.

There are many opportunities open to the good art student and the range of specialist courses in Higher Education reflect this diversity. Courses can be grouped into four broad areas: Fine Art, Graphic and Lens based Media, Fashion and Textiles and 3D Design. Under these umbrella titles each course offers particular specialisms covering such areas as jewellery and silversmithing, ceramics, film animation, illustration, theatre design, interior design, industrial design, woven textiles and many, many more. You can even take a degree in millinery!

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Entry Requirements

You should normally have reached the age of 18 by the end of the first term of the course. You will need to have gained a minimum of one A level pass supported by at least 3 GCSEs at grades A - C or the BTEC National Diploma in Art and Design.

Before accepting you onto the course you will be interviewed by a member of the Art and Design team who will go through your portfolio of work and advise you as to your suitability for this course.

Applications should normally be made between December and March. Please contact us if you require an application form.

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