BA (Hons) Art and Design with Foundation Year (Part-time)
Welcome to Art and Design: Foundation Programme
This could be a good starting point. If you have had a break from education (however long it might have been), but are thinking about a career in art and design, this programme has much to offer. Designed to provide you with a practical introduction to different areas of art and design practice, you will build a portfolio of work to support your progression onto one of our degrees in the School of Art.
If you would like to find out more, one of the best ways to do that is to meet our current students. We have Open Days that you can book into, but you can also contact us to arrange an individual visit.
Course IntroductionModulesEntry RequirementsGraduate CareersAdditional
This is a two-year, part-time Higher Education course in art and design. It is a predominantly practical course and through lectures, workshops, personal tuition and independent study provides an opportunity for students to develop the skills and knowledge needed to progress onto the first year of degree level study.
The first year is a more general introduction to art and design practice, where the various modules are studied via practical workshops, a drawing programme, project work, art history, research and study skills that are aimed at providing you with the experience and knowledge you need to progress – and also to decide which subject area you would like to concentrate on in the second year.
The second year provides an opportunity for students to develop their own creative direction. During the second year you will focus on producing work in your chosen subject (for example, Fine Art, Fashion, Textiles, Graphic Media or Photography). The emphasis here, is on employing and enhancing the skills and knowledge you acquired during the first year, to develop a portfolio of work for progression onto a degree level course in that subject. You will also have the opportunity to discuss your choice of subject and your work with the relevant course leaders, who will be able to advise you on the suitability of their course for your needs.
Undergraduate courses operate on a modular basis that provide flexibility and choice. Each module is worth a specified number of credits, with most modules counting for 30/40 or 15/20 academic credits (depending on the programme), with each credit taken equating to a total amount of study time which includes scheduled teaching, independent study and assessment activity.
Most full-time students will take modules worth 60 credits per semester, with part-time students taking proportionately fewer credits per semester. A total of 120 credits per level and 360 credits are needed for an honours degree as a whole. Overall grades for the course and degree classification are based on the marks obtained for modules taken at levels 5 and 6.
Our teaching is informed by research, professional practice and industry engagement and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline.
32 UCAS points* plus 3 GCSEs (grades A*- C) including English, plus a portfolio of visual work or completion of the first year of a level 3 diploma in an art related subject.
Please note, students without formal qualifications, but with an appropriate portfolio of visual work or work experience will also be given full consideration.
*UCAS Tariff points where shown, are for entry on to higher education programmes starting from September 2020.
International applicants
If English is not your first language you will need an IELTS score of 6.0, with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking), or an equivalent English Language qualification.
Additional requirements for International Students:
- You must provide evidence of having been in general education for at least 10 years and of having studied within the last five years
- a face-to-face interview is required before an offer is made.
On successful completion of the first two years students will be eligible for progression onto year one of our BA Honours degree courses in your chosen subject.
Awarding body: University of Essex
Students who complete the course successfully will receive a degree from the University of Essex. The agreement between the University Centre Colchester and the University of Essex is reviewed every five years and was last renewed in 2017.
Timetables: Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Part-time classes are normally scheduled on one or two days per week.
Teaching and Learning: You are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and practical’s. Seminars enable smaller group discussions to develop understanding of topics covered in lectures. You will use and have access to industry-standard software and facilities throughout your course.
When not attending lectures, seminars and laboratory or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, learning zone or technical learning resources, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for examinations
Assessment: The course provides you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module normally contains at least one piece of practice or ‘formative’ assessment for which you receive feedback from your tutor. Practice assessments are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark.
There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. Assessment methods include written examinations and a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations and your final year major project. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.
Feedback: You will receive feedback on all practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback is intended to help you learn and you are encouraged to discuss it with your module tutor.
