UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design | The Northern School of Art

COURSE OVERVIEW

The well-established UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design course is designed for post A-level (or equivalent) 18-year-old students to provide a unique transitionary year between sixth form/college and creative degrees at university. It’s an exciting, challenging and maturing experience that develops your creative identity, helps you discover which discipline suits you, and equips you with the skills and confidence to apply for and thrive at a national or international university on any creative degree.

COURSE DETAILS

In the first six to eight weeks of the UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design, you try out all the different art and design areas. Then, for the duration of the course, you specialise in a section of your choice. A foundation course in art and design immerses you in a range of exploratory activities, which develop skills, introduces new techniques and approaches, and offers new ways of seeing the world. You will develop high levels of critical thinking and creative interpretation. Throughout the UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design, you’ll follow an intensive programme of drawing (including life drawing) and investigation of contemporary critical practice in art and design. Part 1: Learning Skills and Context: the first six to eight weeks of two-week rotations will guide you through approaches and processes intrinsic to all areas of art, design and communication. You will learn more about the creative and design process, to think outside the box, to work with an open-mind, and to reflect on and challenge your own thinking. Part 2: Development and Progression: you choose the subject you want to focus on and develop your specialist skills in one of our three pathways. Each pathway - art, design and communication - enables you to develop your skills and creative identity in specialist areas. These include fine art, fashion, textiles, costume, graphics, illustration, photography, video, animation, and 3D. Your pathway tutor also supports you through the UCAS application and interview process to achieve your aims. Part 3: Proposal and Realisation: is the final and only graded part of the course. You’ll design and complete your project which will showcase your learning as part of the Diploma Exhibition. Our foundation course, which is free to those aged under 19 years, helps you avoid costly mistakes by enabling you to be sure of your subject choice at degree level. We have excellent rates of progression to our own university level campus and other top universities across the country. The official title of this course is: Diploma in Art & Design - Foundation Studies and it is awarded by UAL: Awarding Body (University of the Arts London).

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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

YEARS COURSE DURATION

ONE A-LEVEL PLUS AT LEAST THREE GCSES (INCLUDING MATHS AND ENGLISH) AT C/4 GRADE OR ABOVE PLUS A SUITABLE PORTFOLIO OF WORK

MAXIMUM UCAS POINTS SCORE FOR FINAL GRADES

STUDENT PROFILE

FIONA CAMERON What do you enjoy most about your course? It’s the freedom to be able to do what you want to do and there’s so much support available. What’s your favourite thing about The Northern School of Art? It’s a really friendly atmosphere and a nice community. The teachers are always more than happy to help and support, too. What are your next steps? I have a place at Oxford to study Fine Art. I always knew I wanted to further my study in fine art but didn’t know where I wanted to go and then I finally plucked up the courage to apply to Oxford. The interview was really intense - I’m so happy to have been given a place. What's surprised you about your time here? I kind of knew the gist of the course as my brother studied it before me and he absolutely loved it. When I saw his progress it made me want to study here too. It's changed my style a lot and has given me so much more confidence, allowing me to experiment with lots of different disciplines. We can go into graphics and fashion textiles which really helps to develops areas in fine art too or whatever your chosen pathway is.