Foundation in Art & Design

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

Students who want to study any aspect of Art & Design in higher education are required to complete a Foundation Course or equivalent qualification. This provides them with a folder which is a necessity for entry into university or college courses. In the past, students have gone on to study Fine Art, Applied Arts, History of Art, Design, Media Communcations & Architecture.

There are also many colleges of higher education which offer Art as a subject interest. Career opportunities include working in the fashion world, furniture design, textiles, graphics, interior design, architecture, filmmaking and television, not forgetting those going into the teaching profession or becoming full-time artists (see National Society of Art and Design Book on “Careers in Art” available in the college library).

This UAL validated one year course is designed for post A-level students who see their future in one of the many disciplines within Art and Design. The course consists of 25 hours contact time spread over 4 days and it involves 1 evening each week. It is aimed at broadening the activities and experiences of the students and with a consciously diagnostic element to help students prepare for appropriate outlets in higher education and the world of work.

It is hoped that not only will the students achieve accreditation and a place at college or in employment, but that they will find the year stimulating and challenging and a chance to explore oneself through the many creative outlets within Art and Design.

Course Structure

The course comprises three distinct stages. The first, of approximately 14 weeks (September - Christmas), will involve you in working through set project briefs.

These are designed to encompass a wide range of experiences and skills across the Art & Design spectrum.

Though all students are expected to work through these projects, their open-ended nature nevertheless allows you ample scope for personal interpretation.

In non-contact time, you are expected to produce personally initiated work. Towards the end of this stage, you will be interviewed with your portfolio to
assess its quality and discuss possible future developments in your work. A further purpose of the interview is to help you identify which aspect of Art &
Design you are best equipped to pursue at higher education level.

The second stage is of approximately 14 weeks (January - Easter) and the work is focused specifically on your chosen area of specialism. Students still follow set projects in the main, but there is considerable scope for you to negotiate with staff.

An important element in the course is the written dissertation, to be submitted by early March. It is desirable, therefore, that you respond to this in ways
which also inform your practical work.

Prior to Easter, you will again be interviewed with your portfolio in order to assess your progress and to help prepare you for your forthcoming interviews in higher education. During the period of this stage, you will be encouraged to visit higher education institutions to help you make more informed choices in relation to your aptitudes and concerns.

During the third course unit (Proposal and Realisation), of approximately 10 weeks (Easter - mid June), you will concentrate on preparing for your Final Practical Project and Exhibition. Your time will be spent producing work of a highly creative and personal nature for the Final Exhibition.

You will hopefully find this to be the most intensely productive and personally rewarding phase of your art education to date.

Artists in Residence

During the academic year, an experienced artist-inresidence will work with the foundation students, introducing you to the various methods and
approaches that characterise their artistic practice.

To date, this dimension of the course has proved to be stimulating and rewarding for students and artists alike. It has also brought forth some excellent practical work among the students.