Fine Art with Foundation Year BA (Hons)

This specially designed course enables you to make an informed choice about which visual arts subject you wish to study at degree level, giving successful students the opportunity for guaranteed progression onto a named BA programme at Middlesex University.

The Foundation Year in Visual Arts is a creative and inspiring multidisciplinary course encouraging students to explore different aspects of art and design. It builds confidence, helps students identify their strengths and develops skills and techniques. The course offers an experimental diagnostic approach exploring different creative pathways and clarifies an industry specialism to help students choose possible career paths in the creative industries.

Following a multidisciplinary induction, you will explore the core visual arts subject areas in the first part of the programme, then choose to specialise to work towards your final portfolio of creative work and exhibition. Alongside this you will explore London as a creative centre of visual arts through, gallery, studio and event visits, and reflect on your experiences.

Overview

Our fine art course welcomes the subject as an open discipline. That’s why your time studying with us will be a varied combination of studio practices, theory, critical involvement with culture, society, and artistic practices. We ensure that in addition to developing your critical and creative skills, you graduate with a host of transferable skills that are highly sought after by employers.

Our facilities and the expertise of our staff give you the freedom to explore different types of arts, following your interests and shaping the path of your degree. After the first year, you’ll be able to choose one of our distinct pathways: BA Fine Art, BA Fine Art Social Practice, BA Fine Art Multimedia Practice, BA Fine Art Critical Practice. This will give you the opportunity to specialise in a subject area that interests you most.

What will you gain?

Alongside developing your vision and skills as an artist, you will also develop a wide range of transferable skills including initiative, self motivation, resourcefulness, excellent written and verbal communications skills, ability to work both alone and in groups, and the ability to be reflective and constructively self-critical about projects you have initiated.

Assessment

Assessment is entirely through coursework. You will exhibit and document your work and will also be assessed through sketchbooks, presentations, written work and journals.

Careers

Our Fine Art graduates are able to think strategically, work flexibly, be highly organised and use their initiative, as well as having excellent written and verbal communication skills so they are highly employable in a broad range of careers. Many students will also have undertaken internships or placements in their chosen fields.

Past graduates have gone on to be successful in a number of fields for example working as an artist, curator, photographer, digital media professional, art therapist, teacher, lecturer, designer, researcher, writer, community art worker, performer, media professional, and entrepreneur.