BA (Hons) Art & Design

What it's all about?

HE,full-time, day-time

This practical course reflects the contemporary working practice of the creative industries, and explores new and exciting ways of working between the disciplines of art and design.

Today's artists and designers aren't easily pigeonholed by material or approach. They are highly flexible individuals, shifting between different patterns of work. So our course responds to the professional reality of contemporary art and design, preparing students to respond creatively within a range of professional situations.

Our projects test the relevance of art and design to the spaces, objects and communities of everyday life. This is a course about making: making objects and making things happen. We operate industry-standard workshops with the latest equipment and expertise. Our remarkable interdisciplinary approach allows you to keep an open mind to materials and methods, and to develop your own specialist skills and unique approaches to combining the various media.

You will gain experience in collaboration, communication, creative enterprise, design, digital media, image-making, installation, interactivity, materials innovation, metals, new technologies, photography, plastics, print, professional practice, public art, object-making, silicon-casting and video.

To enrich the studio experience and enable you to develop the necessary skills and expertise for a successful future, the programme also includes Critical Studies, Enterprise Studies, Professional Practice, Computer Applications and Workshop Options.

Is this the course for you?

It is if you like to experiment across a wide range of media. You'll make ‘art with a function', whether social, environmental, practical or decorative. You'll develop work in response to the brief, not in response to a specialist discipline. You'll enjoy working independently, in groups, and in collaboration with people outside the College. You'll develop many skills which you can combine to present interdisciplinary solutions. And you'll study modules in Business Studies, Professional Practice and Computer Applications.

Mature students (21+)

We welcome applications from students who are returning to education. We offer many opportunities for adults even if you don't have conventional entry qualifications. We're interested in your motivation, your potential, and your ability to follow the course successfully.

Course content

First year

You'll develop skills in the design process, idea development and realisation, and will explore interdisciplinary working methods. You'll study examples of contemporary and 20th-century art and design in studio modules and critical studies. You will also choose one elective module.

Second year

Here, you'll develop greater skills in concept development and collaborative art and design practice. You will consider a range of audiences as you experiment and begin to establish your own methods to use across disciplines. Critical studies will develop your academic skills and will create the context for your studio practice. You will also choose one elective module.

Third year

Your studio work will develop a more individual direction, and will conclude in a major project forming part of the public End of Year Show. Our Professional Practice Module will show you how to promote yourself individually as an interdisciplinary artist or designer, and will help you to prepare for future employment or further study. Theoretical work will lead to research for your dissertation.

Assessment

Assessment is based on your coursework.

European links

The course participates in the College's Erasmus student exchange scheme and GIDE Project.

Under the Erasmus scheme, a number of second- or third-year students have the opportunity to spend a minimum of three months studying in Europe, at one of our partner colleges in Belgium, Finland, France or Holland.

Gide is an international consortium of higher-education design schools which work together to enrich the experience of students in the areas of 3D and architectural and interior design.

Live briefs

The second year includes a major module in collaborative strategies, where you will respond to live briefs from a range of sources.

Work placements

Throughout the course, and specifically as part of a second-year collaborative strategies module, we support students to work in a range of collaborative situations with external agencies. These are not formal work placements, but rather individually negotiated projects.

Resources

You will also be encouraged to use the range of resource facilities available across the College. You will benefit from the expertise of the teaching staff, who are practising artists and designers.

Study visits

We organise regular visits to exhibitions and events, international trips and exchanges.

Progression & career opportunities

Many of our students go straight into employment as designer/makers, visual artists, creative practitioners and project managers (often with projects and contacts developed in the second and third years). Others go on to postgraduate study.

What do I need in my portfolio?

Applicants' portfolios should include a range of work, both 2D and 3D.
A well-presented portfolio says a lot about an applicant and their work. Our guidance is not meant to limit your creative statement; in general terms, however, we would expect the following:

• Examples of drawing and colour usage
• Examples of design/idea development
• Sketch books and notebooks
• Examples or photography of 3D work
• An example of your written work.

At this stage in your career, we would much rather see experimental and playful drawing and design development work than necessarily all finished work showing a final solution. We would like to see a personal and well-presented portfolio. We do not need to see all the work you have produced - around 20-30 samples in your main portfolio would be ideal.