Foundation Certificates

Art & Design / Architecture & Media

Overview

The Foundation year is for you if:

  • you do not have the right qualifications for a full degree.
  • You want to strengthen your qualifications to achieve entry to your required University.
  • You feel you are not yet ready for direct entry onto university degree-level study.
  • You are returning to study or you are changing your academic pathway.
  • You want to save money on fees.
  • You are looking for a safe, supportive and caring study environment for your foundation studies.

Our Foundation year in Art and Design, Architecture and Media prepares you for progression to relative degree Courses at University level. Working through a range of creative subjects you will gain an understanding of fine art, visual communication, fashion, three-dimensional design, architectural drawing and other. You’ll explore a range of art methods and techniques principal for the development of your own creative style. Through this course you will work on practical studio-based projects, workshops, critiques, theoretical lectures, and benefit from gallery and studio based visits. You will be given time to explore, perform and then choose the right course for your degree studies. You’ll be taught by tutors who all work within the creative industry who will indulge you by engaging you in your progression aims, critically investigate your work and following your ambitions.

Foundation students have gone on to study at a wide range of top universities, in the UK, Italy, The Netherlands and USA in courses such as Fashion Design, Architecture, Graphic Design, Animation and Media, Fashion Textiles and Graphics.

What you will study

There are two study options, according to your background and current skills:

  • The indicative option which usually lasts for about 2-3 months. You will spend time within each of the curriculum pathways before finally choosing your specialization and it is designed for students who are not yet sure of their degree subject within the Arts courses.
  • The Core option which is addressed to those students who have already decided their future degree subject and are confident for their choice.

We offer four specialization pathways:

  • Fashion and Textiles – costume design, womenswear, menswear, textiles, fashion photography and media.
  • Fine art– printmaking, installation, painting, mixed media, sculpture, performance and photography
  • Visual communication– graphic design, advertising, packaging, art, film, illustration, animation, curation.
  • 3D design– architecture, landscape architecture, interior architecture and design.

Modules

In order to complete the modules required for your foundation certificate you will need to study 4 compulsory modules and 2 electives

Compulsory Modules

  • Portfolio Design.
    – You will work on building a portfolio according to your selected specialist pathway. You will work with your specialist lecturer in class and our associate artist in your specialized area at their studio in order to put together your work.
  • History of Art
  • Sociology
  • Academic English

Optional Modules

  • Psychology
  • Computing
  • Engineering Physics
  • Engineering Mathematics
  • Introduction to Business Science
  • English Literature
  • Italian Language
  • Statistics