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Art & Design Foundation (Full-time) (CertHE)

Swansea
1 Year Full-time
32 UCAS Points

Our Cert HE: Foundation Art and Design course at Swansea College of Art, UWTSD is an experimental, investigative and diverse learning experience.

Our students engage with a broad introduction to art and design and go on to specialise in a wide range of disciplines or design areas.

It’s all about establishing a strong basis for your creative future.

The programme is predominantly visual and practical, with elements of written work, and develops students’ understanding of concept, contexts and making.

The course allows students to access all the usual student funding open to degree students.

Course details

Start date:
Study modes:
  • On-campus
  • Full-time
Language:
  • English
Institution code:
T80
UCAS code:
F4W8
Course length:
1 Year Full-time
Entry requirements:
32 UCAS Points

Tuition Fees 2023/24 and 24/25
Home (Full-time): £9,000 per year
Overseas (Full-time): £13,500 per year

Why choose this course?

01
‘Art school’ studio-based learning
02
Dedicated course technicians
03
All tutors are practicing Artists & Designers
04
This Foundation course has existed in Swansea for over 100 years
05
We are the only Higher Education Foundation Art & Design course in Wales at Level 4
06
Access to all specialist facilities and workshops across the University

What you will learn

The Cert HE: Art and Design Foundation course is an exciting new development of the previous Foundation Art & Design course here at Swansea College of Art (UWTSD) that recently celebrated its 100th birthday. We have seen many changes in that time, but the course has grown from strength to strength, building up a reputation for excellence: we are now entering a new phase.

The course is taught entirely at Level 4. This represents a clear progression from A-Level whilst still permitting students the time to consider BA specialist options in the context of a full art school experience.

We maintain the ethos and magic of Foundation, allowing students to build a bedrock of experience and skill whilst discovering new areas they might not have had a chance to explore previously.  This, we believe is essential to success at degree level and vital in terms of making the right decision for a future career in the creative industry.

The course is based in a beautiful studio in the ALEX Design Exchange which is where the course originated over 100 years ago.  We also work across the Alex and Dynevor Campus and offer our students full access to purpose-built workshops, facilities and resources in the art school, working alongside our degree students.  The art school boasts some of the best facilities in the area with both traditional and state of the art equipment available for all students to take advantage of.

The Certificate of HE: Art and Design Foundation is an introduction to study within art and design, a foundation or basis for students entering ‘art school’ and encountering, for the first time, studio-based teaching and learning, characterised as enquiry and learning through drawing, making and process, writing, research, presentation and discussion.

The course bridges study at Level Three and progression to study on an honours degree within art and design, and other areas of study, through a coherent and structured process of development and decision making; moving from basic skills learning and broad experimentation to consolidation and independent working.

The course enables student progression through the production of a portfolio of practical and visual work, examples of written work and a final exhibition. Students are introduced to specialist study areas including Fine Art, Visual Communication, Lens-based Media, 3D Design, Fashion and Textiles.

Students will specialise further and progress onto courses of study including Fine Art, Painting and Drawing, Illustration, Graphic Design, Advertising and Brand Design, Games Design, Digital Arts, Animation, Film and Video, Photography, Automotive, Furniture, Interior, Product, Production and Theatre Design, Architecture, Fashion and Jewellery Design, Textiles and Surface Pattern.

The modules are delivered through Workshops, Contextual Project Introductions, Group and Individual Tutorials, Critiques, Lectures and Seminars.
 

Compulsory

Academic Writing and Practical / Written Research

(20 credits)

Developing Personal Practice

(20 credits)

Developing Specialist Practice and Preparing for Progression

(20 credits)

Exhibition Outcomes

(20 credits)

Introduction to Art and Design

(20 credits)

Practical and Written Experimentation

(20 credits)

Course Disclaimer

  • We listen to student feedback and insights from industry and from professionals to ensure that course content is high-quality and up-to-date, and that it offers the best possible preparation for your future career or study goals. 

    For this reason, there might be modifications to the content of your course over time, to keep up to date with changes in the subject area or in the sector. If a module is no longer running, we’ll make sure to keep you informed, and work with you to choose a different suitable module.

testimonial

Staff

Our People

You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for assessments and feedback (NSS 2023) meaning the comments you get back from your work will help you learn. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students us as Top 10 in the UK for Lecturers and Teaching Quality. Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses. 

Accommodation

Art student working in a studio

Art & Design Foundation Facilities

The Foundation course is based in a beautiful large open plan studio in the recently renovated ALEX Design Exchange which is where the course originated over 100 years ago. We work across the Alex and Dynevor Campuses offering our students full access to purpose-built workshops, facilities and resources in the art school.

example of student bedroom

Swansea Accommodation

Swansea has a huge student population, and the variety of accommodation available will leave you feeling spoilt for choice. Various purpose-built student accommodation providers provide accommodation in Swansea, and the accommodation team can guide you through your options. It will offer ongoing support throughout your time as a UWTSD student.

Further information

  • We are interested in creative people that demonstrate a strong commitment to art and/or design, and therefore we welcome applications from individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. To assess student suitability for their chosen course, we arrange interviews for all applicants at which your skills, achievements and life experience will be considered as well as your portfolio of work.

    Our standard offer for this course is 32 UCAS tariff points. We expect applicants to have a grade C or above in English Language (or Welsh) at GCSE level, together with passes in another four subjects. Plus, we accept a range of Level 3 qualifications including:

    1. Three GCE A-Levels or equivalent

    2. International Baccalaureate score of 32

    3. Other relevant qualifications can be considered on an individual basis.

    Qualifications are important; however, our offers are not solely based on academic results. If you don’t have the required UCAS points, then please contact the courses admissions tutor or email artanddesign@uwtsd.ac.uk as we can consider offers to applicants based on individual merit, exceptional work, and/or practical experience.

  • Each of the 6 modules earns twenty credits, and all will be assessed through Coursework.

    Coursework is presented in Sketchbooks/Visual Diaries, Preparatory Work, Workshop & Drawing Class Work, Project Outcomes, Digital Documentation, a Selected and Collated Portfolio, Written Assignments.

    Critiques

    Group critiques are scheduled regularly to conclude projects and form part of the assessment. They provide the opportunity for formal presentation of outcomes and preparatory work and for peer and staff criticism.

    Selected and Collated Portfolio 

    Students working with staff select and collate a portfolio of work for presentation at interviews for progression onto further courses/other. The main body of the portfolio will be project work and, in particular specialist outcomes and preparatory work. Drawings and project work are selected to show additional skills and ability. Sketchbooks, visual diaries and any 3D preparatory work will accompany the portfolio.

    Written Assignments

    Formats for written assignments may include essays on proposed themes, exhibition reports, project proposals and reviews. Presentation formats may include: illustrated and fully referenced academic essays and less formal reports and/or blogs

  • Our students have access to a diverse range of equipment and resources, which in most cases are sufficient to complete their programme of study. We provide the basic materials necessary for students to develop their practical work within our extensive workshop and studio facilities.

    However, art and design students will likely incur some additional costs to extend their investigation of their personal practice. For example, purchasing their own specialised materials and equipment, joining optional study trips, and printing. 

    Students are expected to bring their own personal art and design equipment with them when they commence the course.  We can advise on the correct equipment needed for your programme of studies and signpost appropriate suppliers if you wish to purchase essential items before or during your studies. 

    A basic ‘art and design kit’ will cost approximately £100, but you may well already have much of the equipment required, so check with us first.  Although we have extensive dedicated digital design studios (PC and MAC) for you to undertake your coursework, you may wish to bring your own digital devices, again check with us first before making a purchase.

  • Students starting this course in the academic year 2024–2025 and who go on to enrol on a full-time degree course will receive a scholarship worth £1,500. 

  • The Foundation course is based in a beautiful large open plan studio in the recently renovated ALEX Design Exchange which is where the course originated over 100 years ago. We work across the Alex and Dynevor Campuses offering our students full access to purpose-built workshops, facilities and resources in the art school.

    The art school boasts some of the best facilities in the area with both traditional and state of the art equipment available for all students to take advantage of. Foundation students obtain access to specialist study areas such as; Printmaking, Photography dark rooms, Construction in a fully equipped workshop, 3D Printing, Laser-cutting, Ceramics and Glass, Mac and PC Digital work spaces.

    We maintain the ethos and magic of Foundation, allowing students to build a bedrock of experience and skill whilst discovering new areas they might not have had a chance to explore previously. This, we believe is essential to success at degree level and vital in terms of making the right decision for a future career in the creative industries.

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