About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: WW12
- Applications: UCAS
- Level: Undergraduate
- Tariff points: normally 120, as one A-level pass or equivalent
- Department: Creative Industries
- Campus: Filton College or University Centre Yeovil
Find out more about the UWE Federation
- Duration: Two years
- Delivery: Please refer to specific college information under 'Structure' tab for details of the study options available
Introduction
This two-year Foundation degree is awarded by the University of the West of England and is delivered in partnership with Filton College and University Centre Yeovil.
The South West has a vibrant creative sector and is home to an increasing number of professionals working in a broad range of creative practices. This course champions the benefit of real-world understanding and experience across the breadth of subject specialisms offered, and celebrates tradition, commercial and innovative approaches to creative practices.
The course places emphasis on the individual student's practice within their chosen area and the development of this within an interdisciplinary environment. Students engage with creative practitioners from a range of specialisms, echoing the professional environments that students may enter after graduation. Throughout the course students are encouraged to use their professional ambitions as a basis for selecting work experience and or work-related learning opportunities.
Students who successfully complete the FdA Creative Practices course can progress onto Level 3 of one of the BA degree courses in the Department of Art and Design to top up their qualification to a BA degree. Alternatively students can progress into employment in the creative industries.
Structure
Content
Each of the specialist pathways below build on students' creative practice and increase their understanding of their work alongside creative, conceptual and technical development and critical engagement.
Modules are taught in interdisciplina ry groups with students from other pathways, which allows students to develop intellectual, practical and creative skills necessary for professional practice in their chosen specialism. The emphasis of each module is on the development of conceptual skills, the ability to understand problems, to work with ideas and to think in a critical and creative way.
Professional practice and work experience opportunities are embedded in the course structure and students are encouraged to take part in live projects, work experience and other creative industry-related activities.
Programme staff are all practitioners who have strong links with industry and research and who can support students to secure opportunities and placements as part of the course.
Additional modules in Creative Cultures and Creative Histories and Industries enable students to develop their academic skills in writing, presentations, and research which are necessary to progress onto the additional top-up year to gain a BA degree.
Art, Media and Design Pathway (subject to validation)
UWE Bower Ashton Campus (part-time only)
This pathway is designed for students wishing to develop their own professional practice in one, or a combination of the practice areas of Art, Design or Media.
The pathway is specifically designed to enable students to study part-time and to work in an interdisciplinary group which mimics the creative industries that students will graduate into, whilst supporting the individual development of a students' practice in a specialist area (for example Photography, Graphic Design, Fine Art, Fashion Design etc).
Teaching combines lectures, seminars, tutorials, research projects and field work; all of which are devised to encourage students to engage with and produce a body of creative arts and/or media work for specific contexts and audiences. These may include traditional gallery based audiences and broader definitions of audience including online, print and publication, for example.
Throughout the programme, students are encouraged to identify and develop their own specialist interests, and the pathway focuses on the development of critical and contextual knowledge and their application to specific projects. The first year of the programme is structured to support students to identify their core interests and to develop these through a range of projects and specialist seminars and tutorials. Participation in small group tutorials is expected of all students so that learning is shared across interdisciplinary boundaries. The programme champions relationships with the commercial, creative and cultural sectors and all students negotiate a professional placement during the final year of the course. They are supported by staff to ensure that they achieve the most appropriate forms of experience for their own personal ambitions in the Creative and related industries.
Students who successfully complete the FdA Creative Practices can progress into the BA(Hons) Creative Practices programme which runs part-time at Bower Ashton Campus or can progress into employment in the Creative and related industries.
Fashion pathway
Filton College
The Fashion pathway is vocationally based. It is intended to improve students' career prospects and to equip students with a strong understanding of the broad range of fashion industry-related careers and opportunities available, in addition to developing their individual design practices.
The pathway focuses on:
- Fashion design
- Pattern cutting
- Construction
- Digital image manipulation
- Photography
- Fashion marketing and promotion
- Research for Fashion Practices
Recently Fashion pathway students have taken part in live events including the 'Fair Wear' Fair Trade fashion show, undertaken work placements with film and television costume departments and launched their own labels.
Fine Art pathway
University Centre Yeovil (part-time only)
The pathway offers an exciting opportunity to engage with contemporary fine art practices and their relationship to broader cultural and creative industries. The primary aim is for students to find their individual identity as an artist and to understand how their work operates and is located in the wider world.
The pathway focuses on:
- Individual studio practice
- Professional practice
- Curating and mounting exhibitions
- Contemporary employment in the Fine Arts, understanding how artists make a living
- Research for Fine Arts Practices
Students can also develop their skills through a range of traditional and contemporary media including:
- Printmaking
- Installation
- Lens based processes
- Performance
- Painting and drawing
- 3D processes
- Digital media
Gaining a clear understanding of professional contexts for Fine Artists is a core part of the course. In previous years, students have undertaken a series of work placements with artists, arts and education organisations, commissioning agencies and curators. Students have worked on commissions for a range of private and commercial clients, organised and participated in external exhibitions and education activities. Students are encouraged to identify their own professional ambitions as the programme progresses which allows for the identification of appropriate professional practice opportunities.
Graphic Design pathway
Filton College
This pathway is vocationally focused and is suitable for those wishing to develop their technical and creative skills in preparation for a career in the Graphic Design industry.
The pathway focuses on:
- Corporate Identity
- Typographic Skills
- Working in a Digital Environment
- Editorial Design
- Research for the Design Industries
Through a range of creative assignments integrated within the modules, students have the opportunity to develop a portfolio which will support job applications within the graphic design industries upon completion of the programme. You will be encouraged to undertake a work placement during Year 2 of the course.
Recent placements have included studio-based opportunities with local and regional design and publishing companies. They have also included commissioned web design, logo and print design for live projects - including a collaboration between UWE, Aardman and the BBC, the development of motion graphics for web, and titles for film and television.
Photography pathway
Filton College
This pathway is suitable for students wishing to extend their creative and technical skills in both traditional chemical processes and the latest digital technologies in preparation for progression into a career in photography or related industries. Teaching takes the form of formal lectures, tutorials and research work that is linked to the production of practical and written coursework, all of which encourage students to examine and understand the work of other photographers in contemporary and historical contexts. This is complemented by technical workshops and lectures designed to assist in the development of students photographic skills and techniques.
The pathway focuses on:
- Studio Practice
- Digital Imaging
- Photo-journalism
- Research for Photographic Industries
Students are encouraged to identify and develop their own specialist interests. The course begins with a series of open projects designed to develop individual interests and allows students to explore specific aspects of photography through a range of intensive and creative practical assignments. This enables students to develop a portfolio of work to support job applications for roles within the photographic industries.
All students take an industrial placement during Year 2 of the course. Recent placements have included local newspapers and magazines, participation in live projects, commissioned photography for web and print, photojournalism and the development and exhibition of gallery-based photographic practices.
Media Practice pathway
University Centre Yeovil (full-time only)
This pathway supports students to develop their own practices in contemporary media production, which includes the exploration and understanding of multi-platform formats and a range of rapidly emerging digital media. Students will be encouraged to participate in a variety of projects enabling them to build a broad base of practical skills in media production, in addition to developing research skills and authorial voice - as editor and author of their own work.
The pathway focuses on:
- Use of digital techniques
- Capturing sound and image
- Sound and image manipulation
- Use of digital techniques
- Web design
- Production management
- Factual and fictional storytelling
- Audience analysis
- Research for the Media Industries
The course begins with a series of open projects which develop individual interests and enables students to explore their particular interests through a range of intensive and creative practical assignments. This allows students to create a portfolio of work to support job applications for roles within the media industries on completion of the course. All students take up work placements during Year 2 of the course.
The course has strong links with local, regional and national media organisations and encourages students to engage with work-based learning opportunities through their studies.
Writing for the Creative Industries pathway (subject to validation)
UWE Bower Ashton Campus (part-time only)
This pathway is designed for students wishing to develop writing as their professional practice and can encompass:
- Journalism and reviewing
- Museum and gallery writings
- Criticism
- Academic writings
- Writing for different media platforms
Teaching combines lectures, seminars, tutorials, research projects and field work; all devised to encourage students to engage with and produce a body of writings crafted for specific contexts and audiences.
Students are encouraged to identify and develop their own specialist interests, and the pathway focuses on the development of critical and contextual knowledges and their application to specific projects. All students locate and negotiate a professional placement during the final year of the course.
Careers/further study
It is expected that students from this course will be suitably prepared for employment/self-employment within the crea tive industries. Alternatively students can progress to a third year of study at UWE's Department of Art and Design, to top up their qualification to a BA degree.
This degree emphasises the importance of understanding the professional contexts that contemporary creative practitioners work in, in addition to the development of student's individual specialist practice. Professional practice experience, involvement in live projects and exhibitions, work-based and work-related learning and work placements are actively encouraged throughout the course.
Students develop an individual development programme as they work through the course and part of this includes a plan for further study, work or continuing professional practice on completion of the foundation degree.
Entry
Typical offers
- Tariff points: normally 120, as one A-level pass or equivalent
- GCSE: English Language at grade C or above required.
- Access: Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma; achievement of level 2 credits in English Language, the award of Access to HE Diploma. The Department of Art and Design guarantees each applicant an interview which may include a viewing of creative work.
Advice on typical offers
We interview all applicants until the course is full. Acceptance into the programme is based on evidence of creative potential. Previous educational achievement is valued and the minimum entry requirements are shown above. However, we also welcome applicants from non-traditional routes.
Entry requirements
We will expect to see a collection of your creative work. This may include drawings, paintings, photography, textiles, sculpture, video, design, any form of 2D or 3D work as well as sketch books and written work. We are looking for students who are enthusiastic and have a genuine interest in this area of study.
How to apply
Please see the general information about applications.
When you complete your application, please quote the relevant campus and course codes:
Bower Ashton course code - WW12
Filton College course code - WW12(J)
University Centre Yeovil course code - WW12(F)
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011