People looking at a painting on a wall

Available with:

  • Foundation Year

Course Summary

The Fine Art course will expand and develop your visual creativity within a contemporary practice-based context underpinned by relevant theory. It includes possibilities in painting and drawing, sculpture, time-based and lens-based media, textiles, printmaking and interdisciplinary studio contexts.  

The diverse and exciting nature of contemporary fine art is represented in the design and delivery of the course; whilst the emphasis is on practice, this is underpinned by a strong theoretical and contextual element. You will gain practical and workshop skills that are then applied to studio projects at Levels 4 and 5 and your own autonomous practice at Level 6.  

Workshops are well resourced and include specialist foundry, fabrication and construction workshops, printmaking studio, textiles studio, drawing and painting studios, as well as facilities for video, photographic and computer-based activity. Level 5 and 6 students work in their own studio spaces with adequate storage for work. Opportunities for placements and elements of professional practice provide the course with a ‘real-life’ edge, so you can envisage the fine artist you could become. 

Whilst approximately 75% of your time at Level 6 will be occupied with studio modules, you will have the option of theory modules to suit all learning styles, from a short essay and presentation to an extended essay or 8,000-10,000-word dissertation. 

There is regular tutorial and teaching contact with academic staff, many of whom are practitioners and researchers of national and international standing. 

Recent field trips have included New York, London, Berlin, Florence and Paris. 


What You'llStudy

Module content:

  • Reading and writing critically.
  • Constructing and evaluating an argument.
  • Note-taking techniques for reading and listening.
  • Understanding plagiarism and academic integrity.
  • Introduction to reflective practice.
  • Preparing for, and delivering, powerpoint presentations.
  • Referencing and citation.
  • Summarising and paraphrasing written sources.
  • Literature searching.
  • Report writing.
  • The culture and expectations of higher education.
  • The assessment process including the role of assessment criteria and feedback.
  • The nature of research journal publishing.

Whilst much of the content above is generic, students will be encouraged to situate skills within the context of the undergraduate discipline they are entering, which leads to some variation in emphasis for certain skills.


Module aims:

1.To raise awareness of the range of study skills required for successful higher education studies, including the process of academic writing, reading strategies, seminar skills, organisation of time and materials, planning for and meeting deadlines, understanding and responding to feedback.

2. To introduce students to concepts such as plagiarism, academic integrity and appropriate use of artificial intelligence tools.

3. To facilitate an effective transition into higher education by exploring, and providing guidance in, the key elements of successful undergraduate studentship including students' understanding of taking responsibility for their own learning.

4. To teach students how to undertake a literature, visual or data review for their discipline and be able to differentiate between a valid, reliable source and an unsubstantiated or irrelevant source.  

Module content:

  • Research and planning skills.
  • Becoming familiar with topics that comprise their undergraduate degree subject.
  • Developing a knowledge base for a discipline of study.
  • Identifying areas of interest.
  • Application and development of critical analytical skills.
  • Development of self-directed study.
  • Use of learning resources.

Module aims:

1. To develop students' skills in planning and writing an essay.

2. To familiarise students with the process of tutor supervision for a written piece of work.

3. To give students an opportunity to focus on a topic within their undergraduate degree subject.

4. To write a piece of work that allows the student to broaden and deepen knowledge on a topic of their choice.

5. To prepare and deliver an academic poster presentation outlining the student's research topic.

Module content:

  • An introduction to creative and critical thinking concepts
  • Considering credibility; belief and truth
  • Identifying how language is used for persuasion
  • Identifying how image is used for persuasion
  • Recognising how media is used for manipulation
  • An introduction to advertising and marketing techniques
  • Representation and misrepresentation of data
  • Applying critical thinking skills to contemporary media and technology

 


Module aims:

1. To introduce approaches to analytical and critical thinking.

2. To develop an understanding of critical thinking when applied to language, image, traditional and online media.

 

Module content:

  • Creative tools and methods used in the construction of visual messages.
  • Analogue and digital visualization media.
  • Basic elements and principles of design.
  • Media manipulation and practice with creative problem-solving methods. 
  • Analytical and observational visualization techniques exploring line, volume, tone, spatial relationships, composition, form and perspective through drawing, photography and screen based digital tools.
  • Experimenting with mixed media relevant to different creative disciplines.

Module aims:

1. To acquire and apply the skills and techniques necessary for the creation of visual communication messages and artefacts.

2. To identify problems and issues related to exploiting tools and media in art and design.

3. To appreciate the creative dynamic generated through the interaction of ideas, material/medium practice and context.

4. To work and contribute within a group environment and develop a capacity for self-directed study.

 

 

Module content:

  • Identify concepts that underpin and inform visual communication practice. 
  • Introduce ideas on narrative, design, communication, creativity, imagination, semiotics and interpretation. 
  • Exploring concepts and methods of constructing meaningful visual communication messages.
  • Understanding differing demands of self-expression and communication problem-solving.

Module aims:

1. Develop an awareness of the scope of the conceptual and practical frameworks associated with visual communication practice.

2. Develop the ability to exploit visual language to create effective visual communication.

3. Develop the ability to generate ideas and identify appropriate working methods in response to visual communication challenges.

4. Develop independent creative decision-making and the capacity for self directed study.

5. Identify and utilise appropriate research strategies and information retrieval procedures.

Module content:

 

  • Introduction to semiotics and visual language
  • Emerging trends: environment and interiors
  • The birth and evolution of cinema
  • The human commodity: advertising, celebrity and reality television
  • Introduction to postmodernism and popular art
  • Photography as social commentary
  • The internet and digital spaces

 


Module aims:

1. To develop students' understanding of western civilization through an understanding of that civilization's visual texts.

2. To develop students' abilities to communicate orally, visually and through academic writing.

3. To develop students' interpretative abilities through the promotion of skills of visual interpretation.

 

 

Sculpture, printmaking, time-based media and textiles projects run simultaneously with modules in drawing/painting and art history and theory.

Module content:

Level 4 introduces students to

  • The fundamental concepts, theories and principals associated with their individual subject area
  • The broad critical, historical, contemporary contexts and future potential of their area of study and the significance of the work of other practitioners within their field of study
  • A variety of approaches to research, within, through and about their area of study
  • The basic skills and techniques required to produce outputs in response to set briefs
  • The visual and verbal communication techniques appropriate to their subject area
  • The tools, technologies and materials relevant to their subject area
  • A range of approaches to problem solving 
  • The importance of taking personal responsibility for their own learning

Module aims:

The aim of this module is to introduces the key aspects of a level 4 degree within Art or Design, including:

  • foundational knowledge,
  • problem-solving skills,
  • effective communication,
  • personal responsibility,
  • subject specific skills and
  • the development of important attributes required for employment within and beyond the creative and cultural industries

You will respond to studio briefs, which are open to interpretation, whilst studying the philosophies informing and shaping late modernism and postmodernism.

Module content:

The module will focus on the relationship between content and form inherent to studio practice production. Students will develop responses and outcomes to set projects and, expanding upon their level 4 experience, consider and implement strategies that question, dispel or confirm personal boundaries within fine art studio practice. Through studio experimentation and an ongoing reflective dialogue, documented and developed in a Reflective Journal, students will consider the efficacy of a range of approaches to each set project reaching outcomes that are thus informed and considered.

Critical debate will be a platform for the consideration and discussion of the alignment between initial idea, related courses of action and final outcome.

Projects will therefore include:·        

  • Construction of responses to set challenges.        
  • Studio experimentation and active speculation through making giving rise to manifest possibilities.       
  • Reflective and critical dialogue.      
  • Focused and sustained studio practice activity.        
  • Documentation and reflection on studio activity.        
  • Continued development of an informed visual language.

 


Module aims:

In generating responses to set projects, considering possibilities through informed reflection, developing outcomes that are coherent in terms of the relationship between idea, form and content, the following aims are inherent to this module:·  

  • To generate ideas in response to set projects. 
  • To engender and develop a facility for speculative making using appropriate media in the pursuance of final outcomes.  
  • To develop modes of operation that encompass critical debate as an informing tool.
  • To expand a contextual research base that is relevant to individual studio activity.      

These aims consolidate the level 4 experience and develop strategies, modes of practice and engagement that serve to inform an increasingly individual and autonomous approach at level 6.

 

Module content:

In consultation with academic staff, students will devise an individual studio practice rationale that takes into account their previous experience alongside their existing and emerging artistic interests and concerns. Students will therefore be proposing an individual brief from which they will produce studio work subject to adaptation as a result of reflective and critical dialogue. The development of this brief, the relevance of sustained preparatory work, and the conceptual clarity of the outcome in a coherent body of work will be addressed within the module. Presentation and documentation will form part of the content as will methods of capitalising on outcomes in the development of further work, particularly in relation to level 6.

 


Module aims:

The main aim of this module is to support students in relation to their studio practice production as they move from a predominantly taught, brief led mode of operation to one which takes account of their increasing autonomy. In a supportive environment, students will consider their experience and aspirations for their practice, the interests and concerns central to that practice, and how that might develop. In the shorter term, such developments will be embodied in the proposal and execution of studio work for assessment at the end of level 5, and in the slightly longer term, how that development might be carried over into level 6.

 

Module content:

The module will begin with an examination of the origins of Modernism, with particular focus on the visual arts, including for example, within the Romantic movement, (including the philosophy of the Sublime – Burke and Kant) and to a lesser extent an ‘irrational’ strain within the Enlightenment (Sterne, Swift and Hogarth). The module will examine the cultural repercussions of these developments, for example with regard to the ‘irrational tradition’ evident in the ‘nonsense’ poems and visual art of Edward Lear.The module will proceed to a survey of the origins of modern art movements – many of which; Dada, Surrealism, are indebted to the traditions outlined above.

The module will also examine the historical, cultural and social milieu immediately preceding and following World War One. Other movements looked at include Expressionism, Italian Futurism, Russian Suprematism and Constructivism and later developments like Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, and others for example (illustrative) Minimalism and Conceptualism, as well as other related developments for example the Bauhaus.There will also be instruction with regard to research, essay writing and referencing.

 


Module aims:

The aims of this module will be to:·        

  • Develop a knowledge and understanding of key concepts and movements in modern art and of related theory. 
  • Ensure an understanding of the social, political and cultural context regarding the emergence of modernism and modern art.         
  • Develop historic, critical and aesthetic awareness of modern art.       
  • Further develop research skills.
  • Entrench the development of appropriate writing skills and strategies.

Module content:

This module will develop student’s awareness and understanding of the diverse range of career pathways available to creative graduates and enable them to confidently build a career development trajectory for their final year and after graduation. Students will be encouraged to identify the diverse career opportunities within the creative and cultural industries and to explore potential pathways as an independent practitioner and/or employment-based opportunities beyond graduation.

Through negotiated independent research students will critically analyse and evaluate their current skills, competencies and attitudes and devise an action plan to address gaps in subject specific and transferable skills.

Throughout the module students will build a portfolio of work experience activity which can include short employment placements, work shadowing, involvement in Department projects or external partner projects, self-initiated placements or volunteering. Work experience activities will provide the foundation for reflection and evaluation in the Career journal and an impetus for research activities in the taught sessions 


Module aims:

This module aims to enhance students’ prospects of gaining graduate level employment, within the creative and cultural sector which will enable them to:-

  • Individually reflect on immediate and future directions and career planning
  • Develop a sophisticated and critical awareness of their development in relation to their future career aspirations
  • Develop transferable employment skills through involvement in internal or external work experience and professional project opportunities.
  • Analyse and articulate skills and attitudes introduced in their programme of study and their application to a specific role within the creative and cultural industries

Module content:

This optional Level Five module will introduce students to theories of narrative and stylistics across media showing the necessity of these frameworks for reading and understanding stories in the Visual Arts, Drama, Music, Photography, Literature and Film.

The module will introduce students to media synergies and dissonances, relative to a range of concepts of narrative and style. As such, it will complement existing modules and pathways across disciplines. It will not overlap existing provision.

By studying examples from across different media, including folk tales, fiction, film, comics, photography, music and videogames, the module will demonstrate the widening reach and current application of theories of narrative and stylistics, well beyond their historic roots in linguistics. Moreover, by having student learners from different art and design disciplines involved, the module will encourage peer learning and build student confidence through its multidisciplinary nature. 


Module aims:

  1. To exchange knowledge of a wide range of concepts of narrative and style in different media and across media.
  2. To develop knowledge of a wide range of methods of story identification and analysis, and stylistic identification and analysis, in different media and across media.
  3. To enable students to develop a range of skills in identifying and analysing stories and styles, relevant to their own practice and the wider context of their specific subject disciplines.
  4. To enable students to engage critically with concepts of narrative and stylistics across a range of media.

Module content:

Part A:      

Preparation for Experiential Overseas Learning will take place at the university of Chester during level 5 and will include:  

  • The multiple facets of Global citizenship
  • Ethical engagement and practice
  • Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
  • Intercultural communication

Theories, models and strategies of learning

  • Theories and models Intercultural competence
  • Theories and models of Integration and Multiculturalism
  • Critical thinking skills and models of Reflection
  • Experiential learning models
  • Self-directed experiential learning

Personal and placement-related skills

  • Enhanced independence
  • Improved command of multicultural behaviour
  • Increased knowledge and confidence in their individual facets of personal identity
  • Effective time management and organisational skills
  • Project management – working away from University and independent study
  • Self-management and personal development
  • Team building and team work

Part B:            Overseas

Students will engage in experiential learning activities overseas for at least 150 hours 


Module aims:

The purpose of this module is to enhance students’ prospects of completing an overseas placement to the best of their ability consequently it aims to:

  • To equip participants with appropriate knowledge and skills to study or work in a different cultural, linguistic and/or social environment; enhancing ethical, cultural and intercultural awareness.
  • To enhance students understanding of the ethical issues related to living and working abroad.
  • To increase students Global Citizenship skills
  • To provide an opportunity for students to reflect critically on their experience of living and learning within an unfamiliar culture, to their 'home' culture or ethnic group.

To challenge students to learn about themselves as global citizens in terms of life skills, career choices and academic development outside the classroom.

Module content:

Preparation for the year abroad will take place in Chester during level 5 and will include:

  • Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
  • Host-country orientation, study methods– economic, political and social reality of the country
  • Orientation specific to exchange – health, education, gender issues
  • The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
  • Practical matters relating to living and studying in the wider world

Theories, models and strategies of learning

  • Critical thinking skills, experiential learning       and models of reflection

Personal and placement-related transversal skills

  • Effective self-motivation and independent resourcefulness
  • Effective time management and organisational skills
  • Project management – working away from University and independent study
  • Self-management and personal development

Whilst abroad:

Students will undertake study at one of UoC’s partner universities; it is expected that students will choose a series of modules at the university abroad, which equal a full-time study load. This must be agreed by the host institution and the International Tutor. Students must supply details of their courses/modules on a learning agreement within 4 weeks of arrival at the host university, note students who fail to supply this within 4 weeks may have the opportunity withdrawn.


Module aims:

  1. To experience academic life in country outside of the EU, enhancing cultural and intercultural awareness and increasing transversal skills.
  2. To reflect on the impact of the experience in their destination on one’s own personal, academic and professional development.
  3. To engage with the experience of study at a partner university to gain extensive first-hand knowledge and understanding of the relevant society from the perspective of the resident.
  4. To further develop independent learning techniques.
  5. To foster critical evaluation.

You will generate your own studio practice, culminating in public degree show, whilst taking a theory module of your choice.

Module content:

This module is seen as the culmination of a programme of sustained visual research and studio practice where it is possible to realise the full potential of personal creative development and ambition. The emphasis will be on artistic production and requires evidence of an intensive practical engagement with appropriate media. Programmes of study will be individually designed according to student's particular artistic intentions and monitored through individual tutorials with suitable feedback. Group seminars and discussion will be undertaken in order that students are able to actively engage with contemporary issues and participate in some of the wider debates emanating from studio practice.  Visual Research will be sustained within this module providing the opportunity to give additional focus to developing ideas and expand the scope of visual sources and practical expertise. In addition, students will undertake Contextual Research to support personal enquiries and an engagement with the relationships between practice and broader historical, cultural and artistic contexts.


Module aims:

The aims of this module will be:

1.     To promote a professional level of studio practice through the realisation of a coherent body of work 

2.     To utilise appropriate media, materials, process and technologies in the realisation of artistic intentions 

3.     To apply effectively visual and contextual research strategies within the context of artistic production 

4.     To promote an understanding of the functional relationship between theory and practice through continuous reference to a relevant artistic, cultural and critical context 

5.     To promote an ability to manage time and resources effectively, to administer a personal workload and meet deadlines

 

Module content:

This module encourages students who have demonstrated an interest in specific artistic or aesthetic concerns to pursue personal interests that may have emanated from their theoretical studies and / or their Fine Art practice. Core lectures will supplement such emerging interest in the early stages of the module. Students will be provided with materials on research methodology in Fine Art and asked to compare and contrast differing modes of expression. They will be expected to undertake in-depth independent research in their chosen field, as well as negotiating the expression of content in conjunction with their tutors.


Module aims:

The aims of this module will be to:·        

  • Provide the opportunity to carry out a piece of focused research on an area of specific artistic / aesthetic concern to the student.        
  • Develop confidence to explore critical, and / or aesthetic issues and to be speculative in positing ideas 
  • Provide the opportunity to articulate thoughts and ideas relevant to a personal position in relation to contemporary artistic practice, and to argue a case in an academic format

Module content:

Bringing together students and staff from across Art & Design programme disciplines, this module will provide students with the opportunity to develop their understanding of graduate and professional development in Art & Design. 

Following the module introduction, a series of guest lectures by recent graduates and early, mid-career and high-level Art and Design professionals, will introduce students to practitioner-oriented career pathways within the creative and cultural industries. Guest lectures will reflect the interests, concerns and dynamic of the student body within the module providing both programme specific information and exemplars alongside content applicable to all Art & Design undergraduates.  

Module content will in particular focus on enabling students to critically identify the context of their practice/design work and how it might be developed within a graduate, professional environment. This could include the development of a portfolio practice, specific art and design employment opportunities, or those facilitated by transferable skills. Documentation and reflection on module content will be used to develop an individual position, refine a portfolio and a career pathway plan that will assist student journeys from undergraduate study to graduation and employability.


Module aims:

Modules aims are to:

  • Explore and develop a functional knowledge of professional contexts in relation to employability and independent practice within the creative and cultural industries
  • Identify and enhance subject specific and transferable skills in the context of individual professional aspirations and trajectories
  • Gain insight and experience in promotional strategies, marketing, communication and dissemination of information as it relates to personal creative practice
  • Recognise and understand the importance of key ethical and moral issues in relation to professional practice in Art and Design
  • Engage with collaborative opportunities to enhance understanding of professional practice networks and structures

Module content:

This module will afford students an opportunity to respond to a studio practice project brief, negotiating and implementing a resolved and proficient outcome. An initial period of visual research and visual experimentation will test the efficacy of responses to the set brief; such responses will be prepared, presented and formatively assessed mid-way through the module. Feedback and negotiated tutorial positions will then propose a direction through which resolved pieces will be developed for summative assessment.  The module in terms of its structure and the manner in which it is managed will draw on the structure of commissioned projects that operate in the public realm. Module content will therefore address some of the issues inherent to responses to public briefs in relation to exhibition call–outs or the commissioning process, time management and the appropriate deployment of process, medium and technologies. Methods of presentation, both at formative and summative level will be discussed.


Module aims:

The aims of this module will be:

  • To expose students to the requirements and structures of a project brief similar to those operating in the public realm  
  • To promote appropriate and considered responses to given problems based on the synthesis of experience and research  
  • To provide a platform for the presentation of ideas, concerns, interests and visual responses within a formal presentation setting  
  • To produce exhibition quality artefacts in response to challenges set, delivered within a prescribed timescale

Module content:

Generic content will cover the time management, structure, organisation, referencing and writing style required for a dissertation. Content will also cover research methods - appropriate for each student's individual research. This may include content analysis, discourse analysis, semiotic analysis, secondary and primary research, qualitative and quantitative research, and others as and when relevant. The dissertation is an independent research project in negotiation, with and supported by, a supervisor. The content of meetings will be driven by the student's individual research topic, progress and response to feedback.


Module aims:

The module aims to:

  • Develop extensive and sophisticated specialist knowledge articulated to a very high standard in academic written work.
  • Successfully manage research study and writing process to meet interim and final deadlines.
  • Produce research and analysis which reflects an interpretative and critically reflective study.
  • Develop a rigorous understanding of appropriate research methods.
  • Develop the ability to negotiate a topic for independent research and justify the viability of that research.
  • Assist in development of a topic based on a research question or other appropriate context of research.
  • Accurately record, present and reference material from a range of different sources.
An overview of the Department of Art and Design

An overview of the Department of Art and Design

Who you'll Learn from

Dr Jeremy Turner

Deputy Head of Art & Design; Programme Leader: BA (Hons) Fine Art
Dr Jeremy Turner

Dr Maxine Bristow

Associate Professor
A dark grey silhouette on a light grey background

Dr Tom McGuirk

Senior Lecturer Fine Art
Tom McGuirk

Stephen Clarke

Lecturer in Fine Art, Graphic Design and Photography
Stephen Clarke

How you'll Learn

Teaching 

Methods of teaching will include studio practice sessions, lectures, seminars, presentations, workshops, demonstrations, group and individual tutorials, and critiques. These take place in dedicated year group studios, workshops, lecture theatres and seminar rooms. 

Assessment 

Formative and summative assessment of coursework is applied to studio work, supporting work, sketchbooks, reflective journals, and visual and material experiments. Theory is assessed through written essays, a dissertation and assessment of oral presentations.

Beyond the Classroom

Art and Design Experiential Learning modules offer students the opportunity to apply their programme knowledge and experience in a related field during an assessed five-week placement. This may be, for example, working on commission, in a gallery or museum, photographic studio or archive, within visual merchandising or an educational institution. 
  
Our Experiential Overseas Learning module offers a unique opportunity to participate in a short-term placement around the world. Students will engage in experiential learning activities overseas for at least 150 hours. 
 
This course offers the exciting opportunity to study abroad for a full academic year. 
 
Whilst abroad: 
Students will undertake study at one of our partner universities; it is expected that students will choose a series of modules at the university abroad, which accrue at least (100 credits; 50 ECTS). 
 
Additional subjects may be taken, but these can only be used for credit if the university abroad assigns ECTS credits to them (i.e., if students pass all the required assessments associated with the relevant module at the university abroad). 

Entry Requirements

112 UCAS Points

UCAS Tariff

112 points

GCE A Level

 

Typical offer – BCC-BBC

Please refer to the Extra Information section below.

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM

International Baccalaureate

26 points

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers - H3 H3 H3 H3 H4

Scottish Highers - BBBB

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma - 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above

T Level

T Level - Merit

OCR Cambridge Technicals

OCR Extended Diploma: DMM

Extra Information

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer.  We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

At the University of Chester, we believe creativity knows no bounds and welcome individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to join our vibrant family of artists and designers. Our art and design courses are designed to nurture creativity, foster innovation, and develop the skills necessary to excel in the creative and cultural industries. We understand that creativity is a talent that can be cultivated and honed, regardless of prior qualifications. If you have a passion for creativity and a desire to learn and grow in the world of art and design, we encourage you to apply to our courses, regardless of your qualification subjects.

Applicants will be required to attend a portfolio interview before an offer of a place can be made. 

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

  • IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
  • Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements

72 UCAS Points

UCAS Tariff

72 points

GCE A level

72 points overall, including grade D in an art, design or media-based subject.

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma (Art & Design): MMP

International Baccalaureate

24 points including 4 in HL Visual Arts

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 including Art

Scottish Highers: CCDD including Art

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma (Art and Design) – Pass overall

T Level

Considered alongside a Level 3 Art and Design qualification

OCR Cambridge Technicals

OCR Extended Diploma (Art and Design): MMP

Extra Information

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer.  We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

Fine Art including a Foundation Year requires that you have studied Art & Design or acceptable alternatives.

If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree. 

Where you'll study Creative Campus, Kingsway, Chester

Fees and Funding

£9,250 per year (2024/25)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2024/25 are £9,250 a year, or £1,540 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

The University may increase these fees at the start of each subsequent year of your course in line with inflation at that time, as measured by the Retail Price Index. These fee levels and increases are subject to any necessary government, and other regulatory, approvals.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Following the UK’s exit from the EU, students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU starting in or after the 2021/22 academic year will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£13,950 per year (2024/25)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2024/25 are £13,950. 

This fee is set for each year of study. All undergraduate students are eligible for international and merit-based scholarships which are applicable to each year of study.  

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes. 

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees. 

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills. 

Additional costs will depend on the nature of your studio activity and the media area/s you operate in. The Department provides a substantial amount of material for you. 

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

Fine Art graduates possess multiple transferable skills, including specialist workshop skills, research and presentation skills, communication and writing skills, universally applicable across a broad range of roles. Graduates from the course work in galleries and museums, as curators, educators and makers and roles that involve any form of visual communication. 

Progression options

  • Art Therapy MA 
  • Arts and Media (MRes) 
  • Design MA

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.