UAL: Central Saint Martins

Courses I have looked at:

-BA (Hons) Fine Art

• The dimensional pathway structure is unique to CSM. The course offers students an interdisciplinary context whilst the pathways give a perspective to explore specific practices.
• You will work within one of 4 pathways, 2D, 3D, 4D and X D, offering you a practice-based approach to technical, conceptual, historical and critical contexts
• the chance to go on international exchanges, in countries around the world
• external projects that provide experience of art practice
• you can take a one year Diploma in Professional Studies as part of your BA Fine Art course

Scheduled open days: Thursday 10th November 2016, Tuesday 15th November 2016

Portfolio:

• Work imaginatively and creatively in visual media
• engage with experimentation and invention
• show personal commitment to skill development
• reflect critically on your learning

-BA (Hons) Graphic Communication Design

• supports students interested in developing hybrid practices, specialist approaches and those looking for a more general and strategic graphic communication design education
• Choose from areas of study to develop professional approaches in, for example, typography, coding, illustration, interaction, moving image and branding
• design your curriculum for final year study
• live briefs engaging local government, non-profits and companies

Scheduled open days: Wednesday 23rd November, Friday 2nd December

Portfolio:

• Work imaginatively and creatively in graphic and visual media
• original thought to any given problem and not mimic prevalent styles
• range of skills and technical abilities
• potential to experiment

Entry requirements:

• Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
• A pass in 1 GCE A level
• Passes at GCSE level in 3 other subjects (grade C or above)

Course fees: £9,000 per year

Goldsmiths

BA (Hons) Fine Art, duration 3 years

• make and study contemporary art in a dynamic, critical and interdisciplinary environment
• develop independent thought and confidence in your practice, as well as transferable skills suitable for employment in the creative industries
• your own studio space from day one, and will have access to excellent facilities including specialist research laboratories
• wide variety of media
• Studios are not divided by year or discipline
• critical studies 25% of this course

Scheduled open days: I visited the Goldsmiths open day on the 8th October 2016

Entry Requirements:

• Successful completion of three A-levels, Baccalaureate or equivalent; and
• successful completion of a Foundation

Portfolio:

• The portfolio will contain up to 12 items representing a variety of your art/design work and approaches
• You’ll also be asked to upload an essay from either your Foundation course (or equivalent) or from an A-level (or equivalent)

Course fees: £9,000 per year

Glasgow School of Art

Courses I have looked at:

-BA (Hons) Sculpture and Environmental Art, duration 4 years or direct entry to 2nd year

• two separate programmes, sculpture and environmental art

Sculpture:

• extending the conventional boundaries of object making to encompass both traditional and contemporary materials and media
• based on construction, casting and fabrication and extends through to more time based art practices such as video, performance and installation
• develop the practical and philosophical understanding of the subject

Environmental Art:

• The Programme prepares students for working as artists in the contemporary world. While galleries and museums remain major places for art to be viewed, opportunities for artists to make work in and for other contexts and places have increased enormously
• the course offers not only the opportunity to exhibit in the traditional sense, but also explores these other contexts
• Public Art Project
• experiencing a broad range of skills in drawing, casting, wood and metal fabrication, photography, video, computers and sound
• Seminars and lectures on the history, theory and professional practices of public art, in its broadest sense

-BA (Hons) Communication Design

• traditional skills of drawing, printing, photography and other graphic processes with video, sound, animation and other aspects of moving image and multimedia
•  no longer defined by their specialism, but through their creative interpretations and articulation of the brief
• three distinct specialisms
• Graphic Design, photography, illustration
• encouraged to undertake appropriate industrial placements and external assignments, as well as to engage in the numerous opportunities for national and international specialist competitions

Scheduled open days: I visited the open day for Glasgow School of Art on the 27th October 2016

Entry Requirements

Entry to first year:

• A Levels: ABB plus GCSE English Language at grade A.

or direct entry to second year:

• You must be able to satisfy the School that you have undertaken a period of study equivalent to the first, or first and second year, of the degree programme. This may include an art foundation

Portfolio:

• development process
• how you represent sources and influences
• range and application of practical skills
• Course awareness, why this course?

Course fees: £9,000 per year

Time Plan

Institutions I have visited in the past:

• Newcastle University, BA (Hons) Fine Art
• Northumbria University, BA (Hons) Fine Art
• Leeds University, BA (Hons) Fine Art, BA (Hons) Music
• Leeds College of Art, BA (Hons) Fine Art
• Manchester School of Art, BA (Hons) Fine Art
• Nottingham Trent, BA (Hons) Fine Art
• Lancaster University, BA (Hons) Fine Art
• Edinburgh University, BA (Hons) Fine Art
• Oxford University, BA (Hons) Music

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This year:

 8th October: Goldsmiths open day,  BA (Hons) Fine Art

27th October: Glasgow School of Art open day:

• BA (Hons) Interactive Design,
• BA (Hons) Sculpture and Environmental Design,
• BA (Hons) Communication Design,

 2nd November: Chelsea College of Arts open day, BA (Hons) Interior and spatial design

12th November: Nottingham Trent open day

 15th November: Design your future UCAS fair at Excel London

 15th November: Central Saint Martins open day,  BA (Hons) Fine Art

 16th November: Chelsea College of Arts open day,  BA (Hons) Fine Art

19th November: Teesside University open day

26th November: Northumbria University open day

 29th November: UCL: Slade School of Fine Art,  BA (Hons) Fine Art

2nd December: Central Saint Martins open day, BA (Hons) Graphic Communication Design

3rd December: Cleveland College of Art and design open day

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 2017:

 15th January: UCAS deadline

30th June: Newcastle University open day

Progression Review

I applied for Fine Art last year and received places at Newcastle University, Manchester School of Art and Nottingham Trent however decided to do this Foundation Diploma to confirm this was definitely the route I wanted to take. I also wanted to build an even stronger portfolio and explore the areas of art and design I had never done before.

When researching universities last year I didn’t really explore locations far from home and looking back I realise I probably wasn’t ready to move away from home just yet. This limited my options and disregarded many of the top art schools around the country. I believe if I had accepted an offer at Newcastle university last year I would be regretting that decision. I have also researched a broader range of courses and the places that stand out to me are :

• Glasgow School of Art
• UAL: Chelsea College of Arts
• UAL: Central Saint Martins
• Goldsmiths

I also think I could use Nottingham Trent and Manchester School of Art as backup options as these institutions still very much appealed to me.

I have already visited open days for all of these institutions apart from central saint martins however I have looked around the college at the facilities and have read into the course in some depth.

The courses I viewed at Glasgow School of Art were: Sculpture & Environmental Art, Interactive design, and Communication Design. Before the open day I thought the course that would be most appealing would be the Sculpture & Environmental Art course however I couldn’t see myself studying it when I went to the talk and I wasn’t very inspired. Unexpectedly the course that did stand out was the communication design talk. It was a much broader and conceptual discipline than I expected it to be and the past work was very interesting and somewhat similar to my practices.

I visited the Chelsea College of Arts open day for BA (Hons) Interior and Spatial Design on the 2nd November and have an open day booked for the BA (Hons) Fine Art course on the 16th November. The college has a great atmosphere and I would like to be in an art school environment surrounded by like minded people. At the moment I also think London would be a great place to study. There is inspiration everywhere and you’re on the doorstep to some of the greatest art galleries in the world; Chelsea College of Arts is next door to Tate Britain.

As I previously mentioned I haven’t formally visited an open day for Central Saint Martins; I may try to visit on the 15th of November for BA (Hons) Fine Art however it is fully booked. Despite this I have visited the college and the facilities are very impressive. They also cover a wide variety of disciplines so there is a wide variety of inspiration from everywhere. Again I love the art school environment and the location and building are amazing.

I visited the Goldsmiths open day for BA (Hons) Fine Art on the 8th October and although it is a train journey from central London you still reap all the benefits and opportunities of a London location. They have 2 Fine Art courses; one has more studio practice and one focuses more on theory. I think I would prefer the studio practice course as this still integrates contextual/theory studies within the course which is important however if I was doing a fine art degree I would like to focus on developing my studio practice.

Open days that I still have planned are ,as i previously mentioned, BA (Hons) Fine Art at Chelsea College of Arts and also UCL: Slade School of Fine Art.

When I started visiting open days I thought Fine Art would be the direction I would take however I am starting to believe a design based practice would be beneficial and interesting to do a degree in. I have looked into Communication design at Glasgow and also Graphic Communication Design at Chelsea College of Arts and Central Saint Martins. At the moment I am unsure which course I wish to pursue as a degree and I may apply for multiple courses depending on what work I can gather for my portfolio.

I did create a portfolio of work to apply to institutions last year however it wasn’t as formal as it could have been and certainly needs updating as I have stronger pieces of work that can be added now. With this foundation diploma I will be able to create a professional looking, stronger portfolio that will enable me to get into the places I want. I had very little portfolio guidance last year in regards to how to set it out and choosing appropriate pieces. I also had never done life drawing before I started this course which will be hugely beneficial especially if applying to Fine Art courses.

Nottingham Trent

BA (Hons) Fine Art, duration: 3 years

• Create connections with Nottingham’s wider art community through our graduate and staff network, and benefit from our extensive links with festivals, art organisations and artists’ groups, nationally and internationally.
• Take part in exhibitions and professional events at NTU and at galleries around the city.
• Work in our dedicated fine art studios, alongside students from other years of the course.
• Have the support of academic and technical staff who are practising artists in their own right.

Scheduled open days: Saturday 12 November 2016, however I visited an open day for this course last year.

Entry Requirements:

• A-levels – BBC or
• 112 UCAS Tariff points from three A-levels or equivalent qualifications

Portfolio:

• Evidence of a desire to experiment and take risks
• An awareness of speculation and self-initiative within practical work
• Evidence of critical thinking and knowledge of visual cultures
• An ability to articulate your ideas and opinions verbally

Course fees: £9,000 per year

I applied for this course last year and subsequently gained an unconditional place however I decided to do a foundation year to confirm this was the direction I wanted to take and build and even stronger portfolio and try the areas of Art and Design I hadn’t done before.

 

Cleveland College of Art and Design

BA (Hons) Fine Art, duration: 3 years

• equipped to facilitate and develop interdisciplinary and specialist approaches to Fine Art
• encourages high levels of technical skill, conceptual rigour and contextual awareness
• 2D Practices, 3D practices, and digital practices
• professional studies programme that adapts to supports your academic and career ambitions

Scheduled open days: Saturday 3rd December 2016, Wednesday 22nd March 2017

Entry Requirements:

• 96 UCAS points or
• Foundation Studies in Art & Design

Portfolio:

Everyone will have their own individual styles and will have produced work in different ways, which we actively encourage. Examples of your work can be either complete or ‘work in progress– as long as they demonstrate your skills, interests and key strengths.

Course fees: £9,000 per year

Teesside University

BA (Hons) Fine Art, duration: 3 years

• Lectures, seminars and studio-based critique raise ideas and themes to explore the shifting status of beauty in visual culture and contemporary practice
• work with visiting artists, curators and writers who share their expertise during lectures and give direct tutorial support to your individual research projects
• diverse and extensive range of fine art expertise

Scheduled Open days: 19th November 2016

Entry Requirements:

• A typical offer is 112 tariff points from at least three A levels (or equivalent) – one must be in an appropriate discipline
• considerable importance to a portfolio of work

Course fees: £9,000 per year

 

Northumbria University

BA (Hons) Fine Art, duration: 3 years

• develop visual and creative abilities alongside analytical and practical skills through tutorials, seminars and technical workshops
• Professional practice modules
• Field trips to key national exhibitions, events and festivals

Scheduled open days: Saturday 26 November, however I visited an open day for this course last year.

Entry Requirements:

• 300 UCAS Tariff points including an art or photography subject or
• Foundation with merits in all units

Portfolio:

• a portfolio of work which most readily represents your ideas
•  experimentation with colour, texture, form and a variety of techniques
• evidence that you can think conceptually
• Project your personality
• critical and analytical

Course fees: £9,000 per year

Newcastle University

BA (Hons) Fine Art, duration: 4 years

• first year: studio based modules, introduced to a range of methods and working strategies and encouraged to initiate and develop ideas
• second year: modules are designed to continue to develop your skills and ideas within a framework that provides a choice of combining specialist studio based practice, complementary practice strands and art history modules
• third year: sustained, intensive studio practice with an emphasis on individual research and inquiry
• fourth year: The principal aim of Final Year is to build upon the intensive, sustained and self-directed studio inquiry of third year to enable you to conclude your studies successfully and be prepared for further intellectual and creative and professional development

Scheduled open days: Friday 30 June, Saturday 1 July and Saturday 16 September 2017, however I have already visited an open day for this course last year.

Entry Requirements:

• AAB-BBB or
• UAL Extended Diploma in Art & Design with Distinction overall
• A key feature of the selection process is the inspection of a portfolio of artwork

Portfolio:

• an enthusiasm and excitement about making art
• an ability to study through looking – drawings or paintings made from observation
• creative ideas, and the way they are explored and developed using different approaches and media
• readiness to experiment, and to take on risks and challenges

Normally, this is submitted in hard copy as a ‘real’ portfolio, but we also accept digital portfolios submitted on CD/DVD disc or a memory stick.

Portfolios should be submitted to us no later than Friday 29 January 2016.

Course fees: £9,000 per year

I applied for this course last year and subsequently gained a place however I decided to do a foundation year to confirm this was the direction I wanted to take and build and even stronger portfolio.