Foundation Art, Design and Media Practice

 

Course Code

AHF001

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

 

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

1 year full-time

Start date

September 2022

How to apply
Book an Open Day
Download a prospectus
Register for updates

Course overview

Study level: Undergraduate
Foundation Year

This Art, Design and Media Foundation Diploma can enable you to explore and experiment across a wide range of creative disciplines.

Additional key points:

  • You will have the opportunity to generate exciting work, using our excellent facilities to build your personal independence in developing ideas. You can gain new skills with different materials and techniques, while building a substantial portfolio of work.
  • The Foundation Diploma is a one-year, full-time preparatory course to prepare you for studio-based undergraduate Higher Education programmes. We provide broad, balanced and structured teaching to help stimulate your interest in art and design.
  • The School of Art and Design is one of the best universities for an employability led curriculum and has an international outreach that supports student growth and design understanding. The Art, Design and Media Foundation allows you to work in spaces alongside inspiring undergraduates and setting your career aspirations early.
  • Please note: If you are 18 years of age at the date of enrolment for this course, payment of tuition fees will not be required. For the 2022/2023 intake, this course is currently funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Applicants should check our website for the latest information regarding fees before applying or accepting offers. Should these terms change, we would inform all applicants and students as soon as possible.
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Global Ready

An international outlook, with global opportunities
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Teaching excellence

Taught by lecturers who are experts in their field
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Employability

Career ready graduates, with the skills to succeed

Why you should study this course

The School of Art and Design at Coventry University has been producing accomplished creative graduates for over 175 years. We have had a successful track record of producing graduates that have made significant contributions to the world of Art and Design. Our Automotive graduates work across the globe influencing transport of the future and social influencer Mr A Singh has thousands of followers and works as a local creative entrepreneur across the Midlands.

External examiners have praised our “inspiring and motivating studio teaching” and “strong tutorial support”. You will have the opportunity to be taught in a professional studio environment alongside undergraduate students, and postgraduate students and staff, many of whom are currently practising artists and designers, who have exhibited nationally and Internationally. You will also have pportunities to take part in overseas study visits. Students have visited major art and design centres in Europe, recently visiting traditional and contemporary art exhibitions from Birmingham to Amsterdam.

You will have the opportunity to access an extensive range of specialist facilities, including, 3D rapid prototyping, clay modelling, film, photography, video, a large digital print bureau, ceramics, a printmaking workroom, screen printing and letterpress studios, all with excellent technical support.

The foundation course at Coventry University has been the most enriching and surprising year of my life; coming out of school I was flung into a completely new, exciting and challenging way of learning - not only about the subject I was about to study - but in growing and thinking in new ways. Without a doubt, I have come out the end as a more confident and prepared person; ready to tackle my course next year, thanks to this course and its inspiring leaders.

Imogen Fancourt, Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, graduated in 2018 progressing onto a BA Illustration course
A staff member pointing at the students model building on the desk where the student is sat

What you'll study

The Foundation Diploma is specifically designed to foster a creative, critical and experiential approach to art and design practice. You will be encouraged to experiment with different artistic methods, test your ideas and reflect on your work through rational artistic approaches. In 2018/19, 97% of our students progressed onto study within our own undergraduate programmes or courses at other institutions.

Modules

  • The diploma is split into two stages:
    The exploratory stage gives you time to explore different disciplines through a series of week-long projects. We encourage you to use new materials and ways of working so you can explore research methods and develop critical skills for evaluation and reflection. You will explore drawing and mark making as a means to record and generate ideas, and to express yourself through fine art, illustration or design.

    You will have booked sessions introducing you to a variety of different technical workshops in the School of Art and Design. We also encourage you to explore additional workshop opportunities to widen your skill set and broaden your approach to your creative process.

    We encourage you to explore your potential future directions and make a choice in regard to your specialism. You will work more independently on longer specialist projects and build a portfolio ready for progression to a BA (Hons) degree. You will have the opportunity to work in a vibrant studio environment alongside students following different specialist areas, such as fashion, automotive design, experimental film, painting, contemporary craft, animation or illustration. We want you to build a portfolio that shows you have a breadth of 2D and 3D skills, no matter what your specialist area of practice. To complement your practical projects, you will also attend a series of weekly lectures to help you put your ideas into practice. During this stage you should be supported with all aspects of your UCAS application.

    Optional

  • The Confirmatory Stage sees you working on an independent, self-initiated, final major project. The completed work is exhibited at the end of the year. At this stage, you should be working as a professional artist or designer, managing your own workload, time and outcomes. You will have weekly opportunities to discuss your work with peers and tutors so you can continue to develop and produce the best possible work.

    Optional

How you'll learn

In a typical teaching week, you will have approximately 13 ‘contact’ hours of teaching. This includes a combination of:

  • medium group teaching: workshops, seminars and lectures
  • small group teaching: seminar, critiques and tutorials
  • studio practice and bookable workshop access

The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online activities.

The School of Art and Design often provides opportunities to engage in external or collaborative activities such as competition/Industry briefs and speakers beyond your course studies. We strongly encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities to support your learning journey.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Assessment

Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve the various learning outcomes. Coursework is assessed using a variety of methods including: presentations, portfolio reviews, essays, reports, reflective logs, e-journals, blogs, displays and exhibitions.

An estimated percentage breakdown of your final grade assessment is as follows:

  • Project work
  • You will be graded as pass, merit or distinction

Job ready

When you’ve completed your foundation diploma, you will have a broad portfolio demonstrating a range of skills. You will have carefully explored your progression options, which will help you to make an informed decision about undergraduate study. You should be more confident and able to work independently in a professional manner in your chosen pathway.

In 2018/19, 97% of our students progressed on to higher level study both at Coventry University and beyond.

International experience opportunities

We attract staff and students from all over the world, which provides a multicultural environment in which you can experience different cultures, approaches, perspectives and opinions. You will have the opportunity to take part in overseas study visits. In the past, students have visited major art and design centres in Europe and North America.

Overseas study visits/International experiences are subject to availability, competitive application, meeting visa requirements and additional costs.

Entry requirements

  • 1 A2 or Extended Diploma in a creative subject
  • 4 GCSEs (including English Language or English Literature, and Maths) at A*- C or 9 - 4 in the new GSCE grading structure or equivalents.

All equivalent qualifications are welcome, as are mature students with alternative experience.

Chat with UK admissions

You may be required to submit a portfolio/show-reel/written work (as appropriate for the particular course) and you may be asked to attend an interview if it is practical to arrange.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:

Europe

Americas

Middle East

South Asia

South East Asia

East Asia

Africa

Russia and Central Asia


You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

If you do not have the typical entry requirements, you may want to consider studying this course with an international foundation year. Upon successful completion our International Foundation Year - Art, Design and Media will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to progress onto this undergraduate degree.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

You may be required to submit a portfolio/show-reel/written work (as appropriate for the particular course) and you may be asked to attend an interview if it is practical to arrange.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.0 overall, with no component lower than 5.5.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course. 

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

Chat with International admissions

Tuition Fees

We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.

For more information, please visit our Finance pages.

Student Full time Part time
UK TBC per year Not available
International 2022/23 fees TBC*
2021/22 fees - £15,000 per year		 Not available

Facilities

The Faculty of Arts and Humanities is joining two of our school’s completely refurbished Art and Design buildings and adding a range of new facilities, set to open later in 2022. These will include a hyper studio designed for cross-disciplinary projects; immersive studios with cutting-edge virtual reality and mixed-reality technologies. Our aim is to offer you sector-leading facilities in a unique environment.

Learn more about the facilities you could be using.

FAH Building Development

Building Redevelopment

We are currently in the process of a major redevelopment of our Faculty of Arts and Humanities buildings. The building will be open to the public as well as students, and will feature an expansive gallery space.

Student stood with arms folded, next to image of the world.

Creative Community Hub

We hope that you are all staying safe in these uncertain times. Creative activities can really help fill the days, while we are spending more time at home and we have some ideas to keep you busy.

Coventry Degree show

Virtual experience

Visit our online degree show where we have brought together the work of over 500 students.



Careers and opportunities

Students who meet our benchmark requirements will be able to progress on to studio-based courses in the School of Art and Design and the School of Media and Performing Arts, as well as institutions throughout the UK and internationally.

Typically, our students have progressed to degree level courses in the following subjects: Fashion; Fine Art; Fine Art and Illustration; Illustration and Animation; Interior Design; Product Design; Automotive Design; Photography; Games Art; Graphics and Architecture. Many of these courses offer the opportunity to complete placement years in industry, providing valuable real-life experience.

The best thing about being a student at Coventry is the range of facilities and the skill set of the tutors and technical staff. I like that the course gives me opportunity to challenge myself and broaden my skills. I was a qualified nurse for 30 years. I had always practised art as a hobby and had wanted to complete a formal qualification and push myself to improve.

Sue Hadlum, Foundation Art and Design student 2019
A student in a classroom sat at a desk with a art structure of a building on the table

How to apply

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Your next steps

Student life
Accommodation
Fees and funding

  • By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2021/22 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.

    The university will charge the tuition fees that are stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study. The university will review tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s planned exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit from the European Union, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. Coventry University will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance at that time. For international students, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.