Art and Design Foundation Diploma – Level 3 / 4

Required qualifications

It is recommended that students have a minimum of 5x GCSE’s at grade 4/C, including maths and English, and one A-Level, or an equivalent Level 3 qualification, preferably in a relevant creative subject.

We may accept mature students based on the presentation of a suitable portfolio of work and a successful interview.

What skills will I develop?

There are three distinct stages to the Foundation course:

Stage 1 – This stage is designed to be a Diagnostic stage. This stage will aim to provide you with a broad range of experiences in order to enable you to make informed decisions about which area to specialise in in stage 2. The projects undertaken during this part will address skills development and your understanding of:

• Visual Literacy
• Problem Solving
• Ideas Generation

Identifying Specialist Pathway (an opportunity to gain experience in a range of 2D and 3D Specialist areas, which could include, fashion and textiles, sculpture, graphics, photography, visual studies and fine art)

It is also designed to build your skills and confidence in English, Maths, ICT, and broader professional skills.

Stage 2 – Specialist pathway. You will be given the option of exploring your own practice within one of the following specialist areas:

• Fine Art
• Textiles Fashion
• Object and Spatial Design
• Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation, Advertising, Photography

You will undertake a series of set projects, where you will be required to apply developing subject specialist ideas, materials and techniques to explore and resolve self-identified creative problems.

As an artist or designer, the ability to work as part of a team is essential. One of the units in stage two will require you to work as part of a team to create artwork.

The two units completed in the above stages are assessed at Pass / Fail. You must pass each unit in order to progress to stage 3.

Stage 3 – The final stage is a Final Major Project. This is a personal project of your own design, giving you the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the core skills covered during the previous two stages.

The stage 3 unit is assessed at Pass / Merit / Distinction and will give you your final grade for the course.

Careers

Most learners progressing from Foundation Art and Design progress onto Higher Education, however others have developed ideas and skills during the course which has enabled them to start new businesses and begin new careers. Careers our learners have progressed to include:

Advertising, architect, art director, artist, arts journalist, CAD/CAM designer, cartoonist copywriter, content writer, costume designer, creative director, curator, digital artist, engraver, entrepreneur, event manager, exhibition designer, fashion designer, film maker, footwear designer, furniture designer, gallery staff, game designer, graphic designer, illustrator, interior designer, lighting designer, makeup artist, marketer, merchandiser, multimedia designer, photographer, product designer, programmer, researcher, set designer, teacher, therapist, UX designer, videographer and web designer.

Work experience

Our dedicated Work Experience team are here to help and support you in finding a meaningful work experience opportunity.

Recent studies have shown that employers consider work experience to be extremely desirable. Whilst qualifications are hugely important, employers also require candidates to have skills and experience necessary for the workplace.

Preparing you for the working world is very important to us, so that you may be successful in your next step.

Work experience placements provide you with the opportunity to develop your skills; have a better understanding of the industry you want to work in and give you an insight into what it is like to be employed. They can also be great fun and very rewarding and you may even be offered a great reference, a part–time job, holiday working hours, apprenticeships or full-time jobs.

Once you start your course you will be provided with further information about work experience programmes, but it is never too early for you to start thinking about work experience placements and finding an employer who will offer you an opportunity.

Work experience is an opportunity for you to gain experience in your chosen career path in order to develop relevant skills. Equally, it also helps you to acquire employability skills, attitudes and behaviours that are essential for future employment. There will be an opportunity for you to reflect on your performance during work experience and you will receive some form of reference/feedback from the employer.

English and maths

Students who have previously achieved GCSE maths and English at grade 4, or higher will benefit from working through ‘CENTURY. Which is an online brain training app, designed to maintain and further develop your English and maths skills through the colleges’ tutorial process.

Students who only have either GCSE maths, or English at grade 4 or higher, will benefit from having additional time allocated to their study programme in order to achieve the other GCSE subject to the national benchmark grade 4.

English and Maths skills development are also embedded within the core qualification.

Other important information

Study visits:

The art department recognises the importance and value of viewing art and design in the context of a ‘live’ exhibition, museums and gallery visits and we encourage all of our students to independently take regular advantage of galleries and museums, for research, inspiration and the purposes of ‘keeping up’ with current trends taking place within the creative industries. The art team invites you to join in with organised visits to local and national venues including the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, the Ikon Gallery, The New Art Gallery Walsall, the National Portrait Gallery, The National Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Tate galleries and each year we visit a major European city such as Paris for a weeklong study visit.

Equipment and materials kit list:

It is important that all students invest and equip themselves with a basic art and design kit. A comprehensive kit list will be issued to all students during the course induction. Most art and design equipment, materials and resources will be provided by the college, however, it is the responsibility of each student to come to each session equipped and ready to learn.