Art Foundation

Course Rationale

The BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art, Design and Media Practice is a one year full time course which is aimed at post A Level and BTEC students who are interested in pursuing a creative career. The course is designed to prepare students for the rigours and challenges of study at degree level, as well as progression directly into employment.

The course offers a dynamic experience across a broad range of creative subjects, including Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Textiles and Fashion Design, Fashion Promotion and Marketing, Architecture, Interior Architecture, Photography, Games and Computer Animation, Media and Film production.

Students are encouraged to experience all aspects of the core skills offered initially within the experimental stage of the course, before they work toward a more specialist area within Art, Design and Media. The Final Major Project is the culmination of the course where students confirm their progression route in preparing for a public exhibition as part of their professional practice and assessment.

The building up of a visual portfolio is fundamental to the the course content and progression aims of the individual student. Life drawing and visual studies are delivered throughout the experimental stage of the course in order to reinforce core skills in the formal elements which are the building blocks of all art, design and media subjects. Students are also encouraged to build digital portfolio's of work as part of their professional practice.

Theory is integrated into practice through Critical Contextual Studies which is embedded into the course through a series of lectures and written assignments, encouraging a much wider understanding of how personal work fits into contemporary art, design and media practice.

Who is this course aimed at ?

This is a Level 3/4 qualification and is for learners who are looking to broaden their practical and theoretical understanding of Art, Design and Media Practice as a bridging year in preparation for higher education. It is suitable for all students who have previously studied creative A levels eg: Fine Art, Photography, Graphic Design, Media or Textiles.

What does this qualification cover?

The qualification provides the knowledge, skills and understanding that will prepare learners for further study or training. Learners taking this qualification will study one mandatory learning and teaching module covering six areas of learning:

• investigation • experimentation • evaluation and review • realisation • communication • self-directed practice.

What could this qualification lead to?

The qualification offer learners the opportunity to experiment widely and take creative risks in order to develop a broad portfolio of work and professional behaviours required for progression. It also provides opportunities to develop art, design and media skills over the course of study through a process of self-direction, reflective practice and communication, which are key skills for progression to higher education. The requirements mean that learners develop the transferable and higher-order skills that are highly regarded by higher education and employers, for example communication and self-direction.