Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts
BA (Hons) With Integrated Foundation Year
Cambridge, United Kingdom
BA
DURATION
8 semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
About: CSVPA's BA (Hons) with Integrated Foundation Year gives practical grounding before a BA. Over a one year programme you'll explore creative disciplines such as 2D/3D, photography, fashion, fine art, animation and film through studio projects, workshops and tutorials. Small classes and tutor support build skills, research and portfolio. Non-UK students get enhanced English support and a four year student visa to progress onto a CSVPA BA.
Career Outcomes: foundation prepares you for visual arts, design, fashion and media roles. Potential careers include graphic designer, illustrator, art/creative director, animator, photographer, fashion designer, plus advertising, branding, publishing, product and interactive design.
Our Integrated Foundation Year course is the ideal choice for a student looking to pursue an undergraduate degree in the creative arts. It will give you the grounding, tools, practical skills and confidence to succeed in your chosen Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree at CSVPA with an enhanced knowledge and understanding of specialist techniques and materials.
You will take this one year course before progressing onto one of our Bachelor of Arts courses at CSVPA. This initial year is designed to allow you to explore a broad range of media, approaches and concepts in arts and design, and to develop your own distinctive voice and direction for future success in your chosen BA pathway.
Over the year, you will be introduced to a variety of creative disciplines such as:
- 2D and 3D design
- Photography
- Graphics and Illustration
- Fine Art
- Fashion and Textiles
- Painting, Drawing and Printmaking
- Animation and Film
You will enjoy learning through studio-based projects, specialist workshops, group critiques and frequent tutorial sessions to aid your development of critical thinking, research and academic skills embedded in the course. With our small class sizes, you will have individual, hands-on support from our experienced tutors – giving you the guidance you need to explore your creative potential.
For our non-UK students, we offer an enhanced level of English Language support to ensure you achieve the required IELTS score to progress onto the CSVPA BA degree course of your choosing. We have a dedicated team of English teachers who can provide tailored support for you while you study with us, allowing you to become the creative you want to be. Through choosing to study our Integrated Foundation with BA(Hons) you will be offered a four year student visa, making your creative experience with us more rewarding.
Integrated Foundation Year Modules:
- Introduction to Art and Design Practice – 30 Credits
The first module in your Integrated Foundation Year will guide you in exploring your individual creative aptitude and interests in art and design. Through a number of assignments, we will introduce you to a range of creative mediums, skills and processes significant to, and which form the basis of, the visual arts. These include:
- Life drawing – scale, proportion, line, structure, tone, contrast, mass, composition and form
- Location drawing
- Colour theory
- Sculpture
- 3D Design
- Media experimentation
- Creative techniques
- Visual communication
A variety of exciting projects will be undertaken which will allow you to enhance and demonstrate these skills, while also establishing your understanding of approaching project briefs, analysis and critique, and portfolio presentation.
In addition to the design skills, this module will develop your individual creative identity, and develop your critical thinking and study skills in preparation for university success.
- Beginning Art and Design Research – 30 Credits
Research is essential in the artistic design process. Through the Beginning Art and Design Research module, you will develop your understanding of how to conduct research to support and inform your creative practice. You will explore how artists, designers and creatives view and think about the world. By the end of this module you will have developed your skills in: contextual awareness, critical thinking, visual research, research methods, idea generation, and presentation and communication skills.
- Developing Art and Design Practice – 30 Credits
- Developing your Critical Voice – 30 Credits
Being able to analyse and critique your own work, and that of others, is a key skill in your development as an artist, designer or creative. Being able to objectively analyse your own work will help you in enhancing your creative practice. With the guidance of your tutors, by completing this module you will become confident in critiquing work both verbally and in written form.
Upon successful completion of the Integrated Foundation Year along with their chosen Bachelor of Arts course students will receive the relevant award: BA(Hons) Creative Intelligence & Innovation, BA (Hons) Illustration, BA (Hons) Graphic Design, BA (Hons) Visual Communications, BA (Hons) Fashion, BA (Hons) Fashion Branding & Creative Communications accredited by Falmouth University.
We have different types of scholarships and bursaries for exceptional students and for students in need of assistance, based on their circumstances, portfolio or audition. For more information please contact our admissions team.
- Graphic Designer
- Illustrator
- Advertising
- Publishing
- Branding
- Package Design
- Product Design
- Animation
- App Design
- Website Design
- Media & Communications
- Art/Creative Director
- Concept Artist
- Interactive & Virtual Reality Design
- Game Art Design
- Information Design
- Photographer
- Retail Design
- Fashion PR & Marketing
- Stylist
- Fashion Journalist
- Fashion Editor
- Fashion Designer
- Pattern Cutter
- Textile Designer
- Jewellery Crafter
- Costume Designer
Throughout this course, students will be taught through projects, specialist workshops, guest lecturers, regular one-to-ones, and group tutorials.