do i need to have a foundation course to get on uni BA art courses??

Question

...and can i avoid it??i really dont want to spend 2 years doing foundation just to get on a course which i will be doing for 3 years!!

Answer 1

Foundation courses should only be 1 year (or they were in my day!). Some universities do 4 year degrees where the first year is a bit like Foundation.

If you've got an amazing talent and portfolio you may be able to bypass it by applying direct, but you'll be competing against people who've done Foundation and got an extra year's worth of drawing skills and artistic maturity, plus a knowledge base in Art History that you just don't get going straight from A levels.

I found Foundation very helpful as I originally thought I wanted to be a painter but ended up being a Graphic Designer. If I'd gone straight on to do Fine Art BA I'd have been disappointed.

Good luck!

Answer 2

A Foundation course is normally required to get on to a degree course as it will allow you to develop new skills and approaches towards art and design. If, however, you already have a good portfolio of work that will demonstrate your artistic/creative ability, you may not need to attend a Foundation course. You should ask the course director of which ever Collage or Uni you want to apply to before hand. Foundation courses are only a year long, at least, mine was! Have you considered a BTEC instead? Upon completion, you can 'top it up' and earn yourself a BA. You may save a year or two in the long-run. I wish I had done that. I did a one year Art Foundation course, took a year off then got on to a 4 year degree course! I ended up graduating at 24. My only regret is not being able to start my career until then. If I had taken the BTEC route, I would've saved a year and be further up the career ladder now! I'm 34 now. Good luck...

Answer 3

Make sure you don't mix up foundation degrees (2 years) with a Foundation Studies course (1 year). It's the Foundation Studies that some unis want you to have before you can do a BA.

I didn't want to do one initially (thought it would be a waste of time etc), but I ended up really enjoying it -and it completely changed my idea of what I wanted to study.

That said, if you are really focused, and are 100% clear on what you want to study on a BA, there's nothing stopping you from applying to both, and seeing if you get onto the degree course you want without the foundation-even the top Universities will accept you if you show talent (even if they say you need a foundation studies course in the prospectus!)

Answer 4

If you are doing fine art then you usually have to spend a year doing a foundation at an art school learning the techniques. If your degree is just a generic BA then the first year is the foundation.

Answer 5

Foundation courses vary in length. Some are only one year and it all depends on what particular aspect of Art you want to study at university and what qualifications you have under your belt.Various universities have different requirements. Some require a foundation course, others send you on a course after one year,as a sandwich, then you do your two final years. You should approach the universities you intend applying to and ask them exactly what are their requirements for the subject you intend to study telling them what qualifications you have or will have by the time you go.Foundation courses for Art are generally considered to be of great value, so don't think you will not benefit by following one.

Answer 6

In my experience, most Art Foundation Course Tutors get teaching jobs by recommendation from colleagues who are already Art Tutors. They tend to look for people who are particularly keen on making art themselves and not just people who can teach theory. Qualifications, although useful (they may help in terms of how much you get paid) are often less relevant than the opinions of those already in the profession. For example, a lot of people complete a degree course or an MA, then get invited to teach part-time so they can continue their own work and in time they may move on to take full-time lecturer posts.

Answer 7

you need a portfolio of work to show the uni. If you don't get that through a foundation course how are you going to get it?

Answer 8

It depends on your qualifications and experience are, entry requirements differ from uni to uni so it would be best for you to phone the place you want to go and ask to chat to someone about the course to get a proper answer

Answer 9

Yes to first and and No to second.