Bradford College has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
BA (Hons) Art and Design offers a unique educational experience by bringing together fine art, art & design and craft in a single programme. This enables you to work within, and across, these different contexts and to define your own practice. Our student-centred approach means that you produce diverse, informed, innovative and exciting work. At the heart of all we do at Bradford School of Art this course places graduates in a strong position for a creative career. Art and Design is a creatively and academically demanding course. Bringing together Fine Art practice with craft skills and design BA (Hons) Art and Design has been specifically designed to enable students to develop individual practice and creativity. The teaching approach is student centred and focuses on exploring and developing independent creative thinking. It is challenging intellectually and practically and prepares you for the interdisciplinary nature of the Arts. As a Bradford School of Art student you will have the opportunity to learn from both practitioners and experienced professionals. You will work with artists and designers a well as local and national galleries, museums and exhibitions. You will develop your creative ability within a well-resourced learning environment which offers excellent studio and workshop facilities. You will also be encouraged to take advantage of the strong relationships established between Bradford College and surrounding cultural institutions. Our students, as varied in age as in background, create a friendly, creative and stimulating community, which makes learning and teaching a pleasure. You will be provided with work areas in stimulating and well-equipped studios. The staff team are highly committed to teaching and learning and are also practitioners in their own fields and are engaged in creative practice, research, exhibiting, publishing and other forms of scholarly and professional work. Study visits are an essential part of the programme. We also provide opportunities for you to undertake serial placements with a view to developing your understanding of professional practice. Opportunities exist to study abroad through the Socrates Student Mobility Scheme that we have developed with institutions in the USA and elsewhere. The broad overtone of BA (Hons) Art and Design indicates that our interdisciplinary graduates are more flexible, versatile, more marketable and more likely to succeed than the narrow specialist. Advice will be given to you throughout the course by a wide range of practitioners from professional practice, studios and employment workshops. Art graduates are to be found in a variety of walks of life where creativity, innovation and a highly developed visual sensibility are prized.
Modules
We offer compulsory modules in both practical and theoretical practice, in order to give you a broad-based general education and enhance your creative potential. In addition to your compulsory modules, you will initially specialise in one specific area, or combine two optional areas. Further to this, you will eventually choose your pathway, deciding whether to specialise in Fine Art or Art & Design. Year 1 (Level 4): Techniques and Processes - Explore both graphic design and photography in hands-on workshops. You'll acquire essential technical skills in industry-standard software and camera equipment, while developing an eye for composition and visual storytelling. You will experiment with various design elements, typography, and image manipulation techniques, as well as photographic processes including lighting, framing, and post-production. Through practical workshops, you will build a diverse skill set, learning to integrate graphics and photography to create compelling visual content seamlessly. The module emphasises both digital and traditional methods. Studio Practice – Experiment with various Fine Art and Design techniques, challenge conventional limits and cultivate unique creative methods. You will acquire diverse skills, generate concepts in the studio, and settle into the academic setting. Your artistic development is nurtured through one-on-one guidance, workshop orientations, collaboration with peers, project briefings, and presentations by visiting artists. • Professional Development for the Creative Industries 1 - Preparing you to thrive in professional settings as an artist. • Critical Studies 1 - Conceptual and critical consideration of existing Art forms and theories. Year 2 (Level 5): Techniques and Processes 2 - You will immerse yourself in the foundations of visual art, exploring both painting and drawing through intensive workshop sessions. Develop crucial skills in various media, including pencil, charcoal, watercolour, and oils, while honing your observational abilities and understanding of form, colour, and composition. Experiment with different techniques such as sketching, gesture drawing, still life, figure studies, and contemporary painting. Studio Practice 2 - Building on your foundational knowledge, you will deepen your exploration of artistic practice. You’ll experiment with different areas of Fine Art and Design, breaking away from traditional methods and combining new techniques to create exciting, cross-disciplinary work. You'll also develop a more thoughtful approach to your art, building ideas that connect with modern art theory and practice. Plus, you'll have more freedom to use the studio spaces and specialized equipment to take on bigger, more challenging projects. • Professional Practice Critical Studies 2 - Exploring what employment looks like as an artist in the current landscape. Year 3 (Level 6): • Project Proposal - Explore themes within art that support your practical work. • Professional Practice Negotiated Project - You’ll create a significant body of work that leads to your final exhibition. You’ll decide on your medium or mix different ones, and come up with a clear project plan that includes specific goals. You’ll do research to see how your work fits into the world of contemporary art, while also sharpening your technical skills and trying out new ideas. Along the way, you’ll reflect on your progress. By the end, you’ll have a collection of work that shows both your creative thinking and technical skill. • Final Major Project - This is your final and most ambitious project, where everything you’ve learned comes together. You’ll choose an art form you're passionate about and create a large, impressive body of work for your final exhibition. This project will showcase your artistic journey and growth throughout your course.
Assessment method
Due to the varied nature of the content, the course will be delivered through a variety of teaching strategies, from seminars and tutorials to studio demonstrations and study visits. We place particular emphasis on the development of transferable skills, specifically that you develop an understanding of the demands of different aspects of a professional practice. Further to this, you will be increasingly encouraged to utilise self-led, independent learning as the course progresses, so that you can fully realise and fulfil your creative potential and individuality style. In addition to your modular teaching staff, you will also be assigned a Personal tutor, who will advise and support you throughout the course. Teaching methods focus on meeting your creative, conceptual and professional development needs. Teaching and learning is directed towards meeting your individual needs and is centred on supporting you in developing your own solutions to creative design and communication problems. As the course progresses we place an increasing emphasis on independent learning and critical self-awareness, which culminates in the production of a personal and professionally executed final major project and portfolio which demonstrates creativity and a range of appropriate professional skills. Teaching methods vary from student to student, based on your creative, conceptual and professional development rate and needs. We aim to tailor our teaching methods to suit the individual, and to overcome any creative or communication difficulties that may arise. Increasingly throughout the duration of the course, emphasis will be placed on independent learning and critical self-awareness. The direct result of this is the completion of a Final Major Project in your final Level, which demonstrates your creativity and the skills you have acquired. In keeping with the challenges and pace of the course, you will be assessed through a combination of formative and summative assignments, in order to maintain a level of creative input and develop skills. The assessment format of the course will vary in accordance with practical and theoretical practice; practical work will typically be assessed through the presentation of an exhibition or a portfolio, whilst written assignments are delivered through essays, reports or journals.
How to apply
29Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 80 points
A level - CCD
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - MMP
Access to HE Diploma
Scottish Higher - CD
GCSE/National 4/National 5
As part of the application process, you will be required to attend an interview to which you should bring a portfolio of your work. Applications are encouraged though non-traditional routes. An appropriate level of study will be identified through a portfolio presentation and evidence of professional practice experience at interview. If you have already completed a Foundation degree or HND, you will be considered for direct entry to the appropriate level of the degree course.
Additional entry requirements
Interview
Candidates will be invited to attend for interview and be given an initial assessment.
Portfolio
Candidates will be required to bring a portfolio of work to the interview session.
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £9000 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9000 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9000 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9000 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Bradford College is committed to delivering quality, affordable degrees. We work hard to cut the cost and not the corners on our undergraduate, postgraduate and professional courses. The tuition fee rate per year is fixed for the duration of the course providing there is no break in study.
You will not be asked to pay these fees up front, as you should be eligible for loans to cover the tuition fees and assist with living expenses from Student Finance England. However, please ensure that you have made your application and secured funding for your course prior to registration.
Provider information
Bradford College
Great Horton Road
Bradford
BD7 1AY