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Body Art (with Professional Practice Year) at University for the Creative Arts - UCAS

Course options

Course summary

The evolution of body art – from its ancient origins to its contemporary manifestations – is just part of the story on our new BA (Hons) Body Art degree course at UCA Canterbury. You’ll critically examine the multifaceted realm of body art – including a comprehensive study of its historical, cultural, and practical dimensions – emphasising its significance as both an artistic medium and a sociocultural phenomenon. You’ll also engage with a range of topics, from traditional tattooing practices and body modifications, queer culture and individualism, the emerging discourse on transhumanism and the future of body art. Alongside theoretical study, you’ll enjoy learning practical approaches, by training in modern tools and techniques as well as methodologies for research and analysis in the field. You’ll also prepare for your future career as you benefit from a range of professional development opportunities along the way. This includes portfolio development to industry marketing strategies, and an understanding of the global body art landscape.

Modules

In your first year, you’ll be introduced to the history, theories and creative techniques of body art, learning about different types of body art, including tattooing, body modification, and transhuman enhancement. You’ll also develop an understanding of the cultural and psychological factors that influence people's decisions to engage in body art, and will critique its cultural significance. Units in this year of study are as follows: Launch Week Body Art Modes Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Project 1 – Technical Skills Introduction Opportunity Week Body Art Practices Body Art Histories Project 2 – Technical Skills Development ATOM Activities Personal Learning Experience Digital Outcomes


How to apply

Application codes

Course code:
W192
Institution code:
C93
Campus name:
Canterbury
Campus code:
C

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

For further information on how to apply to UCA: https://www.uca.ac.uk/study-at-uca/applying-to-uca/

Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course

https://uca.ac.uk/study/accepted-qualifications/

Additional entry requirements

Portfolio

We’ll need to see your portfolio for review. We’ll invite you to attend an Applicant Day so you can have your portfolio review in person, meet the course team and learn more about your course. Further information will be provided once you have applied.


English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6Listening 5.5, Reading 5.5, Speaking 5.5, Writing 5.5

We require evidence of your English language ability to meet the requirements for your course. If you're a Home student and studied in the UK, we require GCSE English at a minimum grade C/4 (or Functional Skills English/Key Skills Communication Level 2). If you’re an EU student and studied a European qualification, we may accept the English Language score from your main qualification - please review your country from the list on our website to see whether we will accept it: https://www.uca.ac.uk/international-study/equivalent-qualifications/ If your qualification is not on this list, we accept the following English language qualifications: IELTS (overall score 6.0), TOEFL ibt (overall score 88), PEARSON PTE Academic (overall 55), Cambridge Proficiency Exam (overall score 169), Cambridge Advanced Exam (overall score 169). If you need a Tier 4 student visa to study in the UK, you will need to take an IELTS test, and achieve an overall score of 6.0 and a minimum score of 5.5 for each element (Listening, Reading, Speaking, Writing).

For more information on English Language Requirements, please visit our website:

https://www.uca.ac.uk/International-study/language-requirements-support/


Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
50%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
70%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £9535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535 Year 1
Scotland £9535 Year 1
Wales £9535 Year 1
Channel Islands £9535 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9535 Year 1
EU £17500 Year 1
International £17500 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

NOTE: Fees for the Professional Practice Year (which is taken between the second and third year of the course) are set at no more than 20% of standard course fees. As a guide, for the 2025/26 academic year, Professional Practice Year fees will be £1,900. If you are classified as a Home student and qualify for the government-regulated undergraduate tuition fee, you will be charged a single tuition fee for each academic year. Our policy is to charge the maximum regulated fee. To reflect increased costs of delivery and maintain a high-quality student experience, we will therefore increase fees in line with any uplift determined by the UK Government by law or government policy in the second and subsequent years of your course. Such increases are usually linked to inflation and determined using RPIX (the Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments). For all other students, your tuition fees may increase in the second and subsequent years of your course. Any increase in fees will be in line with inflation as measured by the RPIX but in any event by not more than 5%. We will notify you of any fee increase by no later than July before the start of the next academic year. For further information on fees, please go to: https://www.uca.ac.uk/study-at-uca/fees-finance/undergraduate/
Body Art (with Professional Practice Year) at University for the Creative Arts - UCAS