Art and Design (including foundation year) - BA (Hons)

More about this course

As a start you’ll undertake a broad range of short studio and workshop projects in visual imagery and practical making. These will help you to develop techniques that are common across all of our foundation year courses and introduce you to a work ethic of experimentation and open-mindedness. Following this you will approach open-ended, interpretive projects that will help you to establish a personal perspective and sense of direction.

All of our foundation year programmes allow you to develop techniques in:

• observational, technical and creative drawing
• 2D and 3D composition
• framing, sequence/series and narrative
• studio and workshop skills

During your subject-specific projects you’ll also have the opportunity to explore:

• conceptual modelling
• performance
• colour
• materials
• collage
• composition
• curating
• exhibiting

Your lectures and seminars will frame the creative practice within historical, contemporary, conceptual and cultural contexts.

Throughout the course you’ll present work-in-progress and finished projects to peers and tutors on a regular basis, which will prepare you for the public exhibition at the end of year. This will be a chance for you to explore your abilities and guide you towards establishing an individual focus and direction.

By the end of your foundation year you’ll have produced a substantial portfolio of work that will allow you to progress on to one of the School’s art or design undergraduate degree courses. This introductory year will also see you develop into a confident, creative and socially-engaged practitioner, and you’ll continue into your chosen field of study equipped with the skills to make more informed decisions about your own work within its specific context.

Once you have progressed onto the three-year course after the foundation year, you’ll study the same course content as those who take the three-year course. On completion of your chosen degree course you’ll graduate with the same title and award as those who undertook the same traditional three-year degree without the foundation year.

Take a look at art and design project work by our students Hannah Townrow, Florence White and Teo Rava.

Assessment

You will be assessed via project work, essays and an individual portfolio.

Entry requirements

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• at least one A level (or a minimum of 32 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg BTEC Subsidiary/National/BTEC Extended Diploma)
• English Language GCSE at grade C (grade 4 from 2017) or above or will need to take the University English test

You will need to attend an interview with your portfolio of creative work. We encourage applications from International/EU students with equivalent qualifications. We also accept mature students with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Suitable applicants living in the UK will be invited to a portfolio interview. Applicants living outside the UK will be required to submit a small portfolio of work via email. To find out what to include in your portfolio, view our portfolio guidance.

Accreditation of Prior Learning

Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course at London Met. Find out more about applying for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL).

English language requirements

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet our standard requirements

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2022/23 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 0 modules include:

Critical & Contextual Studies: Foundation (core, 30 credits)

This module currently runs:

• all year (September start) - Wednesday morning

The Critical and Contextual Studies module introduces a range of cultural and contextual practices and is diagnostic in helping students to identify areas of reading, writing, information gathering and research in relation to their abilities, needs and aspirations. The intention is to prepare students for critical and theoretical work in Higher Education.

The focus of the Critical and Contextual Studies module is on the ability to ask questions and find answers; specifically, those bearing on architecture, art, design and media in the broad sense and to the conventional means to present these. The experience of the module is structured by a sequence of three submissions: an initial patchwork assignment that includes a Learning Reflection element, an analysis of the works of a particular creative practitioner and a final submission is a self-directed essay.

The contents include answers to questions that range from practical or theoretical ‘how to’ or ‘what is’ exercises; to simple ‘what do you think?’ form of analysis or reflection; to complex structured responses in the form of the essay.

The module is constructed around three core blocks of intensive study. Each block has a thematic structure to allow the exploration of different topics and approaches, for example: ‘Contexts’, ‘Connections’, ‘Themes in creative practice’. The first assessment includes the Learning Reflection element.

The module aims to motivate and aid the student to find out about and engage in the practice and culture of architecture, art, design and media. The module should help inform the student about their future direction of study as well as providing useful insights into their potential and abilities. Students learn how to ask and begin to answer questions about the discipline they are interested in and its broader context. They should acquire a portfolio of methodological and critical writing and communication skills that enable them and know how to apply themselves to the various forms of study and assessment ahead following progression to the next level in Higher Education.

Read full details

Formats (core, 30 credits)

This module currently runs:

• all year (September start) - Wednesday afternoon

The Formats module is in a relatively objective position in relation to the Project and Techniques modules; whereas their focus is on aspects of an individual’s creative practice Formats addresses what is shared or common across creative practices, such as colour, composition, having and using ideas, collecting and categorising, curating, presenting and exhibiting. It is used to integrate the individual project-related work with knowledge, methods and formats from creative practice more widely.

Relations are explored between individual creative practice and other creative practices through producing work in different digital and analogue formats – including document, journal, process diary, book, album, brochure, instruction manual, worksheet, competition entry, exhibition, pop-up event, etc.

The different formats relate to ways of working and ways of thinking presented in different contexts; acting as multifunctional/responsive spaces that uses a range or combination of materials, methods and presentation environments, eg drawing, painting, photography, collage, transcribing, recording, notation, animation, film, commentary, diagram, on-line algorithm, collection and categorising, mind-maps, and ‘Thinking Hats’, etc.

There is an emphasis on the process of learning from self-evaluation and critical reflection towards propositions using both prescribed tasks and imaginative/conceptual interpretation eg colour theory – wheels/ swatches/ assemblage; reflection/ illustrated journal; composition/ narrative; exhibition/ publication; teamwork/ peer review; collecting/ curating, etc.

The module develops evidence of independent and discriminating thought and action in the research, approach and development of creative work using existing knowledge alongside diverse experience, self-reflection and critical reflection to learn about, understand and develop creative practice.

It introduces practical strategies for the formation and growth of nascent creative work and ideas; and seeks to introduce methods of thinking, recording, collecting, documenting, reading, mapping, reworking, reflecting and evaluating to evolve creative habits. It aims to evidence increasing subject-area knowledge and to develop understanding of the relationship between practical, conceptual and intellectual methods associated with different creative practices.

It encourages self-assessment of skills and knowledge to contribute to and participate in team-work and collaborative outcomes. It guides navigation between the rigorous/professional (criteria, formats and deadlines) and the imaginative/innovative (novelty, diversity and questioning).

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Project (core, 30 credits)

This module currently runs:

• all year (September start) - Monday morning
• all year (September start) - Friday morning
• all year (September start) - Thursday morning
• all year (September start) - Tuesday morning

A project develops ideas through conceptual and material processes towards outcomes that can be evaluated in relation to the initial idea; and other related contexts that may arise during the time-frame of the project. The Project module is an introduction to the project as a key feature of creative practice.

The projects in the Project module vary considerably in aim, structure and duration to reflect their application in a wide range of creative practices. The definition, implementation, development and outcome of the projects is transferred from tutor to student as the course proceeds. The projects are inherently student-centred with course demands satisfied by developing the student’s independent inquiry, discovery and production.

Each project requires direct engagement, participation and responsibility in relation to ideas, productivity and the reflection on and evaluation of creative work.

Practical elements of project-work are built-up by a close relation with the Techniques module. Critical reflection and self-evaluation encourage the development of self-organisation and effective time-management.

The Project module provides a broad, varied, stimulating and diagnostic experience of a range of creative practices that allows for self- assessment of individual interests and aptitudes towards developing a creative practice in relation to making an informed choice of a progression pathway ahead.

It enables the development of a productive, disciplined and critical approach to visual and practical enquiry; and to individual independent thinking, making and communicating. It develops the individual’s portfolio of work in a distinctive and ambitious way as evidence of a personal creative practice in the context of a specific subject area. Assignments and study trips will open up London as a source of limitless research potential and creativity.

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Techniques (core, 30 credits)

This module currently runs:

• all year (September start) - Tuesday afternoon
• all year (September start) - Thursday afternoon
• all year (September start) - Monday afternoon
• all year (September start) - Friday afternoon

The Techniques module delivers the skills-based, technical aspects of creative practices in relation having, developing and resolving ideas through processes towards media/material outcomes. It concerns the quality of making, considerations of care, appropriateness and endeavour. It encourages recognition of the intrinsic formal and structural qualities of different media as essential elements in visual/aural communication. The module involves a series of learning experiences that introduce and develop many of the key skills and techniques needed for a range of making practices across various subject areas; the outcomes are in the context of and further developed in close relation with the Project module.

The Techniques module introduces a wide range of materials, methods, techniques and processes to make work in a broad sense. It is closely aligned with the Project module to develop understanding of the limitations and potential of selected media, materials and techniques in the development project work. Responsible attitudes aligned to ethical and professional contexts are applied and considered in relation to imaginative experimentation and exploitation for innovation.

The Techniques module links the analysis and evaluation of technical quantitative properties with qualitative aesthetic discernment and judgment and introduces a common vocabulary, technical/professional language, core skills and reference models. It introduces safe and appropriate studio/workshop/site practice.

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What our students say

"I chose London Met because it was one of the few universities with a good diagnostic foundation year. The course is demanding but well worth the effort. There is strong support from the teaching team and excellent technical support."
National Student Survey

"My current project started with an assignment based around the campus. To get started, I toured the building and documented surfaces, textures and things I found visually interesting. The freedom to develop my project how I wanted has given me a chance to make my work original. It has been challenging, but has given me confidence and independence in my way of working."
Hannah Townrow

"Thanks to my tutors – and a bit of hard work – I can now say that the months I have spent at the School are the very beginning of my career as a designer. Understanding the process of design and being able to evaluate my work in a critical way helped me explore creative alternatives, and I was able to bring them to life thanks to the technicians and workshop facilities."
Ewelina Bartkowska

Where this course can take you

Our design graduates have gone on to exciting careers as assistant designers, junior graphic designers, interior designers, lighting designers and web and UX designers at companies such as Areen Design, BDP, Kelly Hoppen Interiors, Horae Lea and Sky TV and Red Giraffe Marketing.

Important information about this course

We're committed to continuously improving our degree courses to ensure our students receive the best possible learning experience. Many of the courses in our School of Art, Architecture and Design are currently under review for 2023-24 entry. We encourage you to apply as outlined in the how to apply section of this page and if there are any changes to your course we will contact you. All universities review their courses regularly and this year we are strengthening our art, architecture and design courses to better reflect the needs of employers and ensure you're well-equipped for your future career.

What is a degree with a foundation year at the School of Art, Architecture and Design?

This is a four-year degree course with a built-in foundation year (Year 0). A foundation year in our School of Art, Architecture and Design is the starting point for many of our art, architecture and design students and acts as an introduction to the wide range of creative practices explored within the University. You may join us with a clear idea of the subject you intend to study or you may use it as an opportunity to explore a number of different directions or experiment with your creativity. A foundation year degree is also a great choice if you don't meet the necessary entry requirements for the standard undergraduate degree. You'll graduate with a full undergraduate degree with the same title and award as those who studied the three-year course.

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Discover Uni – key statistics about this course

Discover Uni is an official source of information about university and college courses across the UK. The widget below draws data from the corresponding course on the Discover Uni website, which is compiled from national surveys and data collected from universities and colleges. If a course is taught both full-time and part-time, information for each mode of study will be displayed here.

When to apply

The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) accepts applications for full-time courses starting in September from one year before the start of the course. Our UCAS institution code is L68.

If you will be applying direct to the University you are advised to apply as early as possible as we will only be able to consider your application if there are places available on the course.