Fine Art with Foundation Year

Course summary

• Develop your skills as an artist in state-of-the-art studios and workshops.
• Work with curators to exhibit your work and become part of the creative community.
• Learn about contemporary art and culture from leading experts.

If you don't meet the entry requirements for our BA (Hons) courses, or you’d like extra preparation before starting degree-level study, we recommend you join the foundation year – which has been designed to encourage exploration and experimentation.

This course develops artists and creative thinkers to attain practical skills while developing your critical and theoretical knowledge of fine art. In the studios, you'll explore and experiment through practice in a vibrant environment. We celebrate the breadth of possibilities contemporary art offers, supporting the development of the creative, critical and analytical skills needed for a range of professional art-related careers.

How you learn

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

This interdisciplinary course is based on your individual art practice in studios and workshops. Your work will be supported by the development of a theoretical and historical understanding of art. You'll also learn how to exhibit your work and develop relationships with industry professionals – preparing you for a fulfilling career in the arts. In the first ‘induction’ module you’ll learn to work confidently and creatively with a wide range of different materials. In the second ‘project’ module you’ll be taught by tutors from the BA (Hons) course supported by foundation tutors.

You’ll learn through

• practical workshops
• lectures and seminars
• group and individual tutorials
• exhibitions and presentations
• study trips
• independent study
• demonstrations
• applied industry (live) projects
• Blackboard online learning portal 
• presentations and feedback sessions
• peer group activities

Take a look at the department's Instagram to see what innovations and creations our students have been working on.

Course leaders and tutors

Gary Simmonds

Senior Lecturer and Course Leader

Gary is a Senior Lecturer and also the Course Leader for BA Fine Art.

Applied learning

Work placements

You’ll have the opportunity to arrange a single or multiple work placement/s in between your second and third years of the full course. Placements give you real-world experience to prepare you for your future career. Previous students have worked in galleries with practising artists and in schools, while others have set up their own artist residency in Greece. You may also be able to work or study abroad with the possibility of funding through the Erasmus+ programme (until 2023) or the Turing scheme. 

Live projects

You'll have many opportunities to take part in live projects, including exhibitions and events in the public domain. In the second and third year of the full course, you’ll exhibit your work in a gallery, open to the public.

Field trips

We offer opportunities to go on study trips and visits in the UK and abroad – with free travel and accommodation for all mandatory field trips. These could include workshops, conferences or visits to practitioners’ studios, museums and special collections. You may further enhance your studies with optional field trips, though these will incur additional costs. Recently the course has visited the Venice Biennale and Berlin. These trips are valuable for the experience of seeing work first-hand and understanding the professional world of contemporary fine art.

Networking opportunities

As our academic staff actively work in the professional art world, you can benefit from their connections and networks. You'll be able to attend regular guest lectures with leading artists, curators and thinkers. We have strong links with many local venues including the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Site Gallery and artist-run studios and galleries such as Bloc Projects and S1, (some of which were set up by our graduates). These connections will help you gain experience by forging relationships and attending private views and events.

Future careers

This course prepares you for future study and careers in

• art
• curation
• film direction
• production
• editing
• set design
• prop-making
• novel writing
• scriptwriting
• art direction
• animation
• art therapy

Previous graduates who have become successful in their field includ

• Martin Clark, director of Camden Arts Centre
• Kid Acne, internationally renowned artist and illustrator
• George Shaw, Turner Prize nominee 2011
• Rosalind Nashashibi, Turner Prize nominee 2017
• Nick Park, Oscar-winning creator of Wallace and Gromit
• Hannah Duraid, The Great Escape Game entrepreneur
• Dawn Shadforth, British music video and documentary director

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of online lessons and face-to-face teaching with access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

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Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

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Adsetts library

Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.

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Entry requirements

Modules

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

Fees and funding

Additional course costs

This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.

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