Foundation Year in Visual Arts

This module aims to encourage you to explore and experiment with new techniques and media through practical workshop inductions. You will develop and expand your research skills and realise it’s importance and how it informs and enriches your visual arts practice by making full use of the resource facilities available to you at Middlesex. You will acquire a breadth of practical and research skills and abilities in the development of ideas.

The module will develop experimentation and encourage exploration to widen and inspire your creative practice and conceptual thinking. You will gain valuable knowledge from master class sessions and gain an insight into the creative industries, to clarify and develop a greater understanding of the different visual art specialisms and begin to identify future career opportunities and directions after study. This module aims to build your subject knowledge through experimentation and increasing awareness to a level to be able to make a visual art subject choice.

This module aims to offer you the opportunity to develop a major project and to build a substantial portfolio of work in a specific design subject area. You will gain confidence in independent working. The module will include formative assessment as a key part of the learning process in the critical evaluation of your own work and that of your peers. You will develop self-reflection, research and study skills and promote self-learning to build confidence that enables you to communicate and professionally present your ideas. You will also learn how to present artwork in the best ways by making, selecting and displaying work successfully for exhibition.

An introduction to a broad and exciting selection of London’s finest art galleries and museums covering all the specialist areas. The contextual studies team will share their expert knowledge. These experiences will provide basic knowledge of contexts and issues that will inform and inspire your developing practice. There is a focus on developing confidence in using academic English language skills in the specific context of the creative industries. You will be asked to produce a reflective visual diary including 1500 words. This module runs parallel with the above modules finishing in Week 19.

You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team who have a wide range of expertise and professional experience. These include experienced artists and designers who work in studios, creative and design agencies across London – allowing them to offer current, fresh knowledge and insight. Our large team of experienced technicians and studio demonstrators will support you and guide you through each process as you explore your creativity.

The team includes academics, professional practitioners, and technical staff. Graduate teaching assistants or trained postgraduate research students may also have input into your teaching under the supervision of the module leader.

During your foundation year you'll be taught through regular workshops and instructor-led projects that will quickly help expand your creativity and develop the skills and techniques required to progress through your studies.

You will learn by attending lectures, briefing sessions and practical workshops; these are a great opportunity to discuss what you have learnt in lectures and through independent study with your peers and tutors.

You will receive regular one-to-one tutorials from our specialist staff, allowing you to benefit from their expertise and receive mentorship and guidance as well as taking part in group sessions to share ideas and collaborate with other students.

You will complete 120 credits per year of study, which are broken down into modules of typically 30 credits.

You will be studying at our north London campus in Hendon.

A full-time intensive course 5 days a week on campus with independent study days introduced from module 3 onwards.

We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term on MyLearning.

Typical weekly breakdown

During your first year, your weekly teaching timetable will typically consist of:

• 1 x 4.5 hours drawing day
• 1 x 4.5 hours creative London gallery visits/and/or reflective diary
• 3 x 4.5 hour days studio and workshop based teaching /and independent learning.

Please note: the foundation studio is open outside teaching hours for students who wish to work further on their projects.

.

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework and presentations.

Your learning will be assessed regularly following each module and you will receive feedback following each project.

Assessments

We'll test your understanding and progress through assessment of the project and requirements needed to successfully met the briefs and to reach the aims and learning outcomes stated for each module.

The assessments follow each of the four modules when you’ll receive written feedback from your tutor. There is no grading system just simply a pass or fail.

There are formal assessments for each module, usually at the end, which will count towards your module and your final outcome. All students need to successfully pass all 4 modules in order to progress onto the next year. The foundation year cannot be repeated.

To help you achieve the best results, we will provide regular feedback after every project.