Turn curiosity into confidence and start your creative degree a step ahead with an Integrated Foundation year.

The Integrated Foundation Year at UCA is a year of practical, studio-based learning – designed to ignite your creativity, sharpen your technical skills, and prepare you for what studying and working in the creative industries will feel like.

Across two terms, you'll explore your own ideas across several disciplines, get hands-on with specialist materials and processes, and develop practical workshop skills – all within dedicated creative studios. By the time your degree starts, you'll already know the spaces, the people, and your own emerging creative voice.

Working alongside other aspiring creatives, you'll be guided by experienced tutors and specialist technicians who know your name, your work, your progress, and your ambitions. You’ll learn through making, trying, and experimenting – and you’ll be supported by experts who are passionate about your creative development.

Course information

Core Skills; 30 credits
Core Skills for university study is an introductory foundation module that helps you to adjust to university education. The module takes the playful approach of relearning how to learn to help you build the core skills required for Level 3 and undergraduate study. Through lectures and group discussions, practical workshops and studio sessions you will be introduced to university resources and the basic skills and tools for how to research, develop critical thinking and reflective skills, as well as experience collaborative working and develop innovative ways to share your work with your peers and tutors. The module provides a foundation of skills and strategies to build your confidence in the higher education environment and in preparation for your undergraduate studies.

Career Catalyst: Contexts & Belonging; 30 credits
This module introduces you to creative disciplines, professional contexts and future pathways, supporting your transition into university life. Through exploratory, progression route related projects, you develop cultural awareness, creative confidence and a strong sense of belonging. This module helps you understand how creative work operates in the world, encouraging you to see yourself as an emerging creative professional while building the foundational skills, habits and mindsets needed for progression into higher-level study.

Research & Subject Focus; 30 credits
A subject focused module that builds upon and develops your knowledge, understanding and skills of the ideas and practices introduced to you in the first term. You will undertake projects which focus on your subject specialism and chosen areas of interest in which you wish to develop concepts and ideas. Continuing to test and play with materials and technologies to realise subject focused ambitions. Through workshops, lectures, studio sessions, critiques and one to one tutorials the module will support you in becoming more independent in approaches to research and creative decision making and more confident in presenting your ideas to others. You will use written reflection and evaluation to progress individual ideas and assess the effectiveness of outcomes. The module will deepen your knowledge of your subject specialism and refine your skills in preparation for year one of your undergraduate course.

Subject Focus & Final Individual Project; 30 credits
A module which increases focus on your subject specialist area and provides the opportunity for you to direct your own learning through a final individual project, while continuing to encourage an explorative and experimental attitude to building technical skillsets and processes relevant to your specialism. You will undertake subject focused project brief(s) followed by a negotiated self-directed final individual project, which you will write, propose and manage yourself. You will become more independent setting your own aims, objectives and schedule. Workshops, studio sessions, tutorials, critiques and help to access technical resources will support your practical work. The module will culminate in the opportunity for you to confidently communicate and present your personal ideas visually and or verbally to others through exhibition, screening, formal presentation or online platforms.

The standard entry requirements* for these courses are one of the following:

  • 32 UCAS tariff points, see accepted qualifications
  • Pass at Foundation Diploma in Art & Design (Level 3 or 4)
  • Pass, Pass, Pass at BTEC Extended Diploma / BTEC National Extended Diploma
  • Pass at UAL Extended Diploma
  • 32 UCAS tariff points from an accredited Access to Higher Education Diploma in appropriate subject
  • 24 points from the International Baccalaureate, see more information about IB entry requirements.

And four GCSE passes at grade 9-4/A*-C including English (or Functional Skills English/Key Skills Communication Level 2).

Other relevant and equivalent Level 3 UK and international qualifications are considered on an individual basis, and we encourage students from diverse educational backgrounds to apply. 

Portfolio requirements
Depending on the course you apply for you may need to prepare a portfolio or for an audition. Please see the entry requirement details on the course pages. Further information will be provided once you have applied.

Mature students
If you are a mature student and would like to know more about applying and studying at UCA please see our guide for mature students for more information.

To apply for the Integrated Foundation option you need to select your undergraduate degree course and apply either via UCAS or directly.

View our undergraduate courses