If you want to study a creative subject at degree level but you want to develop your skills first, then choosing an Integrated Foundation pathway is an ideal start.

The Integrated Foundation Year is an opportunity to gain vital insight into university  education, giving you the confidence and practical skills needed to successfully pursue a creative subject at undergraduate degree level.

Depending on your chosen degree pathway, you’ll learn art and design practices or creative industries management.

Across the year, you will be introduced to creative teaching and learning methods, including project briefings, lectures, workshops, group critiques, essay writing, and tutorials. You will also have access to studio spaces, where you will be able to develop your unique style and individualised approach. You’ll enhance this learning experience with trips to external sites like museums and studios.

During Term 1, you will work closely alongside other students, learning different techniques and skills and developing a broader understanding of creative practices, preparing you for your future studies.

In Term 2, you will focus on subject-specific teaching, tutorials and workshops tailored to your chosen pathway. It will culminate in a final major project, where you will define and showcase your skills and knowledge, ensuring you are fully prepared for undergraduate study.

Course
information

Term 1

Exploring Creativity
For the start of your studies, you will explore and think about different forms of creative thinking and practice, developing key skills along the way such as observation, investigation, experimentation, interpretation, documentation and communication of your work. You will engage with specific creative techniques and strategies designed to initiate creativity.

Research and Inspiration
By exploring the work and ideas of other creative practitioners and thinkers in your subject area, this unit gives you inspiration but also helps to build your skills and toolkit for creative visual and written research and critical thinking. You will learn how to give a research presentation and written evaluation of your work.

Creative Practical Skills 1
The aim of this unit is to introduce you to a range of technical and making practices. This helps you consider different forms of creative thinking, including investigation, experimentation, interpretation, and communication. The focus is on practical skills, to build creative confidence in creating the project outcomes.

Term 2

Creative Practice
As you start the second half of your course, you’ll build and develop your knowledge, understanding and skills of the ideas and practices introduced to you. You will get the opportunity to propose and undertake specialist practice work reflecting your individual interests. It culminates in demonstrating your most refined and independent work on the course and all the prior and ongoing learning undertaken to achieve it.  

Research and Writing
You will focus on your specialist area of study while still exploring broader cultural and creative work of others.  This will inform your research interests and understanding of the areas in which you wish to develop your research.

Creative Practical Skills 2
You will explore and enhance your practical skills, with increased focus on your subject area, in preparation for commencing your undergraduate study. You will be encouraged to build on techniques already learned, and refine these processes.

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