Search this site

Art and Design Foundation

Art and Design Foundation 

The UK is famous worldwide for producing high quality and cutting-edge art and design graduates. Alumni such as James Dyson, Terence Conran and Stella McCartney are just some of the talented designers who studied in the UK. If you want to work in the creative industries, our Art and Design Foundation will provide you with the ideal start to your studies. 

The Foundation Art and Design Pathway is taught at our Brighton campus, in a city famous for its creative spirit and vibrant arts scene. It prepares you for university degrees in art, design and arts-related subjects. Students study 18-25 hours per week in class. The course is modular in structure. It has core modules studied by all Foundation students, which develop academic and English language skills, and modules tailored for Art and Design students.

Where will this Foundation take me?

Some of our recent students of this Foundation have gone on to study illustration at University of the Arts London and Camberwell College of Arts; Fashion at the University of Leeds; Graphic Design at University of the Arts London; Central Saint Martins and Fine Art Photography at Glasgow School of Art. 

Destination universities

You can explore a selection of university destinations that Foundation students can choose from here.

Key facts

Minimum age: 16.5+
Course length 3 or 3.5 terms
Start dates: September, October, January. See term dates
Entry requirements: Satisfactory completion of secondary or high school education. 4 GCSEs at C or above, Maths B or above for Science or Engineering.
English language requirements: IELTS 4.5, or IELTS 5.0 for a January start.
Location: Brighton
Tuition fees per term: Brighton: £7,120

Prepare for Foundation in October (3.5 term)

Start in October and you will have an extra one half of a term to prepare for the Foundation programme in January. You will receive extra English classes, extra university guidance and have more time to develop study skills.

Foundation gallery

Art and Design Foundation Projects

Course modules

Art Skills

Introduces the art discipline: studio practice, drawing, painting and media-handling skills, portfolio production, fulfilling assessment objectives, health and safety, working processes, beginning of a portfolio of work.

Design Skills

Increases the variety of materials, media and processes used in art skills to develop larger projects. You will focus on the creative process and create alternative designs.

Experimentation and Development

Study creative processes and develop independent project skills; research, analyse and creatively explore media; problem solve to realise project outcomes.

Group and Independent Design

Work from project briefs, both independently and in a team, and have greater freedom to interpret and develop your individual work.

Photography

Develop an understanding of both film and digital photography as an essential part of studio practice. For the documentation of work, as a medium in its own right and also as a foundation for the further study of the subject as a medium in its own right.

Contextual Studies

Introduce the language skills required for visual analysis; contextualise practical studio work; establish the skills and process of systematic physical documentation and digital recording of project work, together with its critical evaluation; communicate the processes, outcomes, successes and difficulties encountered in practical work.

Core modules

Foundation English Skills 1

Develop the ability to read academic texts, write short academic texts, take notes from written and oral sources and use spoken English to discuss a variety of topics.

Foundation English Skills 2

Improve all the abilities in FES1, developing greater accuracy, speed, cohesion, organisation and presentation.

Foundation English Skills 3

Develop academic English skills for university. This continually assessed course module includes an extended research essay based on an aspect of British culture, debates and discussions, listening, note-taking and summarising as well as oral presentation.

Computer Information Technology

Improving IT literacy and creativity using MS Office, Business and Media applications; develop internet research skills.

GCSEs

600x400

GCSEs are taken as a course of study before taking A levels or a Foundation pathway. Our GCSE Pathway programme offers students from the age of 14 years an early opportunity to establish the language, learning and cultural skills they need to succeed in the highly competitive world of higher education.

A Levels

Bellerbys Cambridge students in a Foundation Media class at the College

A Levels are British qualifications, accepted by all universities in the UK and recognised in the USA and Australia. Students who are with us for five or six terms will typically study up to four A Levels. This gives you a world of choice. Students typically study three or four subjects with exams at the end of two years.

Foundation

Bellerbys London Star Student Mark Lee

A one-year course for international students that builds specialist subject knowledge and language and study skills. It is more focussed than A Levels making it good preparation for university. It is recognised for entry onto a range of degree programmes at more than 70 universities in the UK.