BA Fine Art (FHEQ levels 4, 5 & 6) Course Content

At the University of Chichester we recognise that many Art students want to keep their options open when they start their degree, hoping to develop skills in a range of disciplines before becoming more specialised, while others may want to choose one single discipline. Built around this principle of student choice, our programmes of study allow students to either specialise from the outset (i.e. textiles, sculpture, printmaking, painting or digital photography/video), or to move between various disciplines over their period of study as they develop their own ‘hybrid’ practice (i.e. textiles and metal sculpture, painting and digital photography, printmaking and ceramic sculpture etc), or settle into one specialism at a later date.

Penny McCall (1st year): This is a most amazing place. The course is well structured, with life drawing, studio practice, lectures, workshops, visiting Artist lectures, tutorials, etc, etc ... invaluable. Don't be fooled, the smiley faced tutors put all through their creative wringer, pushing, pulling and twisting out the most unexpected outcomes at times. The people involved, staff and students are as diverse as the art. A triumph of happiness. Read more comments >>

For an up-to-date list of combined degrees available with Fine Art, go to the Online Prospectus

Methods of study

In the first year (level 4), students will initially be set a series of research and drawing based activities that will drive the students’ ideas towards a self-directed practice, greater independence, and by the final year (level 6), the attainment of a distinctive vision.

• Studio Practice Modules, Semesters 1,2,3,4 (levels 4 &5) and Exhibition and 'Visual Contextual Research and Development' Modules (level 6) : Both individual and group tutorials take place regularly, as well as ‘crits’ and other group work. A flexible teaching and learning strategy offers a variety of student centered ways for students to grown in confidence and develop an understanding about their own work.
• Workshop Modules, Semesters 1,2,3, and External Projects, Semester 4 (levels 4 &5): WORKSHOP instruction in chosen workshop areas (paint, print, sculpture, textiles) occurs throughout with our specialist team of tutors.; 3 hours per week. In semester 4 (Level 5) students are given the opportunity to engage with external organisations by developing an individual EXTERNAL PROJECTS exploring the public and social applications for fine art. Students can gain experience of a wide range of arts related employment including arts administration and gallery work, commissions, arts in health, residencies and workshops in schools. Local galleries with a national reputation such as Pallant House and Cass Sculpture offer students the chance to work as interns and on their community programmes.
  
• Critical and Contextual Strand. 'Art and Ideas' Critical and Contextual Modules, Semesters 1,2,3,4 (levels 4 &5) Dissertation, or Essay/Vocational & Professional Practice Modules (level 6): Lectures and seminars for 3 hours per week, with the option of 1-1 tutorials on request. The Critical and Contextual Strand encourages Fine Art students to re-think the nature of the Visual Arts. In addition it develops key skills necessary for the Personal Study in their final year (level 6) and employment. The integration of theory and practice provides the stimulating scholarly debate that is central to teaching and learning, and it offers students an opportunity to relate concepts to their own studio practice. Most importantly it enables students to critically support their own work within the broad debates and arguments that surround contemporary art practice.
• Visiting Artists: a programme of national and internationally renowned artists allows valuable insights into professional practice, and provides students with seminar and tutorial discussion on their studio work.
• For more detailed diagrams please go to course structure
  

Lectures and seminars in the contextual strand and the peer group critique in the studio, support independent, self directed work. Students will learn to create their own negotiated pattern of work as they move towards an exhibition for their degree show in their final year (level 6).

At Chichester, drawing is seen as an important element in the development and realization of ideas and is the basis of the initial studio work at level one.

Professional Experience

It is vital that students are prepared for some of the things the contemporary art world will throw at them on graduating. We have developed a programme in which second and third year (level 5 and 6) students focus on aspects of professional practice and vocational experience. Recent students have worked on site-specific commissions, community arts projects, and work placements with local galleries and museums, residencies in schools, and even creating their own virtual gallery. The experience is invaluable in terms of working to time and budgetary constraints, dealing with the public.

Employment

The course provides the opportunity to develop skills across a broad range of areas and become resourceful, reflective learners, finding creative solutions to new problems and with the ability to be self-disciplined and able to work independently. ‘Creativity’, thinking ‘out of the box’, and good communication skills (visual, verbal, and written) are all key skills that employers are seeking, and these are fundamental skills developed by Fine Art. See brief biographies of former students at http://www.chiuni.ac.uk/fineart/FormerStudents.cfm to demonstrate how some are using their skills to be artists while others are using them successfully in all sorts of other professional arenas.

Assessment

Assessment occurs throughout the course in the form of visual and oral presentations, seminars, group critiques, essays, exams and culminates in the final year degree exhibition of practical work for all BA students.

Study Trips

We offer the opportunity for all students to visit a major international city at an affordable cost to study the museums, galleries and culture. Recent cities have included Venice, New York, Barcelona and Madrid. Trips to Museums and galleries in London and other urban centers occur throughout the academic year.

Exchanges

Currently we offer student exchanges for selected Level 2 students to go: Valance in South Eastern France, or Thomson Rivers University in Western Canada.

Mature Students

Mature students are particularly made welcome at Chichester. We have many years experience of teaching mature people and they flourish here in this friendly and small university campus. For more information, please visit Mature Students