National Diploma in Foundation Studies Art & Design

Xaverian College has a great tradition in the Arts. At the last inspection Art, Drama, Music and Media Studies all gained Grade 1 – outstanding. This success has also been recognized with the Xaverian Art department offering its own pre-university Art Foundation course. This is a requirement for almost all students of Art who wish to take a university degree, and it is testimony to how successful the Art department at Xaverian are that they have gained accreditation for delivering our own in-house Foundation course.

There are approximately 25 places available each year, and last year every single student gained a place at their first choice university.

Course Outline: this is a one year full time course. It is likely that applicants have studied an art & design course at advanced level. The nature of the course is to explore, experiment and to develop a greater understanding of art & design issues and practices which will prepare students for degree level courses.

The course is divided into 3 stages:

THE EXPLORATORY STAGE: Students will explore a very wide range of practices, working to briefs and themes, in all art & design areas

THE PATHWAY STAGE: Students will now narrow down and begin to focus on preferred area/s of study.

THE CONFIRMATORY STAGE: In this final stage students work in their chosen specialist area and are externally graded.

The 6 art & design areas that are offered throughout each stage are:

• fine art- painting, sculpture
• textiles
• graphics
• lens based media - photography, digital camera, video, animation,
• printmaking
• ceramics / 3D

This main part of the course is complemented with Core studies: art history, life drawing and pastoral sessions each week, in which guidance and support is offered for UCAS writing and Careers advice through group and individual tutorials.

We can guarantee
 

• excellent staff/ student ratios
• high quality teaching/ minimum 17 hrs contact time per week
• easily accessible tutors
• own studio space/timetabled time in specialist areas
• UCAS/pastoral guidance

We are in the process of organising accreditation with universities of Huddersfield , Salford and MMU.