Course Delivery
The teaching and learning on the Fine Art degree might be different to what you’ve experienced at A Level, BTEC, or on your foundation course. Here’s a quick guide to the types of teaching session you’ll be taking part in:
- Independent Studio Practice and Group Projects
The bulk of your time on the course will be spent making artworks, and this usually happens independently in your studio space or the technical workshops. Our open-plan studio spaces mean that you have your own work area with a table and wall, but that you’ll also be near other students in your year, so you won’t feel lonely and can discuss the projects you’re working on. Later in the course, you’ll be working in groups to stage exhibitions or produce research projects. Don’t worry if you’re new to working in groups, as we offer a range of activities that will help you build up to it. In your first week, supported by staff, you’ll be working on a short project in a group of about five or six – a great way to meet and get to know some of your fellow students!
- Lectures and briefing meetings
These sessions are where a member of staff will explain what’s going to be happening with a particular module, assessment, or project, and will usually take place with your whole year group. Lectures usually last about an hour, but can sometimes be longer. You’ll be expected to take notes and keep a record of what happens in each lecture so you can refer back to what has been discussed.
Later in your first year, you’ll be having one-to-one tutorials with a member of staff. These tutorials are conversations about your work that typically last 20 minutes or half an hour. These normally take place in your studio space, and will usually be focused on a particular project or piece of work that you’ve been working on. You should prepare for a tutorial by thinking in advance about questions to ask the staff member, or aspects of your work that you want to get some feedback on. Keep a record of the discussion in your sketchbook or notebook.
Crit groups (‘crit’ is short for ‘critique’) are where you will get feedback on your creative work from a group of staff and students. In the first term, everyone will participate in a ‘fishbowl’ crit group, where you will show some artwork you’ve made to your fellow students. Led by a member of staff, there will be a 20-30 minute discussion about your work, and fellow students can contribute helpful comments about the work you’ve made. ‘Fishbowls’ are a great way to build up confidence to discuss your work in bigger groups later in the course. It's a really fun and informal experience, and you’ll be supported all the way. It’s also an important part of building your own confidence in your work. You should take notes during a crit so you can remember what’s been said about your work. You should also take notes when other people’s work is being discussed, as you can learn a lot from the way different people have approached the same project.
- Technical Workshop Sessions
These sessions, sometimes called ‘modulettes’ or ‘T.I.s’ are technical instruction sessions that will show you how to use the technical workshop facilities. They are run by our team of technical specialists, and are usually held in groups of between 3 and 15 students, depending on the particular workshop. In the first term, you’ll be shown how to use the wood and metal workshops, and next term will be given introductions to more lens-based, print, and digital workshop areas. These sessions are practical and are all about acquiring technical skills, which you can then apply to your own studio practice.
And, throughout your course, you can access study skills and other support to help you adjust to working at degree level and to get the most out of your studies.