BA (Hons) Fine Art
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Art goes beyond galleries. It is felt in our city, landscapes, and buildings where we learn, live, work, and play. Art informs how we understand the world, how we reflect our individual and collective pasts and how we challenge and celebrate our present moment.
Art also informs our digital lives, enabling us to share our stories. By studying this BA (Hons) Fine Art degree at Northumbria, you will become a critical thinker and a developed maker. You will learn the power and potential of art and be provided with a platform through which to turn your practice into action alongside regional, national, and global communities.
With a broad range of modules, the course combines theory and practice to provide you with the knowledge and skills needed for employment in an extensive variety of roles. Examples include community arts, teaching, curating, arts management, assisting artists, gallery or studio management, business, marketing, and more.
Carefully constructed by Northumbria’s leading Art practitioners, theoreticians and historians, alongside local industrial partners such as The BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, the BA (Hons) Fine Art unpacks all the elements of creation – how it’s made and how it’s received. Every module draws on active research which is expertly brought to life in your lectures and seminars.
This degree is dynamic, interdisciplinary, and addresses real world challenges, which you can tailor to ensure you will have the best possible foundation for future study and continued success.
This course is delivered through a mix of classroom and studio-based learning, with engagement with the cultural centres in the region available to further enhance your learning.
Your modules will be taught through lectures, seminars, practical sessions, workshops, and fieldtrips. Meanwhile, you’ll be assessed using a range of methods including practice-based submissions, essays, and presentations.
Throughout your degree, you’ll be encouraged to develop your making skills – having the opportunity to develop your techniques and use equipment in intriguing ways.
In your third year, you can extend your studies, either taking an additional placement year or even taking a year to study abroad in the likes of mainland Europe or North America.
In your final year, you will embark on a Final Project which is an opportunity to focus on what interests you most while developing your portfolio and academic skills. This project becomes a cumulation of all the skills and understanding that you have received throughout your studies and establishes your style as a contemporary artist.
From the very start of your studies, you are supported as you begin to develop transferable skills, such as critical thinking, communication, team working, and confidence.
As your studies progress, you’ll then hone these skills to more industry-specific proficiencies. On the course, you’ll learn how to use industry-standard digital editing software, identify the key elements of art criticism, and understand the planning and production required in research, design, storytelling, presentation, curation, management, and the application of theory.
An invaluable opportunity for first-hand employability skills is the chance to work with the BALTIC Centre in your second year. Here, you will encounter live briefs where you will work in teams, as artists with different skill sets and backgrounds, alongside local employers from the cultural sector. In doing so, you will develop skills in project management and arts business that are important to employers within the creative and cultural industries.
Many modules have been specifically designed to enhance your employability and encourage you to consider how your interests align with potential future career routes after graduation. For example, during your second year, you will have the opportunity to organise and facilitate an external work placement – stepping into industry to gain professional skills and confidence in real-world settings.
Top 25 – Art & Design at Northumbria is ranked Top 20 in the UK by the Complete University Guide for 2024.
Taking on Tomorrow – This course is contemporary, future-facing, and critically rigorous, preparing you to make a positive impact in the world.
Research Powerhouse – Art and Design at Northumbria is ranked 4th in the UK for research power. This is a rise of 6 places compared to 2014.
Partnered with Industry – The fantastic opportunity to work with the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, where you will be set live briefs and can work within public and community settings.
Graduate Prospects – Art & Design at Northumbria is ranked 9th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Times Good University Guide, 2024).
UCAS Code
W105
Level of Study
Undergraduate
Mode of Study
3 years full-time or 4 years with a placement (sandwich)/study abroad
Department
Arts
Location
City Campus, Northumbria University
City
Newcastle
Start
September 2024 or September 2025
Fees
Fee Information
Find out more about what you will be studying on your course.
We are interested in you as an artist and how we can support your learning and ambitions for the future. At Northumbria we take a look at each applicant's portfolio.
Recently, Northumbria Fine Art students facilitated online workshops and activities for Japanese peers. It was exciting to exchange practice and see the work created.
Our campus has been fitted out with state-of-the-art facilities and the latest in art and design technology.
At the heart of each Northumbria campus, our libraries provide a range of study space and technology to suit every learning style.
Spittal Community School visit.
Find out what our graduates are involved in.
I question anyone who thinks that a fine art degree is about painting. It’s about changing your mindset.
Annalisa
Project Manager Assistant/Administrator at GemArts and freelance Project Coordinator at Skimstone Arts.
More about Annalisa
Sophie Crocker
New Writing North Programme Officer in the Participation and Young People team.
More about Sophie
You can boost your CV and develop your experience whilst studying at Northumbria.
From first year through to final year and beyond graduation, we are here to help.
We have a fantastic service for students' to use to gain advice and tips on furthering careers and enhancing their employability.
Careers and Employment Services
112 UCAS Tariff points
From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate.
Find out how many points your qualifications are worth by using the UCAS Tariff calculator: www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator
Northumbria University is committed to supporting all individuals to achieve their ambitions. We have a range of schemes and alternative offers to make sure as many individuals as possible are given an opportunity to study at our University regardless of personal circumstances or background. To find out more, review our Northumbria Entry Requirement Essential Information page for further details www.northumbria.ac.uk/entryrequirementsinfo
Subject Requirements:
There are no specific subject requirements for this course.
GCSE Requirements:
Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent.
Additional Requirements:
A portfolio of creative design work is required. Get advice on preparing your portfolio here: www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/coming-to-northumbria/portfolios-and-auditions
International Qualifications:
We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above.
If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English Language Requirements:
International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades in our English Language section: www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications
For further admissions guidance and requirements, please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/admissionsguidance Please review this information before submitting your application.
UK Fee in Year 1: £9,250
* The maximum tuition fee that we are permitted to charge for UK students is set by government. Tuition fees may increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, these are subject to government regulations and in line with inflation.
EU Fee in Year 1: £18,250
International Fee in Year 1:
ADDITIONAL COSTS
MATERIALS This is a studio-based programme and we expect students to require additional art materials to support their project work. The department will be able to provide some generic art materials such as paper, printing inks, clay and plaster, but there will be instances where specialist materials are needed based on individual requirements. In those instances, students will have to bear the additional costs. We anticipate the cost to be approximately £100 on average. PRINTING Students are likely to be producing printed work and as such, will incur additional printing costs. Again this very much depends on an individual basis based on the type of project chosen by the student but we approximate the additional printing cost to be £50.
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
To start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.
Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help. They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.
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