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Design Foundation Year

Course details
  • BA (Hons)
  • 5 Years
  • Sandwich
  • 09/2025
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Main Site
Awarded by:
Northumbria University Newcastle

Course summary

If you're interested in exploring various creative design fields while gaining the knowledge and skills needed to enter a design degree program, this course is perfect for you. The one-year Design Foundation course at Northumbria offers a solid introduction to university-level education, welcoming students from all backgrounds.

At Northumbria, you'll benefit from modern and innovative teaching informed by research and practice. This approach helps you develop your skills, knowledge, and creativity, setting you up for success as an undergraduate student and eventually as a Northumbria graduate.

The course builds essential academic skills and confidence across multiple design disciplines. With experienced tutors and strong industry connections, it prepares you for advanced studies and aligns with various career paths in the design industry. This blend of academic learning and practical application enhances your future employability.

You'll learn from a diverse group of design practitioners, technicians, and academics with extensive backgrounds in design practice, teaching, and research. Their expertise and the supportive, research-rich environment will provide you with a well-rounded education, encouraging you to continue your studies in your chosen design field.

This course is an excellent first step towards a career in the creative design sector.

Modules

For a full list of the modules on your course, please access the course pages at www.northumbria.ac.uk

Assessment method

Your tutors will use a variety of teaching methods, which may include lectures, seminars, problem-based workshops, case discussions, practical activities, group work and tutorials. Teaching is backed up by a well-designed support system that will underpin your learning journey. You will have access to a Guidance Tutor with whom you can discuss any academic issues. Extensive feedback from both tutors and peers is built into the course.

How to apply

Apply by
29 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
W275
Institution code:
N77
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - 80 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: There are no additional requirements for this course. 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

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

Northumbria University is committed to supporting and welcoming high-quality students to study with us, from all backgrounds.  We want Northumbria to be an inclusive, accessible option and aim to support applicants to achieve their goals and ambitions. We use a range of flexible admissions options to support students to access study at Northumbria, such as contextual offers, where applicants may receive a lower offer than our standard entry requirements if they meet certain criteria.

Learn more on the Northumbria University, Newcastle website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England£9535Year 1
Northern Ireland£9535Year 1
Scotland£9535Year 1
Wales£9535Year 1
Channel Islands£9535Year 1
Republic of Ireland£9535Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

For International costs/fee information, please refer to your course page at https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria

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