Fine Art (with Foundation Year)

The BA Fine Art course at the University of East London offers  a dynamic, critical and interdisciplinary learning  creative  environment for students wishing to specialise in making  contemporary  art that will lead to broad career paths in the cultural and creative industries.

As part of the unique Visual Arts subject area, we understand how contemporary art can engage with many disciplines. Our course  is taught by practising  artists, curators, cultural directors and writers;  many of whom have international exhibition or publication profiles, experience working with public and private organisations, who share their practice and expertise with the  students. The programme provides opportunities to engage with external organisations and practising creatives in our Detour Ahead, Cultural Manoeuvres, Guest Lecture series and visits.

Our students work across a range of disciplines including painting, sculpture, installation, video, photography, printmaking, film, new media involving 3D scanning, virtual reality, augmented reality and robotics.

We're proud of our reputation for igniting the talents of brilliant fine artists with the help and support of some of the biggest names in British art.

The foundation year is perfect if you want a degree in fine art but you don't meet the standard entry requirements. First we prepare you for your degree during the foundation year, bringing you up to speed with academic skills and a firm grounding in the subject, then you can go on to do the full undergraduate degree.

Our fine art students work across a range of disciplines, including drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, film, photography and performance. What exactly distinguishes fine artists? Well, they usually work independently, without a client. Their work may stand out for its beauty or meaningfulness thanks to innovative practice or a high level of craft or conceptual skills. Experimentation and risk-taking are an essential part of their individualism, too.

The emergence of such singular talents has long marked out UEL's fine art course as exceptional. We've been well known for nurturing ground breaking artists since the Chapman brothers started making their dramatic impression back in the 1980s. It's the diversity of our students and staff, with their wide, vastly differing backgrounds and experiences, which helps make this a uniquely rich and fascinating course.

Foundation Year: Professional Life (Mental Wealth) (Core), Art & Design Specialist Workshops, Processes & Skills (Core), Art & Design Specialist Studio Practice & Portfolio (Core), Art & Design Contextual Studies (Core)

Year 1: Design Investigation 1 (Core), Design Integration 1 (Core), Contextual Studies (Creative Writing) (Core), Research into Practice 1 (Core), Experimentation and Application 1A (Core), Experimentation and Application 1B (Animation) (Core)

Year 2: Professional Life 2 (Mental Wealth) (Core), Design Investigation 2 (Core), Design Integration 2 (Core), Contextual Studies 2 (Core), Advanced Experimentation and Application (Core), Advanced Practice (Core), Optional placement (Optional)

Year 3: Mental Wealth: Professional Life 3 (Rising East) (Core), Integrated Technology (Core), Independent Major Project Part A (Core), Design Investigation 3 (Core), Research into Practice 3 – Contemporary Practice in Fine Art (Core), Research into Practice 3 – Extended Research Project (Core)

For more information about individual modules, please visit our course pages via the link below.

At the end of the first term in your first year you'll deliver a presentation of your work to a panel of two staff members. No mark is given at this stage you'll receive oral and written feedback. You'll repeat this at end of the second term in your first year, but this time you'll be awarded a mark. In your second year you'll participate in the second-year show and discuss your work with two tutors. A mark is then awarded. In your third year you'll present the best of your work in the degree show and a panel of all the academic team members agree your mark. The marks at each level are moderated by a team of external examiners. Feedback is provided within 15 working days in line with UEL's assessment and feedback policy.