Fine Art BA (Hons)

Overview

Discover and develop your own perspective and ideas within contemporary art. Explore your creative interests across a broad range of Fine Art practice and work collaboratively with peers and professional artists in our artist community. Graduate well prepared for a creative career with a strong portfolio of work that will impress prospective employers.

Course Structure

• Year 1 (national level 4):
  • Core modules:
    • Studio and Show (40 credits)
      • Start to develop your own personal studio Fine Art practice. Have the freedom to develop your own self-negotiated project from the wide portfolio of Fine Art approaches, which might include painting, drawing, sculpture, print making, and digital subject areas. Work collaboratively with peers to select and install work, fundraise, design posters, organise publicity and arrange opening night catering and hospitality for the Fine Art Year 1 public show. Exhibit your body of work that you have developed throughout the year.
    • Fine Art Making Skills (40 credits)
      • Gain an introduction to core Fine Art practical skills in painting, printmaking, digital photography, sound, and sculpture, via a series of set projects. Engage with health and safety inductions regarding the use of materials and stainability. Set up your own professional individual studio space and learn how to access and use the School of Art and Design’s workshop facilities.
    • Contemporary Approaches to Drawing (20 credits)
      • Get an introduction to drawing principles through a series of structured drawing projects, including drawing both two and three dimensionally, and digitally. Engage with traditional, diverse and contemporary approaches to drawing, using a wide range of ideas, materials and working methods. Expand your own definition of drawing and develop a portfolio of drawing experiences that examines a traditional, contemporary and your individual response to the subject of drawing.
    • Fine Art Histories and Ideas (20 credits)
      • Learn about some of the key art movements and ideas which shaped, and continue to shape, the world culturally. Engage with themes including, for example: Symbolism, Expression, Surrealism and Abstraction. Examine the importance of feminism, multi-culturalism, and political activism, as generators of change, by discussing art from a range of different cultural contexts, histories, and traditions at a time of increasing globalisation. Explore new models of contemporary art practice, in particular, the impact of new technologies, social media, and the different ways artists are interacting with audiences. Develop essay skills in terms of theoretical research, debate and analytical critical writing.
• Year 2 (national level 5):
  • Core modules:
    • Fine Art Methodology (40 credits)
      • Further consider the form and the appropriateness of the medium for the articulation of your ideas, choosing from Fine Art’s wide portfolio of subjects: painting, drawing printmaking, sculpture, digital, performance and installation. Examine through practical work the creation of an artwork from concept to realisation. Experiment and learn about possible new combinations of media and forms. Benefit from workshops delivered by the Employability and Enterprise Hub which will enable you to further develop your understanding of professional routes for art graduates and begin to reflect on your aspirations.
    • Fine Art in Society (40 credits)
      • Develop your own studio practice towards installing a live exhibition open to a public audience, learning how to install, curate and advertise your exhibition, including poster design, managing a budget, organising an exhibition opening, and recording your live project outcome in an appropriate media. Alternatively, research and present a proposal for a socially engaged arts project, with a supporting body of artwork. Locate your ideas within a wider audience outside of your studio, finding a place and context for your art in society.
    • Art in Society: Theory and Context (20 credits)
      • Develop your understanding of how Fine Art practices are shaped by and help shape historical, social, cultural and political issues. Explore key contemporary debates around inclusivity, diversity, ethics and sustainability. Consider the broader social role of the artist, both gallery and socially engaged artists and identify artists who you admire as professional role models.
    • Collaborative Creativity (20 credits)
      • Prepare for real world and live collaborative creative projects. Build your work experience, establish and enhance your creative and professional networks and broaden your understanding of graduate opportunities, creative enterprise and career pathways. Negotiate a relevant placement where you will position your practical and creative skills, build networks and begin to identify relevant professional pathways. Alternatively, work with fellow students from across our different Arts disciplines to create a group negotiated outcome.
• Final year (national level 6):
  • Core modules:
    • Practice, Publication, Pitch (40 credits)
      • Focus on the research and production of an advanced, self-negotiated project with a professional focus. Prepare your practice for future exhibitions, arts-related and wider professional applications. Develop a studio presentation, publish a digital STUDIOzine and present your ideas live to an interview panel. Benefit from a weekly careers-practice programme which includes: Artists Voice Film programme, Employability and Enterprise Hub seminars, application and funding advice for postgraduates, and seminars on writing applications, artists statements, how interviews work, support for postgraduate applications including teacher training, art therapy, artist residencies, internships and participatory-arts career information.
    • Fine Art Exhibition (60 credits)
      • Take advantage of an intensive period of studio practice, working towards the realisation and completion of an individual personal project. Participate in a critically selected solo exhibition, presented for both your final degree assessment and the public degree show exhibition audience. Work collaboratively towards event fundraising, catalogue publication, photographing work, posters, press releases, opening night hospitality, invigilation, and exhibition tours. Learn to make work that confidently communicates your ideas effectively to an audience.
    • Dissertation, Theory and Application (20 credits)
      • Select your own topic of research related to Fine Art or visual culture, relevant to your practical work. Demonstrate your research by either written dissertation (3,500 – 4,500 words) or by a word document outlining your Fine Art research practice, including preparation for an arts funding application. Contextualise and gain a broader knowledge of the ideas underpinning your art practice. Develop a range of transferable skills appropriate for future professional development opportunities and further study.

Facilities

• Studio-based practice: The core to the Fine Art course, with a generous sized individual studio space in Priestman Building.
• Project and exhibition spaces: For paintings, prints and sculpture, plus digital installation and performance work, where ideas can be tested, outside of your individual space, providing an effective and discursive learning environment.
• Workshops: Excellently equipped in printmaking, 3D printing, digital photography, digital sewing and embroidery, woodwork, metalwork and casting, as well as support in the development of film and sound.
• Faculty Priestman Gallery: Opportunity to exhibit and gain experiences supporting the installation and curating public exhibitions.
• FabLab: Access to FabLab on City Campus.

Entry Requirements

• Typical offer: Irish Leaving Certificate: 112 UCAS points – Students must have H1-H7 or O1-O4 in Maths & English. QQI/FETAC 5: Pass profile overall. For entry we also require H1-H7 or O1-O4 in Maths and English from Irish Leaving Certificate.
• Interview/portfolio requirements: We’ll invite you to an informal interview where we'd like to see evidence of your creative potential. Please prepare a portfolio of work you have completed so far.

Fees and Finance

• Annual, full-time fee: £9,535 if you are from the UK/Europe, £16,500 if you are an international student.
• Tuition fees for part-time students: £7,145 per 90 credits.

Career Ready

• Professional Portfolio: Develop a Professional Portfolio throughout your time at university, including an online art blog and art book publication of your work, with an artist statement and a CV.
• Career options: Prepare you to become a confident professional, with transferable skills. Increasingly, creative workers follow a ‘portfolio’ career comprising a range of roles such as teaching in schools, colleges and universities; artist residencies; creative practitioner; and as a practising fine artist.
• Our graduates: Destinations for Fine Art graduates also include public arts, curating and other areas within the creative industries. Some of our graduates work as artists and show their work in commercial galleries. Others have gone on to work in museums, galleries, and many different types of employment and self-employment.

Degree Overview

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Overview

The BA (Hons) Fine Art course at the University of Sunderland helps you develop your own perspective and ideas within contemporary art. You will explore your creative interests across a broad range of Fine Art practice, working collaboratively with peers and professional artists in the artist community. By the end of the program, you will be a well-prepared graduate with a strong portfolio of work to impress potential employers.

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Objectives

• Develop your own perspective and ideas within contemporary art.

• Explore your creative interests across a broad range of Fine Art practice.

• Work collaboratively with peers and professional artists.

• Graduate well prepared with a strong portfolio of work.

• Become a creative professional in the growing creative industries.

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Description

This course is rooted in a rich tradition of art at the University of Sunderland, combined with modern teaching methods and a focus on innovation. The program features a team of working artists with extensive professional experience and subject expertise to guide you in realizing your artistic aspirations. You will have the freedom to explore your creative interests across a range of Fine Art practices:

• Painting
• Printmaking
• Digital photography
• Film
• Sound
• Drawing
• Sculpture
• Performance
You will learn to see the bigger picture and develop highly adaptable skills in collaboration with your peers. Throughout the course, you will work towards live outcomes, building your confidence as an artist to promote yourself, your art, and your impact on society. ## Outline ### Program Content The program covers a wide range of topics and areas within Fine Art, including:
• Studio and Show
• Fine Art Making Skills
• Contemporary Approaches to Drawing
• Fine Art Histories and Ideas
• Fine Art Methodology
• Fine Art in Society
• Art in Society: Theory and Context
• Collaborative Creativity
• Practice, Publication, Pitch
• Fine Art Exhibition
• Dissertation, Theory and Application
### Program Structure The BA (Hons) Fine Art course is a three-year program divided into six semesters. The first year focuses on exploration and experimentation with different art practices. The second year involves collaboration with students from other disciplines and exploring the social context of your art. The final year is dedicated to refining your professional practice and skills in preparation for your final exhibition and graduation. ### Course Schedule The course schedule varies depending on the semester and year of study. However, you can expect a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, and studio practice sessions. You will be allocated your own studio space from day one, where you can build and develop your creativity alongside fellow students. ### Individual Modules

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Year 1 (National Level 4)

• Studio and Show (40 credits): Develop your personal studio Fine Art practice in various mediums, including painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, and digital subjects.
Work collaboratively with peers to organize and promote your Fine Art Year 1 public show.
• Fine Art Making Skills (40 credits): Learn core Fine Art practical skills in painting, printmaking, digital photography, sound, and sculpture through a series of set projects.
Engage with health and safety inductions regarding materials and sustainability.
• Contemporary Approaches to Drawing (20 credits): Explore drawing principles through structured projects, including drawing both two and three dimensionally, and digitally.
Engage with traditional, diverse, and contemporary approaches to drawing, using a wide range of ideas, materials, and working methods.
• Fine Art Histories and Ideas (20 credits): Learn about key art movements and ideas that shaped the world culturally.
Examine themes including Symbolism, Expression, Surrealism, and Abstraction.

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Year 2 (National Level 5)

• Fine Art Methodology (40 credits): Consider the form and appropriateness of the medium for your ideas, choose from Fine Art's wide portfolio of subjects, and experiment.
Benefit from workshops and learn about professional routes for art graduates.
• Fine Art in Society (40 credits): Develop your studio practice towards a live exhibition open to the public, learn how to install, curate and advertise your exhibition, and manage a budget.
Alternatively, research and present a proposal for a socially engaged arts project with a supporting body of artwork.
• Art in Society: Theory and Context (20 credits): Understand how Fine Art practices are shaped by and help shape historical, social, cultural, and political issues.
Explore key contemporary debates around inclusivity, diversity, ethics, and sustainability.
• Collaborative Creativity (20 credits): Prepare for real-world and live collaborative creative projects.
Build your work experience, network, and broaden your understanding of graduate opportunities, creative enterprise, and career pathways.

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Final Year (National Level 6)

• Practice, Publication, Pitch (40 credits): Focus on the research and production of an advanced, self-negotiated project with a professional focus.
Prepare your practice for future exhibitions, arts-related, and wider professional applications. Develop your career practice and benefit from seminars, application and funding advice, and information on postgraduate studies.
• Fine Art Exhibition (60 credits): Take advantage of an intensive period of studio practice to realize and complete your individual project.
Participate in a critically selected solo exhibition presented for both your final degree assessment and the public degree show exhibition audience. Learn to make work that effectively communicates your ideas to an audience.
• Dissertation, Theory and Application (20 credits): Select your research topic related to Fine Art or visual culture relevant to your practical work.
Demonstrate your research by either written dissertation or a document outlining your Fine Art research practice. ## Assessment ### Assessment Methods Assessment methods vary depending on the module and may include:
• Studio presentations of artwork
• A variety of written projects
• Exhibitions
• Group projects
• Live outcomes
• Self-directed research
• Critical analysis
• Portfolios
### Assessment Criteria Your work will be assessed based on criteria such as:
• Originality
• Creativity
• Technical proficiency
• Conceptual understanding
• Critical thinking
• Communication skills
• Research skills
• Professionalism
• Impact
## Teaching ### Teaching Methods The program uses a variety of teaching methods to cater to different learning styles, including:
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Workshops
• Tutorials
• Studio practice
• Independent study
• Guest lectures
• Live projects
• Collaborative projects
• Field trips
### Faculty The faculty comprises experienced artists, researchers, and educators who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and expertise with students. They bring a wealth of professional experience and industry connections to the program. ### Unique Approaches
• Focus on individual studio practice and development.

• Emphasis on real-world and live projects.

• Opportunities for collaboration and networking.

• Strong links to the creative industries.

• Access to excellent facilities and resources.

Careers

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Career Paths

Graduates of the BA (Hons) Fine Art program have a wide range of career options, including:

• Artist
• Curator
• Gallerist
• Arts administrator
• Teacher
• Researcher
• Writer
• Critic
• Cultural worker
• Entrepreneur
• Freelancer
### Career Opportunities Graduates can find employment in a variety of sectors, including:
• Art galleries and museums
• Art dealerships
• Auction houses
• Arts organizations
• Cultural institutions
• Educational institutions
• Private businesses
• Freelance practice
### Career Outcomes The program prepares graduates with the skills and knowledge to succeed in their chosen careers. Graduates have gone on to work in various prestigious institutions and organizations, and some have established successful careers as practicing artists. ## Other ### Studio Space Each student will be allocated their own generous-sized studio space in the Priestman Building. This space is yours to develop and build your creativity, and you can access it throughout your studies. ### Additional Project and Exhibition Spaces In addition to your studio, you will have access to additional project and exhibition spaces for paintings, prints, sculptures, digital installations, and performance work. These spaces provide opportunities to test your ideas outside of your studio space in a discursive learning environment. These include:
• Shaun Project Space
• Gallery 007
• Priestman Gallery
### Workshops and Facilities You will have access to excellently equipped workshops in various disciplines:
• Printmaking
• 3D Printing
• Digital Photography
• Digital Sewing and Embroidery
• Woodwork
• Metalwork
• Casting
You can also use FabLab on City Campus for additional resources.

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The annual, full-time fee for this course is: £9,250 if you are from the UK/Europe £16,000 if you are an international student (EU nationals will receive a £5,750 scholarship to reduce their fee to £10,250) Tuition fees for part-time students are £6,935 per 120 credits. Please note that part-time courses are not available to international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK.

• The discounted fee will be reflected in your offer letter.
Learn more in our Help and Advice article.

University of Sunderland

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Overview:

The University of Sunderland is a public university located in Sunderland, England. It offers a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across various disciplines. The university has a strong focus on providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment for its students.

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Services Offered:

The University of Sunderland provides a comprehensive range of services to its students, including:

Academic Support:

Access to libraries, learning resources, and academic advisors.

Student Support:

Counseling, mental health services, and disability support.

Accommodation:

On-campus and off-campus housing options.

Career Services:

Career guidance, job search assistance, and internship opportunities.

Student Life:

A vibrant student union, clubs, societies, and social events.

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Student Life and Campus Experience:

The university boasts a diverse and inclusive campus community where students can connect with people from different backgrounds and cultures. Students can participate in extracurricular activities, engage in personal and professional development opportunities, and enjoy a vibrant social scene.

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Key Reasons to Study There:

Top-Quality Facilities:

The university has modern facilities, including a state-of-the-art library, sports facilities, and dedicated learning spaces.

Inclusive Culture:

The university fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.

Vibrant City:

Sunderland is a dynamic city with a rich history and a low cost of living.

Strong Industry Links:

The university has strong connections with local businesses and industries, providing students with valuable career opportunities.

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Academic Programs:

The University of Sunderland offers a wide range of academic programs, including:

Arts and Design:

Fashion, Photography, Fine Art, and Graphic Design.

Sciences:

Pharmacy, Nursing, Medicine, and Biology.

Business and Law:

Business Management, Finance, Law, and Tourism.

Computing and Engineering:

Computer Science, Software Engineering, and Electrical Engineering.

Education and Social Sciences:

Education, Psychology, and Social Work.

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Other:

The university has campuses in Sunderland, London, and Hong Kong, offering students a global learning experience. It is also recognized for its commitment to sustainability and equality, diversity, and inclusion.