BA (Hons) Fine Art

Program Overview

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Fine Art

Overview

Our Fine Art degree is a course that emphasizes how making is informed by theory to enable you to view, critique, and challenge the way we experience the world and culture. This is a practical subject supported by ideas and research. At the heart of the program is creative play and creative thinking. You will have the opportunity to explore a range of art practice and learn how to question, explore, and define your identity as an artist.

Course Details

All About the Course

By studying on our fine arts degree, you’ll be introduced to a range of artistic techniques and processes while gaining an academic understanding of the debates, history, and culture surrounding art.

Your first year will pave the way for success, introducing you to the skills you will use and develop over your time studying with us. In your second and third year, you’ll nurture your artistic abilities further. The course enables you to specialize or work across media areas if you choose.

You will also explore the social, cultural, and philosophical contexts that shape the world. You’ll gain an insight into key ideas that help us to define our place within it.

Year One

• Introduction to Studio Culture 1
• Introduction to Art and Ideas 1
• Models of Scholarship
• Introduction to Studio Culture 2
• Introduction to Art and Ideas 2
• Models of Practice

Year Two

• Studio Practice 1: Artist and Audience
• Studio Practice 2: Development
• Visual Analysis
• Art in Context

Year Three

• Dissertation
• Professional Studio Practice
• Professional Futures

Teaching

As part of your BA in fine art, your timetable will include a breakdown of your scheduled lessons with timeslots for you to explore your independent research interests. Your classes will be based at our New Adelphi Building.

A variety of methods and approaches are involved in the delivery of this course.

You’ll be encouraged to engage in Critique (crit) sessions, where you’ll be able to examine your work in relation to your peers. Regular individual tutorials give you the chance to discuss your work in more depth. They can be either one-to-one or delivered in the form of a group tutorial.

Your modules are designed to give you everything you need for personal development. You will gain a broad understanding of fine art practice by being introduced to a range of relevant issues, concepts, and approaches.

External projects give you the chance to take part in a real-world setting. These projects will begin in your first year and are a fantastic way to gain invaluable hands-on experience of what it’s really like to work in the industry. All these types of modules involve self-directed study.

Lectures give you a chance to learn theoretical subject matter in detail. You will then be able to explore these ideas and issues further in supporting seminars and studio practice.

Finally, teaching workshops are used as a means of teaching the specific skills associated with a particular technique or working method.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed in a variety of ways. For example, studio-based project modules can include the assessment of visual, verbal, and written, whereas theoretical modules involve a written submission, such as an essay.

Employment and Stats

Employment

When you study fine art at the University of Salford, you’ll gain the skills you need to pursue a career as an artist, curator, freelance creative, arts officer/administrator, gallery education officer, or art therapist, to name just a few of the career options available to you. Our students are self-motivated self-starters, putting them in an ideal position to go on to create their own businesses in a variety of fields. And while not all graduates become artists, many pursue a career in the arts.

Studying a fine arts course will teach you resourcefulness, initiative, and creativity – transferable skills that will enable you to thrive in whatever career path you choose. Studying as an artist, you’ll also learn self-discipline, project management skills, and the ability to work with others.

In recent years, our graduates have achieved notable successes in major galleries and museums regionally, nationally, and internationally including: The National Gallery (Cape Town, South Africa), Institut d'Art Contemporain (Lyons, France), Irish Museum of Contemporary Art (Dublin), The British Art Show, Liverpool Biennial, Curwen Gallery (London), Cornerhouse (Manchester), the Bluecoat Gallery (Liverpool) and many more.

Further Study

Graduates showing strong academic and research skills can pursue a further postgraduate path through our Postgraduate programs on a full-time or part-time basis subject to a satisfactory proposal.

Requirements

Applicant Profile

At Salford, we believe there are three essential ingredients to the perfect fine art student; enthusiasm, commitment, and intellectual curiosity. That’s why, as part of the application process for our fine arts degree course, you will be invited to interview, where we will be considering factors such as personality, portfolio, and examples of written work.

You will need to provide a portfolio of your previous artwork. When reviewing this, we will be looking at factors such as your creativity and technical skills, your knowledge and understanding of the subject, as well as your ability to analyze and think critically.

You’ll also have to submit a personal statement and meet our entry requirements. A personal statement is a personal summary (up to 4,000 characters) of your academic, professional/life experience, and future goals. We’ll want to understand:

• what motivates you and what you’ve learned on your current academic journey;
• why you want to work in the creative industries; and
• why the University of Salford and this course is right for your future goals.

As part of your application, we will need to see a portfolio of work to provide opportunity for you to share your creative practice with us. Any offers will be conditional upon our subject team having the opportunity to review your portfolio, and we look forward to viewing your work. For some applicants, you may also be asked to take part in an informal group seminar discussion or interview – either live or on camera – to demonstrate your skills.

Once you’ve made your application to study with us, we’ll contact you and let you know the next steps.

Standard Entry Requirements

• GCSE: English Language at grade C/level 4 or above (or equivalent) is required. Maths at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) is preferred but not essential.
• UCAS tariff points: 104-112 points.
• A level: 104-112 points.
• T level: Merit
• BTEC National Diploma: DMM including an Art & Design subject area
• BTEC Higher National Diploma: Applicants may be considered for entry into year 2
• Foundation Diploma in Art and Design: Distinction = 112 UCAS points - if you have a Pass (80 points) or Merit (96 points), you must have additional qualifications to a total of 112 points.
• Foundation Degree: Applicants may be considered for entry into year 3
• Access to HE: Pass Level 3 Access to HE Diploma with 112 points (relevant subject)
• Scottish Highers: 112 points in a practice-based art and design subject
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 112 points in a practice-based art and design subject
• International Baccalaureate: 31 points including a practice-based art and design subject
• European Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 73% overall (relevant subject)

International Students

We accept qualifications from all around the world. Find your country to see a full list of entry requirements.

If you are an international student and not from a majority English-speaking country, you will need IELTS 6.0 with no element below 5.5.

We also accept a range of other English language qualifications. If you do not have the English language requirements, you could take our Pre-Sessional English course. Or if you have finished high school in your country but don’t have the qualifications to gain entry to this course, you can take our International Foundation Year as a pathway to this degree.

Alternative Entry Requirements

Salford Alternative Entry Scheme (SAES)

We welcome applications from students who may not meet the stated entry criteria but who can demonstrate their ability to pursue the course successfully. Once we have received your application we will assess it and recommend it for SAES if you are an eligible candidate.

There are two different routes through the Salford Alternative Entry Scheme and applicants will be directed to the one appropriate for their course. Assessment will either be through a review of prior learning or through a formal test.

How Much?

Your tuition fees are regulated by the UK government who has proposed changes to tuition fees for UK students studying in England from 1 August 2025. The fee stated reflects this proposed change, but remains subject to parliamentary approval. Your tuition fees may increase in your first and each subsequent year of your program to the maximum amount permitted by UK law or regulation for that academic year.

• Type of study | Year | Fees
• Full-time home | 2025/26 | £9,535 per year
• Full-time international | 2025/26 | £17,650 per year
• Full-time home | 2026/27 | £9,535 per year
• Full-time international | 2026/27 | £18,120 per year

Additional Costs

You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding, and general subsistence on trips and visits.

Scholarships for International Students

If you are a high-achieving international student, you may be eligible for one of our scholarships. Explore our international scholarships.

Program Outline

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Outline:

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Year One:

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Module:

• Introduction to Studio Culture 1: Develop your individual artistic language and studio practice, gaining a broader understanding of contemporary fine art studio culture.
• 2:
1: Artist
• and Audience: Focus on developing self-directed artistic practice, exploring meaning
in work & communication with the audience
• Studio
Practice 2:
• Development: Further exploration in self-directed studio, resulting from visual research
• Analysis:
Learn key methods of analyzing art (semiotics, iconology), including interpre interpretational tools & investigation in contexts Art in
• Context: Prepare & write live professional brief, exploring how professionalism impacts art practice
• Assessment: Visual, verbal, & written work in studio, essays

• Dissertation: Research-focused module developing your ability to articulate relationship between practice and theory through critical & contextual framework
• Professional
• Studio Practice: Extend individual study, synthesize previous learning, experiment and present professional body
of work
• Professional
• Futures: Prepare for careers after art school, develop professional development plan, portfolio (hardcopy&digital),
CV, interview skills, professional presentation skills

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Assessment

Dissertation (written), Professional portfolio & presentation (visual, verbal), CV (written)

• Assessment:
• Studio projects: assessed visually, verbally, in writing (depending on project)
Theoretical modules: assessed via essays
• Some modules will utilize various assessment types
• Emphasis placed on self reflection & analysis of
one's work

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Teaching:

• Lectures, seminars, tutorials, critiques (crit sessions), studio-based work, individual/group tutorials
• External projects provide real-world experience
Self-directed study & independent research encouraged
• Industry standard software & facilities provided, guest artist/professional presentations
• Graduates pursue careers as Artists, Curators, Freelance Creatives, Arts/Gallery education/admin officers, Art therapists & more
• Self-starters can create own businesses
• Graduates achieve recognition in regional/ national/ international galleries & musées
• Career links initiative showcases guest artists & proféssions in creative industry

• Other:

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Course highlights unique to University of

• Salford informed by theory

• Practical & theory balanced to challenge
• Greater
Manchester boasts the fastest growing creative sector outside London
• Partnership with Tate Liverpool, RCA, & numerous art professionals / galleries

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Fees:

• 2 25 :£ 9,2 5 0
• Full time
International: 20 2 4/25 : £17,04 0

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Admissions

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Requirements

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Standard:

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UCAS Points (1 04 - 1 1 2 ) / A levels

(

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1 0

4 - 1 12 ) / BTecs/FDAs/HND

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s/Foundation Diploma in Art

and Design (Dist. = 1 12) / Access to HE / International Bac/Diplomal

• 1 1 2 points required
(practice-based subject)
• English language requirement : IELTS 6 0 (no band under
5 5) (Alternative qualifiers accepted)

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Applications

• Link : https: //ww w
sal ford ac. uk/courses/ug BA fine
• art?

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• Full-time home
2024/25 £9,250.00per year
• Full-time international
2024/25 £17,040.00per year
• Full-time home
2025/26 £9,250.00per year
• Full-time international
2025/26 £17,650.00per year