BA (Hons) Fine Art

UCAS code: W100

Start date: September

Course length: full time: three years, or four years with Year Zero, part time: available by negotiation.

Campus: Markeaton Street site, Derby Campus

This course is available to international students

This stimulating and challenging programme of study enables you to discover your potential as an artist within a creative and thought provoking environment. The focus is on helping you explore your creativity through being given time, space, support and encouragement to experiment with media and materials to the highest levels.

Studio work on the course is rightly recognised as being at the cutting edge of contemporary fine art practice, with students being awarded places at the Student's International Biennale and offered artist's residencies at home and abroad.  Graduates regularly progress to Masters programmes nationally and internationally and develop practice as leading fine art practitioners in their field.

Staff have international reputations as principal artists in their specialist disciplines, which cover the wide range of approaches expected of today's foremost practitioners. Tutors have exhibited, toured and lectured across the country and overseas, including Ireland, Portugal and Australia. As well as substantial renown as artists, all lecturers have significant backgrounds as educators, with vast experience of working at Higher Education levels. Because of this wealth of experience, the help you will receive support with your studies will be second to none. 

Added to this, we maintain a specific cohort size as a means of fully supporting you during your time with us, so that you will emerge as a fully confident and critically engaged practising artist. On the course you will explore themes, issues and ideas that challenge artists working today through a variety of approaches of critical thinking, ongoing dialogue with peers and tutors and constant studio engagement. You will be pushed to explore working methods within and across inter and multidisciplinary areas including painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, installation, sound, film and video, digital media, performance and installation.

You could also further enhance your skills by going on to study our MA Fine Art.

You'll study a total of 120 credits per year. This will be made up of single or double modules.

Stage one

You'll study modules such as:

• Concepts
• Introduction to Studio Practice (double module)
• Primary Practice (double module)
• Extended Contexts 1

Stage two

You'll study modules such as:

• Encounters
• Developing Practice (double module)
• Advanced Practice (double module)
• Extended Contexts 2

Stage three

You'll study modules such as:

• Critical Inquiry
• Proposed Study (double module)
• Independent Practice (double module)
• Professional Practice

Our entry requirements are usually 240 UCAS points, of which at least 200 will be from your core A2s (full A levels) or equivalent qualifications such as BTEC Diploma, International Baccalaureate, Scottish Highers etc.

We'll accept up to 40 points towards the total from level 3 qualifications such as AS levels (where those AS levels are not taken on to A2 level), the Extended Project or Music qualifications.

We don't accept points from Key Skills Level 3. If you have any questions about what is or isn't accepted, please contact our Admissions team.

We also accept the Access to HE Diploma.

Your points at level 3 will be in addition to 5 GCSEs at grade C or equivalent level 2 qualifications.

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The UCAS tariff points are a guide - we'll also consider all the information that you've included in your application, your portfolio, and how you've done in your interview. We'll also want to see that you're enthusiastic and motivated to take this course and that you have the potential to benefit from coming to university.

General undergraduate entry requirements

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Fees for 2013/14

This is a resource intensive course.

UK/EU students

• Full time: £8,250 (each year)

We'll be announcing our part time and international fees for 2013/14 later in the year.

*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2013 and August 2014. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year.

You'll be taught though studio workshop, group and individual tutorials; seminars; and lectures - all of which are supported by a diverse visiting artists' programme.

You'll be assessed on your studio work through exhibitions, formal presentations of developmental and resolved work, and your contributions to individual tutorials, group critiques and seminars. Online assignments and essay work will be submitted for your theoretical studies.  The Historical and Theoretical in Art component requires you to submit assignment and essay work.

You'll also have the chance to go on a visit to a cultural centre in Europe or the USA, each year of your course, and you'll also visit the Derbyshire Peak District and galleries and museums nationally.

Your artistic and creative independence will make you self motivated and resourceful, so your skills will be really valuable to the creative industries.

Apart from becoming a practising artist, you could go on to have a career in curatorship, art therapy, community arts work or teaching.

We also provide support for graduates starting out in the creative industries, through our incubation unit - Banks Mill.  It offers studio workspace and business development activities, in a vibrant and thriving community of artists, designers and makers.

"The best part of studying at Derby is that it gave me the opportunity to share my development in a very supportive environment, both in terms of peers and academic staff. I didn't join University to make new friends, but I inevitably did; as an artist, it's very constructive to be around like-minded people. We were encouraged to discuss, debate, make our own decisions, and become independent thinkers."

"I had a life changing experience at Derby.  It really was a journey of self discovery for me.  I have felt empowered by my achievement and feel optimistic about my future fine art practice.  I am a true believer in the idea that if you work hard enough and want something enough, then anything is possible."

- Kerri Pratt‌

'Reconstruct IV' by Kerri Pratt