Year Zero

When can you start this course? | UCAS code | Fees | Course length | Entry requirements

Why choose this course?

We'll help you explore, challenge and develop your visual and conceptual skills and will prepare you for progression onto your chosen specialist degree.

This is a one year course for the following specialist degrees, and successful completion of this year allows automatic progression onto your chosen degree:

About the course

We've developed this course for students who have not completed a traditional foundation course or who are not quite ready to go on to degree level, but who know which subject they wish to study.

This course is the first stage of a four year degree - it is not a stand alone course.

Year Zero consists of modules that cover a variety of aspects of art and design practice and theory. You will automatically move on to your chosen degree when you have successfully completed Year Zero.

This course will help you to realise your creative potential in a well resourced, stimulating and supportive environment where you will be taught by a dedicated team of professional staff. You will explore and experiment with a wide range of materials, processes and ideas, building a diverse range of transferable skills. We will help you to develop your practical and intellectual knowledge and to explore, challenge and extend your visual and conceptual skills to gain a sound understanding of art and design practice.

You will have an individual space in the studio and take part in the following classes in our fully equipped workshops: woodwork, metalwork, glasswork, laser cutting, vacuum forming, printmaking (screen printing, mono printing and collographs), plaster casting, life drawing, observational drawing, photography (including photograms) and Photoshop.
Although you'll need to buy your own materials for individual projects, we will provide paper, charcoal and ink for all drawing sessions and all materials, paper and equipment for the screen printing, metal and wood sessions.

Find out more about what subjects and modules you'll be studying...

Your career

You'll progress to stage 1 of your degree specialism within the Faculty of Arts, Design and Technology.

What our students say

Interview with Shyama Abeysinghe a Year Zero (Art and Design) student.

"The course has given me the confidence to try new things, be creative and experiment, to take risks and to think in a creatively deeper way."

'As a mature student, I found things a bit daunting at first, but it didn't take me long to settle in and really get to grips with the studio work. The support from staff was great and I achieved things that were beyond my previous expectations.'

'I wasn't quite ready to join at stage one of my degree programme, so starting at Year Zero has helped me enormously with that transition. I have been much better prepared to take on the work that has been expected of me and I feel that generally all round I have matured as a creative individual.'

How you'll learn

Lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshop demonstrations, self-directed study.

How you're assessed

Continuous assessment is undertaken at the end of each module.

Start dates

If you're from the UK or EU you can apply to study this course in:

September 2012

If you're from a country outside the EU you can apply to study this course full time in:

September 2012

UCAS code

To start full-time in September, please see the list of subjects you can specialise in and the UCAS codes you will need:

Architectural Venue Design - K111
Commercial Photography - W645
Fashion Studies - W233
Film and Video - W619
Fine Art - W101
Photography - W644
Product Design - W240
Textile Design - W231
Animation - Ww26
Graphic Design - W210
Illustration - W290

If you aren't a full-time September starter, please apply directly at www.derby.ac.uk/applyonline. Please see the list of subjects you can specialise in and the course codes you will need:

Architectural Venue Design - K110F
Commercial Photography - W640F
Fashion Studies - W221F
Film and Video - W617F
Fine Art - W100F
Photography - W650F
Product Design - W241F
Textile Design - W230F
Animation - W615F
Graphic Design - W211F
Illustration - W220F

Fees

This is a classroom based course.

UK/EU students

Full time: £6,995 (each year)
Part time: £875 per module (you usually take 12 of these modules in total).

International students

Full time: £9,700 (each year)

*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2012 and August 2013. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year.