Should I take a foundation year for a joint degree?

The foundation path is usually for people who haven't attained the necessary grades to get into the actual course, so the foundation year is used as an entry to the main course.

If your grades are good enough and that's what you want to do, go straight into it (although Art as a degree makes no sense), but you do you.

I have the right grades to get onto the course but for art related courses, apparently the foundation helps with portfolio and it's like a segue into art at university. I'm doing it at A-Level now but my teachers have all said the foundation is the traditional approach and helpful to get into undergraduate.

(Also, why does art as a degree not make sense?)

It makes some sense, IF you have no sort of portfolio. Are you telling me that you don't have one?

Art is meant to be driven from your own creativity, not based on a set of guidelines created by your university, hence why it's seen as a joke.

Art is meant to be driven from your own creativity, not based on a set of guidelines created by your university, hence why it's seen as a joke.

This is more STEM nonsense. Art is full of rules. Those rules have to be learnt, even if you are going to rebuild them in unique ways, or bend or stretch them creatively in the future. There's a history to art, a sociology, a chemistry, an economics, a philosophy, a language. There is every reason to go to university to study art.

OP, first of all, why do a joint degree, you are only getting half of two very different subjects, you'll just end up with a weaker outcome on both. Do one of them as a single subject, then the other at Masters level.

I have heard the 'foundation year' thesis before, but never with any very convincing argument behind it. I don't believe a foundation year, unless perhaps at Art College will build a portfolio. Modern foundation degrees are based catching up the necessary academic standards to start Uni proper. You'd need to be VERY careful and sure you needed that foundation year in an artistic sense and that you'd get useful training, not just marking time.

Hi, thank you for all the information! I'm interested in doing a joint Art and Psychology degree so I can go into Art Psychotherapy. I would do just a single honours but I'm indecisive. I thought the joint honours would open more opportunities for a postgraduate but if that's not the case I'll maybe reconsider.

The postgraduate in Art Psychotherapy at Roehampton does only actually require an art based degree or strong background in art but I thought doing the joint honours would give me some extra knowledge in both fields so I can decide which one I want to take further (or both).

I've been told I can drop either subject in a joint honours which I think is a good option for me if I do end up being more drawn to one subject. I was originally interested in just an Art degree but, although art teachers agree with this, many other people seem to think it's not a serious degree as Xarao said earlier (mainly those interested in STEM as you said).

Try and Google/LinkedIn search the backgrounds for people working in art therapy. I bet most of them have done Art for undergrad and then a Postgrad psychology/therapy degree, or have dome Psychology/Counselling etc at undergrad and have kept up their artwork behind (and then possible done a combined Masters).

You say you are indecisive, but doing the Joint degree arguably fixes you to art psychotherapy, whereas doing single honours opens up the whole range of roles available to someone with either a full Art degree, or a full psychology degree. It's a myth that joint degrees do this, unless the subjects have a massive overlap. What they actually do is make you half as competitive for jobs in two different areas.

I would spend a lot of time googling art foundation degrees and post to a number of forums. When I've heard advice from people in the world of art the advice is always to do the one year art course. This is probably worth checking carefully.

HiArt Psychotherapist here- from art background. An art foundation is not a foundation degree as some are suggesting. It is the bridge between A level and an art degree. It is necessary to try out different art areas before settling on choice of degree- eg fine art, printmaking, graphics, illustration, animation, sculpture, ceramics, fashion, textile. It is unlikely though not impossible that an A level portfolio would meet the entry requirements of any arts degree. I can’t comment on art/psychology.In terms of art therapy training- you will require work experience in a healthcare area with vulnerable people, for a year, or part time equivalent- before applying. You cannot do the course without this experience.This is the bare minimum, many entrants have worked in mental health for many years before applying. I had 10 years experience! There are very few jobs outside of London- most work is part time or self employed/ precarious. The training was previously limited to those over 25 years old- but that had been lowered over the last few years. It was often the case that those applying had life experience/ not simply age-of using art to reconcile feelings around difficult or adverse life events. Many of the courses expect an understanding of art process/ product and what you understand it to say about you- they are not interested in quality of work - more that you have an understanding of how art is connected to internal self. It’s worth doing a foundation in art therapy also to gain this understanding.The only route to art therapy is via an MA course that leads to HCPC regulation ( the titles art therapist and art psychotherapist are protected by law), so someone studying art could not then do a counselling course or psychology course and practice as an art therapist- this would be illegal in the UK. Hope that helps !

Thank you for your help! I've been offered places at Reading for Art and Psychology and at Roehampton for Therapeutic Psychology so I've researched them both more and found out what I want to do, thank you again

Hi, thank you for all the information! I'm interested in doing a joint Art and Psychology degree so I can go into Art Psychotherapy. I would do just a single honours but I'm indecisive. I thought the joint honours would open more opportunities for a postgraduate but if that's not the case I'll maybe reconsider.

The postgraduate in Art Psychotherapy at Roehampton does only actually require an art based degree or strong background in art but I thought doing the joint honours would give me some extra knowledge in both fields so I can decide which one I want to take further (or both).

I've been told I can drop either subject in a joint honours which I think is a good option for me if I do end up being more drawn to one subject. I was originally interested in just an Art degree but, although art teachers agree with this, many other people seem to think it's not a serious degree as Xarao said earlier (mainly those interested in STEM as you said).

HiArt Psychotherapist here- from art background. An art foundation is not a foundation degree as some are suggesting. It is the bridge between A level and an art degree. It is necessary to try out different art areas before settling on choice of degree- eg fine art, printmaking, graphics, illustration, animation, sculpture, ceramics, fashion, textile. It is unlikely though not impossible that an A level portfolio would meet the entry requirements of any arts degree. I can’t comment on art/psychology.In terms of art therapy training- you will require work experience in a healthcare area with vulnerable people, for a year, or part time equivalent- before applying. You cannot do the course without this experience.This is the bare minimum, many entrants have worked in mental health for many years before applying. I had 10 years experience! There are very few jobs outside of London- most work is part time or self employed/ precarious. The training was previously limited to those over 25 years old- but that had been lowered over the last few years. It was often the case that those applying had life experience/ not simply age-of using art to reconcile feelings around difficult or adverse life events. Many of the courses expect an understanding of art process/ product and what you understand it to say about you- they are not interested in quality of work - more that you have an understanding of how art is connected to internal self. It’s worth doing a foundation in art therapy also to gain this understanding.The only route to art therapy is via an MA course that leads to HCPC regulation ( the titles art therapist and art psychotherapist are protected by law), so someone studying art could not then do a counselling course or psychology course and practice as an art therapist- this would be illegal in the UK. Hope that helps !