The Student Room Group

Is a foundation course better than an undergraduate course?

Currently in my last year of doing A levels and thinking to do either fine art or photography at Uni and decided on doing an undergraduate course, but I have been advised by some to do a foundation course instead. Would a foundation course be more practical in regards to the subjects I wish to take?
(edited 7 years ago)
If a Foundation Degree is anything like a BTEC Higher National Diploma, and I think it is, the advantage is all the work experience placements you get. I'm not 100 per cent certain, but I don't think an Undergraduate degree would give you anywhere near as much experience. My son's HND includes 200 hours work placement in the first year and the same again in the second.
Original post by grace33
Currently in my last year of doing A levels and thinking to do either fine art or photography at Uni and decided on doing an undergraduate course, but I have been advised by some to do a foundation course instead. Would a foundation course be more practical in regards to the subjects I wish to take?


A foundation diploma in art and design isn't INSTEAD of a degree. It's the best preparation for a fine art or art photography degree. They're 1 year post A level but still pre-degree courses.

Generally applicants will apply both to degree courses and art foundation diplomas. If you don't get offers for any art degrees that appeal to you then you spend another year on a foundation diploma solely focusing on your art and developing your portfolio to increase your chances of a suitable offer for a degree course.

When you apply for a fine art or photography degree then you're competing for a place against applicants who have taken an art foundation diploma - so they're a year more prepared than you.
Original post by markova21
If a Foundation Degree is anything like a BTEC Higher National Diploma, and I think it is, the advantage is all the work experience placements you get. I'm not 100 per cent certain, but I don't think an Undergraduate degree would give you anywhere near as much experience. My son's HND includes 200 hours work placement in the first year and the same again in the second.


A foundation degree is a vocational 2 year HE qualification. It isn't the same as an art and design foundation diploma which is a 1 year FE qualification.

The funding and purpose of the two qualifications are very different. There aren't any/many FdA courses in fine art or photography and those that do exist are usually offered by FE colleges rather than universities.
Original post by grace33
Currently in my last year of doing A levels and thinking to do either fine art or photography at Uni and decided on doing an undergraduate course, but I have been advised by some to do a foundation course instead. Would a foundation course be more practical in regards to the subjects I wish to take?


Hey grace33,

As PQ has explained. They are not the same. I did a BTEC and Foundation diploma and I enjoyed both. If you would like more experience within Photography and gain more knowledge about the sort of skills that they use, I would highly recommend you go for a foundation. Through a foundation, it will help you understand more about the subject and give you more of an understanding on the different equipment and programs they will use. The same applies to Fine art. It will brush up your skills and give you a better understanding in what it will be like if you apply for the subject in future. :biggrin:
I would also recommend taking it as it will be a good for your Portfolio. :smile:

I did a foundation in Design and media and I ended up choosing the 3DD path. I enjoyed the course and it really helped me with what I wanted to become. It gave me an insight of what I wanted to do and brought me to where I am today. If you feel like you want to do it, go for it!

If you do choose to take a Foundation and you're in London, Check out Ravensbourne.
We do a range of foundation courses that may interested :h:
Click Here for the link~!

Hope this helps and goodluck with your decision.
Feel free to ask me anything about the foundation course.

Kay
If you want to go to art school then do a foundation/portfolio prep course, its a great stepping stone between school and university.
Reply 6
Hi, thanks for replying. I have decided to do photography instead of fine art and was wondering if the foundation diploma is the equivalent to an AS as you say it is 1 year post A level. I am concerned that if I do foundation I will be paying a lot of money to learn and go over what I already have within my AS photography and will then be a waste of time.
Original post by PQ
A foundation diploma in art and design isn't INSTEAD of a degree. It's the best preparation for a fine art or art photography degree. They're 1 year post A level but still pre-degree courses.

Generally applicants will apply both to degree courses and art foundation diplomas. If you don't get offers for any art degrees that appeal to you then you spend another year on a foundation diploma solely focusing on your art and developing your portfolio to increase your chances of a suitable offer for a degree course.

When you apply for a fine art or photography degree then you're competing for a place against applicants who have taken an art foundation diploma - so they're a year more prepared than you.
Original post by grace33
Hi, thanks for replying. I have decided to do photography instead of fine art and was wondering if the foundation diploma is the equivalent to an AS as you say it is 1 year post A level. I am concerned that if I do foundation I will be paying a lot of money to learn and go over what I already have within my AS photography and will then be a waste of time.


Depending which foundation diploma you do it will be worth equivalent tariff points to somewhere between 2 and 4 A levels. It's 1 year long but it's full time and pretty intensive (for most courses you'll have 3 entire days timetabled each week with it expected that you work independently for the other 2 days).

UAL and BTEC foundation diplomas are the two most common - have a look on the UCAS website to find out the sort of tariff points you'll gain in addition to your A levels.

Most courses are a mix of level 3 (A level) and level 4 (first year university) the courses are designed to bridge between A levels and university so that by the end of the year you're absolutely ready for a degree course.

If you do repeat any content from AS then it will only be during the first few weeks. The majority of the course will take you well beyond A level.

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