Art Foundation or Foundation Year?
So I would like to study game art/concept art/graphic novel character design and my teacher insists that I should take an art foundation instead of the course I wanted to do so I can reconsider my career choices, because I'm doing a topic in art that may get me rejected. I wasn't taught much in secondary school about anatomy and portraiture (which I'm trying to teach myself and create my own portfolio for them), yet that is covered in the foundation year of my courses, whilst the art foundation seems rather vague, since I can't find any sort of information on what is taught on a foundation, or a foundation I feel like would be worth it for me. Is it worth doing an art foundation, or should I stick with a foundation year instead?
Original post by RukiaStudies
So I would like to study game art/concept art/graphic novel character design and my teacher insists that I should take an art foundation instead of the course I wanted to do so I can reconsider my career choices, because I'm doing a topic in art that may get me rejected. I wasn't taught much in secondary school about anatomy and portraiture (which I'm trying to teach myself and create my own portfolio for them), yet that is covered in the foundation year of my courses, whilst the art foundation seems rather vague, since I can't find any sort of information on what is taught on a foundation, or a foundation I feel like would be worth it for me. Is it worth doing an art foundation, or should I stick with a foundation year instead?
A foundation diploma is a freestanding qualification that will include work to broaden and improve your portfolio as well as help to apply to 5 universities once the course is complete. There’s no tuition fees if you’re under 19 at the start of the course but there’s also no living cost loan so most people study at a local college or university.
A degree with foundation year will prepare you for a single course at a single university. There’s no qualification at the end of the foundation year and no built in support with improving your portfolio and applying for other degrees through ucas. Tuition fees are generally around £9k for the year and a living cost loan will be available. If you change university/course after the foundation year then SFE consider that a “repeat” of the first year of a course which uses your gift year. That means any further repeat years or restarts would not get a tuition fee loan.
My concern from your post is that you don’t know exactly what you want to study and are going to end up stuck in a course that isn’t industry recognised or doesn’t focus on what you are interested in when you figure out what you want to specialise in a few years into the course.
If you’re 100% sure of a specific path and course and university AND you’re rejected for entry into first year of the course. Then a foundation year route might be best. But I don’t get that certainty coming through from your writing. A year to explore and experiment in a foundation diploma is likely to be a better choice.
Hiya,
I did a UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design before going onto my Degree Course, as I couldn't decide whether I wanted to study Fine Art or Photography. Personally, I found that not only did it help me make that decision, but it also helped me feel a lot more prepared for university as I had more experience than a lot of people and the course itself really encouraged my creativity and broadened my mind.
PQ explained the difference really well above, and personally I would recommend the Foundation Diploma route as you can achieve a Level 3 or 4 qualification which in itself is pretty impressive. If you have any questions about the course, do let me know!
Have you also considered and Extended BA course? We offer them at Plymouth College of Art and they're similar to a Foundation Year, but they still encourage a lot of exploration and set you up to join onto the Degree Course.
Hope this helps,
Harriet
Third Year Photography Student and Student Ambassador
I did a UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design before going onto my Degree Course, as I couldn't decide whether I wanted to study Fine Art or Photography. Personally, I found that not only did it help me make that decision, but it also helped me feel a lot more prepared for university as I had more experience than a lot of people and the course itself really encouraged my creativity and broadened my mind.
PQ explained the difference really well above, and personally I would recommend the Foundation Diploma route as you can achieve a Level 3 or 4 qualification which in itself is pretty impressive. If you have any questions about the course, do let me know!
Have you also considered and Extended BA course? We offer them at Plymouth College of Art and they're similar to a Foundation Year, but they still encourage a lot of exploration and set you up to join onto the Degree Course.
Hope this helps,
Harriet
Third Year Photography Student and Student Ambassador
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