Course overview

The Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media Practice is the perfect course to take after your A-Levels if you’re looking to progress onto a degree in any creative subject.

This year-long course will help you improve your skills and knowledge across a wide range of art and design subjects, preparing you for your chosen degree or helping you decide which course to study. You’ll build a strong portfolio of work before you start your degree, so you can hit the ground running and realise your full potential.

The first part of your year will be spent investigating different areas of art and design, identifying your strengths and personal interests to help you grow as an artist or designer. As the year progresses, you’ll have more freedom to specialise and direct your route through the course, resulting in an exhibition of your work at the end of the year and a unique and varied portfolio, ready for your undergraduate degree.

You’ll have access to the facilities at UCA Rochester and will be supported by teams of subject specialist lecturers – most lecturers are active within their own fields as professional designers, artists and researchers.

Working in and amongst our undergraduate and postgraduate students as part of our uniquely creative community, you’ll be able to observe first-hand the range of degree options available to you.

As a foundation student at UCA, you’ll be on campus for at least three days a week with your own dedicated studio space. If you’re expected to be studying English and/or Maths as part of your programme, you’ll attend for longer.

On successful completion of the Foundation Diploma you’ll have a direct entry route onto the full range of our undergraduate degree programmes at UCA via our Diploma 2 Degree scheme. (You’ll need a Pass for most courses, or a Merit if you wish to progress onto BA (Hons) Architecture.)

We’ll arrange visits to all our campuses and give you the opportunity to undertake workshops in several different areas so you can make an informed decision that’s right for you. We’ll also help you with your application – there’s no need to apply through UCAS and there will be no selection interview for progression onto your chosen degree. 

Once you finish this course, you will be awarded the Pearson BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media Practice.