Are you a non-UK student looking to study a creative degree in the UK? If so, choosing an Integrated International Foundation pathway is an ideal start.

By choosing this route you’ll undertake 30 weeks of study – starting in September or January – and gain vital insight into Higher Education in the UK. You will emerge from with the confidence and practical skills to study a creative subject at a more advanced level.

Embedded throughout is Academic English teaching, helping you to reach the language requirements for undergraduate level study. With frequent visits to cities such as London and Oxford, as well as trips to the south coast of England and to Amsterdam, you will discover what makes the UK such a good place to study art and design, and why our country has a world-renowned reputation in the creative industries.

Across the year, you will be introduced to creative teaching and learning methods including project briefings, lectures, workshops, group critiques, essay writing and tutorials as a few examples. You will occupy your own studio space, where you will be able to develop your unique style and individualised approach. And you will have access to industry standard facilities across UCA, in Film and Media, Photography, 3D Design and Crafts, Textiles, Journalism, Graphic Design and Fine Art and Creative Business knowledge.

By choosing the Integrated International Foundation you will be offered a four-year student visa. You will be supported by a personal development tutor throughout your study to define your specialist pathway. You can also choose to study pre-sessional English prior to this course, which will improve your IELTS score and prepare you to study a creative subject at UCA.

Course
information

Semester one

Semester 1 has been designed to help you explore and think about specialist areas of study and to develop key skills in investigation, recording and exploration within creative subjects. You will complete a series of projects that have been structured to give a detailed introduction to a range of core creative concepts and practical working approaches, and then focus on a chosen specialist practice in the creative arts. English for Academic Purposes will run throughout this and the next semester along with research and study skills to support the development and understanding of these key skills.

Exploring Creativity
For the start of your studies, you will explore and think about different forms of creative thinking and practice, developing key skills along the way such as observation, investigation, experimentation, interpretation, documentation and communication of your work. You will engage with specific creative techniques and strategies designed to initiate creativity.

Research and Inspiration
By exploring the work and ideas of other creative practitioners and thinkers in your subject area, this unit gives you inspiration but also helps to build your skills and toolkit for creative visual and written research and critical thinking. You will learn how to give a research presentation and written evaluation of your work.

Creative Practical Skills 1
The aim of this unit is to introduce you to a range of technical and making practices. This helps you consider different forms of creative thinking, including investigation, experimentation, interpretation, and communication. The focus is on practical skills, to build creative confidence in creating the project outcomes.

Semester two

You will initiate, research, develop, complete, present and evaluate chosen specialist projects, and propose and undertake individual specialist work that relates to your chosen BA degree subject and interests. Embedded into this semester is more advanced language and study skills appropriate to your academic study.

Creative Practice
As you start the second half of your course, you’ll build and develop your knowledge, understanding and skills of the ideas and practices introduced to you. You will get the opportunity to propose and undertake specialist practice work reflecting your individual interests. It culminates in demonstrating your most refined and independent work on the course and all the prior and ongoing learning undertaken to achieve it.  

Research and Writing
You will focus on your specialist area of study while still exploring broader cultural and creative work of others.  This will inform your research interests and understanding of the areas in which you wish to develop your research.

Creative Practical Skills 2
You will explore and enhance your practical skills, with increased focus on your subject area, in preparation for commencing your undergraduate study. You will be encouraged to build on techniques already learned, and refine these processes.

To apply for the Integrated International Foundation course you need to select your undergraduate degree course and apply direct to UCA using the application link on your selected the course pages.

View our undergraduate courses

Minimum entry requirements

Completed 12 years* of schooling (with good grades) and show strong evidence of your ability to successfully complete the programme and progress onto your chosen degree.

*For countries where 11 years of schooling is comparable to this level of entry, this will also be accepted.

English language requirements

You are required to achieve a minimum of IELTS 5.5 with 5.5 in each component or equivalent. If your IELTS scores are lower than this, we offer a complimentary six-week English pre-sessional course as well as various other lengths of English pre-sessional courses.

Portfolio requirements

The Integrated International Foundation courses don't require a portfolio or audition.