Fine Art BA(Hons)

In the first year of your Fine Art degree, you'll join technical workshops and inductions to kick-start approaches to artistic practice. With a focus on co-creation, you'll collaborate with your peers to develop a range of ways to think about, self-initiate, and develop your practice. You'll also investigate contemporary and historical art contexts, developments and debates. At the end of the year, you'll go on to develop and deliver a group exhibition.

Modules 

Press Play

With a focus on co-creation and collaborative peer learning, you'll develop a range of ways to think about, self-initiate, and develop your artistic practice. You'll undertake technical workshops and inductions and explore ambitious ideas – testing boundaries, taking risks, experimenting and making meaning. You'll also be introduced to a range of contemporary and historical art practices, cultural issues, debates, and contexts.

Practice in Context 1

In this module, you'll benefit from the combined expertise of both our Fine Art and Drawing courses. Through lectures and group discussions surrounding contemporary and historical art contexts, developments and debates, you'll develop a self-reflective approach to studio practice.

You'll also be introduced to academic writing and research conventions. Through this, you'll develop your own critical analysis skills and learn to communicate your ideas professionally and effectively.

Initiating Practice

In this module, you'll strengthen your understanding of what it means to have and maintain an independent artistic practice. You'll explore methods for practice-based research to identify connections between sources, underpin your practice with rich source material and develop conceptual themes for your work. You'll also look at how your practice fits within the professional industry and construct a collaborative group exhibition – exploring different modes of display and audience experience.

Practice in Context 2

This is part two of the Practice in Context module, where you'll have access to expertise across Falmouth School of Art. You'll be introduced to a range of themes and trends that have shaped contemporary artistic practices, such as socially engaged practices and recent philosophical shifts in the role and value of artistic production. You'll also engage with a greater range of academic source material and strategies for analysing, researching, and writing about art.

In your second year, you’ll expand your horizons of what art practice is and can be, and how this translates to professional contexts. You’ll further your understanding of research by exploring the relationships between sources, methodologies, themes, and ideas in support of your evolving practice. You’ll also continue to develop the academic and cognitive skills required to develop thoughtful and critical practice, in both visual and written forms.  

At the end of the year, you’ll work in teams to produce a public-facing arts event. To do this, you’ll utilise vital professional practice skills including collaboration, team working, negotiation, persuasion, liaison and project management. 

Modules 

Situating Practice: Studio 

In this module, you’ll establish themes in your practice and gain an understanding of how your work interacts with a range of professional and theoretical contexts. Working in both the studio and technical workshops, you’ll develop a new body of work focusing on process, material investigation and technical experimentation.

You’ll also explore how to identify themes and contexts that emerge from thinking through making and how you ‘tell the story’ of your practice and research, situated in real-world contexts. 

Situating Practice: Art Discourses  

In this module, you’ll be introduced to discussions on a range of diverse themes in contemporary art. You’ll look at the histories that have given rise to certain works and the ideas informing them, questioning the choices that artists make and how artists orientate themselves on the constantly shifting grounds of contemporary art. 

Testing Ground: Art Encounters  

Here, you’ll begin generating a portfolio of research. You’ll be introduced to core research methodologies and contemporary critical research practices. You’ll also learn and then apply methods for planning and organising your research. Additionally, you’ll explore a range of strategies for undertaking critical reading, and experimental, creative modes of writing.   

Testing Ground: Collaboration  

Working in exhibition planning groups, you’ll identify and work towards a live context for your current practice. Each group will contribute to planning and preparing a public-facing arts festival and the group curation of your practice.  

Testing Ground: Studio 

In this module, you’ll challenge and test established conventions within your practice. The emphasis will be on experimentation and risk through the practical business of making. Through a combination of seminars, tutorials and peer review you will articulate and receive critical feedback on your work. You will curate a body of work into an organised portfolio with a supporting artist statement. 

You can choose to take an optional professional placement after your second year on a three-year programme, or after your third year if you’re studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year. 

You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the Employability team. 

Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying. 

How you’ll study during your professional placement

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks. 

You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation. 

Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth. 

Why study an Integrated Foundation Year route?

If you’re taking on a new subject that you haven’t studied in depth before, have been out of education for a while or have a non-standard educational background then an Integrated Foundation Year degree may be the right choice for you. It is a four-year degree with an Integrated Foundation Year to start, which allows you to explore the primary elements of your subject before progressing on to the remaining three years of the BA(Hons) degree.

What you'll learn

If you choose this pathway, you'll study five core modules in your Foundation year. These are all designed to help you explore the foundational elements of your subject. You'll gain relevant technical skills, learn to experiment and take risks, develop an understanding of professional practice, have opportunities to work across disciplines and collaborate with other students on live project briefs.

Modules

Explore

You'll begin your foundation year by working collaboratively with others to explore themes of the future. You'll take risks, experiment through play and be supported to break through barriers.

Technique

You'll take subject-specific workshops and develop essential technical and practical skills in your area of study. You'll also enhance your analytical and organisational abilities.

Apply

You'll work with your peer group to think beyond discipline by addressing a societal or global issue. You'll then showcase your work to your peers and deliver an accompanying evaluation of your process.

Industry

You'll enhance your creative and practical skills in your subject specialism by responding to typical industry briefs, underpinned by focused research and experiments. You'll also gain industry insights through guest lectures and workshops.

Launch

You'll develop your unique identity in your specialism through the production of a self-initiated body of work. Your final project will be the bridge to your next year, fully supported by evaluative reviews and critical analysis of the work you have created.

After the Foundation year, you progress into Year One of the full three-year degree, equipped with a deeper knowledge of your subject, a clear understanding of your strengths, and develop a practical and technical skillset and the confidence to excel in your chosen subject.

If you apply for and enrol onto a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year, you’ll have the option to switch onto a five-year version including a placement year. That means you’ll complete the first three years of your course before completing a placement in industry in your fourth year and returning to Falmouth for the fifth year of your programme. 

This Fine Art degree is constructed around the studio. You'll learn through individual tutorials, group discussions, critiques and technical workshops, while leading your own efforts in exhibitions and presentations.

Beginning with introductory studio-based exercises and media workshops, you'll take more and more responsibility for self-directed study as you learn and present work in public exhibitions.

At Falmouth, we use a 'digitally enhanced learning & teaching' approach. Your experience will always be predominantly in-person, including seminars, tutorials and studio teaching, with some, more targeted elements, being online either live (synchronous) or pre-recorded (asynchronous). You can read more here.

You'll be assessed with practical exams and coursework.

Assessment methods

• Foundation year assessments are 100% coursework based
• Practice-based modules will be assessed on the presentation of visual work, including preparatory work
• Critical studies modules will be assessed on written assignments
• In the final year you’ll be assessed on your dissertation and your studio-based module - culminating in an exhibition of your final-year work

Costs for materials are very difficult to estimate on a Fine Art course, due to the wide range of processes and materials associated with contemporary art practices. As a very rough guide, we estimate the following:  

• £380-£480 - Recurring annual costs 
• £100-£400 - One off costs for the course duration
• £800 - Optional study visits and placements for the course duration 

To successfully engage with the Fine Art programme there is some equipment that you will need to bring with you. Please see the list below: 

Your academic experience will be predominantly in person with some courses using a small amount of digital resources to support your learning. To engage in the digital learning activity, although you will be able to access IT suites on campus, you will benefit from a laptop to access the platforms and tools we use. You will be provided with free access to the Microsoft Office suite, (including Word, Excel and PowerPoint) while you study at Falmouth.

You will find a camera useful for documenting your practice over the three years. You can either buy your own or Falmouth has photographic equipment available to loan. A suitable alternative is a smartphone with a good quality camera facility.  

Drawing materials - You will need to ensure you bring drawing materials with you in Welcome Week (total cost approximately £30): e.g.,  

• drawing pencils
• charcoal
• ink
• masking tape
• sketchpads/notebooks
• soft pastels/ conte crayons
• good pencil sharpener
• putty
• range of sheet drawing papers 

You will need access to drawing materials throughout the term. 

Toolkit - It is important that you have your own toolkit for use in the studios and workshops. Below is a list of tools you will need throughout your time on the course; some you will need from the start of the course, and you can buy the rest as and when they are needed. 

We will provide you with a storage locker, so it is important you invest in a padlock and keys to make it secure. 

Tools/Kit needed for the start of the course: 

• Scissors (100mm) 
• Stanley knife 99E plus blades 
• Tape measure (5m) 
• A pair of combination pliers 
• Personal protective equipment 
• Ear defenders (30 Db attenuation) RRP £17 
• Safety specs RRP £3 
• Respirator (3M 4279 FP3) RRP £20 

Tools/Kit to buy as necessary during term: 

• Toolbox (building up your own toolkit is critical to be able to make and install work) 
• Claw hammer (16oz)  
• Tack/Pin Hammer 
• Screwdrivers (All types) 
• Tenon saw (hard point)  
• Glue gun 
• Staple gun 
• Combination set square 
• Cutting mat 
• Metal ruler (1m) 
• Spirit level  
• Carpenter’s pencil  
• Hanging mechanisms e.g., mirror plates, fishing wire, metal wire, magnets, carpet tacks, dressmaker's pins
• Paint roller and tray (for exhibitions) 
• Poly filler  
• Sandpaper and sanding block  
• Decorator's paintbrushes e.g., 2 inch/ Cutting in brush 
• Other specialist tools as advised by technicians. 

Optional study visits and costs: 

We regularly run optional study trips to galleries and other cultural events or institutions. In previous years, this has included a trip to London or another UK destination. We will discuss this once you have arrived. If we arrange group travel or accommodation for a trip of this kind, we may require you to pay a deposit early in Study Block 1.

In many years we have run a European Study Visit for second and third years, including visits to Venice, Berlin, and Amsterdam. The exact timing of the visit will depend on the destination.  If such a trip runs, you will be asked to pay a non-refundable deposit to reserve a place, followed by the payment of the balance.  

You will be recording your creative progress and writing about your work throughout the IFY and so a laptop computer and a smartphone are highly recommended.

Typical course material costs:

• £250 - Recurring annual costs may include: art/creative materials and costs towards your end of year show exhibition and can vary depending on material choices and specialism.

Study trips:

There are several IFY field trips, and you will need to allow for some costs for student contributions towards coach hire and exhibition entry. Total annual cost of day trips approximately £60.

If you want to attend the planned IFY week-long residential trip to London in the Spring of 2026 then you will need to plan for a £100 deposit payment shortly after arriving on the course, to secure a place, and to budget for a total trip cost of approx. £400 - to be paid in instalments.