
Michael Evans
Senior Lecturer - Painting
Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology
UCAS Code:
BA: W100
BA with Foundation: W101
Level:
Undergraduate
Duration:
Full Time: 3 years
Full Time Foundation: 4 years
Part Time: 5 - 6 years
Starting:
September
Fees UK:
Full Time: £9,250
Part Time: £1,500 per 20 credit module
Integrated Foundation Year: £9,250
Fees International 22/23:
Full Time: £14,000
Integrated Foundation Year: £14,000
Location:
Waterside
For questions regarding study and admissions please contact us:
study@northampton.ac.uk
0300 303 2772
Our Fine Art BA (Hons) course gives you the chance to explore contemporary approaches to fine art across a range of disciplines, making use of our excellent resources for printmaking, sculpture, installation, photography, video and digital arts.
You will be part of a diverse group of students, each of whom bring their own unique experiences and interests to the course, making our supportive studio environment a great place to find your own artistic voice.
In our first-year modules, you will gain experience and confidence with various media and concepts, and start to develop your own personal practice which you will then build upon over the next two years. Throughout your degree we will support your journey with tutorials, seminars, study visits and opportunities to participate in live projects, competitions and exhibitions.
Updated 29/06/2022
If you’d like to see more of our Waterside campus, come and join us for a socially distanced CAMPUS TOUR.
You will exhibit your work regularly throughout your studies, both in our studios and project space but also at other venues in the region. In recent years our students have exhibited work at NN Contemporary (Northampton), MK Gallery (Milton Keynes) and nearby Lamport Hall and Delapre Abbey. Study Visits are a key feature of the BA Fine Art course, and you will be only one hour from central London as well as other major art centres such as Birmingham and Nottingham. Our students have benefitted from international study visits to Paris, Venice, Barcelona, Berlin and New York as well as UK visits to spaces such as Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Henry Moore Institute, BALTIC, Nottingham Contemporary, the Liverpool Biennial, Folkstone Triennial and IKON Gallery in Birmingham. We are regular visitors to the Venice Biennale, the oldest and largest visual art festival in the world.
This course has been designed to contribute towards achieving the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Throughout the Fine Art BA (Hons) course at Northampton, you will benefit from spacious studios and well-equipped facilities, and tuition from practicing artists who publish and exhibit nationally and internationally. Your ideas will be nurtured and developed through a close relationship with our Fine Art team and technical demonstrators, and of course the diverse group of students you will work alongside in our studios.
In your first year, you will complete three modules each semester – a small drawing module (10 credits), the main art studio module (40 credits) and a small theory module (10 credits). The Year One art studio modules are based around project themes, each with a number of mini-projects, workshops and other activities within them. Through these projects you will be introduced to a wide range of materials and processes, but also to new concepts and ways of thinking about art – we look for risk-taking and bold experimentation. For the drawing modules you will complete several short projects and build a digital portfolio of work; we have a very broad and inclusive approach to drawing, and include Virtual Reality projects, sculptural work and digital drawing alongside more traditional approaches. Our theory modules are taught by the same team as your art studio modules, and have a real emphasis on the use of art theory by artists. You will be introduced to a range of theoretical concepts and contemporary examples, and will be supported to develop effective research, written and presentation skills.
In your second year, you will again complete three modules each semester – a small employability module (10 credits), the main art studio module (40 credits) and a small theory module (10 credits). The main art studio modules support you as you develop your own thematic interests, technical expertise and conceptual understanding of your work. In effect, year two studio modules are all about ‘putting down roots’ into the subject and preparing you for a successful final year – the approaches you might take to your artwork are virtually endless, but we will support and challenge you throughout that development process. The employability modules include a visiting speaker programme which introduces you to a range of career paths, and through practical workshops you will build the skills necessary to succeed in the visual arts sector after you graduate. The theory modules build on your learning from year one, and help you develop the analytical skills necessary to use art history and art theory to develop your own artwork.
Your third year really focusses your art practice as you build towards the final ‘Degree Show’, creating a coherent and ambitious body of artwork for assessment and public exhibition. This main 80 credit module is the heart of your third year, and is the culmination of three years of intensive art practice. Alongside the art studio module you can choose from a range of options to complete the Critical Study and Employability and Professional Practice modules (both 20 credits) – this can take the form of traditional written essays or more practical options such as curating an exhibition or undertaking a placement.
Please note the modules shown here relate to the academic year 22/23. The modules relating to the academic year 23/24 will be available from June 2023.
Standard entry requirements apply. A typical offer would be BCC at A Level or DMM at BTEC. In addition, we expect applicants to have studied art or a relevant subject at A Level, BTEC or equivalent. We also accept Foundation Diplomas in Art and Design.
Applicants are interviewed and are requested to provide a portfolio of their own work in Art and Design. International students may submit their portfolio electronically. If you have a relevant HND or Foundation Degree with a suitable profile of achievement you may be admitted onto year two or three of this course.
For more more information on how to make an application, please visit our How to Apply page.
If you are an International student and would like information on making an application, please see our How to Apply page.
Admission to this foundation programme is normally DEE at A Level or MPP at BTEC. However, we would also like to hear from you if you have professional or industry experience instead, a range of other qualifications or self-developed subject knowledge that relates to the programme you wish to study.
If you are considering a change in career or if you are returning to education after time away, then we suggest you contact Admissions to book an advisory interview with the course leader so we can explore how best to support your study ambitions.
All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:
For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 22/23 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
All materials and equipment that you need for workshops and Yr1 projects will be provided, and a supply of basic art materials is also available to enable you to experiment with a range of media and techniques. As your personal art practice develops, you can also purchase a range of competitively priced art materials from the University art shop run by our Student Union. Costs for study visits vary but are always competitive, with UK trips would typically costing £10-50 and overseas trips normally in the region of £300-450.
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 21/22 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
All materials and equipment that you need for workshops and Yr1 projects will be provided, and a supply of basic art materials is also available to enable you to experiment with a range of media and techniques. As your personal art practice develops, you can also purchase a range of competitively priced art materials from the University art shop run by our Student Union. Costs for study visits vary but are always competitive, with UK trips would typically costing £10-50 and overseas trips normally in the region of £300-450.
For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.
If you join this full time Fine Art degree at Northampton, you will receive a laptop when your course begins. The laptops are built to a bespoke custom specification ideal for use in the seminar room, collaborative group work or studying at home. In addition to the Office365 (including Word, Powerpoint and Excel) which all University of Northampton students have full access to, students enrolled on our Fine Arts BA (Hons) can also access Adobe Creative Suite software including Photoshop, Premiere, InDesign and Illustrator. At the University of Northampton, all materials and equipment that you need for workshops and Yr1 projects will be provided, and a supply of basic art materials is also available to enable you to experiment with a range of media and techniques.
Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd. We’ve created the Northampton Employment Promise because we are so confident that if you focus on your studies and complete one of our awards you’ll be highly employable by the time you graduate. Putting you in a great position to secure employment or continue your studies.
To check out the full list of perks, visit our Student Perks page.
The Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) offers a new and exciting route into studying for a degree, attracting ambitious and driven students who are willing to learn and advance.
If you have non-standard qualifications or do not quite meet the admissions requirements, we can offer you a fantastic opportunity to study a four year programme which includes an Integrated Foundation Year. The Integrated Foundation Year will help you develop the theoretical/practical and academic skills you need, in order to successfully progress to the full award.
Our four-year courses will enable you to successfully follow the degree pathway of your choice while gaining essential study skills. The foundation year of your chosen degree will be studied on a full-time basis and is aimed at supporting the transition to higher education. Years two, three and four are then studied as a standard degree programme.
Our postgraduate courses are a great way to enhance the skills you have already learnt. Benefit from our 20% alumni discount on postgraduate fees to give yourself a CV that will catch the eye of employers.
If you have any questions about the Fine Art BA (Hons) course, they will probably be answered at one of our Open Days; but if you can’t attend an Open Day or have any other questions, please email the Programme Leader Richard Hollinshead who will be happy to help.
Open Days give you the best experience and insight to courses, people and facilities that interest you. Make your choice easier and come meet us.
Senior Lecturer - Painting
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Dr Richard Hollinshead is the Programme Leader for the BA Fine Art course, and is responsible for the overall programming the course. He teaches across all your studio modules and contributes to theory and employability modules in each year.
Employability is central to the Fine Art BA (Hons) course, with specialist modules in your second and third years of study that prepare our students for the next steps in their careers. Our students benefit from guest speakers who introduce a range of career options including freelance artist, curator, art therapist, art teacher, gallerist and other areas of arts management. Many of our students also go onto postgraduate study, including our own Fine Art MA course.
Our onsite printmaking workshop can enhance the creative practices of students on a variety of courses
DiscoverThis specialist course offers you the chance to explore painting and drawing in a breadth and depth not possible on a multi-disciplinary fine arts course.