School of Social Science, Humanities and Creative Industries

BA (Hons) Fine Art with Foundation Year

BA (Hons) Full-time 4 years, Part-time 8 years

The Fine Art course aims to offer an open ended and practice–led approach to learning with students working from conceptual ideas through to the tools and materials of studio production. 

The Fine Art course aims to offer an open ended and practice–led approach to learning with students working from conceptual ideas through to the tools and materials of studio production. 

Award
BA (Hons)
Start date(s)
14 September 2026
UCAS Code
W103
Course specifications
Course length
Full-time (4 years),Part-time (8 years)
Campus location
University: City Campus
UCAS points calculator

Why choose this course?

Ranked 6th in the Guardian League Tables 2026

The BA (Hons) Fine Art course at the University of Wolverhampton champions a rigorous, open-ended, and practice-led approach to learning, where ideas are not only conceived but realised through the dynamic interplay of materials, processes, and critical inquiry. We provide students with time and space to independently shape the direction of their practice, to consider art and the role of artists within contemporary society. Throughout your journey, you will be guided by practicing artists and researchers who teach from the depth of their disciplines, offering mentorship grounded in lived experience, experimentation, and contemporary relevance. This cultivates an environment of experimentation and reflection, which drives innovation.

As part of our ongoing commitment to nurturing creative talent this course will relocate from the George Wallis Building (MK) to brand new, state-of-the-art facilities within the Wolverhampton City Campus. We believe these modern spaces will provide an enhanced learning environment, fostering a vibrant studio culture and supporting our practice-based approach to teaching and learning.

What's unique about this course?

The Fine Art degree at the University of Wolverhampton distinguishes itself through a dynamic, studio-based curriculum that fosters individual creativity while ensuring rigorous engagement with contemporary artistic practice. Central to its uniqueness is the programme’s emphasis on both conceptual development and technical proficiency across a diverse range of media. As a student you will have a dedicated studio space to make, experiment, re-make and resolve artworks, which can be professionally presented.

What happens on the course?

There are 3 key elements that structure the Fine Art course at every level; Production, Encounter and Engagement, in addition to school wide Interdisciplinary modules:

 

Production begins with an exploration of approaches for how “to studio.” You will acquire skills for operating within purpose-built studios as an individual and collective space for making. Complimented by specialist workshops across painting, drawing, 3-D, digital and interdisciplinary making, printmaking, installation, photography and performance. Workshop-based practices will feed your technical proficiencies and expand the potential of your art practice.

Encounter encourages the development of tools to think critically about your personal, global and cultural relationships with art whilst exploring a wide range contemporary practice. Between the classroom, gallery and the studio, you will explore how ideas meet materials and audiences, towards generating encounters with art for a range of publics and contexts.

Engagement considers how you creatively share your visual language with others through professional contexts. You will be supported to make the leap between the studio and wider arts sector; to self-organise, foster collaborative and enterprising abilities and understand how to position yourself, and your artwork within a professional field of contemporary practice.

Interdisciplinary modules at every level of the course provide a unique opportunity to cross-pollinate your practice across disciplines within the School of Creative Industries. This will enable you to become part of a community of designers, fabricators and makers that reflects the collaborative and networked nature of being an artist within the employment landscape of today.

Placements on the course

The 2026 cohort onwards will have access to a module which will accommodate opportunities for live projects and micro-placements.

Employability on the course

Our courses are designed from day one to prepare you for your future career. You will benefit from:

  • Extended induction: a period to familiarise yourself with your new university
  • Structured learning pathways: courses are crafted with a focus on preparing students for future careers
  • Hands-on project experience: projects and practical activities designed around real-world activities
  • Embedded professional development: all courses are designed with workplace skills development and professional placements as part of the course
  • Industry-informed modules: course content is kept up-to-date with industry standards through our industry links, staff's research and work in the field
  • Placement opportunities: professional development placements for every student

Course Modules

Potential Career Paths

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

The BA (Hons) Fine Art Course:

  • Is a diverse and vibrant course which embraces a wide range of specialist media and creative practices including painting, sculpture, printmaking, conceptual and social practice, film video, photography, performance and installation.
  • Is taught in unique purpose-built, spacious and well-equipped studio spaces, supported by a wide range of workshops and facilities.
  • Provides access to an exceptional set of workshops including bronze foundry, a stone carving yard and a fully functioning glass blowing workshop through to the very latest audio-visual computers, digital manufacturing techniques and prototyping hardware.
  • Has gained an excellent reputation in our student satisfaction surveys, in 2015 our Fine Art course scored a rating of 93% satisfaction among out students, putting us among the top Fine Art courses in the country.
  • Graduates go on to set up their own studio spaces, work in galleries, schools, community arts and many other professions, with high employment figures within six months of graduating.
  • Maintains a vibrant space for studio practice. As a student on the course you will have your own studio space and make work alongside other lecturers and artists. We run a host of one-to-one, group and lecture sessions, public lectures, a visiting speaker program and regular international study trips.
  • Is designed to provide you with the best possible creative education centred on employability and student support. At each level two yearlong modules allow you to experience and engage with projects of increasing complexity and varied timescales that reflect the breadth and flexibility of the contemporary Fine Art world.
  • Provides a carefully structured approach that encourages independent learning supported by an integrated delivery of contextual, theoretical, technical and practical skills.
  • Members of the National Association of Fine Art Education.
  • For more information about our facilities click here.

The members of academic staff who lead this course are Dr. Simon Harris

The Fine Art subject area equips students with a wide range of skills and experiences appropriate to positions within the cultural and creative industries. This includes verbal and written communication, project management, creative thinking and problem solving, group work, self-directed research and independent learning, reflective and evaluative processes, making and directing skills, marketing, promotion and presentation strategies. The course aims to support and develop students’ vocational awareness and provides opportunities for educational placements and professional practices. Students build relationships to galleries, schools, art and health sector and the wider creative industries both through vocational modules or off-site projects. Specific career’s advice services offer extra support in the development of your general skills and your career.

The Fine Art course aims to:

  • Encourage you to explore different media relevant to the development of your own work.
  • Support you to acquire knowledge and practical experience of working in painting, sculpture, printmaking, conceptual and social practice, film video, photography, performance and installation.
  • Provide you with the opportunity to observe, discuss and take part in a sustainable model of studio-based practice alongside artist/practitioners who are engaged in their own work.
  • Enable you to develop an individually negotiated Fine Art practice informed by a relevant theoretical and contextual framework.
  • Develop critical and analytical skills in historical and critical research and writing.
  • Understand and locate your work appropriately within the broad and specialist contexts of your subject and research appropriate to your personal and career objectives.

Location Mode Foundation Year Fee Sep intake Fee Year
Home Full-time £9535 £9535 per year 2025-26
International Full-time N/A £15995 per year 2025-26

The University is committed to a transparent fee structure, with no hidden costs, to help you make an informed decision. This includes information on what is included in the fee and how fees are calculated and reviewed.


If a tuition fee is not showing, we may not offer this intake for this course. Please check the start date information on the course finder for start dates.

Prepare for Foundation Pathway:- We will consider applicants who have not achieved 48 UCAS points (equivalence) from prior level 3 qualifications, if you have a keen interest in this subject area or hold relevant experience. You will be required to attend and pass a compulsory Prepare For Foundation assessment day where you will take part in a variety of activities which will assess your suitability for the course. If you would like more advise and guidance about this admissions pathway, please contact the Gateway team to discuss and support you in making an application to us.

Contact the Gateway - University of Wolverhampton (wlv.ac.uk)

Tuition Fees Loan (Home Fee Status):

Most students will be able to apply for a loans to pay for these subject to eligibility. To find out more information please refer to the government Student Finance website.

Changes for EU students:

The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as having Overseas Fee status. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:

EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)


Self-funding:

If you don’t want to take out a loan to pay your fees or if you aren’t eligible to receive a loan, you might want to take advantage of the University’s scheme to pay by instalments: See How to pay.

For more information please contact the Gateway.


Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees:

If your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.

We must receive notification of sponsorship in writing as soon as possible, and before enrolment, confirming that the sponsor will pay your tuition fees.


Financial Hardship:

Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund.

for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.


Bursaries and Scholarships:

In addition the University also offers a range of Bursaries and Scholarships packages

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Online

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How we compare

Find out how our course is rated on Discover Uni, the official website for comparing UK higher education courses.

Find out how our course is rated on Discover Uni, the official website for comparing UK higher education courses.

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