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Contemporary Art Practice

  • 1 Study option
  • Undergraduate
2 Campuses
Awarded by:
Scottish Qualifications Authority trading as SQA
More about University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI)

Course options

2026-20272027-2028
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Course summary

Join these stimulating, project-based, interdisciplinary courses and respond to a range of creative briefs designed to challenge, motivate, and inspire.

Explore a variety of media, processes, and techniques, including drawing, painting, sculpture, film, and photography. Develop your personal work and projects, with modules in portfolio-building and personal development planning. These courses form the first two years of our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Practices.

Modules

Module outline

Year 1 - HNC

Mandatory units are:

  • Contemporary art practice: graded unit 1

  • Contemporary art practice: professional practice and exhibition studies 1

  • Contemporary art: theory & context 1

  • Contemporary art: three dimensional practice

  • Contemporary art: two dimensional practice

  • Developmental drawing

Optional units may include:

  • Art practice: collaborative project

  • Communication: practical skills

  • Contemporary art practice: conceptual processes

  • Contemporary art practice: introduction to digital artform

  • Creative art project: development

  • Creative art project: production

  • Life drawing

  • Life drawing portfolio

  • Life painting: introduction

  • Observational drawing

  • Painting: exploratory techniques

  • Photography: an introduction

  • Portfolio production

  • Printmaking and producing print

  • Public art: introduction

  • Sculpture: an introduction

Option units available may vary depending on study location, for more information contact your chosen campus.

This outline reflects the modules as currently delivered and is subject to change.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Inverness
  • Perth

Study options

  • Higher National Certificate • Full-Time • 1 Years

Start dates

Application codes

Institution code:
H49

How to apply

Application codes

Institution code:
H49

This course may be available at alternative locations, please check if other course options are available.

Course options

Entry requirements

Typical qualification requirements

A level
D

Scottish Higher
C

Scottish National Certificate
Pass

NC Art and Design

Foundation Apprenticeship (SCQF Level 6)
Pass

Creative and Digital Media

UHI does not use Tariff points, and accepts a range of qualifications. Applicants with other relevant qualifications or experience will be considered on an individual basis. https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/courses/hnc-contemporary-art-practice/

Additional entry requirements

Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) / Disclosure Scotland Check
This course offers optional modules/units which may require PVG Scheme Membership (Disclosure Scotland)
Interview
You may be required to attend an interview
Portfolio
We will consider individual competence in art, design or lens-based skills, evidenced by a portfolio of your work

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)5.5Overall score of 5.5 with no element below 5.0
PTE Academic50Minimum score of 50
TOEFL (iBT)69Min 69 or above with min 17 in each section

Our programmes are taught and examined in English. To make the most of your studies, you must be able to communicate fluently and accurately in spoken and written English in an academic environment and provide certified proof of your competence before starting your course. Please note that English language tests need to have been taken no more than two years prior to the start date of the course. The minimum English language requirements to study at the University of the Highlands and Islands are detailed below:https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/international/eligibility/english-language-requirements/

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

UHI is committed to achieving widening access, and achieving a fair balance of entrants to higher education. Widening access can be broadly defined as ‘ensuring fair access to higher education’. Widening access is principally about ensuring that those who have the ability and potential to benefit from a higher education, irrespective of their background or economic circumstances can do so.

Learn more on the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) website

International entry requirements

This course is available for international students (including EU/EEA and Swiss nationals without settled or pre-settled status in the UK) requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK. Part-time study is not open to international students requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK. International students should apply to UHI Inverness or UHI Perth only.

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

This course may have Historical entry grades data available, please select a course option to view.

Course options

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Per year tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
Scotland£1285*
England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands & Republic of Ireland£7886*
EU & International£9460*

* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

For course specific fees information please refer to the Fees/funding tab on the university website course page.

You can also find information on additional funding available such as bursaries and scholarships at https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/first-steps/how-much-will-it-cost/funding-your-studies/bursaries-and-scholarships/

Sponsorship information

Scholarships, Bursaries, Awards and Discretionary Funds

Further information on funding, scholarships and bursaries can be found on our website.

https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/studying-at-uhi/how-much-will-it-cost/funding-your-studies/bursaries-and-scholarships/

Related courses

At University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI)

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