Art History and Visual Culture (with Foundation Year)

Your Arts and Humanities Foundation Year will help prepare you for the BA Art History and Visual Culture. Art is everywhere, shaping how we see and understand the world. From Renaissance paintings to viral videos, images have the power to influence culture, politics and society. Learn how art and visual culture have shaped societies past and present, and gain the tools you need to decode the images that define our world.

First, through a range of engaging modules spanning the arts and humanities, you will undertake a preparatory Foundation Year. Here you will develop key skills such as communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and digital capability. You'll be able to tailor your assessment topics to explore aspects of your progression degree with elements of interdisciplinarity and real-world applicability.

Your dedicated Foundation Year tutors will support you with building these skills, and the confidence for undergraduate study.

Our foundation programme is a preparatory year designed for talented UK students with an interest in arts and humanities subjects, but whose personal circumstances make achieving our usual entry requirements difficult.

During the foundation year you will be a full member of the university, with all the opportunities this offers, including the same accommodation options as direct entry students.

As you work through your year, you may develop different ideas about your progression degree. That’s OK. Your tutors will guide you through your choices, which includes joint honours courses offered within the Faculty of Arts. For now, apply for the named pathway which most interests you.

Why choose this course?

• Automatic progression to your degree upon successful completion of the Foundation Year - there's no need to reapply.

• Preparation for success - gain the skills and confidence during the foundation year to thrive as an undergraduate.

• Great support - benefit from dedicated foundation year tutors.

• Carefully designed curriculum - each of the six modules aims to give you the best start to your progression degree.

• Freedom to explore - deepen your knowledge of your favourite topics and explore new ones.

• Build employability - develop your CV-boosting skills through integrated professional competencies training during the foundation year.

• Change your mind – this Foundation Year allows progression to a wide range of Arts and Humanities degrees. Only music degrees, and some modern language degrees require specific subjects at A level or equivalent. If you do change your mind about this subject during the year, you can discuss your alternatives with your tutor.

When you progress to your chosen degree:

• Explore real-world challenges across interdisciplinary themes with our ‘Engaged Arts’ optional modules.

• Work with our dedicated Faculty of Arts Placements Team to assist with your employability skills development via a range of placements, internships and volunteering opportunities.

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