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Fine Art

Course details
  • HNC
  • 1 Years
  • Full-time
  • 09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
SERC Bangor
Awarded by:
Pearson EDI

Course summary

Why study this course?
This course will allow you to explore a diverse range of fine art topics and industries available, helping you to find your speciality and area of interest. It gives students with an enquiring creative mind the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to achieve high performance in the fine art environment.

About the course
This qualification will provide you with knowledge and practical experience in as well as other core skills required for employment within the creative visual industries. The HNC in Fine Art course is delivered full-time over 3-4 days a week to allow students to balance other work and commitments alongside their course of study.

It is for students who already have existing strong art and design skills and wish not only to extend these but also to develop an understanding of how to exhibit, promote and sell their work within the creative marketplace.

Contextual studies increase your knowledge and understanding of historical and contemporary art practices. You are taught academic skills and methods and learn to write analytically about art and related concepts.

There is a strong emphasis on the creative development of the individual and their practice. It allows students to refine and hone both their practical and theoretical skills in a nurturing, supportive and creative environment. The experienced teaching team have strong industrial links across the creative arts in Northern Ireland.

This programme is delivered using a range of on-campus and online synchronous and asynchronous approaches.

The course is project driven and student focused offering an interdisciplinary programme across a series of 2D and 3D art practices, covering, ceramics, painting, print, and digital art.

How will it make me more employable?
Pearson is committed to delivering learning that is rooted in the real world and to develop work-ready graduates with the professional skills and behaviours that employers need.

The course will help learners develop a wide range of skills including, but not limited to:

Technical Skills
• Contextual Knowledge
• Ideas Generation and Development
• Fine Art Knowledge and Skills
• Professional Practice

Employability Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Emotional Intelligence
• Entrepreneurship
• Leadership
• Reflective Practice
• Decision Making
• Team Working

Where will it take me?
Successful completion of the HNC Fine Art course may provide you with the opportunity to complete a further year leading to the Level 5 HND in Fine Art.

Degree related pathways- Many universities offer specific Fine Art degrees or degrees that allow choices either singularly or combined within fine art pathways dependant on your chosen creative discipline for example,
• BA (Hons) Fine Art
• BA (Hons) Fine Art with Art History
• BA (Hons) Contemporary Art
• BA (Hons) Fine Art Painting.
• BA (Hons) Fine Art Print
• BA (Hons) Fine Art Ceramics

Employment- This Higher National programme has been designed to equip students with the knowledge required to thrive in the changing world of work. Roles may include, but are not limited to:
• Practicing Artist
• Curating
• Artist in Residence
• Gallery Assistant
• Art and Design Technician

Modules

Level 4 Module A- Process and Practice:

The module is made up of two units as follows:

A1 Concept and Development (85 credits)– This unit is designed to enable the practice and development of underpinning knowledge, understanding and proficiency of creative practice through exploration of the subject area.

A2 Creative Project (35 credits)- This unit is designed to give students the opportunity to consolidate and apply their learning through the production of a portfolio of work related to project outcomes.

For each unit you will be assessed against the following criterion:

• Contextual knowledge
• Ideas generation and development
• Technical knowledge and skill
• Professional practice
• Communication

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.

Assessment method

You will have both formative and summative assessments throughout the programme

These may include coursework, Project Based Learning, presentations, practical activities, role-play, products and case studies.

This is dependent on the requirements of each unit of study.

Oral, written and online feedback will be provided during your course to help improve and monitor performance.

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

  • Course does not award QTS

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
0005
Institution code:
R01
Campus name:
SERC Bangor
Campus Code:
B

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

We offer a diverse range of world class courses and study options, and we’re delighted to offer our international students a warm welcome to study at SERC.

For more information visit: https://www.serc.ac.uk/international/students

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

A level - C

Typical grade profile indicated above. Grade profiles equivalent to 64 UCAS tariff points or above, to include Art and Design or an art related subject, will be considered dependent upon subject and Awarding Body entry requirements.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - PPP

Typical grade profile indicated above. Grade profiles equivalent to 64 UCAS tariff points or above, to include Art Design and Media Practice, or an art related subject, will be considered dependent upon subject and Awarding Body entry requirements.

Access to HE Diploma - Not accepted

Scottish Higher

Scottish Higher profiles equivalent to 32 UCAS tariff points or above, to include Art and Design or an art related subject, will be considered dependent upon subject and Awarding Body entry requirements.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - PP

Typical grade profile indicated above. Grade profiles equivalent to 64 UCAS tariff points or above, to include Art Design and Media Practice, or an art related subject, will be considered dependent upon subject and Awarding Body entry requirements.

Other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis on application.

Alternatively, you can provide evidence of your ability to undertake the programme by meeting the requirements for the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process, either through Accredited Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or Accredited Prior Experiential Learning (APEL). Further details on APL can be found in the HE admissions process section of our website and the HE Accreditation of Prior Learning SOP.

Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.

Additional entry requirements

Other
All applicants must hold GCSE grade C/4 in English Language, or Level 2 Certificate in Essential Skills - Communication, or equivalent in an approved alternative qualification AND GCSE grade C/4 in Mathematics, or Level 2 Certificate in Essential Skills - Application of Number, or equivalent in an approved alternative qualification AND passes in 4 different subjects (can include English Language and Mathematics and as above), with 1 at GCE Advanced (A) level (grades A-E), and 3 at GCSE level (grades A*-C/9-4), OR equivalent in an approved alternative qualification.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6Minimum of 5.5 in all skills
PTE Academic51Minimum of 46 in each part
All applicants must hold a GCSE grade C/4 in English Language, or Level 2 Certificate in Essential Skills-Communication, or equivalent in an approved alternative qualification. Or equivalent UKVI-approved English Language Test For further information please contact our International Department at international@serc.ac.uk

Click here to find out more about becoming an international student at SERC. https://www.serc.ac.uk/international/students

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted 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.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
EU£3150Year 1
Channel Islands£3150Year 1
Republic of Ireland£3150Year 1
England£3150Year 1
Northern Ireland£3150Year 1
Scotland£3150Year 1
Wales£3150Year 1
International£8250Year 1

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

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.

Sponsorship information

There are a number of sources of financial support available to students. These vary depending upon your course of study. Apply as soon as possible as closing dates vary between funds.

The main types of student finance are tuition fee and maintenance loans, which have to be paid back, and grants and bursaries, which do not have to be paid back.

For more information visit: https://www.serc.ac.uk/support/student-finance/full-time

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