Skip navigation
You are viewing our beta course page.

Creative Media with Foundation

Course details
  • BA (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time including foundation year
  • 21/09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Main Site

Course summary

This foundation pathway offers non-standard entry into BA (Hons) Creative Media, helping you build creative skills across media like illustration, animation and fine art. Explore visual design and best practice in a vibrant, studio-based environment.

Produce bold, impactful work with industry experts
Find your creative voice across photography, video, sound, animation, and digital media – supported by award-winning tutors and working on real projects with names like the BBC and ITV.

Bring ideas to life with world-class facilities
Work with outstanding equipment in state-of-the-art spaces – including green screen studios, animation rostrums, a cinema, sound suites, and an Immersive Media Lab.

Shape the future of media
Future-proof your career with industry-led and tech-focused training where innovation, entrepreneurship and ethical practice prepare you to thrive and make a difference.

This course is for you if...

  • you want to explore video, photography, animation, sound and digital media – and discover your creative voice

  • you love experimenting and want the freedom to specialise or combine different media in your own way

  • you're keen to build a professional portfolio, work on real-world projects, and get your work seen

  • you’re excited to learn from industry experts and use top-notch studios, kit and creative spaces.

Modules

Foundation year
The foundation pathway provides students with non-standard entry points to progress onto the BA (Hons) course.
The foundation year allows you to develop skills across a range of media and introduces creative best practice in preparation for the first year of the undergraduate programme. During the foundation year, you will have the opportunity to explore creative processes relevant to visual design, animation, illustration, print-making, fine art and photography. The course is designed to encourage visual exploration and creative discovery within an engaging and vibrant studio setting. Upon successful completion of the foundation course, you will join the undergraduate BA (Hons) programme equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to successfully complete an undergraduate degree.

Year 1
You will explore what creative media means to you by making a series of short, critically framed, practical projects. You will investigate narrative expression and cultural context in disciplines including still and moving image, sound, interaction and animation. You will also work beyond the University on a live industry brief and public exhibition or screening that will introduce professional working methods and audience reception.

Year 2
You will study advanced media practice and explore critical frameworks for your work. Experimentation and developing your creative voice are at the heart of this part of the course. You will collaborate with industry partners on a socially-engaged media project and gain professional confidence. Study of media theory will enhance your academic skills and media creation process. There is also opportunity to study abroad in stage 2.

Final year
The final year is about your passions, interests and ambitions. You complete two major self-directed projects in independent practice and collaborative practice. Hone your research skills in a dissertation and prepare for your future career in our professional module. You have the opportunity to showcase your achievements in a substantial public exhibition. We also provide one-to-one mentoring by industry professionals and the opportunity to meet and network with potential employers.

For up to date details, please refer to our website or contact the institution directly.

Assessment method

For up to date details, please refer to our website or contact the institution directly.

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:
W619
Institution code:
P60
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

The University of Plymouth has a dedicated Student Immigration Advice (SIA) service who will support you from the day you accept an offer at the University, right through to graduation. They will offer help and advice so you can get the most out of your studies, and your time in the UK, visit www.plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/services/international-students/international-student-advice for more information. Once you have applied through UCAS, your conditional offer letters will also be sent to you by email, so be sure to enter your current email address on your application and to check this email regularly. You'll need your unconditional letter, and the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) that we'll send you, when applying for your student visa to the UK. A tuition fee deposit will be required before we'll send you the CAS. We're a licenced Sponsor under the Points Based System. To comply with our duties as a Sponsor, we're required to check other aspects of your application in addition to your academic achievements, for example any previous studies, financial status and your immigration history in the UK. For course entry requirements (inc. English requirements) please refer to the specific page for the course you are interested in (www.plymouth.ac.uk/study). A recognised English language qualification (e.g. IELTS) would be required or successful completion of one of the University's pre-sessional English Language courses. Check our country pages to find out more about application from your specific home country www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/study/international-students-country-guides. International fees, please visit our fees and funding pages www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/fees. If you have any questions please contact admissions@plymouth.ac.uk

Open days

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - 32 points

A level

32 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 2 A Levels

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

From any subject

Access to HE Diploma - P: 45 credits

Pass a named Access to HE Diploma (Preferably Art and Design or Combined).

Scottish Higher

Can consider in combination with Advanced Highers.

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

From any subject

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

In combination with other qualifications

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 24 points

Any subjects considered. English and Maths accepted within this as GCSE equivalence.

WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

Considered in combination with other level 3 qualifications

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

Considered in combination with other level 3 qualifications

Extended Project

Tariff points accepted in combination with other qualifications

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

32 UCAS tariff points from any subjects

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE English and Mathematics grade C/4 or above

T Level - P

Pass in any subject.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6With 5.5. in all elements.

English Language Requirements: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/how-to-apply/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.

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.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

75 Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)

89 Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

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 all information about tuition fees, please visit our fees and funding pages at www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/fees

  • Fees are correct at the time of publication and may be subject to change.
Like this page