Creative Arts Practice (Professional Placement Year)

Explore, innovate and push boundaries with this stimulating contemporary arts degree.

• Develop a range of skills, including innovative and expansive approaches to making, alongside professionalism within the creative industries.

• Experiment in our inspiring studio spaces and well-equipped workshops, with access to exceptional facilities.

• Learn from practising artists and makers with outstanding national and international reputations.

This studio-based creative arts degree places making at its heart.

You'll gain a practical grounding in a range of creative fields of study. Students are encouraged to explore and develop a range of making skills across these main disciplines: ceramics, print, textiles, wood, metal, plastics. You’ll also explore the critical, conceptual, ethical and environmental issues in contemporary craft through the role of making within social, cultural and historical contexts.

Throughout your studies you’ll learn a broad range of skills to help you flourish in the workplace, including social networking, photographing your work, creating digital portfolios, applying for competitions, marketing, creating a web presence, setting up a business, working on commissions, pricing your work, approaching galleries, exhibiting, and fundraising. As we’re an Adobe Creative Campus, you’ll also have free access to a suite of industry-standard creative apps.

You’ll graduate with the confidence and transferable skills to establish your own practice as a creative artist or maker, or go on to pursue a career within the creative industries.

More about the Professional Placement Year
A Professional Placement Year (PPY), traditionally known as a sandwich year, is where you undertake a period of work with an external organisation for between 9-13 months. The placement occurs between your second and final years of undergraduate study. You can engage in multiple placements to make up the total time and are required to source the placement(s) yourself, with support from the Careers team.

Year one
In your first year the focus will be on upskilling, learning about different materials, and gaining the skills to work both independently and in collaboration.

You’ll investigate materials and methods of making, including ceramics, textiles, wood, metal, plastics and printing. You’ll spend time in the workshop with tutors and technicians, as well as on your own, to allow you to immerse yourself in the making processes. You’ll also broaden your knowledge of contemporary craft professionals working in the field. You'll begin to critically assess your work, and the work of others, through discussion and written tasks including critical studies essays.

During the year, you’ll choose which discipline you'd like to focus on for the remainder of your studies.

Year two
During your second year you’ll delve deeper into your chosen area of study, attending classes delivered by a range of tutors who are specialists in their field and current practitioners.

Visiting lecturers will share their knowledge of a range of career paths and experiences. Professional practice is a key component of study this year, where you'll gain industry experience aligned to your area of practice. There will also be opportunities to work collaboratively on live briefs, and across the University.

Year three
In your final year, you’ll hone your making skills to professional standards, and you’ll be actively marketing your work alongside your making.

You’ll set your own brief and be working independently, with support from your tutors, to create an ambitious body of work.

You’ll work on a dissertation, and participate in the degree show, which will provide a showcase and networking opportunities. Professional practice is closely aligned to your final exhibition, and focuses on supporting your career aspirations after University.

Your progress is evaluated regularly through assessments and feedback, and at the end of each semester through a mix of one-to-one sessions and group tutorials, exhibitions, live projects, verbal/visual presentations, sketchbooks and context folders.