BA (Hons) Fine Art

Course description

The BA in Fine Art at Coleg Menai aims to be a challenging and exciting experience taught by practising artists with National and international reputations. This course offers learners the chance to explore personal themes, ideas and creative concerns through a wide variety of disciplines including: drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and multimedia activity.

Creative futures modules develop various projects with external partners and organisations; these equip learners with an understanding of the wider opportunities for a vocation within the Arts sector.

Unit information

For every 10 credits, students should engage with around 100 notional hours of learning. This will be approximately 30% direct learning contact and 70% independent student learning.

Year 1 (Level 4)

Materials and Methods 1 (20 credits, core)
Workshops are provided in Printmaking, Sculpture/3D and Digital/Time-based media which introduce a range of processes, materials and techniques with relevant health and safety instruction. This is supported through studio-based learning. (Portfolio 100%)

Concepts and Practice in Fine Art (20 credits, compulsory)
The Module encourages students to take creative risks and be curious as well as reflective in their approach to materials, processes and ideas. (Portfolio 80%, Blog 20%)

Introduction to Visual Research in Fine Art (20 credits, compulsory)
The module includes directed tasks in a group situation, individual development through tutorial and group critique. Students are introduced to a variety of materials to expand their capacity to realise ideas and utilise information gathering that can form the basis of individual studio work. (Portfolio 80%, Blog 20%)

Contextualising Art & Design 1 (20 credits, core)
This module aims to introduce learners to the historical and cultural nature of art and design through lectures, presentations and exhibition visits. (Essay 50%, Presentation 25%, Blog 25%)

Site Context and Practice 1 (20 credits, core)
This module introduces site and socially engaged contexts in contemporary fine art practice. The emphasis is placed on questioning practice by investigating the geographical, social and political factors that can be considered in the context of contemporary practice. (Portfolio 80%, Blog 20%)

Deconstruction and Reconstruction (20 credits, core)
The module focuses on the ways in which students can learn from the study of the art of the past. Students are required to investigate a chosen work in depth, whether in 2D or in 3D, through drawing and other forms of visual, historical and critical research. (Portfolio 80%, Blog 20%)

Year 2 (Level 5)

Research and Practice in Fine Art (30 credits, compulsory)
This module will encourage students to develop a critical investigative and analytical approach to the development and synthesis of theory and practice in their work and that of others. (Portfolio 80%, Blog 20%)

Contextualising Art & Design 2 (20 credits, compulsory)
This module builds upon the historical framework explored in contextualising practice at level 4. Contemporary practices of fine art practice are interrogated, debated and displayed. (Essay 50%, Presentation 25%, Research Folder on Blog 25%)

Materials and Methods in Fine Art 2 (20 credits, compulsory)
This module will build upon prior workshops provided in Lens Based media, Sculpture, Printmaking and Digital Media in level 4. (Portfolio 100%)

Developing Studio Practice (30 credits, compulsory)
This module promotes students’ effective use of the studio to develop their individual fine art practice; it builds on the experience gained within level 4. (Final exhibited practical work 80%, Reflective statement and Blog 20%)

Site Context and Practice 2 (20 credits, core)
This module supports students to enlarge upon their knowledge of a professional context for Art & Design practice. They will develop upon and enhance relevant strategies for planning, curating, exhibiting, and documenting work in a variety of ways, including publication and exhibition via analogue, digital and online media. (Portfolio with project proposal 50%, Blog documenting evaluation of exhibit project 50%)

Year 3 (Level 6)

Dissertation / Imaginary Museum (20 credits, compulsory)
This module aims to develop and consolidate a student's ability to undertake a major research project which is linked to their studio practice. It enables students to carry out an extended body of research on an agreed topic of their choice (appropriate to critical and contextual inquiry) which has currency in the realm of contemporary fine art / design practice. (An individual extended curatorial research project (inc 2,500 dissertation) or a 5,000 word dissertation that encompasses all learning outcomes 100%)

Independent Study 1 - Research & Make (40 credits, compulsory)
Students will plan, negotiate and bring to conclusion a body of work. Once a written proposal and work plan has been completed and discussed as viable the student will embark upon stages of research, experimentation and development, leading to a synthesis of their project. (Portfolio 100%)

Locating Professional Practice (20 credits, compulsory)
In this module students develop their exhibition skills and extend their ability to document and communicate their work in a way that is fitting to their individual professional goals. (Portfolio 75%, Viva/Presentation 25%)

Independent Study 2 – Exhibit (40 credits, compulsory)
This concluding module has as its main focus the degree show. It also marks a transition to life beyond university, for which the programme has been a preparation throughout. The degree exhibition will necessarily be considering methods of presenting work, critical self-evaluation, professional experience in working with an external gallery and developing individual and group communication and organisational skills. (Portfolio 75%, Blog 25%)