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BA FINE ART W101

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Full Time: 3 Years

Further develop your practical skills and explore new and emerging art forms. Be stimulated by our internationally respected staff and take part in a wide variety of exhibitions and events both here and abroad with BA Fine Art.

Designed for students joining from art access courses, including art foundation, you'll have the opportunity to build on your practical skills and explore the theory and history of art at Reading School of Art.

You will benefit from our distinct approach to the subject, combining practice, theory and history – especially in contemporary art. You can experiment with a range of subjects and media, exploring painting, sculpture (such as welding and casting), printmaking, as well as digital media.

Our studios are a creative, lively and stimulating environment in which to develop the skills you have already acquired. You will receive a dedicated space with access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is always a high level of activity in the studios with events, screenings, performances and exhibitions taking place regularly. A student-run gallery and experimental project spaces are also available for you to explore.

We focus heavily on exhibitions, and regular field trips to national and international museums, art institutions and galleries will give you the chance to consider the diverse conditions in which art is created, displayed and received. You will gain professional experience by taking part in your own exhibitions, public art commissions and events. Open debate and constructive criticism are actively encouraged and you will openly discuss your work with peers and teaching staff.

You will be assigned a studio tutor and focus on developing your individual and professional practice, working towards your final project and dissertation in the third year. Placements and collaborations are actively encouraged and there is also the chance to experience life in another country. Throughout your degree you will receive advice and guidance in career development.

Placement

You are encouraged to work with different artists and designers in hosting events and exhibitions. External exhibitions have included Urban Utopia, a partnership between Fine Art and Deutsche Bank where 35 students curated their work in the new Capitol building, Bracknell, and an exhibition at the Beaconsfield Gallery in London.

You are also expected to undertake placement opportunities. Past students have enjoyed internships at Studio Voltaire and the Frieze Art Fair. Others have performed at the ICA, taken part in an Arts Council-supported film project at the Museum of English Rural Life and participated in an international exhibition at the Seoul Institute of Arts in South Korea.

Regular field trips to national and international museums, art institutions and galleries allow you to consider the diverse conditions in which art is displayed and received. There are also many opportunities for you to apply to study abroad: Reading School of Art has links with universities in countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, France, Switzerland and Finland.

New UK/EU students: £9,250* per year

New international students: £17,320 per year

* UK and EU fee changes

UK undergraduate fees are regulated by the government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK and EU** students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

From 2020, the UK government may link tuition fees to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

**EU students

For more information on fees, loans and grants for EU students, see fees and funding for home/EU students.

Additional costs

These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

* UK and EU Fee Changes

Subject to the Government passing legislation to raise the minimum fee cap, we will raise undergraduate tuition fees from £9,000 to £9,250 for new UK/EU students applying to start courses in the 2017/18 academic year. You will not be affected by this rise if you have deferred entry to the 2017/18 academic year. The Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.

The tuition fee will remain £9,000 per year for the full duration of this course if you start in the 2016/17 academic year or have accepted an offer but deferred your entry until the 2017/18 academic year. This is unlike other institutions who are planning to raise fees midway through courses.

For further information, please see our webpage on the Teaching Excellence Framework and future tuition fees.

Additional costs

These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Our courses will equip you with the knowledge, intellectual ability and practice-led skills you need to make an imaginative and effective contribution to the art world – or the wider creative industries. As well as the practical experience gained on this degree, our students graduate with a range of transferable skills, such as self-motivation, time management and strategic thinking.

Many of our graduates develop successful careers as artists, writers and curators. These include a number of famous alumni, such as Turner Prize-nominated artists, and PhD students who are award-winning artists and curators at influential museums. Others have found employment in galleries, education, art therapy, film and video production, journalism, advertising and teaching. Recent employers include Tate, Whitechapel Gallery, Christies, Microsoft, the BBC, Victoria & Albert Museum, and Manolo Blahnik.

Overall, 93% of our art graduates are in work or further study within six months of graduating (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey, 2016–17).