Undergraduate

BA(Hons) Artist Blacksmithing

  • Duration

    3yrs full-time

  • Cost

    £9,275 p.a.

  • Course code

    W720

  • Institution code

    H18

Alex Maughan Final Piece

Forge your future by joining a degree course at the forefront of education in forged metal arts, where creativity meets craftmanship. 

Overview


In this dynamic programme, you’ll blend forging with innovative design and critical thinking. Through hands-on projects, develop your unique artistic practice and gain the skills and confidence to thrive in the ever-evolving world of design and forging

Immerse yourself in drawing, research, and design at the studio, while mastering forging, fabrication, and welding at the National School of Blacksmithing - Europe’s largest training forge. 

Engage with the artistic world through insightful lectures and master classes featuring experienced designers and artists from around the globe. This programme empowers you to shape your future by mastering the creative process, refining your unique voice, and articulating your vision through thoughtful discussions.

You’ll build a strong portfolio of forged pieces, showcase your work, and establish valuable connections with galleries and makers. Ultimately, you’ll carve your own path and make a meaningful impact through your craft.

What our students do...

Student using an anvil

Forge a career you'll love


In the ever-expanding field of contemporary forged metal design, there is no single path. The competencies and knowledge you gain here will open up a world of opportunities. Your education will empower you to forge your own unique path, making a lasting impact and contributing to the evolution of forged metal design.

Independent, well-informed, and critically aware, when you graduate, you will be able to express your ideas with clarity, imagination, and confidence. Proficient in professional practice and equipped with a broad range of skills, you will have an emerging practice.

You will expertly combine traditional techniques with contemporary design principles. You will tackle challenges head-on, solve problems creatively, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in forged metal.

 

Stats and figures

100 %

In a recent NSS survey students were asked 'How well have teaching staff supported your learning?' and the BA(Hons) Artist Blacksmithing Course achieve 100% for this and many other questions. Leading to an overall score of 90.6.

NSS 2024

VISITING LECTURERS

  • Leah Aripotch, USA
  • Hector Cole, UK
  • Paul Mikula, South Africa
  • Roberto Giordani, Italy
  • Matt Jenkins, Canada
  • Pete Mattila, Australia
  • Tobias Birgersson, Sweden
  • Egor Bavykin, Russia
  • Christoph Friedrich, Switzerland
  • Adam Hawk, USA
  • Rebekah Frank, USA
  • Grace Horne, UK
  • John Rigoni, USA
  • Jack Waygood, UK
  • Ellen Durkan, USA
  • Stephen Yusko, USA
  • Claudio Bottero, Italy

PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

  • Alex Pole Ironwork, England
  • Cox London, England
  • Center for Metal Arts, USA
  • Halls Conservation Ltd, England
  • Topp & Co, England
  • Calleb Kullman, USA
  • The Cart Shed, England
  • Fresh Air Sculpture, England
  • Matt Jenkins, Canada
  • Junko Mori, Wales
  • Ratho Byres, Scotland
  • Christoph Friedrich, Switzerland

Forging futures

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Forging Futures - BA(Hons) Artist Blacksmithing alumni exhibition

Teaching, Learning & Assessment

Embark on a Creative Journey. Imagine starting your day forging at the National School of Blacksmithing, where your creativity comes to life. In the afternoon, dive into the cutting-edge world of design in our state-of-the-art digital skills centre. Here, you’ll unleash your imagination with tools like laser cutters, 3D printing, and 3D scanning, enabling you to visualize, iterate, and rapidly test your ideas before bringing them to life at the forge.

The next day, step into your dedicated design studio, where you’ll draw and innovate with a variety of materials. Experiment with clay, wood, glass, copper, and aluminium, testing your concepts and designs before returning to the forge. On another day, engage in stimulating lectures and seminars that sharpen your critical thinking skills through lively analysis, evaluation, and debate, all supported by our extensive Art & Design library.

Digital Skills Center

Connecting you to the world


You’ll engage with the global community through visiting lectures and master classes, featuring renowned forged metal designers and artists, including the likes of Junko Mori, Peter Braspenninx, Jake James, and Roberto Giordani. This exposure allows you to learn from an expanded faculty and see how other artist blacksmiths have shaped their lives through making.

You’ll also have opportunities to network within the blacksmithing community, building valuable connections to support your own practice. Biannually, a team of students and staff travels to the Biennale Europea d’Arte Fabbrile di Stia in the Tuscan hills to compete in the World Forge Championships. This event is more than just a competition; it’s a chance to meet professionals from around the globe, network, and arrange internships that can enhance your career.

Meet the team

What you will learn

Foundations for learning

Designed to help you excel at Art School, this module covers essential skills like academic writing, note-taking, research, collaboration, IT basics, course structure, assessment, critical feedback, self-reflection, time management, independent learning, safety, relationships, consent, and sustainability in the creative sector. 

Practice 1

This module introduces you to creativity through play and experimentation. You’ll engage with a variety of materials and processes, developing an inquisitive approach. Through drawing, making, rendering, and recording in sketchbooks and technical journals, you’ll explore “what if” scenarios and learn by doing.

Skills 1

Learn the fundamentals of forging, fabrication, and welding through professional demos and hands-on exercises. Document your progress in a technical journal, culminating in a design and make project showcasing your skills. 

Practice in Context

This module gives you an introduction to the broad landscape of making & historical cultural practices. Here you will learn to analyse artefacts through engaging with era, style, function, material and technique.

Practice 2:

This is your first design and make module, where you’ll apply all the creative skills and methods you’ve learned. You’ll respond to a set brief, generate visual research, draw, design, test, make, explore, iterate, and create forged outcomes. Workshop sessions will help you initiate, reflect upon, and evaluate ideas, as well as test possibilities. This process emphasises that design and creativity are evidenced not just by the final outcomes but also by the journey taken.

student giving presentation

A community that spans the globe

Hereford Anvils is the student and graduate community that connects generations of artists blacksmiths associated with Hereford College of Arts. It has grown to become a powerful force within international blacksmithing and the UK's heritage craft community, using Instagram to share amazing work, and to unite and mobilise blacksmith through projects like the 150mm Challenge and Crosses for ukraine.

Follow Anvils on Instagram

Grad Stories

Course news

What our students say

The creative community around the course is outstanding. Being surrounded by like-minded creatives was key to developing my skills as a maker. It's opened up a world of opportunity for me going forward.

Nathan Forster

The Artist Blacksmithing degree course gave me much more than just skills training. It taught me to question everything, and to really look at the details. So now I am always asking myself: How can I make this simpler, or better? Most of all, it gave me three years to explore, without the pressure of business.

Sam Pearce

The Artist Blacksmithing degree allowed me to find what I’m really driven by and helped me lay out a direction in which I would like to progress as a maker. The course itself is more than just learning the craft of blacksmithing, it also covers a lot of critical thinking and translating that into an idea, and into a tangible design.

Sam Matthijs

The artist blacksmithing degree laid the groundwork for my creative process. The time spent discussing design, aesthetic and creative values with my fellow students gave me the self-assurance to confidently approach challenging design scenarios and to sell my work.

Toby Forbes Gower

Applying to HCA

  • Minimum age 18. 
  • UCAS Points: Applicants applying for September 2025 entry and beyond, should have achieved 96 – 112 UCAS Tariff Points or more. However, whilst qualifications are important, our offers are not solely based on academic results. We may make offers based on other evidence of talent and suitability for the course – for more details about UCAS Tariffs tariff explanation and advice on the UCAS website. We expect all applicants to have examples of their current creative work available for submission on request.  
  • Mature students: Applications from mature students with relevant experience will also be considered. 

    If you are unsure or have any questions, please contact us at registry@hca.ac.uk and we can offer further advice on HCA and the UWTSD awarding body requirements. 

Specialist Artist Blacksmithing Open Days

More information

Your degree

All undergraduate degrees at HCA are validated by University of Wales Trinity St David.

100%of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well.

Data for Artist Blacksmithing (Full time) at Hereford College of Arts

For more official course information visit Discover Uni

See course data

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Term dates (HE)

Term Enrolment
Dates (2024 - 2025) Monday 23rd September 2024 – Friday 27th September 2024
Term Semester 1
Dates (2024 - 2025) Monday 30th September 2024 – Friday 13th December 2024, Tuesday 7th January 2025 – Friday 31st January 2025, Monday 3rd February 2025 – Friday 7th February 2025 (Research Week)
Term Semester 2
Dates (2024 - 2025) Monday 10th February 2025 – Friday 11th April 2025, Monday 28th April 2024 – Friday 13th June 2025

How to apply

Everything you need to know about applying to HCA - and starting the next stage of your journey as an artist

Find out more

Book an open day

Chat to students. Tour the campus. Drop in on some free workshops. Our Open Days are a great way to get a feel for what makes HCA special.

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