Foundation Diploma in Art & Design

In this unit, you will undertake a diagnostic investigation into visual language and creative practices. This exploratory investigation allows you to become familiar with and experiment within a wide range of (art, design, craft and media) creative disciplines as part of your journey to, or reinforcement of, specialism in Unit 2 or Unit 3.

This unit will provide you with the opportunity to reflect on the knowledge, skills and practices you have developed in Unit 1 of the qualification, and to define your creative ambitions by encouraging a holistic approach to a range of activities, which will support, contextualise and position your creative endeavour within your chosen specialist practice.

This unit aims to provide you with an opportunity to take control of your own learning and demonstrate your achievement by independently initiating, researching, completing and evaluating a project proposal and realisation within your chosen professional context

Our College Road Campus and our Folly Lane Campus will be your learning environments where you will be taught through studio-based tasks as well as within workshop environments, including our digital skills centre. Teaching and Learning is a two-way process involving whole group activities such as life drawing, mid-group sized workshops and lectures, small peer group critiques and regular one-2-one tutorial sessions with course tutors. There are also external visiting lecturers and alumni alongside a carousel of HCA degree lecturer input within projects.

Being open-minded and curious are the key ingredients to the development of any skills and creative risk-taking without fear of failure is encouraged. The whole of HCA is a supportive community where you are continually encouraged to seek out your creative voice through activities varied in their content and  timespan, building confidence to be the best version of yourself.

Hereford College of Arts has a diverse mix of students, including people with different learning styles and needs. We have a positive, inclusive atmosphere where all of our students are able to access support for their studies. Find out more here.

The Foundation studios at College Road will enable you to have your own workspace across the length of the course, you will also have access to degree level facilities and technical demonstrators within the workshops of Ceramics, Print, 3D, Textiles, and Photography. Alongside this there is superb access to the new Digital Skills Suite where you will have access to our digital demonstrators teaching across the Adobe software suite. Our impressive specialist library runs an open access policy ensuring access to a wealth of historic and contemporary knowledge.

You can apply to study on our Foundation course at any point during the year. You apply directly to HCA using our online portal.

We receive a high number of applications every year areas so we recommend that you make your application as early as possible. Find out more here. 

• One A-Level/A2 or Extended Diploma, preferably in a creative subject.
• Five GCSEs including English and Maths at grade 4/C or above.
• For our portfolio course we have a minimum age of 21 years, with no upper age limit.

Our Foundation and Portfolio courses attract students from a wide range of backgrounds, and with a range of qualifications. If you have any questions about your qualifications and whether they fit, please contact our Registry team on 01432 273359 or email registry@hca.ac.uk.