Craft & Material Practices Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Course Overview - Craft & Material Practices Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Explore contemporary craft through the evolving relationship between thinking and making. Develop your practice across materials and processes, with access to specialist workshops and digital prototyping in Fab Lab South West, plus live briefs, pitching and competitions.
With almost 150,000 people employed in the UK’s craft industry, skilled craftspeople are putting the country on the map for original, forward-thinking contemporary design. The relationship between thinking and making is constantly evolving, with experimentation and innovation driving a new wave of craftspeo...
Explore contemporary craft through the evolving relationship between thinking and making. Develop your practice across materials and processes, with access to specialist workshops and digital prototyping in Fab Lab South West, plus live briefs, pitching and competitions.
With almost 150,000 people employed in the UK’s craft industry, skilled craftspeople are putting the country on the map for original, forward-thinking contemporary design. The relationship between thinking and making is constantly evolving, with experimentation and innovation driving a new wave of craftspeople to explore original directions.
On BA (Hons) Craft & Material Practices at Arts University Plymouth, you’ll often explore methods in which we can live harmoniously within natural and fabricated environments while supporting a healthy ecosystem, developing your practice through materials, processes and making.
### At a glance
* Degree: BA (Hons) Craft & Material Practices
* UCAS codes: 3-year degree 67T2 / 4-year degree with Integrated Foundation 69K5
* Typical UCAS points: 104–120
### Facilities, studios and resources
Our spacious Materials Lab includes specialist facilities for ceramics, glass, metal and wood, encouraging you to explore traditional making. It is complemented by the rapid digital prototyping facilities within Fab Lab South West, giving you the opportunity to reinvent craft for the 21st century.
However, learning isn’t limited to our studios and workshops. You will meet some of the UK’s most inventive and entrepreneurial contemporary makers and thinkers through gallery visits, demonstrations and presentations.
### What you’ll learn and how you’ll study
On this course you will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of techniques and processes across materials and making:
* Ceramics: throwing, slip casting, slab building, coiling, glazing and raku firing
* Glass: hot glassmaking, kiln-formed glass, coldworking and lampworking
* Metals: casting, welding and grinding
* Woodworking: woodturning, joinery and CNC routing (if you choose to specialise)
* Fab Lab South West: laser cutting, CNC milling and 3D printing
### Enterprise, entrepreneurship and live experience
As a student, you will learn about enterprise and entrepreneurship, and how to price, display and promote work for a range of different markets. This includes large-scale site-specific work, individual exhibition pieces and domestic products, all based on knowledge of your customers and the experience gained by working on live briefs, pitching to clients and entering competitions.
### Why choose this course?
* Explore an expansive range of material practices, including glassblowing and kiln-formed glass, ceramics, large and small scale metals, woodworking, concrete, plastics and textiles, in our industry-standard workshops.
* Engage with live briefs and real clients: students have worked with Tate Exchange, The Box, MAKE Southwest, Mount Edgcumbe Estate, Eden Project and New Designers among others.
* Become part of the international maker community by participating in our renowned, biennial Making Futures™ conference, a research platform exploring contemporary craft and maker movements as ‘change agents’ in 21st-century society.
### Careers and future opportunities
Career opportunities include: Designer/Makers, Ceramicists, Glass Artists, Wearables Designers, Sculptors, Architectural Surface Designers, Mixed Media Artists, Fine Artists, Gallery and Museum Professionals, Teachers, Technicians, Material Restoration Technicians and Conservators, and Prop Designers.
Course Information
3 option s available
Some courses vary and have tailored teaching options, select a course option below.
Course Details
Information
Study Mode
Full-time
Duration
4 Years
Start Date
2027-09-01
Campus
Main Site
Application Details
13 January
Application deadline
Provider Details
Codes/info
Course Code
A16-E64
Institution Code
P65
Points of Entry
Year 1
Entry Requirements
UCAS Tariff
104.0
120.0
Although many of our students do come in with top grades and high UCAS points, these aren’t necessarily essential for entry. We typically ask for a minimum of 104 UCAS points, but we understand that talented artists, designers and makers can have a wide range of relevant strengths and skills beyond formal qualifications. We’re just as interested in exploring your portfolio and discussing your creative experiences as we are in seeing your grades.
A level
C,C,B
B,B,B
We welcome A levels in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
We welcome Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course
Access to HE Diploma
We welcome Access to HE Diplomas in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)
D*D
We welcome Pearson BTEC Diplomas in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
We welcome OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
We welcome International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma
D*D
We welcome OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)
We welcome Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF) in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
Scottish Advanced Higher
D,D,C
C,C,C
We welcome Scottish Advanced Higher in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
Scottish Baccalaureate
We welcome Scottish Baccalaureate in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
T Level
We welcome T Level in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
Scottish Higher
We welcome Scottish Higher in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
AQA Certificate in Mathematical Studies (Core Maths)
We can accept AQA Certificate in Mathematical Studies (core maths) when combined with other qualifications
AS
We can accept AS levels when combined with other qualifications.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
M2,M2,P2
We welcome Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
City & Guilds Certificate in Using and Applying Mathematics (Core Maths)
We can accept City & Guilds Certificate in Using and Applying Mathematics (Core Maths) when combined with other qualifications.
Extended Project
We can accept Extended Project when combined with other qualifications.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
We welcome Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
Leaving Certificate - Ordinary Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
We can accept Leaving Certificate - Ordinary Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) when combined with other qualifications.
National progression Award - Scotland
We can accept National Progression Award - Scotland when combined with other qualifications.
NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Mathematics for Everyday Life (Core Maths)
We can accept NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Mathematics for Everyday Life (Core Maths) when combined with other qualifications.
OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate
We can accept OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate when combined with other qualifications.
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate
We can accept OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate when combined with other qualifications.
OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma
We can accept OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma when combined with other qualifications.
OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma
We can accept OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma when combined with other qualifications.
OCR Cambridge Technical Subsidiary Diploma
We can accept OCR Cambridge Technical Subsidiary Diploma when combined with other qualifications.
OCR Certificate in Quantitative Problem Solving (MEI) (Core Maths)
We can accept OCR Certificate in Quantitative Problem Solving (MEI) (Core Maths) when combined with other qualifications.
OCR Certificate in Quantitative Reasoning (MEI) (Core Maths)
We can accept OCR Certificate in Quantitative Reasoning (MEI) (Core Maths) when combined with other qualifications.
OCR Level 3 Certificate in Core Maths A (MEI) (Core Maths)
We can accept OCR Level 3 Certificate in Core Maths A (MEI) (Core Maths) when combined with other qualifications.
OCR Level 3 Certificate in Core Maths B (MEI) (Core Maths)
We can accept OCR Level 3 Certificate in Core Maths B (MEI) (Core Maths) when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC 90-Credit Diploma (QCF)
We can accept Pearson BTEC 90-Credit Diploma (QCF) when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Certificate (QCF)
We can accept Pearson BTEC Certificate (QCF) when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
We can accept Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (first teaching from September 2016) when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
D*D
We welcome Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
We can accept Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
We can accept Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF)
We can accept Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF) when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson Edexcel Certificate in Mathematics in Context (Core Maths)
We can accept Pearson Edexcel Certificate in Mathematics in Context (Core Maths) when combined with other qualifications.
Scottish National Certificate
We can accept Scottish National Certificate when combined with other qualifications.
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)
We can accept Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015) when combined with other qualifications.
Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate
We can accept Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate when combined with other qualifications.
WJEC Eduqas Certificate in Mathematics for Work and Life (Core Maths)
We can accept WJEC Eduqas Certificate in Mathematics for Work and Life (Core Maths) when combined with other qualifications.
WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales
We can accept WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales when combined with other qualifications.
Apprenticeship Level 3/SCQF Level 6
We welcome Apprenticeship Level 3/SCQF Level 6 in a wide range of subjects, particularly those relevant to the course. May need to be combined with other qualifications.
Foundation Apprenticeship (SCQF Level 6)
We can accept Foundation Apprenticeship (SCQF Level 6) when combined with other qualifications.
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Fees and funding
| Region | Costs | Academic Year | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands | £5,025 | 2026/27 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales | £10,050 | 2026/27 | Year 1 |
| International, EU | £18,000 | 2026/27 | Year 1 |
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