Fine Art

On this course you will have flexibility to explore a wide range of traditional and emerging visual arts practices to develop your individual artistic voice. You can experiment with drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, video, photography, digital media and installation art to produce meaningful work that responds to our complex and changing world.

Around 70 per cent of your time will be spent in the studio where you will hone your skills in making and expression, creative risk-taking, experimentation and development. Each year you will be presented with different creative challenges with a curriculum that includes art history, contemporary practice, engagement with local organisations, as well as talks from visiting artists.

The course responds to the demands of the contemporary global art world and encourages you to engage in current practice by exploring themes such as multiculturalism, identity, and art activism. Skills in employability and professional practice will prepare you for working as a fine artist or to launch a career in the wider creative industries.

Key features


• We’ve been teaching art for over 120 years and today’s course continues our ethos of encouraging students to develop their creativity within a collaborative and experimental environment.



• We embed employability throughout the course and cover topics that include an introduction to studio practice, art practice and presentation, curating and installing exhibitions, marketing, fundraising and project planning.



• You’ll study in our award-winning Vijay Patel Building, where you’ll have access to dedicated Fine Art studio space and experiment with a range of facilities across our 25 industry standard workshops.



• Join the list of students who have exhibited at the Handmade Festival, the Two Queens gallery, the Attenborough Arts Centre and a host of other prestigious venues across both the UK and internationally.



• Leicester is a city buzzing with creativity, from colourful street art by GraffWerk and the annual Leicester Art Week festival, to the augmented reality art trail and DMU's own Leicester Gallery. Our partnerships in the city create exciting opportunities to showcase your work, including at Leicester's creative hub LCB Depot.



• Benefit from block teaching, where most students study one subject at a time. A simple timetable will allow you to really engage with your learning, receive regular feedback and assessments, get to know your course mates and enjoy a better study-life balance.

At DMU, the focus is on your future - with work experience opportunities on every course, an employability-boosting careers award, and industry-led course content, you'll be well prepared to start your career.

You’ll get guaranteed work experience opportunities with UK and overseas placements, internships, and personalised training. DMU has been named the UK’s Best University for Work Experience (RateMyPlacement 2024 & 2025), offering personalised careers support, industry connections, and placements with global names like Rolls-Royce and Adobe.

DMU is one of only a few universities where you’ll benefit from modular, block teaching where you’ll study one subject at a time for deeper learning and better results.

Situated in the heart of Leicester, a vibrant student-friendly city, the campus is just a short walk from everything the city has to offer. Its central location means you can hop on a train and be in cities like London, Birmingham and Nottingham in around an hour or less.