Fine Art with Art & Design Foundation Year

Got a passion for creative design? Not quite ready to undertake a full honours degree? Solent University’s Design Foundation Programme is perfectly suited to students who may not be from an art- design- or fashion-related background or whose qualifications do not meet the admissions requirements of their chosen course. 

The Art and Design Foundation Year builds the fundamental skills, behaviours, and creative confidence needed for successful progression into higher-level study or early-stage industry engagement. Through a practice-led curriculum, you will learn to generate ideas, experiment across a range of media, and communicate visually through a developing portfolio- key expectations within creative professions. You'll also learn to interpret contextual research, reflect on your practice, and engage constructively with peers and tutors, mirroring industry processes of collaboration, critique, and iteration.

You'll be supported to develop resilience, adaptability, and self-awareness and by the end of the year, you will have a portfolio demonstrating creative progression, an understanding of how research informs experimentation, and the confidence to participate in a creative community. These foundations position you strongly for degree-level study and for exploring future opportunities within the creative industries.

Most students progress from the foundation year into their chosen creative degree, leading to careers in areas such as fine art, photography, graphic design, illustration, interiors, fashion, make-up and prosthetics, and related creative industries. However, the course also develops strong transferable and employability skills, including creativity, adaptability, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Who this course is for
This course is ideal for students who are interested in creative study but may be unsure of their chosen pathway or need additional preparation before starting a degree. It suits applicants from a wide range of educational backgrounds, including those returning to education or lacking confidence, who want to develop practical skills, build a portfolio, and explore creative disciplines in a supportive university environment.

Solent's Clearing fast pass* gets you ahead, with priority support and everything you need to feel confident about your next step. Secure your guaranteed offer before results day and unlock a 20% discount on Kimber and Chantry student halls, a £100 IKEA voucher, free gold gym membership for the academic year, and a £150 campus dining voucher.

*T&Cs apply. Full details on our website.

Join the career-ready revolution this summer at Solent. Every course is designed around five things: real-world learning in every module; block teaching, so you study one subject at a time, not five assignments at once; direct links with employers and careers support for life. This isn't a tweak. It's a rethink of what university should be.

Our facilities are built with your future career in mind, including Warsash Maritime School, the Solent Sports Complex, science labs, animation and 3D modelling studios and applied mechanics and composites labs.

And outside class? Southampton has it all: shopping, culture, live music, football, cricket, festivals, markets, tiny Thai cafes, ghost walks and record fairs. It's friendly, walkable, and one of the UK's most affordable student cities. With a diverse community and societies for every interest, you'll find your tribe here too.

Ready to secure your place? Get in touch now.