BA (Hons) Fine Art (With Foundation Year) Bachelor's degree at Liverpool Hope University
BA (Hons) Fine Art (With Foundation Year) at LHU. You'll study core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills.
About this course
Fine Art Home Staff Student Fine Art BA (Hons) (with Foundation Year) UCAS Code: W111 | Duration: 4 years | Full Time | Creative Campus UCAS Campus Code: L46 Work placement opportunities | International students can apply | Study Abroad opportunities Overview Curriculum Entry Requirements Careers Finance Combinations C From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Fine Art (With Foundation Year) is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at LHU, based in Liverpool Hope. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Creative arts and design graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 25% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £24,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Art & Design, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 91% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year One 7 modules
- Contemporary Approaches to Fine ArtCore
Module details
Introduction to the subject through studio projects including painting, sculpture, sonic art, drawing, collaborative installation and optional site-specific installation project. Includes introductory sessions on colour theory, oil and acrylic painting techniques, printmaking, drawing specialisms, surface preparation, and digital media.
- Applications and Uses of DrawingCore
Module details
Emphasis on rudimental elements of drawing tracking to contemporary drawing practice. Includes optional life-drawing sessions and Drawing and Materiality element exploring drawing through differing materials such as ceramics, sculptural processes, painting, wood, and digital media. Underpinned by weekly lectures on drawing within frames of art history and contemporary practice.
- Visual Awareness/Critical Skills in Relation to Studio PracticeCore
Module details
Development of critical thinking and visual awareness through group critiques, seminars and systematic deconstruction of signs and representational systems. Includes one-to-one tutorials, exposure to professional exhibiting artists, and reflective documentation in Contextual and Personal Journals.
- Methods and PracticeCore
Module details
Development of technical skills through specialist induction sessions in wood, metal, plaster, print, colour theory, stretcher-making, 3D modelling, oil and acrylic painting, and digitally based inductions.
- Themes and Issues in Art HistoryCore
Module details
Chronological lecture series introducing key events, styles and movements in art and design history from Antiquity to late 20th century modern/postmodern art. Organised in five chronological period blocks with thematic topics covering concepts of self and body, social and political role of art, material world, and producing and consuming art. Each block includes site visit.
- Art and Design History: Close Up LectureCore
Module details
In-depth investigation of particular themes, makers and objects. Includes close up investigation of single artworks, diverse historical and cultural contexts, challenging grand narratives of art history, and workshop/studio/museum/gallery visits to handle and discuss materials and artworks.
- TutorialCore
Module details
Weekly focus on developing study skills and methodologies, encouraging student-led discussion and activities. Themes from lecture/seminar elements are picked up during tutorials.
Year Two 3 modules
- Establishing Autonomous Studio PracticeCore
Module details
In discussion with studio lecturers, write independent research proposal for practical work. Includes discussion of general research methods with tutor, exploration of individual and autonomous direction for studio practice, one-to-one tutorials, and regular group critiques for critical evaluation.
- Professional PracticeCore
Module details
Year-long lecture programme introducing advanced aspects of exhibition planning, project management and fundraising.
Assessment: Learning Portfolio assessing the preparatory stage of exhibition planning
- Special Topics in Art HistoryCore
Module details
Opportunity to get involved with academic research based on tutors' expertise. Offered in six-week blocks including site visit. Topics may include Narratives in Art and Design, Feminism and Gender, Propaganda and Persuasion in Visual and Material Culture, National Identity and Post-Colonialism. Seminar picks up lecture content through texts of key thinkers.
Assessment: Practical writing task at end of each block assessed by others in class
Year Three 5 modules
- Advanced Studio PracticeCore
Module details
Studio practice led by individual research direction. Regular support and guidance via one-to-one formal and informal tutorials from studio lecturers who are professional artists and skilled educationalists. Group critiques with peers and tutors, indicative and self-assessments support development of personal visual language.
- Research Project/StudioCore
Module details
Keep contextual and personal journals to position studio practice from informed perspective and reflect on progress. Documentation of engagement with national and international contemporary art forms basis of contextual journal. Personal journal records methods and progress in studio and critically reflects upon art practice, historical or contemporary, relating to or influencing studio work.
- Advanced Professional PracticeCore
Module details
Delivered by professional working artists and researchers, provides employability skills for creative industries. Culminates in exhibition or event in public venue in Liverpool organised and delivered collectively by third-year student group. Expands practical skills for producing and exhibiting artworks professionally. Includes visiting artists and industry professional talks and seminars.
- Contemporary Curating: Display, Interpretation, AudiencesCore
Module details
Lecture series exploring development of curating as integral aspect of creative practice and as fundamental element of professional creative life. Combines theoretical/historical discussion with presentations by professional guest speakers from across the region in term 1, followed by diverse programme of visits in term 2. Provides grounded knowledge of developments in curatorial theory and practice and network of contacts within creative industries.
- AestheticsCore
Module details
Term-long seminar analysing key aesthetic concepts relating to making and understanding of art and design. Explores history of aesthetics bound up with philosophical ideas about nature and function of art and design, and how past has influenced current theories of art.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This foundation year leads into a degree that develops your visual practice from core principles to specialisation. You'll usually start with visual studies, colour, composition and form across different media, alongside hands-on workshops in print, textiles and digital fabrication. Contextual studies ground your work in art and design history. As you progress, you'll build sustained studio practice, explore digital and emerging media, and take on live briefs with real deadlines. In your final year, you'll specialise in depth, in areas such as graphic design, illustration, fine art, fashion and textiles, or UX and digital, while developing your professional practice and portfolio. Your course culminates in a major self-directed project and degree show.
Who it's for
This course suits students with A-levels or equivalent qualifications. Recent accepted students typically held UCAS tariffs between 64 and 79 points. The foundation year provides additional preparation before you progress to the main degree. You'll need to be comfortable with independent study, practical work, and sustained creative projects over four years.
University & format
This BA (Hons) degree is studied full-time over 4 years at Liverpool Hope University, a university based in Liverpool. Teaching is delivered in English. The degree is a recognised UK qualification. The course offers work placement opportunities and international students may apply. Study abroad options are available. The university holds Silver status for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Year in industry. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 100% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code W111). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at LHU →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Art & Design graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £24,000 | £22,000 – £25,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £17,500 | £14,500 – £22,500 | 55 |
| 5 years after | £20,500 | £16,500 – £30,500 | 55 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in art & design · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Art & Design nationally
National figures for Art & Design graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Art & Design courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,698 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Artistic, literary and media occupationsSOC 2020 341 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Teaching and Childcare Support OccupationDiscover Uni category · 15% of published destinations
- Managers, directors and senior officialsSOC 2020 1 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £51,733
- Leisure, travel and related personal service occupationsSOC 2020 62 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £22,297
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 30; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Art & Design graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Art & Design graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Design studios & agencies
- In-house brand teams
- Games & media companies
- Freelance & self-employed
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Art & Design graduates.
Fine Art TechnicianFirst Choice StaffPharmacy Technician – Brand New State-of-the-Art HospitalCompass AssociatesArtificial Intelligence Engineering ManagerMBN SolutionsArtificial Intelligence EngineerExperis UKDelivery Driver (Part Time 24 hours) - AndoverOcado LogisticsCompliance Business PartnerNashrock Insurance RecruitmentIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.3 out of 10: NSS 97.4% · in work or study 90% · continued 91%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Liverpool Hope University
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Liverpool Hope - Creative Campus
4,931 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Art & Design right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to LHU from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £15,225 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check LHU’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with LHU and gov.uk before you apply.
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Common questions
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