BA (Hons) Fine Art Bachelor's degree at the University of Brighton
BA (Hons) Fine Art at University of Brighton was founded in 1992 and leads to a BA (Hons) qualification, recognised as a UK degree-awarding body.
About this course
This Fine Art degree offers you a studio-based, in-depth education in creative, intellectual and practical knowledge and skills. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Fine Art is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Brighton, based in City Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Art graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £23,000. (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)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 80% (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 1 3 modules
- Studio Practice 1: Thinking and Making
Module details
This module provides you with an introduction to studio practice and supports you to explore its role in your work. You will identify key interests while examining the relationship between studio practice, thinking and making. The module introduces an expansive approach to research and you will explore different methods of articulating your ideas and documenting your work.
- Perspectives on Art 1: Themes and Concepts
Module details
This module introduces a range of themes and concepts in art, supported by a wide variety of artistic practices. Indicative topics include the social construction of beauty and taste; critiques of European art and colonialism; the relationship between looking, seeing and meaning-making; art, the body and identity; queering art and ideas of success and failure; different ideas of nature and landscape; visual and artificial intelligence; and celebrity culture, mass reproduction and social media.
- Studio Practice 2: Making and Sites
Module details
This module will support you to develop your emerging fine art practice and begin to situate it within the expanded world of contemporary art. It stresses the importance of research and aims to foster a strong connection between practical and contextual research. The module builds on Studio Practice 1 by developing your understanding of exhibiting and installing work and the sites and institutions in which this can take place.
Year 2 3 modules
- Studio Practice 3: Public Exhibition
Module details
This module supports you in advancing your art practice, ideas, methods and materials, introducing you to working in specific contexts through explorative, practical approaches. You will develop articulation of your studio practice in visual, written and spoken forms, present your work in public exhibition and practice professional development skills to document your work. You will also create proposal documents for public exhibition that consider inclusive, safe and ethical working methods.
- Studio Practice 4: Practice-led Research
Module details
This module supports the development and communication of your art practice by providing a framework for you to progress, structure and present practical and research material. You will create work that communicates your art practice, research, fine art placement activity and professional development to produce a presentation that maps your creative process and research.
- Perspectives on Art 2: Cultures and Knowledges
Module details
In this module you will explore a range of global cultures in art, examining them in relation to different forms of artistic knowledge. Indicative topics include art as social agency, politics, fiction, magic, technology, curating and performance, alongside other phenomena, underpinned by a wide range of interdisciplinary art practices.
Final year 3 modules
- Perspectives on Art 3: Art Writing
Module details
This module further develops your independent research skills, supporting you to produce scholarly research and creative writing linked to your studio practice or a specific topic of interest. You will gain the skills needed to become a professional artist-researcher, learn to read critically, turn reading into writing, and develop your own voice, style and form, alongside the ability to write both critically and creatively.
- Studio Practice 5: Consolidating and Situating Practice
Module details
In this module you will further develop your technical skills and studio practice along with your research skills to enable you to produce work informed by its theoretical contexts. You will document, collate and present images and an artist's statement that communicate your practice and research. You will also develop professional skills to support your future ambitions.
- Studio Practice 6: Planning and Completion of Degree
Module details
Representing the culmination of your studies, this module will help you integrate and build on your previous learning through planning, writing proposals and working towards your final degree show exhibition. You will articulate your artwork, practice and research in an artist's statement suitable for the public exhibition. The module will also prepare you for postgraduate study or a career in the fine art or creative industries.
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 Fine Art degree offers a studio-based, in-depth education in creative, intellectual and practical knowledge and skills. A course like this typically begins with foundations in visual studies, materials and processes across print, textiles and digital media, alongside contextual studies in art and design history. In Year 2, you'll move into sustained studio practice and develop a personal direction, working on live briefs and collaborations with real deadlines. Year 3 deepens your specialism, you might focus on graphic design, illustration, fashion and textiles, UX and digital, or fine art practice, culminating in a self-directed final project exhibited in a degree show. Throughout, you'll combine hands-on making with the intellectual frameworks that inform contemporary creative work.
Who it's for
This course suits students with A-levels or equivalent qualifications. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent (89% of entrants over recent years), with typical UCAS tariffs between 128 and 143 points. It is designed for those committed to developing practical and theoretical knowledge in fine art practice and research.
University & format
The BA (Hons) Fine Art is studied full-time at the University of Brighton, a university located at City Campus. The course runs for 3 years and is taught in English. As a recognised UK degree-awarding body, the University of Brighton confers nationally recognised degrees. The university holds a Silver award for teaching quality from 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.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
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 | 89% |
| another higher-education qualification | 6% |
| a previous degree | 3% |
| an Access course | 1% |
| Other | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
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 W150). 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
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at University of Brighton →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 | £23,000 | £19,500 – £26,500 | 935 |
| 3 years after | £20,500 | £17,000 – £24,000 | 75 |
| 5 years after | £25,000 | £21,000 – £32,000 | 75 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 935. Cohort 2021-22.
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.
continued or completed
continued into the next year or completed their qualification
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 935. Cohort 2021-22. 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.
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
Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £23,000. 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 7.9 out of 10: NSS 77.7% · continued 80%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Brighton
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 City Campus
5,042 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 University of Brighton from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Brighton; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
This course lists IELTS 6. 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 University of Brighton’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 University of Brighton and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Brighton
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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