BA (Hons) Fine Art Bachelor's degree at UHI
BA (Hons) Fine Art at UHI. Taught in English, the course integrates core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project and professional skills development.
About this course
BA (Hons) Fine Art is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at UHI, based in UHI Moray,UHI North West Hebrides,UHI Orkney,UHI Shetland. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Design, and creative and performing arts graduates from this provider, 100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 60% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £20,000. (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: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 100% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 70% (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 6 modules
- Critical and contextual studies 1Core
- DrawingCore
- Lens based mediaCore
- PaintingCore
- Printed imageCore
- Spatial studiesCore
Year 2 7 modules
- Creative practice 1Core
- Creative practice 2Core
- WorkshopCore
- Critical and contextual studies 2Core
- Professional practice 1Core
- Art and social practiceOptional
- Art and archaeologyOptional
Year 3 5 modules
- Creative practice 3Core
- Theory and practiceCore
- Professional practice 2Core
- Creative practice 4Core
- Research projectCore
Year 4 2 modules
- Degree showCore
- DissertationCore
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
You'll study fine art alongside related disciplines, building from visual fundamentals to independent specialist practice. Year 1 introduces colour, composition and form across diverse media, alongside practical workshops in print, textiles and digital fabrication, supported by contextual studies in art and design history. Year 2 develops sustained studio work and personal direction, with courses in digital and emerging media such as motion, 3D or interaction, plus live briefs and real client projects. From Year 3 onwards, you'll usually specialise in areas such as graphic design, illustration, fine art, fashion and textiles, or UX and digital. Concurrent professional practice modules prepare you for industry or self-employment. The course culminates in a self-directed final major project, publicly exhibited as part of a degree show.
Who it's for
Most entrants to this course held A-levels or equivalent qualifications, with the typical UCAS tariff band among accepted students falling between 96 and 111 points. You should check the university's entry requirements for current details.
Careers & job market
Nationally, 87% of Art & Design graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Of those working, 55% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. Graduate earnings across the field vary: starting salaries (15 months post-graduation) typically range from £22,000 to £27,000; after three years, £17,000 to £24,000; and after five years, £20,825 to £29,400. These are national figures from Graduate Outcomes and LEO data, not university-specific guarantees. First-year retention stands at 85% of students continuing past their first year.
University & format
This BA (Hons) is delivered full-time over 4 years by the University of the Highlands and Islands, a UK university with teaching locations across four campuses: UHI Moray, UHI North West Hebrides, UHI Orkney, and UHI Shetland. Instruction is in English. The award is a nationally recognised Bachelor's degree from a recognised UK degree-awarding body.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 67%.
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.
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 | 55% |
| a previous degree | 15% |
| another higher-education qualification | 15% |
| Other | 15% |
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. 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
UHI publishes tuition by domicile, award level, study mode and delivery. Use the individual course page for the exact year-by-year fee.
Published UHI fee framework
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 | £20,000 | £15,000 – £23,000 | 20 |
| 3 years after | £17,500 | £13,000 – £21,000 | 170 |
| 5 years after | £21,000 | £15,000 – £27,000 | 185 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; 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: 20; 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 · 30% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Skilled trades occupationsSOC 2020 5 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £34,241
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Teaching and Childcare Associate ProfessionalsSOC 2020 323 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £20,261
- Design occupationsSOC 2020 342 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £35,957
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: 15; response rate: 80%. 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.
Fees and funding
UHI publishes tuition by domicile, award level, study mode and delivery. Use the individual course page for the exact year-by-year fee.
Where graduates go
100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £20,000. 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 8.3 out of 10: NSS 80.6% · in work or study 100% · continued 70%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of the Highlands and Islands
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Art & Design right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
Related courses
More at UHI
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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