Program Overview

The foundation pathway provides students with non-standard entry points to progress onto the BA (Hons) Illustration programme. The foundation year allows you to develop skills across a range of media and introduces creative best practice in preparation for the first year of the undergraduate programme. During the foundation year you will have the opportunity to explore creative processes relevant to visual design, animation, illustration, print-making, fine art, and photography.

The course is designed to encourage visual exploration and creative discovery within an engaging and vibrant studio setting. Upon successful completion of the foundation course, you will join the undergraduate BA (Hons) Illustration programme equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to successfully complete an undergraduate degree.

Key Features
Your foundation year will:

• Welcome you to an engaging, experiential learning environment with a focus on active exploration, experimentation and discovery across a wide range of material, methods and media.
• Help develop your practical, technical and creative skills through studio and workshop based projects.
• Provide training in key learning skills for further undergraduate study and build an awareness of practise, context and theory.
• Introduce you to the accessible community of experienced academics, practitioners and technical staff that will support you on your studies.
• Give you access to a wide range of enviable specialist workshops, laboratories and facilities across the campus and become part of our vibrant student community through the various opportunities available within the School of Art, Design and Architecture.
• Enable you to explore and develop your personal interests and strengths as a creative practitioner.

This course is an integrated part of the BA (Hons) Illustration degree at the University of Plymouth. Successful completion of your foundation year (Year 0) will not lead to a separate award or qualification in its own right but provides progression onto Year 1 of the illustration degree.

When you join the BA (Hons) Illustration with Foundation, you will:

• Be inspired by a varied studio-based culture and practise in our easy-access workshop facilities. Take part in everything from life and location drawing to printmaking and media exploration.
• Develop your Photoshop, Premiere, InDesign and Flash skills in digital workshops, and explore typography basics, bookbinding, creative writing and more.
• Gain invaluable knowledge, confidence and professional awareness by seizing work experience opportunities in years 2 and 3. This can range from simple studio visits to longer-term placements and collaboration, such as graduate Kate Mowbray’s placement as a Publishing Assistant with BBC History Magazine.
• Develop your personal visual ‘voice' and start getting noticed in the professional world by taking part in external commissions and competitions. Get an insight into the world of our award-winning students with freelance illustrator, Jack Teagle.
• Define your illustrative direction within specific routes such as comic/graphic novels, children’s markets, printmaking, and design for animation/screen – or continue to explore within a broad range of practice.
• Build up your analogue and digital portfolios and develop your professional profile and confidence, ensuring you’re ready for whatever future direction you wish to pursue, whether freelance, studio-based or within further education such as MA or PGCE courses.
• Our National Student Survey (NSS) 2019 return show that 100% of students felt our staff were good at explaining things and 91% of students agreed staff made the subject interesting.*
• You will set your work in a global context through inspiring overseas study trips to places such as London, New York and Barcelona. You could also choose to take part in an International Exchange programme in your second year, broadening your cultural references and forging new contacts in the international illustration scene.

Important Features

Foundation Program