The Foundation Year will provide you with a dynamic, exciting and collaborative environment in which you will become a confident self-learner, with the underpinning skills and knowledge to apply in your studies. You will be taught with students interested in progressing to different art, design and media programmes, and study modules that will help you increase your knowledge and understanding of basic art and design as well as other aspects of creative thinking.

Our strong connections within Greater Manchester’s thriving creative sector mean you will also hear from practitioners working in the industry right now about their practice, journey into the world or art and design.

In the first term you will study modules that introduce the key concepts, skills and knowledge of art and design. Modules will help you to develop your study skills such as note-taking and structuring reports. In the second semester, you will further develop your creative practice and be introduced to the creative industries.

The assignments are flexible enough to allow you to interpret and tailor your submissions to your preferred area of study. Tutors will help and support you, in creating a portfolio of work to progress onto the BA (Hons) Photography here at the University of Salford. You will be integrated slowly into the degree course with opportunities to meet tutors from the BA and by using our shared collaborative facilities within our vibrant New Adelphi building.

This programme prepares you to study on the three-year University undergraduate programme, meaning the duration of your degree is four years in total. The Foundation Year is not a standalone qualification.

Following the Foundation Year, the three years of BA (Hons) Graphic Design:

We support students to develop idea led solutions, embracing the digital and at the same time engaging with traditional processes such as bookbinding and printmaking. Teaching is informed by research and academic staff contribute to subject networks, international conferences, exhibitions, books and papers. Student learning is facilitated through a range of workshops, seminars and lectures with additional support from a team of demonstrators.

The curriculum covers a broad range of specialist skills in both traditional and emerging areas such as design research methods, ideas generation and creative thinking, typography, branding, art direction, print-making, illustration and image making, bookbinding, photography, motion design, ambient media, interactive and multimedia design.

Foundation year