Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Fine Art

at University of the West of England - Bristol - City Campus United Kingdom

Choose from a wide selection of modules to focus on areas of theatre making that you're passionate about such as writing, directing, devising physical theatre and acting.

Why study drama?

• Increasingly, independent professional theatre is about making your own work.
• A contemporary company needs to write, devise, direct, tech, and perform original theatre. Individuals may excel in one of these areas, but they also need a good working knowledge of everything else.
• It's all about sharing skills and working as a group to create exciting live performances.

Why UWE Bristol?

• BA(Hons) Drama is perfect for those who love theatre making and appreciate a challenge.
• Work closely with our supportive theatre community to share ideas and work collectively on productions.
• Develop your talent on a path of discovery through every facet of theatre. Choose from a wide selection of modules to become a theatre maker with a wealth of experience, abilities and creativity.
• Focus on the areas of expertise you're passionate about such as writing, directing, devising physical theatre, and acting. Specialise in directing, technical theatre or writing and graduate with the degree title Drama with Creative Writing, Drama with Technical Theatre or Drama with Theatre Directing.
• You'll have a wealth of opportunities to develop personally and gain real-world experience. We work closely with the local theatre network and support you to form your own theatre company, producing your own extra-curricular work and making the most of our rehearsal and performance space.
• As a writer, director, technician, and/or performer, you'll write, devise and produce original performances for your assessed final year projects, which will then be featured in our end of year public Degree Show. Specialist masterclasses led by staff and industry professionals will give you the chance to develop specific skills in areas such as puppetry, auditioning and stage combat.
• City Campus is a creative powerhouse that spans the city of Bristol and is made up of Bower Ashton, Spike Island, Arnolfini and Watershed.
• Drama uses specialist spaces at the Arnolfini and theatre facilities at Bower Ashton Studios.
• Shaping the course towards the areas of theatre making you're most interested in, through your modules and assessments, you'll emerge as a confident and creative drama professional, one also equipped with soft skills such as collaboration, networking and organisation, and ready to thrive in the real world.

Where can it take me?

• Graduate ready for a career in theatre, television, film or education.
• You may also choose to progress to further study with one of the country's prestigious theatre schools such as the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Learn to create garments, accessories and textile collections for fashion and interiors through sustainably driven and digitally-enabled design.

Why study fashion textiles?

• Fashion and textiles are the UK's largest creative industries and are internationally renowned for quality and innovation.
• Today's fashion and textile designers are exploring new forms and materials and rethinking what fashion can be.

Why UWE Bristol?

• BA(Hons) Fashion Textiles teaches you about fashion textile design: from designing and manufacturing fabrics through to garments and fashion related products.
• Discover the disciplines of fashion design and traditional craftsmanship by making garments, accessories and other fashion products. Translate your ideas from 2D to 3D by building your pattern cutting skills throughout the course. Explore and develop concepts using technologies including digital print, digital embroidery and smart textiles.
• Tailor your degree to your creative strengths by specialising in fashion design, textile design or fashion textile futures, allowing you to develop a unique pathway and identify a career path that suits your ambitions.
• Learn from visiting industry experts in the studios. Work closely with industry partners on live briefs and competitions, to apply your learning and gain real-world experience.
• Engage with research as you develop your design practice.
• Professional practice is key to this course and there are placement and project opportunities every year to help you develop your professional skills. All students have the opportunity to undertake a year out in industry as part of the course.
• Showcase and sell your design work at high profile national and international events such as New Designers and Premier Vision in Paris, the world's largest fashion textile trade show.
• Our City Campus is a creative powerhouse. It spans Bristol and is made up of Bower Ashton and renowned contemporary arts centres Spike Island, Arnolfini and Watershed.
• Focusing on the avenues that most interest you, through your modules and assessments, you'll explore different career paths and graduate with the confidence and skills to succeed.  

Where can it take me?

• Our students go on to work in industry, develop enterprise opportunities or explore further research at postgraduate level. Whatever you want to do, our team of subject and employability experts will support you.
• Many of our graduates go on to successful careers with high profile companies like Alexander McQueen, Matthew Williamson, All Saints, Cos and Victoria Beckham.
• Choose from roles such as fashion designer, textile designer, studio manager, art director, product developer, pattern cutter and materials research.
• Follow UWE Fashion on Instagram.
• Read about some of our successes:
• UWE Bristol launches 2020 Fashion Enterprise project
• Fashion Textiles students awarded prestigious bursaries
• Fashion Textiles student wins a UWE Bristol Enterprise 'Try It' Award
• Fashion Textiles student works with couture tailor to create range of masks
• Take a look at how our graduates are changing the future of fashion.
• Read how three of our former students won prestigious bursaries from The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters.
• Have a look at some of our students' latest work in our 2019 Graduate Showcase, as well as our 2019 Yearbook and 2020 Yearbook. See more by watching the film.

Study in a renowned contemporary arts venue and take one of two available pathways - Fine Art or Art and Writing - to choose your creative direction.

Why study fine art?

• Fine Art sits at the centre of the UK's dynamic art scene. Showcased through collectives, galleries and public spaces, contemporary art generates powerful new ideas and platforms for debate.
• Artists develop ideas by making them visible, playing active roles in society as cultural commentators, teachers and activists. In addition to established artists' networks, contemporary art is circulated by curators, commissioners, and the private sector.
• Working as an artist is social, practical, and theoretical, and can involve you in an exciting range of cultural and educational activities in the UK and abroad.

Why UWE Bristol?

BA(Hons) Fine Art is a studio-centered course based at Spike Island, an internationally renowned contemporary art venue in the heart of Bristol. It's a vibrant creative environment where you'll get to connect with professional artists.

Benefit from free studio space and a range of work and volunteering opportunities, as well as excellent facilities at Bower Ashton Studios.

Choose from two pathways - Fine Art or Art and Writing.

• Fine Art develops your practice in areas such as painting, sculpture, installation, performance, video and digital media.
• Art and Writing critically engages you with your practice as you produce art works and written text, underpinned by theoretical perspectives.If chosen you will graduate with BA(Hons) Art and Writing.

All our staff are active practitioners, with the conceptual, technical and professional skills to support a wide variety of approaches.

Our City Campus is a creative powerhouse. It spans across Bristol, and is made up of Bower Ashton plus renowned contemporary arts centres Spike Island, Arnolfini and Watershed.

We have strong links with many of the city's arts organisations, providing opportunities to exhibit, network, take part in projects and build your profile.

Tailoring the course towards your particular interests, you'll have the chance to work in any medium at any point in your studies, explore different avenues and shape your own professional journey.

Showcase your work to talent scouts and potential employers at our popular Creative Industries Degree Show and graduate with an impressive portfolio of work.

Where can it take me?

• Our students are regularly selected for fellowships and national competitions, including New Contemporaries, a platform for emerging artists.
• Benefit from opportunities to apply for British Council Venice Fellowships, Spike Island Graduate Fellowships, and Spike Associates Bursaries.
• Students recently took part in Tate Exchange, a public-facing performance event at Tate Modern, and staged events at Arnolfini and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.
• UWE Bristol's fine art graduates possess skills and strengths that are important to a wide range of employers. Many are naturally entrepreneurial.
• Many go on to careers as artists, designers, curators, arts administrators and educators, or to postgraduate study such as master's degrees or teacher training.

Every student is placed within one of our partner institutions alongside a curator who will mentor the student through the year. Our industry partners are all renowned creative and cultural organisations.
This well-connected degree is for those wishing to explore curating and develop curatorial skills in one or more of the following areas: fine art, digital media, film, festivals and social history.

Why study this course?

• You will study alongside an intentionally small and supportive group of students with backgrounds in areas including fine art, sculpture, art history, architecture, 3D design, film studies and history, sharing practice and ideas and providing opportunities to work creatively and collaboratively on group projects.
• Our students value and thrive in a highly professional and creative learning environment led by experienced tutors in a lively and dynamic city with active and engaging cultural communities.
• Curating is based on Bristol's historic waterfront at Arnolfini. Situated above this internationally renowned centre for contemporary art you will be at the heart of Bristol's creative and cultural community, with access to UWE Bristol's City Campus and all it has to offer. Have a look at our UWE Curating blog to find out more.

Developed in collaboration with external partners, this distinctive interdisciplinary MA programme combines business and leadership with the arts, creative and cultural industries. Learn by doing through a practical, practice-led approach, with an emphasis on equality, diversity and inclusivity.

MA Creative and Cultural Leadership is a flexible work-based course, designed for transformative emerging leaders and influencers committed to equity, diversity and inclusivity in the arts, heritage, cultural and creative industries. As a mid to senior creative, cultural or heritage professional, you'll develop your transformational leadership potential.

As you tackle complex business challenges, you'll become equipped to meet current sector demands. You'll learn new, authentic approaches to collaborative leadership development during rapidly changing times, with an emphasis on equality, diversity and inclusivity.

Why study this course?

• Designed in collaboration with Bristol Business School and UWE Bristol's Creative Economy Unit, the course offers you interdisciplinary expertise in Creative and Cultural Industries and Business. You'll develop practical, work-based learning aimed to address sector gaps, such as leadership and management, business development and enterprise and entrepreneurship.
• Increasingly, creative and cultural leadership takes place outside larger arts organisations, such as museums, galleries, libraries and archives, as well as smaller organisations. These include independent agencies, studios, production companies, performance groups, theatre companies, festivals and social enterprises.

This industry-led master's course offers you the opportunity to explore the politics, business and culture of immersive technologies. You will learn practical skills and develop your craft as a pioneering storyteller in virtual, augmented and extended realities.

MA Virtual and Extended Realities is an industry-led course designed to address increased demand for expertise in immersive storytelling. The course is open to passionate graduates who want to enter the radical world of virtual, augmented and extended reality production.

We welcome students from all disciplines and backgrounds, and are looking for people with ideas about how their unique perspective and diverse experiences can contribute to this young and fast-evolving industry.

Your background may be in journalism, filmmaking, experience design, education, marketing or theatre. Perhaps your specialism is in storytelling, software, sound design or circus.

Whatever you bring to the mix, this is a place for independent thinkers who thrive in experimental, collaborative and hands-on learning environments.

Why study this course?
Virtual and Extended Realities is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. There is a recognised shortage of graduates with the skills and experience needed to support transformation in every sector.

Why UWE Bristol?

• In this one-year, full time course, you'll combine theory and critical thinking with practical experimentation. Throughout the year, you'll learn from pioneering thought-leaders and work with internationally significant industry partners. This collaboration will allow you to create innovative work in virtual and extended realities.
• Previous partners include BBC R&D, Royal Opera House, English Institute of Sport and Ultraleap. You'll also benefit from the support of a personal mentor, hand-picked from our research and professional networks to support your development.

This course is affiliated with the leading professional body for photographers in the UK and beyond, the Association of Photographers.

Why study photography?

• Images are everywhere. Studying photography enables you to understand the language of images and develop your 'visual voice' to communicate effectively and with confidence.
• It helps you understand the contexts in which images exist and circulate, and locate opportunities to get your images published, exhibited and commissioned.
• Becoming a photography professional opens doors to a wide range of careers within a global landscape of creative industries.

Why UWE Bristol?

• BA(Hons) Photography is based in the city of Bristol, a vibrant arts and media community that will challenge and inspire you.
• The course offers a vibrant, collaborative environment, modern facilities, supportive workshop instruction and expert input, all underpinned by theory and critique.
• Study at Bower Ashton Studios, part of our City Campus, where exceptional facilities and resources include industry standard digital media studios.
• Explore traditional tools and the latest technology in our production and fabrication workshops. Develop your creativity and the high-level practical skills needed to become a successful photographer. Work across all areas of the discipline, from editorial and documentary to fashion, advertising and fine art.
• We'll encourage you to transform your broad-based photographic practice into an individual visual style. On graduation, you'll have a unique and compelling body of work for the marketplace.
• Work to briefs set and assessed by external individuals and organisations, including photographers, filmmakers, publishers, clothing labels, product designers, theatre groups, musicians and festivals. Build your CV with work experience, and access to job opportunities, throughout the course.  
• Our partnerships with Bristol Photography Festival and IC Visual Lab, two highly reputable Bristol-based photography organisations with national and international influence, will provide you with a wide range of work experience placements and live briefs to work on. You'll also have access to industry talks, events and opportunities to display your work at prestigious exhibitions and venues.

Where can it take me?

• Our graduates work in fields from editorial and fashion to movie stills and medical photography. Employers include the BBC, Sunday Times Magazine and the Tate.  
• Past students have assisted photographers such as Steve McCurry, Zed Nelson and Tim Walker, and have been published and exhibited in FT Weekend, Vogue Italia, Oh Comely, The Photographers Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and the Tate.
• Graduates have also established important collectives and exhibiting networks such as The Lost Light Recordings, Loupe Magazine and Splash and Grab.
• Some graduates go on to further study at Master's level, including our own postgraduate MA Photography programme

Work with experienced journalists to build your skills and experience, and channel your passion for long-form writing into a successful portfolio journalism career.

Why study journalism (specialist features)?

• In today's fast-paced digital age, journalists need the versatility and skillset to create high-quality features across diverse platforms.
• As a features writer, you could be working on long-form pieces for websites, newspapers, magazines or podcasts, focusing on a specialist subject or type of feature writing, or taking on more diverse business-to-business work.

Why UWE Bristol?

• If you have a passion for journalism and long-form writing, our MA Journalism (Specialist Features) gives you the writing and audio skills to be confident in producing a variety of content across both print and online channels.
• Through a mix of practical and analytical learning, you'll develop high-quality writing, research and storytelling capabilities, alongside technical skills such as page layout, podcasting and website building.
• Unlike other MAs focusing on either news or specialisms such as sport or fashion, this course centres on feature and long-form writing for a range of media markets.
• You'll also have the chance to build up a specialism of your choice (such as sport, music, the environment, travel or fashion), ensuring you develop as a versatile, knowledgeable and employable journalist.
• You'll work with our experienced journalists, and be based at our arts-focused Bower Ashton studios, where you'll be immersed in the writing and multimedia journalism skills needed for today's media industry.
• You will build experience on placements and work shadowing, work on your own projects, and go away with a high-quality portfolio of your print, online and audio work to show to prospective employers.

Where can it take me?

• You'll be in a position to take on work on a freelance or staff basis with magazines (both specialist and business-to-business), or to write for online channels such as websites or podcasts.
• It's up to you if you want to specialise in a particular subject or type of feature writing, or use your skills to secure writing work across different fields.

This exciting and unique Master's degree, accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC), and co-designed by UWE academics and BBC journalists offers a practice-based, multi-media approach to news, current affairs and investigative journalism.
We aim to produce graduates with skills and understanding suitable for entry-level posts in all aspects of multi-media journalism content production including print, broadcast and web media.

Why study this course?
You will develop storytelling skills and learn how to make intelligent and surprising programmes that will captivate and engage audiences in a highly competitive broadcast landscape. You have a rare and unique opportunity to be matched with a BBC mentor who, alongside your tutor, will guide you through the production of a final major project.

You will study in a highly professional and creative environment with access to state-of-the-art, industry-standard facilities with a rolling programme of guest lecturers, industry speakers and live collaborative projects which under-pin the real-world knowledge and entrepreneurial skills required to succeed in your career.

The course is based at Bower Ashton Campus, part of City Campus, where exceptional facilities and resources include state-of-the-art digital media, production and fabrication workshops offer a combination of traditional tools and the latest technology.

Bristol is a vibrant and innovative media hub with the highest concentration of creative industries outside London. We work closely with a wide range of news and current affairs partners including Bristol's own television station Made in Bristol, the Bristol Post, Ujima Radio and creative and cultural partners, including the Pervasive Media Studio based at Watershed cinema and digital creativity centre.

We welcome recent graduates, media professionals wishing to update their investigative, writing and critical analysis skills, and those from other professions seeking a career change. Applicants must have previous journalism/writing experience and be able to demonstrate a passion to produce fair and accurate journalism that has impact.

Learn in a creative and supportive studio environment with professional-standard facilities and a focus on helping you gain real-world skills for the workplace.

Why study illustration?

• Studying illustration opens the door to diverse careers in the creative industries.
• You will respond to ideas, explore narratives and work across a range of media, including 2D, 3D and moving image.
• Self-directed projects could range from editorial to narrative, 3D model-making to film, animation to artists' books, providing excellent preparation for the commercial world.

Why UWE Bristol?

• BA(Hons) Illustration encourages you to create and develop your own personal visual language. Problem-solving through drawing and making is core.
• You'll be based at Bower Ashton Studios, part of the City Campus. Exceptional facilities and resources include industry-standard digital media studios and production and fabrication workshops.
• Explore a range of media and deepen your awareness of the ideas, concepts and contexts of illustration through theoretical studies. Build an awareness of the professional world and develop core skills through individual experimentation.
• Innovation and individualism are celebrated. Investigate potential contexts and audiences for your work and test yourself against industry expectations through live briefs, and national and international competitions.
• City Campus is a creative powerhouse that spans the city of Bristol and is made up of Bower Ashton, Spike Island, Arnolfini and Watershed.
• Our strong industry links with the thriving city of Bristol ensure input from illustrators and creatives. Visits from respected practitioners will keep you up to date with contemporary illustration practice.
• Attend lectures and seminars at the Arnolfini and Watershed and work in our production and fabrication workshops, equipped with traditional tools and the latest technology.
• Showcase your work to talent scouts and potential employers at the final year Creative Industries Degree Show and D&AD New Blood, London.
• Focusing on the avenues that interest you, you'll graduate with an impressive portfolio of work, ready to make your mark as an illustrator.

Where can it take me?

• This course prepares you for a sustainable and flexible career in illustration.
• Alongside established freelance illustration career paths, our graduates work as film directors, set designers, art/creative directors, illustration agents, visualisers, designers, model-makers, animators, storyboard artists, puppeteers and theatrical/film costume and prop designers.