Art and Contemporary Practices BA (Hons)

What is special about this course?

Explore your creative identity and engage your imagination, working on collaborative projects, participatory art, community initiatives, digital creation, relational practices, curation, art and education, public art, and more. Interpret and contextualise theory, creative, and technical skills to produce effective contemporary art that builds engagement between the art world and the wider community. 

Set your sights on a successful career, focusing on employment in your chosen field, with opportunities to explore the evolving possibilities for art and creativity within the full context of contemporary art, health, recreation, and education.

Special features

• Emphasis is on each individual student interpreting and contextualising theory, creative and technical skills to produce effective art that engages within the art world and wider community and context of contemporary art
• Your studio practice, work placements and collaborative projects will give you the opportunity to define your own creative identity and explore the evolving opportunities for art and creativity within the full context of contemporary art, health, recreation and education
• Develop your individual artistic practice in direct connection to the current professional pathways commonly inhabited by contemporary artists today
• Modules focus on working in collaboration with others in professional settings, providing the necessary theoretical and practical skills to bring to life creative practices and help define your identity as a professional practitioner in art and contemporary practices
• Many former students have gone on to employment in the arts 
• There will be opportunities for national and international trips to enhance your experience

Accommodation

We offer modern student accommodation at a number of our locations.

Entry requirements

• Entry to year 1, HNC, is 1 Scottish Higher at grade C or above OR
• 1 A level at grade D or above
• Alternatively, NC Art and Design OR
• Foundation Apprenticeship Creative and Digital Media
• We will consider individual competence in art, design or lens based skills evidenced by a portfolio of your work and you may be required to attend an interview

Advanced entry

• Entry to year 2 may be possible with the HNC Contemporary Art Practice, with a B or above in the Graded Unit, or equivalent
• Entry to year 3 may be possible with the HND Contemporary Art Practice, including a Graded Unit result of B or above, or equivalent
• This is a Category 2 PVG course: PVG Scheme membership is required for specific optional modules/unit(s), where there is guaranteed contact with vulnerable groups in optional module/unit(s), but an alternative pathway exists to achieve target qualification. For further information visit our PVG scheme webpage

Access routes

• To year 1: NC Art and Design

Year 1 - HNC

• Year 1 is the HNC Contemporary Art Practice

Year 2 - HND

• Year 2 is the HND Contemporary Art Practice

Year 3 - BA

Cor modules are::

• Practical skills
• Collaborative project
• Theories, practice and protocols of working in the public realm
• Research project

All modules run in both the first and second semesters.

Year 4 - BA (Hons)

Core modules are:

• Major research project
• Professional profile
• Major final project

Fees

For students normally domiciled in Scotland, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

This includes

• EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
• EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
• EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

Rest of UK students

For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland, including Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

4th year free only for students studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.

There are a number of funding options available to UK and EU students to help you pay for your studies and your cost of living while studying (see the Funding section opposite).

EU/EEA and Swiss nationals without settled or pre-settled status in the UK

Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, the Scottish Government confirmed that EU/EEA and Swiss nationals, who do not have settled or pre-settled status, will be considered as international for fee purposes. Students will get an automatic scholarship for the degree (3^rd) year and the 4^th year of study will be free for those studying full-time, on continuous study, who have paid for the previous three years at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

This includes EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.

Students will need Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK.

International students

For students who do not normally reside in the UK or European Union and with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:

Part-time study is not open to international student requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK

Further information on international course fees.

A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time rest of the UK, EU and international undergraduate students for continuous study for the same award, up to the permitted standard time limit for the relevant award, including where students are following a recognised ‘top-up’ degree structure where the first and second years are made up of an HNC/D award.

Funding

UHI has a number of scholarships, bursaries, awards, and discretionary fund opportunities available to new and current students. Please use the A-Z of funds or use the filter to see which ones may be relevant to you. All students are welcome to apply.

Further information on funding your studies is also available, please see the attached link or contact the relevant UHI partner.

Additional costs

You will be required to provide your own materials for projects. This could be in the region of £300 per year. If there are travel or other expenses incurred on placements, you will also bear the costs for these.