International Foundation Year – Design Route

Year 1

(Award available for year: Non Degree)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the International Foundation Year – Design Route programme, students should have provided evidence of being able to:

- demonstrate an understanding of Design as an academic discipline;
- understand basic colour theory in art and design practice;
- understand abstraction and figurative and non-figurative composition;
- understand the design process in relation to fashion, graphics and textiles;
- appreciate contemporary, historical and cultural contexts in relation to their own emerging practice;
- understand the properties of media when selecting design processes;
- develop their own visual language;
- understand the concept of perspective as a drawing device;
- form logical arguments and make comparative assessments in the sphere of the visual arts and design;
- make a formal presentation.

Transferable (key) skills

Students will have had the opportunity to acquire, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:

- Qualities and transferable skills necessary for further study in the Design area to which they are intending to progress, including knowing how to:
> conduct visual research from a wide range of primary and secondary sources including contemporary, historic and cultural contexts;
> organise and interpret art and design research material;
> identify materials and media used in the visual arts and design;
> interpret visual and written source material;
> comment on some aspect of art and design practice in order to appreciate the link between their own work and that of historic and contemporary artists and designers;
> assess visual information, ideas and intentions in a meaningful way;
> draw from observed sources;
> analyse and evaluate their own work;
> access the University library and computing facilities;
> work co-operatively as part of a team.

- Skills necessary for the successful collaboration, negotiation, communication and management of Design projects.
- Skills necessary for time management, collecting and evaluating information, effective reading, note taking, essay writing and preparing for examinations.
- Skills necessary for the exercising of personal responsibility and the management of own learning.

Assessment

Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the programme and will include:

- evaluating different ways of looking at art and design in relation to methods of art and design production, contextual issues and stylistic forms;
- the production, organisation and editing of research material from sketch books, notebooks and journals;
- critical visual judgement and awareness of art and design in terms of its context and execution;
- studio based projects.