HNC Art & Design: Visual Arts (Part-Time)
Subject Area
Art & Design, Fashion & Creative Crafts
Student Type
Students aged 16-18 | Adults
Study Mode
Part Time
Course Type
Higher Education
What is the course about?
This innovative visual arts course will enable you to develop your practical skills and theoretical underpinning across a range of visual arts disciplines. This will include non-traditional exploration such as digital, film, audio, sound, installation, plus more traditional approaches to visual arts such as drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles and sculpture. Projects will embrace industry specific vocational scenarios, enabling you to develop the skills, knowledge and experiences to progress onto further study and employment. We have strong links with a wide variety of creative arts industries and employers including Culture Warrington, Warrington Museum and Art Gallery and Warrington Market. We use our extensive links to enhance our programmes, through employer-led briefs, guest speakers and live external exhibition opportunities. The programme can be studied full time in 1 year (attending 2 days per week) or part time over 2 years (attending 1 day per week).
Why should I choose the course?
This course is delivered by highly specialised staff who have a wealth of industrial and teaching experience. The projects you will undertake will prepare you with the skills and knowledge required to progress onto industry. There will be a wealth of opportunity to develop your artistic practice in a highly supportive learning environment. We deliver a breadth of live projects, including most recently the opportunity to create art work to sell at Warrington Christmas Market, external exhibitions at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery, Mind mental health charity collaboration and extensive links with Culture Warrington.
What will I learn?
Throughout the course you will develop the skills to be autonomous as a visual artist, gaining a full understanding of professional practice, working collaboratively and developing advanced art practice skills.
The HNC will consist of four core mandatory units:
- Professional Development
- Contextual Studies
- Individual Project
- Techniques and Processes.
Two specialist mandatory units:
- Media Practices
- Material Practices.
Two optional units:
- Visual Merchandising
- Communication in Art and Design
Please note that modules listed are indicative and may be subject to change. We do not guarantee that a non-mandatory unit will always run in any given academic year as options may be dependent on student numbers, sector requirements and staff expertise.
You will be assessed through a variety of formative methods throughout the course. This will take place through 1-1 tutorials, questioning, peer critique, small group and whole class critique, teacher facilitation, target setting and ongoing review. Summative assessment will take place following the submission of each unit. Each unit is graded as pass, merit or distinction and you will receive in depth written and verbal feedback.
What will the course lead on to?
Successful completion of the HNC allows progression in to the HND. Following completion of the HND you can either progress on to university to complete a top-up to a BA hons degree or enter employment within the creative industries.
Are there any links with industry and university?
Visiting artists and guest lecturers will deliver talks and technical demonstrations throughout the course. Working processes and techniques are in line with industry and this will be articulated throughout the programme. You will be encouraged to visit local artists in their studios, and gallery exhibitions in order to broaden your understanding of professional practice. All learners will exhibit their artwork both internally and externally from the college in order to create links with galleries, develop curator and exhibition skills.
There will be a wide range of local museum / gallery trips ran throughout the year. Examples of recent trips include Liverpool Tate and Walker Art galleries, World Museum, Manchester City Art Gallery, Whitworth Gallery, Manchester Natural History Museum, Museum of Science and Industry and Yorkshire Sculpture Park. We plan to set up a residential trip offered to all HNC learners in the first year of the programme and for those who progress onto the HND as the second year of the programme. Recent foreign trips have included New York, Barcelona and Berlin. A fully guided schedule of Art Galleries and museum visits are provided on these trips.
In order to get the most from the course, you will be expected to have a work space outside of college in order to develop your practice. This could be either at home or in a separate studio. Work placement will be completed via live employer-led projects
Why should I choose to study the course at Warrington & Vale Royal College?
The college offers a very high-quality education for HE students. HE student feedback is strong and students are highly complementary of their learning experience. HE students have access to specialist facilities and resources to support their programme of study as well as designated HE learning spaces to support independent study.
In 2020/21, 98% of HE students at Warrington & Vale Royal College successfully passed their programme of study.
In 2020/21, 98% of HE students said that they would recommend the college to a friend and 98% of HE students agreed that the quality of education was good.
What are the entry requirements?
You will typically have one of the following:
- A BTEC level 3 or other level 3 qualification in a related subject, minimum MPP or MM
- T Level with overall grade Pass
- A minimum of two A-Levels (A2) with one in a related subject at grade C or above
- Access to HE with relevant options
AND
- A* to C grade and/or 9 to 4 in GCSE English (language or literature)
- A* to C grade and/or 9 to 4 in GCSE Maths
Non-native English speakers who have not undertaken their final two years of schooling in English need to demonstrate capability in English at a standard equivalent to the levels identified below. This is necessary before being recruited to the programme, as the programme is both taught and assessed in English:
- Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level B2
- IELTS 5.5; reading and writing must be 5.5.
We welcome applications from mature students who have appropriate work experience in a related sector or role and/or have professional qualifications in a related industry.
All HNC/HND programmes require the completion of a personal statement prior to an admissions interview being offered. You will also be required to provide a reference from one of the following options:
- A previous course leader/teacher (if progressing from a recently attended further or higher education course)
- A recent or current employer
- An appropriate professional who can provide a character reference (if you have not been in recent education or employment).
For the HNC in Art & Design: Visual Arts, a portfolio of recent artwork/design work is required for presentation at interview.
What are my funding options?
Students applying to study on a Higher Education course can apply for a HE student loan at www.gov.uk/student-finance
For further Finance support and enquiries please visit https://www.wvr.ac.uk/higher-education/higher-education-funding-support/
Are there any additional costs associated with the course?
You will be advised to put together a collection of your own personal materials and equipment dependent on your own specialisms and interests. This would include paint brushes, drawing media, acrylic paints, watercolours etc. A list of desirable tools, equipment and materials plus where to purchase these from, will be provided during induction. It is also advised that you have access to wifi and a device such as a MAC computer and Ipad to complete more digital aspects of work at home. We will use Google Classroom to set and review work so a digital device is an essential requirement for the course.
In addition to materials, we run a range of local trips to local museums and galleries e.g. Liverpool John Moore’s, Tate Liverpool, Manchester City Art Gallery and the Whitworth Gallery. There is usually a cost of approximately £10 per local trip. Additionally, we offer an annual optional European residential trip, which can cost between £300 - £450.
The college provides all students with £3 print credit, any further printing will incur a cost.
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