STUDY

Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Fine Art

Blue paint texture
Institution code: S82
UCAS code: W100
Start date: September 2025
Duration: Three years full-time, four and a half to nine years part-time
Location: Ipswich
Typical Offer: 112 UCAS points (or above), BBC (A-Level), DMM (BTEC), Merit (T Level)
Institution code: S82
UCAS code: W100
Start date: September 2025
Duration: Three years full-time, four and a half to nine years part-time
Location: Ipswich
Typical Offer: 112 UCAS points (or above), BBC (A-Level), DMM (BTEC), Merit (T Level)

Overview

Fine Art at Suffolk is established as a diverse and vibrant creative community where students engage actively in critical practise and practical skills with the support and guidance of experts in the field. 

The heart of Fine Art Suffolk is in the arts studios, where you develop your practice, underpinned by a rigorous program of contextual, critical and professional studies. You will be challenged to think and make beyond a single medium and to embrace interdisciplinary thinking. 

A course team of diverse backgrounds and specialist knowledge, all internationally exhibiting practitioners, offers intense small group and one-to-one tuition via lectures, seminars, workshops, and studio tutorials. The critique is an integral part of learning at Suffolk and enables our students to become intellectually aware and practically resilient. 

You will  benefit from a programme of visiting artists and professionals as well as access to a range of study trips and gallery visits, both near and far. Exhibition opportunities, internships and work placements complement studio studies and enable you to contextualise your work in relation to a variety of visual art arenas in the region, nationally and internationally.  

From your first year, you are given bright and airy studio space of your own within which to work, alongside extensively equipped workshop facilities ranging from printmaking to wood working, purpose-built installation spaces, life-studio and digital media rooms, all staffed by knowledgeable and helpful technical staff. 

As a graduate you will be equipped with a broad artistic skill set and a portfolio of practise that shows confident positioning in the contemporary art world. 

The University of Suffolk is world-class and committed to our region. We are proudly modern and innovative and we believe in transformative education. We are on the rise with a focus on student satisfaction, graduate prospects, spending on academic services and student facilities.

1st

in the UK for student satisfaction for Art and Design courses

(The Complete University Guide 2024)

6th

in the UK for spend on academic services

(The Complete University Guide 2024)

11th

in the UK for social inclusion

(The Good University Guide 2023)

Course Modules

From year one, you will acquire and develop a range of technical skills in painting, printmaking, sculpture, installation, lens based media and life drawing, with second and third years focusing on your specialist area and own selected themes. 

Our undergraduate programmes are delivered as 'block and blend', more information can be found on Why Suffolk? You can also watch our Block and Blend video.   

Downloadable information regarding all University of Suffolk courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Record 

In this module you are introduced to a range of materials and processes pertinent to contemporary fine art practice. It is an opportunity for you to experiment and explore a variety of fine art disciplines. This comprises a practice informed by curiosity and imagination and a creative and speculative approach to the manipulation of ideas, materials, methods and processes. The ethos of the module is to embed awareness of creative thinking through doing. 

In this module you will incorporate conceptual considerations of projects and place into your practice. You will be guided in project-based activity through thematic briefs. The focus here is the interactive relationship between materials, media and processes; between ideas and issues; and between producer and audience. You will begin to consider contextualization through mode and site of presentation, as well as the reception and documentation of the work.

This module emphasises the fundamental skill of drawing, engaging you in the practice of observing, recording, analysing, speculating, developing, visualising, evaluating and communicating. The purpose of the module is to develop understanding and skills in drawing, both as a tool for further development of work, and as a practice in its own right. 

This module enables you to contextualise themes of contemporary art practice with reference to relevant art historical and theoretical reference points. The module introduces a range of visual and textual material towards developing your capacity to examine and interrogate your own artwork as well as the works of other artists. 

In this module you continue to develop your individual studio practice building on the knowledge and experience gained at Level 4. You will stretch your imaginative skills with experimentation and broaden your awareness of practical developments in contemporary fine art. The relationship between practical and conceptual understanding is explored throughout, in the studio, critiques and exhibition of final work.

This module complements Studio Practice and Extended Practice. It allows you to develop your understanding, experience and reflection on your own practice in relation to others. This situated position is key to deeper understanding of the development of your practice, and importantly, your position in the wider community.  It encourages you to begin to position your work in relation to professional contexts.

This module builds on the foundations set in Research and Context.  It concentrates on developing a more complex understanding of specific ideas and themes pertinent to contemporary fine art practice.  Key relevant theoretical texts from art as well as subjects such as psychoanalysis, philosophy, critical, cultural and film studies, are employed in relation to examples of contemporary art practice.

This module acts as a transition to facilitate your progression from guided learning to your assumption of a more autonomous role and ownership of your own practice. You will continue to develop your individual studio practice building on the knowledge and experience gained from the previous semester, and to apply an understanding of the relationship between the artist, the artwork and the viewer. In this module you will begin to articulate the parameters of your Dissertation as a holistic engagement with your practice. – EITHER this module, or Extended Practice for 20 credits along with Avant-Garde and Experimental Film, must be taken.

This module acts as a transition to facilitate your progression from guided learning to your assumption of a more autonomous role and ownership of your own practice. You will continue to develop your individual studio practice building on the knowledge and experience gained from the previous semester, and to apply an understanding of the relationship between the artist, the artwork and the viewer. In this module you will begin to articulate the parameters of your Dissertation as a holistic engagement with your practice. – EITHER this module must be taken along with Avant-Garde and Experimental Film or Extended Practice for 40 credits must be taken on its own.

Combining thinking, making and reflecting directly, this module takes a playful and experimental approach towards stimulating your imagination and creativity. In it, you will explore alternatives to mainstream cinema which have attracted the label avant-garde, experimental, underground or alternative. It aims towards expanding your theoretical, critical, practical and creative horizons by engaging with a range of work and filmmaking modes. You will write a short case study on the production context and salient style and techniques of a particular movement, practitioner or film, and make and reflect on your own individual experimental short film, taking your case study findings as a point of departure. - EITHER this module must be taken along with Extended Practice for 20 credits or Extended Practice for 40 credits is taken on its own.

This module draws on and extends knowledge and skills gained from all previous Level 4 and 5 modules. It is the culmination of all learning through installation and exhibition of a coherent body of work. Degree Project provides opportunity to interrogate the relationship between artist, artwork and viewer through presentation of a Final Exhibition. It is the nucleus of your research and practice in Level 6 reflecting practical dexterity, theoretical underpinning and professional values. In this module you progress to an autonomous ownership of your own learning and practice.

This module allows you to extend your knowledge developed in Research and Context and Critical Perspectives together with the synthesis of theory and practice established in Extended Practice. A dialogue is expected to take place between the research and content in this module and that of Degree Project. The module addresses specific discursive and research methodologies appropriate to your individual work, extending your capacity to construct and present a focused and sustained academic discussion.

This module builds on the Level 5 module Professional Engagement. You will be supported, guided and supervised in posting a continuous blog or relevant social media in order to promote your practice. This is alongside the production of either a business plan or relevant funding application in order to prepare you for a sustainable practice in either a self-employed or employed capacity.

Waterfront Building reflecting in the marina

WHY SUFFOLK

2nd in the UK for Career Prospects

WUSCA 2024

3rd in the UK for spend on academic services

Complete University Guide 2025

4th in the UK for Teaching Satisfaction

Guardian University Guide 2024
A student standing next to their artwork
Arts Degree Show 2023
A student standing and painting
BA (Hons) Fine Art
A student standing and sculpting the human form from clay
Art Student
A student sitting on the floor working, surrounded by art supplies
Arts Building Virtual Tour

Entry Requirements

home-masthead-th

Career Opportunities

Graduates have gone on to a wide range of careers as:

  • Freelance Artists

  • Exhibition Organisers

  • Gallery Managers

  • Curators

  • Teachers & Lecturers

  • Art Therapists

  • Arts Administrators

  • And more

 

Take a look at our graduate stories to find out more. 

Your Course Team

Dr Susan Barnet

Originally from Los Angeles, Susan works across multiple media and has an MFA in film from the California Institute of the Arts.

Susan Barnet 1

Dr Jane Watt

Jane is a lecturer in Fine Art and has undertaken large-scale temporary and permanent public art commissions, also exhibiting nationally and internationally.

Jane Watt staff profile photo

Srin Surti

Srin is a lecturer in Printmaking and works on both the BA Fine Art and BA Graphic Design courses. He has exhibited his work across the UK and abroad.

Dr Matthew Bowman

Dr Bowman is a widely-published art critic and historian. His research focuses on twentieth century and contemporary art, criticism, photography and more.

Matthew Bowman staff profile photo

Ann-Marie James

Ann-Marie is Lecturer in Painting on the BA (Hons) Fine Art course and works in a range of media including painting, drawing, printmaking, and collage.

Ryan Gander OBE RA

Ryan Gander is an artist living and working in Suffolk and London. In 2017 he was awarded an OBE for services to contemporary arts.

Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Tuition Fee

£9,535

per year
International Full-time Tuition Fee

£15,690

per year

The decision to study a degree is an investment into your future, there are various means of support available to you in order to help fund your tuition fees and living costs. You can apply for funding from the Spring before your course starts.

UK Fees and Finance UK Bursaries and Scholarships International Fees and Scholarships

Ipswich Award

The University of Suffolk is offering a £1,000 Award for students joining the University of Suffolk’s Ipswich campus. The Award is based on specific eligibility criteria based on your year of entry.

More information
A group of students walking down a stairwell

How to Apply

To study this course on a full-time basis, you can apply through UCAS. As well as providing your academic qualifications, you’ll be able to showcase your skills, qualities and passion for the subject.

Apply Now Further Information on Applying
A silhouette of a student in their cap and gown

Emily Gillbanks, BA (Hons) Fine Art

"The course from day one has helped me to develop my technical painting skills, through workshops and talks with visiting artists."

read more
Fine Art Student with selfportraits

Related Courses

Abstract lines on architecture
BA (Hons) Architecture (ARB Part 1)

Join us now on our innovative architecture program. Design resilient spaces for rapid change, learn from industry experts, and engage in world-leading events.

Computer mouse
BA (Hons) Graphic Design

Unleash your creative journey. Small classes, tailored support, real-world projects with an employability focus. Your gateway to a thriving design career.

Close-up of a pencil
BA (Hons) Graphic Design (Graphic Illustration)

Unlock your creative potential and embrace your passion. Tailored projects, industry skills, and personalized expert support. Your gateway to a dynamic creative career.

Camera lens
BA (Hons) Photography

Explore photography's depths. Create impactful, risk-taking imagery. Expert lecturers, renowned guest speakers. International trips, hands-on experience. Elevate your visual storytelling.

Unibuddy: Chat to our Students and Staff

Aerial view of the Abbey Gardens in Bury St Edmunds

Destination Suffolk