2.5-Term Pathway - Foundation Certificate in Humanities - Continue to Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - Art History, Visual Culture and Media Studies (Placement Year)

Program Description For students who've finished high school but don’t meet the entry requirements for university, a Foundation Certificate can help them gain entry to an undergraduate degree. After completing this pathway option students qualify for progression to the 1st year of an undergraduate degree at the University of Essex.

A student’s course length is determined mainly by their English language level (UKVI IELTS score). Students on all course lengths take a set of common or similar modules to gain a solid base of skills for university. Students taking a course longer than 2 terms, will take additional modules designed to improve one or more of their English language level, academic skills, and basic knowledge of particular subjects.

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - Art History, Visual Culture and Media Studies

At Essex, students will explore a broad spectrum of art, visual culture and media, both past and present. They’ll learn about canonical forms of art and architecture and cover a range of visual culture, such as video art, medical photography, tattoos and objects from political protests. They’ll also study the various forms of contemporary media that shape everyday lives, including film and television, photography, social media and advertising.

To study on this course, students don’t need an A-Level in art or art history. In fact, the Department believes that the best students of visual culture are those who bring fresh eyes and new perspectives to their objects of inquiry.

What’s more, students will have the opportunity to cover a range of disciplines through their modules during which they will combine different approaches to the study of visual media, hone their critical thinking and develop a deeper understanding of the histories and meaning of the visual world around them. Students will develop the skills they need to transform their passion for art, visual culture, and media into the ability to uncover new insights about the material they study.

Throughout the course student will cover key areas including but not limited to:

• World cinema • Digital media • Contemporary art • Politics

One of the major reasons for choosing Essex is the quality of the education students will receive. The Department is ranked 6th among art history departments in the UK for research excellence (REF 2014, mainstream universities, THE 2014). Students will be taught by their expert staff in the very first year, a rarity in the UK.

* Please note that this delivery option of the course includes a placement year.

Students may decide to opt for a placement year, where they develop their professional skills and build a network of business contacts. A placement year can give students a career advantage by showing future employers that they are a dedicated and experienced professional.