BA Fine Art

Develop as an artist, refine your own practice, explore new and emerging art forms, and take part in a wide variety of exhibitions and events – both in the UK and abroad – with our BA Fine Art degree.

At Reading School of Art, you'll have the opportunity to:

build on your practical skills
explore the practice, theory and history of art
benefit from our approach to the subject, and particular focus on contemporary art.

In this three-year course, you’ll experiment with a range of subjects and media, exploring painting, sculpture (such as welding and casting), and printmaking, as well as digital media. This combination of practice and critical reflection will enable you to develop, articulate and sustain your own creative practice.

At Reading, we also offer a four-year BA Art degree, designed for students that have A-levels or other post-16 qualifications but have not studied a foundation diploma in Art and Design. BA Art also allows you to explore modules in other creative fields or wider university subjects. Please contact us if you require advice on which course is most suitable for you.

Your learning environment

Our studios offer a creative, lively and stimulating environment in which to develop the skills you’ve already acquired.

As well as your own dedicated studio space, that you can access 24 hours a day, seven days a week, There's always a high level of activity in the studios with events, workshops to help you explore different media, screenings, performances, and exhibitions taking place regularly. You can also explore our student-run gallery and experimental project spaces.

Our new School of Art building opened in September 2023 and is the perfect spot for exploring different media in our workshops and exhibiting your work whist being near the centre of our Whiteknights campus.

Our staff are actively involved in the arts and highly connected with the creative world beyond the University, meaning you’ll be exposed to a wide range of experience, expertise and career opportunities. You’ll be assigned a studio tutor who will help you focus on developing your individual and professional practice, working towards your final project and dissertation in the third year.

Your learning journey

Regular field trips to national and international museums, art institutions, exhibitions and galleries will give you the chance to consider the diverse conditions in which art is created, displayed and received.

You’ll also gain professional experience by taking part in your own exhibitions, public art commissions and events. Open debate and constructive criticism are actively encouraged, and you’ll learn to confidently and openly discuss your work with peers and teaching staff.

The degree is structured into three parts. Throughout each, you’ll receive training and academic guidance to help you grow as an artist and deepen your expertise. In particular, Part 2 and 3 allow you to focus on your own individual study path and play to your interests and strengths, as you engage in a choice of complementary modules, a comprehensive exhibition, and a written dissertation.

Develop your skills

The course is designed to further your skills, both critically and practically. You’ll learn to:

reflect the relationship of art practices to their global histories, discourse, and contemporary relevance
share knowledge of the diversity of art practices, materials, media, techniques and processes
use materials, media and techniques in informed, effective and skilful ways to enhance sustainability, responsibility and safety
select and present art practices and outcomes using appropriate and effective methods
apply concise written and oral communication skills, including analysis and discussion of viewpoints.

Assessment

Our practice-based assessment methods provide inclusive and diverse combinations that enable you to demonstrate your skills and knowledge relevant to your individual creative practice and strengths.

You’ll be assessed via a range of methods, including:

portfolios of practice
peer-review presentations
reflective journal writing
essays and reports.
This will culminate in a written dissertation and an end-of-year group exhibition of your artwork.

Professional development

As well as taking advantage of Reading School of Art’s partnerships, you’ll be encouraged to undertake placement opportunities and work with different artists and designers at events and exhibitions.

Past students have undertaken internships at Studio Voltaire and Frieze Art Fair, performed at the ICA, taken part in an Arts Council-supported film project at the Museum of English Rural Life, and participated in an international exhibition at the Seoul Institute of Arts in South Korea.

Others have participated in external exhibitions such as Urban Utopia, a partnership between Fine Art and Deutsche Bank where 35 students curated their work in the new Capitol building, Bracknell, and an exhibition at the Beaconsfield Gallery in London.

You’ll also have the chance to experience life in another country and apply to study abroad. Reading School of Art has links with universities in countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, France, Switzerland, and Finland.

Overview

At Reading School of Art, you'll have the opportunity to:

build on your practical skills
explore the practice, theory and history of art
benefit from our approach to the subject, and particular focus on contemporary art.

Learning

Your learning environment

Our studios offer a creative, lively and stimulating environment in which to develop the skills you’ve already acquired.

Your learning journey

Develop your skills

The course is designed to further your skills, both critically and practically. You’ll learn to:

reflect the relationship of art practices to their global histories, discourse, and contemporary relevance
share knowledge of the diversity of art practices, materials, media, techniques and processes
use materials, media and techniques in informed, effective and skilful ways to enhance sustainability, responsibility and safety
select and present art practices and outcomes using appropriate and effective methods
apply concise written and oral communication skills, including analysis and discussion of viewpoints.

Assessment

Our practice-based assessment methods provide inclusive and diverse combinations that enable you to demonstrate your skills and knowledge relevant to your individual creative practice and strengths.

You’ll be assessed via a range of methods, including:

portfolios of practice
peer-review presentations
reflective journal writing
essays and reports.
This will culminate in a written dissertation and an end-of-year group exhibition of your artwork.

Professional development

Entry requirements A Level BBB

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Our typical offers are expressed in terms of A level, BTEC and International Baccalaureate requirements. However, we also accept many other qualifications.

Typical offer

Foundation Diploma in Art plus 80 UCAS tariff points, or three A levels at BBB

You will be asked to provide an online portfolio of your work when you apply.

International Baccalaureate

24 points plus Pass in Art Foundation, or 30 points overall

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDM

UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma

Merit

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

Compulsory modules

Art Studio

Discover contemporary art and its global histories, models of practices, and practical and professional skills. You’ll learn the codes of good practice, health and safety, and sustainability in the studio, while producing and presenting artworks that develop your reflective and analytical skills.

Drawing

Expand your drawing competence and skill set as you discover a range of different methods, techniques, materials and tools, applying your enhanced proficiency to different contexts and subject specialisms.

History of Art 1

Investigate the diversity of practices and theories that constitute the field of global art and its historicisation in the first half of the 20th century. You’ll study a variety of perspectives, theories and accounts of the development of modernity, as well as their social, geo-political and aesthetic factors.

History of Art 2

Investigate the diversity of practices and theories that constitute the field of global art and its historicisation throughout the late 20th century and early 21st century. You will consider artists and their works alongside a variety of perspectives and theories of different art periods and their social and geo-political factors. You’ll study a variety of perspectives, theories and accounts of different art periods, as well as their social, geo-political and aesthetic factors, and explore narratives that shaped art practice.

Art Practice 1

Engage with a chosen specialism such as painting, printmaking, sculpture or video as you explore the different areas of production and traditions of art practices. You’ll gain knowledge on their histories and debate their contemporary relevance as you conduct self-led experimentation and develop your practical skills and material understanding.

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/2025 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Art Studio 2b

Learn to identify and investigate your own interests and concerns through practical engagement in the studio. You’ll develop your capacity for self-criticism through informed debate, as well as your confidence and the ability to present exhibitions.

Situated Art Practice

Shape your understanding of the global and historical diversity of models in artistic practices. You’ll realise your active role as an artist in shaping and being shaped by the world as you apply key research methods and present your material an appropriate format.

Optional modules

History of Art 3

Explore different forms of art writing, from criticism and visual analysis to interpretation and digital culture. You’ll consider how art history shapes our world and is shaped by our world, as you develop your research and communication skills and reflect critically on the different purposes of art writing.

Art Practice 4

Engage in-depth with the areas of production, and traditions of art practices, that have formed in the global histories of art. Within a chosen specialism, examine specific histories and debate their contemporary relevance while developing practical skills and material understanding through guided demonstrations and self-led experimentation.

Independent Study with Work Placement

Gain real-world experience through intensive investigation of an organisation, museum or gallery. You’ll engage as an active and responsible learner, managing your own work schedule and developing organisational skills that enhance your independence and self-motivation.

International Study 2

Embark on a supervised study visit to a major European art centre where you will encounter and experience contemporary art and art history first hand. You will visit major museums, galleries, and collections as you enhance your understanding of art history beyond an academic context. Recent visits have included Madrid, Berlin, Paris and Venice.

Art Practice 5

Master art techniques, processes and related materials with skill and imagination as you consider a chosen specialism and its place in the global histories of art. You’ll integrate experimentation, innovation, safety and sustainability as you practice, and learn how to interpret the relationship between understanding and practice.

History of Art 6

Develop a critical understanding of a range of historical and philosophical problems that emerge from contemporary art and evaluate the potential solutions. Alongside this, deepen your critical understanding of aesthetic and advance your research skills as you format an essay that evaluates the problems and solutions associated with contemporary art from an independent critical position.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Art Studio 3

Challenge yourself by developing an independent, creative and critically informed art practice as you advance your own interests and concerns through practical engagement in the studio. Expand your research skills in relation to your individual art practice, and in the understanding of both historical and contemporary practices of art.

Art Dissertation

Develop a critical understanding of a range of historical and philosophical problems that emerge from contemporary art. Your own research project will explore a specific problem of contemporary art related to studio practice, and evaluate solutions to such historical, theoretical and practical problems.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,535 per year for 2025/26 then fixed per year at this fee for the standard duration of your course.

New international students: £25,250 per year for 2025/26 then fixed per year at this fee for the standard duration of your course.

Tuition fees

To find out more about how the University of Reading sets its tuition fees, see our fees and funding pages.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Placement year fees

If you spend a full year on placement, you will only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee for that year. For more information, please see our fees and funding pages or contact placements@reading.ac.uk.

Careers

Overall, 96% of graduates from Art are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation (based on our analysis of HESA data (c) HESA 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22, includes all Art responders).

As well as the practical experience gained on this degree, you’ll graduate with a range of transferable skills, such as self-motivation, time management and strategic thinking.

Many of our graduates develop successful careers as artists, writers and curators. These include a number of famous alumni, such as Turner Prize-nominated artists, and PhD students who are award-winning artists and curators at influential museums. Others have found employment in galleries, education, art therapy, film and video production, journalism, advertising, and teaching.

Recent employers include:

Tate
Whitechapel Gallery
Christies
Microsoft
BBC
Victoria & Albert Museum
Manolo Blahnik.

Alternatively, you can choose to further develop your skills by moving into research or teacher training.

Your learning environment

Your learning journey

Develop your skills

Assessment

Professional development

Tuition fees

Additional costs

Financial support for your studies

Ready for more?