91ÊÓÆµ

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Key facts

Entry requirements

112 or DMM

Additional entry requirements apply to this course Full entry requirements

UCAS code

W100

Institution code

D26

Duration

3 yrs full-time

Three years full-time, four years full-time with a placement. Six years part-time.

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition fees:
£16,250

Additional costs

Entry requirements

112 or DMM

Additional entry requirements apply to this course Full entry requirements

UCAS code

W100

Duration

Three years full-time, four years full-time with a placement. Six years part-time.

We offer more than a degree — every course is designed with employability and real-world experience at its core.

91ÊÓÆµis one of the few universities where you’ll benefit from a unique block teaching approach.

Enhance your studies and broaden your horizons, and develop new skills with our international experience programme, 91ÊÓÆµGlobal.

Join a 150+ year legacy of creative excellence. Since 1870, our bold, collaborative, and experimental approach has fuelled innovation, artistic growth, and industry‑leading talent in the world of fine art.

Develop the skills and confidence to meet a wide variety of creative challenges, to contextualise your work within the contemporary art world, and engage with a diverse range of careers.

You will have the opportunity to tailor your studies around your interests and goals, specialising in a specific discipline within fine art, such as; painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, photography, video, new technologies, performance and beyond. You’ll also have the freedom to broaden your skillset by working across a range of disciplines.

You will develop your individual artistic voice through experimentation in your chosen discipline or disciplines and your conceptual goals will evolve through critical conversations with tutors, peers, alumni, and visiting artists. Your career aspirations will be supported by a robust series of modules, workshops, visiting guest lectures and external projects that will provide you with experience to support your chosen career.

  • Experiment within your own individual studio space throughout all studio-based modules in the programme.
  • Students have secured placements at arts organisations such as the Two Queens gallery and the Handmade Festival of Art and Music, as well as in schools, galleries and creative businesses.
  • Graduates pursue careers in conservation, restoration, art therapy, theatre design, film and TV production, illustration, publishing, gallery management, and crafts.
  • Access cutting-edge, modern technical labs and workshops staffed by supportive technical demonstrators, who 99% of our students rate as providing excellent support.
  • Benefit from opportunities to discuss your work to world-leading curators and arts professionals. Past portfolio reviewers include curators from the Tate Modern, The Contemporary Arts Society, and other significant galleries and art institutions.
Block teaching designed around you

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That’s why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You’ll benefit from regular assessments – rather than lots of exams at the end of the year – and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you’ll build friendships and a sense of belonging. Read more about block teaching.

1st for Overall Average Student Satisfaction

Based on the main themes of arrival, living, learning, and support in the 2024 International Student Barometer rankings.

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An ‘Excellent’ Five Star Rated University

Rated by QS Top Universities for our teaching, facilities, employability, global outlook and more.

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The Best Careers Support

DMU’s Careers Team won Employability Team of the Year at the TargetJobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards for helping students reach their ambitions.

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The First University to Achieve a Silver Race Equality Charter Award

Our work to improve equality and diversity, challenge racism and build an anti-racist community earned us the award.

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2nd for Sustainability

91ÊÓÆµwas named 2nd in People & Planet’s University League Table for our commitment to environmental sustainability.

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The Best University for LGBTQ+ staff

A staff survey by Stonewall saw us ranked the top university, and 2nd across all employers, for our work to create an inclusive environment where everyone has a voice.

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The Best Autism Support

The National Association of Disability Practitioners Award identified 91ÊÓÆµas the best at supporting autistic students.

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25th Best University

Student reviews and independent data from Uni Compare rankings placed us as the 25th best university.

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11th Best for Accommodation

Uni Compare describes our accommodation as A+, rated 11th best by students in its rankings.

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Top 20 for Employability

Students rated us as the 16th best university for employability in the Uni Compare rankings.

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Best for Work Experience

Students rated 91ÊÓÆµas the best university in the UK for work experience in both the 2024 and 2025 RateMyPlacement Awards.

Best University WINNER LinkedInFind out what makes us special

Our next Open Day is on
Saturday 04 October

Join us in 86 days and 4 hours.

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What you will study

Block 1: Investigation and Exploration 1

Studio teaching is structured by broad themes that introduce students to the skills and knowledge required to engage with global contemporary art practice. Each theme will be introduced to the you in an introductory lecture and you will have the option to work under a specific theme during this block of teaching. Module themes are Memory and Place, Material and Meaning, Multiculturalism and Identity, and Reimagining.

Within each of these themes you will be introduced to various processes both traditional and contemporary that will allow you to explore working through different media. These processes include but are not limited to: Printmaking, Painting, Drawing, Digital and Analogue Media (DAM), Construction (Metalwork, Plaster, Woodwork, 3D printing), and Performance.

Knowledge of these processes will give you the agility necessary for both a specialist focus and interdisciplinary working that engagement with the contemporary art world requires.

You will engage with studio workshop teaching, tutorials and crits, both 1:1 and group, and will keep a developmental and contextual journal in the form of a Blog. You will also participate in a weekly observational drawing workshop and a weekly art history lecture and seminar.

Assessment: 50% practical, 25% drawing and 25% research summary.

Block 2: Investigation and Exploration 2

Studio teaching is structured by broad themes that introduce students to the skills and knowledge required to engage with global contemporary art practice. Each theme will be introduced to the you in an introductory lecture and you will have the option to work under a specific theme during this block of teaching. Module themes are Memory and Place, Material and Meaning, Multiculturalism and Identity, and Reimagining.

Within each of these themes you will be introduced to various processes both traditional and contemporary that will allow you to explore working through different media. These processes include but are not limited to: Printmaking, Painting, Drawing, Digital and Analogue Media (DAM), Construction (Metalwork, Plaster, Woodwork, 3D printing), and Performance.

Knowledge of these processes will give you the agility necessary for both a specialist focus and interdisciplinary working that engagement with the contemporary art world requires.

You will engage with studio workshop teaching, tutorials and crits, both 1:1 and group, and will keep a developmental and contextual journal in the form of a Blog. You will also participate in a weekly observational drawing workshop and a weekly art history lecture and seminar.

Assessment: 50% practical, 25% drawing and 25% research summary.

Block 3: Development and Consolidation 1

Assessment: 50% practical, 25% negotiated project and 25% research summary.

Block 4: Development and Consolidation 2

Assessment: 50% practical, 25% negotiated project and 25% research summary.

Block 1: Studio Practice Development 1

This block will give you the experience of responding to externalities while supporting development of an individual practice. You will be taught through studio workshops, tutorials, crits and lectures. You will be required to record your developing practical and contextual research and understanding in a blog.

Assessment: 80% practical, 25% negotiated project and 25% research summary.

Block 2: Art History and Theory 1

We will provide you with relevant research and study skills, and introduce underlying methods, principles and concepts of art history and theory. Teaching will be delivered through lectures, seminars and workshops. The lecture series will introduce you to the history and key theories of modern art and the origins of postmodernism. Seminars will require you to engage with close reading giving you the necessary skills to complete a Textual Analysis This will give you a foundational planning document which you will use to support writing the Essay. The writing workshops will enable you to acquire the skills required to produce an essay at this level and include researching skills, referencing and academic writing for Fine Art.

Assessment: 70% essay and 30% textual analysis.

Block 3: Studio Practice Development 2

You will build on experience gained in the thematic projects in block 1 by embarking on your own individual negotiated studio practice projects.

This module will complete your shift into fully self-directed practice in a supportive environment of tutorials, and crits, peer-to-peer learning, with access to the range of workshops and resources appropriate to each project.

Assessment: 80% studio practice and 20% research blog.

Block 4: Professional Practice 1

You will document research undertaken to support your understanding of professional practice in fine art, and career pathways for fine artists. You will plan and execute a negotiated outward-facing project: this could comprise, but is not limited to, exhibitions, community engagement, volunteering and work experience. Teaching will be delivered through lectures, seminars, workshops, and study visits.

Assessment: 60% negotiated project and 40% research summary.

As part of this course, you will have the option to complete a paid placement year which offers invaluable professional experience.

Our award winning Careers Team can help you secure a placement through activities such as mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, and you will be assigned a personal tutor to support you throughout your placement.

Block 1: Art Practice 1

You will document research undertaken to support your understanding of professional practice in fine art, and career pathways for fine artists. You will plan and execute a negotiated outward-facing project: this could comprise, but is not limited to, exhibitions, community engagement, volunteering and work experience. Teaching will be delivered through lectures, seminars, workshops, and study visits.

Assessment: 60% negotiated project and 40% research summary.

Block 2: Art History and Theory 2

This block supports the writing of an Essay that enables you to place your studio practice and thinking in a specific conceptual and theoretical context. You will be taught through a series of lectures, seminars and tutorials that interrogate key issues in contemporary art over the last 30 years. Each lecture discusses a range of artworks, contextualised with relevant theoretical debates. The Essay topic will be negotiated to best develop your critical understanding in relation to your individual practice. Workshops will enable you to hone your writing strategies and will provide ongoing feedback on writing tasks.

Assessment: 70% essay and 30% annotated bibliography.

Block 3: Art Practice 2

This block requires you to synthesise, consolidate and refine your individual projects, which will culminate in an exhibition at the 91ÊÓÆµDegree Show. Learning is supported by lectures tutorials, staff- and peer-led crit sessions to enhance independent learning and development. You will have access to the full range of workshops and resources appropriate to their individual practices.

Engagement with the current debates in contemporary art through lectures, contextual research and visits to exhibitions, will build your ability to articulate a position in a reflective statement supported by research in your contextual and developmental blog.

Assessment: 80% studio practice (exhibition) and 20% reflective statement.

Block 4: Professional Practice 2

You will develop appropriate materials for dissemination and promotion of your practice. This will include documentation of work, professional CV, websites and social media platforms, artist statements and press releases, catalogues, including participation in Degree Show catalogue and planning. Teaching will be delivered through lectures, seminars, workshops, and curatorial study visits.

Assessment: 100% professional portfolio.

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

Individual studio practice, group projects, workshops, group criticisms, lectures, seminars, study trips and one-to-one tutorials form the basis of this studio-based taught course. You will use a journal to collate your research and as a space for reflection on your professional, creative and intellectual development. Contextual studies and art history lectures will deepen your understanding of the theories and histories of Fine Art.

The first year is designed to develop the key skills that every artist needs as the foundation of their practice. In the second semester the emphasis of teaching changes to enable you to synthesise your learning into a self-directed creative project of your own devising. You will be supported by regular tutorials and studio crits, as well as art history tuition.

In the first semester of the second year, you will be able to choose a specialist area. From semester two of the second year until the end of the course, you will work on your own individual creative interests and develop your potential as an artist. The course culminates with an exhibition of your work in DMU's Festival of Creativity – your first engagement as a professional artist.

Our teaching staff are research-active artists, who bring cutting-edge insights drawn from experience of their own practice and professional life into the studio, workshops and lecture theatres. They are supported by a wide range of visiting artists.

Contact hours

In your first year you will normally attend around 13 hours of timetabled taught sessions (lectures and tutorials) each week, and we expect you to undertake at least 21 further hours of independent study to complete project work and research.

Our next Open Day is on
Saturday 04 October

Join us in 86 days and 4 hours.

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Fine Art in the spotlight

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Open Days at DMU
Join us on-campus, find your new home at 91ÊÓÆµat our Open Day 4 October
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Our facilities

Vijay Patel Building

Our award-winning Vijay Patel Building is a hub of creativity and innovation, offering cutting-edge facilities designed specifically for Arts, Design and Humanities students. With state-of-the-art workshops, labs, and studios, you'll bring your ideas to life in spaces that mirror professional industry settings. Open, transparent environments foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, empowering you to experiment, design, and thrive in an inspiring atmosphere. Take a look at our stunning showcase of the building at

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Our expertise

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Haley Morris-Cafiero

Associate Professor of Visual Arts

Haley’s research has reached a global audience through viral media exposure and exhibitions. Through her professional practices teaching, she supports students in reaching their professional goals by creating opportunities to bring curators, art directors, etc to 91ÊÓÆµto work with students. She also supports the studio modules by teaching interdisciplinary practices.

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Isabella Streffen

Senior Lecturer

Isabella is an award-winning artist and programme leader for MA Contemporary Art Practice. Her internationally exhibited, site-specific work explores perception, politics, and poetics. A specialist in practice research and writing, her publications and collections include GRANTA, The Whitney Museum, and the Library of Congress.

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Tove Dalenius

Senior Lecturer

Tove is a Swedish-born artist and holographer who leads DMU’s Modern Holography Lab. Her research explores full-parallax digital holography using transdisciplinary, practice-based methods. She lectures in Holography and Fine Art and presents internationally on 3D imaging, scientific visualisation, and the creative potential of holographic technologies.

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Claire Anscomb

Lecturer

Claire is an artist and philosopher. Drawing is central to her artistic practice which, like her philosophical work, is largely concerned with the significance of automaticity in image-making practices, including the impact of generative AI on human creativity and aesthetic values.

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Gino Attwood

Lecturer

Gino is an artist and curator who works across a variety of disciplines including sculpture, drawing and video with an interest in media cultures, technologies and the impact they have on the world. Gino is founding director of Two Queens Gallery (Leicester) and holds an MFA in Curating from Goldsmiths, University of London.

What makes us special

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Block Learning

Block teaching offers a focused, streamlined learning experience where you study one subject at a time, rather than juggling several simultaneously. This approach means you’ll benefit from quicker feedback through regular assessments, a simplified timetable, and a healthier study-life balance.

With more time to focus on each subject, you’ll have the flexibility to fully engage with the 91ÊÓÆµcommunity, build connections, and explore other enriching aspects of university life. Whether it’s participating in societies, pursuing personal interests, or making the most of campus opportunities, block teaching ensures you can thrive academically while enjoying a rewarding university experience.

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91ÊÓÆµGlobal

91ÊÓÆµGlobal is our innovative international experience programme, designed to enrich your studies, broaden your cultural horizons, and prepare you to thrive in a global job market.

As a Fine Art student, you’ll have access to exciting opportunities both in the UK and abroad, including on-campus activities, faculty-led field trips, international internships, volunteering, and overseas study placements. You can also expand your experience through Erasmus+ and global exchange programmes, gaining valuable skills and cultural awareness.

This is just one of many ways 91ÊÓÆµhelps students become globally-minded professionals, ready to meet the demands of international employers and creative industries worldwide.

Where we could take you

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Placements

As a Fine Art student, you can gain practical experience on real-world projects through valuable placements, helping you develop industry-ready skills. Supported by a dedicated careers team and strong industry connections, you’ll enhance your expertise, expand your professional network, and advance your career before graduating.

Our award-winning careers team provides tailored mentoring, workshops, and portfolio advice, ensuring you're prepared for diverse roles in the creative industries. Students have secured placements at arts organisations such as the Two Queens gallery and the Handmade Festival of Art and Music, as well as in schools, galleries and creative businesses.

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Graduate careers

Our Fine Art course equips you with the skills needed to thrive in the competitive creative market. Graduates pursue careers in conservation, restoration, art therapy, theatre design, film and TV production, illustration, publishing, gallery management, and crafts.

After graduation, the 91ÊÓÆµArt Network offers ongoing support, resources, and industry connections to help you achieve professional success. The network is backed by influential artists and Christian Furr, providing valuable mentorship and opportunities in the art industry.

With strong industry connections, expert mentorship, and real-world experience, you’ll graduate with the confidence and skills to 

Course specifications

Course title

Fine Art

Award

BA (Hons)

UCAS code

W100

Institution code

D26

Study level

Undergraduate

Study mode

Full-time

Part-time

Start date

September

Duration

Three years full-time, four years full-time with a placement. Six years part-time.

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition:
£16,250

*subject to the government, as is expected, passing legislation to formalise the increase.

Additional costs

Entry requirements

We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds.

  • Art and Design Foundation, or:
  • 112 UCAS points from at least 2 A levels
  • BTEC Extended Diploma DMM
  • International Baccalaureate: 26+ Points or
  • T Levels Merit

Plus, five GCSEs grades 9-4 including English Language or Literature at grade 4 or above.

  • Pass Access with 30 Level 3 credits at Merit and GCSE English (Language or Literature) at grade 4 or above

We will normally require students to have had a break from full time education before undertaking the Access course.

  • We also accept the BTEC First Diploma plus two GCSEs including English Language or Literature at grade 4 or above.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Interview and portfolio

Interview required: No

Portfolio required: Yes

Please see our portfolio advice page for full details.

Additional costs

Here at 91ÊÓÆµwe provide excellent learning resources, including the Kimberlin Library and specialist workshops and studios. However, you should be aware that sometimes you may incur additional costs, which for this programme could include the following:

  • Art and design materials: £155 in your first year, rising to £200 in your second year and £275 in your third year to include your final major project. These costs may vary depending on what materials you choose to work in.
  • Specialist equipment: £100 in your first year to purchase footwear making tools
  • Specialist printing: £50 in your first year, rising to £100 in your second year and £150 in your third year.

There will also be a range of optional showcasing activities that will be available to you, the costs of which will vary depending on the opportunities you choose.