Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media Practice
- Animation, film and photography
- Architecture and interior design
- Fashion, fashion promotion and product design
- Fine art
- Graphic design and illustration
- Interaction and experience design
- Foundation
- Undergraduate
Kingston University’s accredited Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media Practice will give you the skills and knowledge you need to progress your studies to degree level.
Turn your creativity in a career
Prepare for a vibrant career in art and design.
This Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media Practice is accredited by Pearson and prepares you for the study of art and design at degree level. You'll gain an understanding of Visual Communication, 3D Design, Fashion & Fabrication and Fine Art. You'll explore a wide range of applied creative practices, developing your creative voice and helping you to identify the area of further study that best suits you.
You'll be taught by a broad range of tutors who all are creative practitioners. They will engage you in a critical investigation of your work, progression aims and ambitions. You'll take part in regular research and drawing trips. Studio, gallery and museum visits to London also form part of the course.
Central to the course is a vibrant studio culture which fosters individual creative identities as well as championing the value of collaborative practice.
Please view our digital portfolio guidance (PDF) to assist with your application.
Please note: application deadlines are strict. No late applications are permitted. Decisions will not be made on applications until after the relevant application deadline. Due to the expected volume of applications, this may mean a final decision may not be made on your application until early April.
Applications for September 2026 entry are now closed
We are no longer accepting applications for September 2026 entry, as the deadline has now passed.
Applications for the course starting in September 2027 will open in November 2026.
It was such a massive year of learning for me, I would not be in the place I am now as a designer or as a person without it. The peers and tutors I met have completely formed my creative practice and I am now the biggest advocate ever of doing a Foundation at Kingston.
Student work
3D Design specialism
3D Design specialism
3D Design specialism
Fashion & Fabrication specialism show
Fashion & Fabrication specialism
Fashion & Fabrication specialism
Fashion & Fabrication specialism
Why choose this course
While you study, you’ll benefit from top-quality teaching at Kingston University. Not only are we ranked Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework, we’re also Top 10 in the UK for Art & Design (The Complete University Guide 2026). Our Foundation Diploma also received an Outstanding across all four areas of our Ofsted inspection.
As part of Kingston School of Art, you’ll benefit from joining a creative community where we encourage collaborative working and critical practice. Our workshops and studios are open to all disciplines. They enable students and staff to work together, share ideas and explore multi-disciplinary making.
You’ll also use our dedicated Foundation studio spaces and facilities to explore ways to push project boundaries and open discourse across disciplines. Your tutors will encourage you to experiment with different materials, processes and ideas.
Students on the Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media practice who apply to BA courses at Kingston School of Art receive an automatic conditional offer on passing the Foundation Diploma, as recognition of their creative development and achievement on this course.
The Art School Experience
As part of Kingston School of Art, students benefit from joining a creative community where we encourage collaborative working and critical practice.
Our workshops and labs are open to all disciplines, enabling students and staff to work together, share ideas and explore multi-disciplinary making.
Course content
The Foundation Diploma in Art & Design course focuses on four main areas:
- Visual Communication - graphic design, illustration, animation, filmmaking, photography, art direction and fashion communication.
- 3D Design - product design, furniture design, architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, prop and set design.
- Fashion & Fabrication - menswear, womenswear, costume, textile design, pattern cutting and fashion marketing.
- Fine Art - painting, printmaking, installation, audiovisual, sculpture, performance and photography.
Please note: places are limited and the number of applicants is extremely high. We expect applicants to have attended one of our Open Days. You'll hear more about the course, meet staff, visit the ground-breaking workshops and studio spaces at our Knights Park campus, where many art and design courses are based, and receive guidelines about how to apply and what to include in your portfolio.
Course content
The course runs from September to June and is divided into three parts.
Part 1 - Core skills + rotation
The course begins by introducing fundamental principles, techniques & skills important to all specialism pathways. This is followed by a 4-week rotation which gives you the opportunity to experience each of the four specialism areas helping you to make an informed choice about the area you will choose.
Part 2 - Specialism
During specialism you'll explore your subject choice in detail and broaden your technical and conceptual skills. You'll also prepare your portfolio for degree-level application, with support from your specialism tutors.
Part 3 - Final Major Project
In the final term you will complete an extended self-directed project using the knowledge, skills and confidence you have acquired. The project culminates with a public exhibition and end of course celebration.
This Pearson BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media Practice is split into the Exploratory Phase (Rotation and Specialism) and Confirmatory Phase (Final Major Project), which share the same assessment criteria. All students will be provided with the Foundation Student Dictionary, which contains clear details of the course structure and its assessment criteria.
Core stages
Exploratory stage
Confirmatory stage
With every project you find yourself researching things you’d never thought about before, and then you have an end result that you never could have imagined just two weeks before. It really built up my confidence in my own practice.
What career opportunities does this course offer?
You’ll complete this course with the skills, confidence and direction needed to progress to further study. Recent graduates have gone on to courses such as architecture, fine art, graphic design, illustration animation, fashion, costume, filmmaking, photography, product and furniture design and interior design. Many choose to stay at Kingston University.
I loved the shared space and collective work ethic, we all worked together, shared ideas and inspirations! Constantly interrogating our ideas with our classmates, always having someone around to give a new perspective on my work and introduce new concepts to me that I would have never considered before.
Future Skills
Our Future Skills programme is embedded within all our undergraduate courses and throughout the whole Kingston experience. These skills will help you to become a future-proof graduate by equipping you with the skills most valued by employers, such as problem-solving, digital competency and adaptability.
As you progress through your degree, you'll learn to navigate, explore and apply these graduate skills. You’ll also understand how to demonstrate and articulate to employers how these future skills give you the edge.
Teaching and assessment
Scheduled learning and teaching on this course includes timetabled activities including lectures, seminars and small group tutorials.
It may also include critiques, project work, studio practice and performance, digital labs, workshops, and placements.
On Foundation I loved the energy and care that the tutors ran the course with. I will miss being around such a focused and fun group of people, all working on the same projects at the same time. Be ready and open for your work to be pushed in lots of different, exciting, unexpected directions!
Fees and funding
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
Student work
Fine Art specialism
Fine Art specialism
Fine Art specialism
Visual Communication and 3D Design specialisms show
Visual Communication specialism
Visual Communication specialism
Visual Communication specialism
What are the facilities like?
When you join Kingston University, you will have access to a wide range of facilities and resources designed to support your studies. Use the virtual tour below to explore some of the facilities you will use as part of your course.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Find out more about course changes
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
