Foundation Year in 3D Design

Overview

This specially designed course enables you to make an informed choice about which design subject you wish to study at degree level, giving successful students the opportunity for guaranteed progression onto a named BA programme at Middlesex University.

Why study the Foundation Year in 3D Design at Middlesex University?

The Foundation Year in 3D Design is a creative and inspiring multidisciplinary course encouraging students to explore different aspects of design. It builds confidence, helps students identify their strengths and develops skills and techniques. The course offers an experimental diagnostic approach exploring different creative pathways and clarifies industry specialisms to help students choose possible career paths in the creative industries.

Following a multidisciplinary induction, you will explore the core 3D Design subject areas in the first part of the programme, then choose to specialise to work towards your final portfolio of creative work and exhibition. Alongside this you will explore London as a creative centre of visual arts through galleries and museums, and reflect on your experiences.

A key feature of the 3D Design Foundation Year curriculum is that students benefit from regular formative feedback and assessment. This process is designed to allow you the freedom to experiment, explore and investigate new, different and challenging ways of working.

How to apply

If you are interested in studying the Foundation Year in 3D Design you must apply to one of our four-year degree courses. Please have a look at the How to apply tab for further information. Successful completion of the foundation year guarantees entry onto your chosen design degree.

We offer the following courses:

Course Title	UCAS Code
BA Interior Architecture with Foundation Year	KF12
BA Interior Design with Foundation Year	WF23

Course highlights

An experienced and supportive team of tutors and technicians who also work in the creative industries
A specialist observational and life-drawing team offering traditional, digital, experimental and technical approaches to drawing
A contextual studies team with diverse knowledge covering different art, design and cultural areas
The opportunity to build an exciting and varied portfolio of design works for progression

A final exhibition at Middlesex University, teaching the process of preparing and displaying design works for exhibition
As a student of this course you'll receive a free electronic textbook for every module.

Course content

What will you study on the Foundation Year in 3D Design?

The foundation year is an intensive and diagnostic experience which will enhance your creative skills and will introduce you to the broad and diverse world of visual arts and creative industries.

Your learning will focus on making and learning specialist techniques, developing a creative portfolio, and developing your knowledge and skills in research and writing. You will be encouraged to trial your own processes and make your own decisions, to enable you to practice your craft and develop your own independent thinking and aesthetic style. You will also interpret briefs as part of group work and individual research study, allowing you to develop your creative identity for your portfolio.

At the end of your foundation year, you will have developed a strong portfolio that will showcase your work and reflect your future professional direction.

You will be taught by experienced artists and designers who work in studios, creative and advertising agencies across London – allowing them to offer a current, fresh knowledge and insight. Our large team of technicians and studio demonstrators will be supporting you and guide you through each process as you explore your creativity.

Modules

Core modules
- Stage 1: Exploration and Diagnostics (30 credits)
  
  This module encourages you to explore and experiment with new techniques and media through practical workshop inductions. You will develop and expand your research skills by making full use of the resources available at Middlesex University, revealing how research can inform and enrich your design practice. You will acquire a breadth of practical skills and research capabilities that will enable you to develop your ideas.
- Stage 2: Creative Specialism (30 credits)
  
  The module will develop experimentation and encourage exploration to widen and inspire your creative practice and conceptual thinking. From master-class sessions you will gain valuable knowledge of and insight into the creative industries, to clarify and develop a greater understanding of the variety of design specialisms, and begin to identify future career opportunities and directions after study. This module aims to build your subject knowledge through experimentation and increasing awareness to a level to be able to make a design subject choice.
- Stage 3: Major Project Portfolio and Exhibition (30 credits)
  
  The module gives you the opportunity to create your own individual 3D Design portfolio to showcase your originality and professionalism, and to be the final presentation of your extensive and varied creative work.
  You will have the opportunity to take your specialist choice to another level by working on an intensive six week major project in your chosen subject area. By this stage , with support of you foundation tutors, you will have a clear view on your progression pathway.
  You will develop your portfolio to support and define a proposed area of further study and industry employment. You will select and present your finished work for exhibition..
Contextual modules
- Creative London (30 credits)
  
  This is an introduction to a broad and exciting selection of London’s finest art galleries and museums covering all the specialist areas. The contextual studies team will share their expert knowledge as part of informative field trips and talks. These experiences will provide basic knowledge of contexts and issues that will inform and inspire your developing practice. There is a focus on developing confidence in using academic English language skills in the specific context of the creative industries. You will be asked to produce a reflective visual diary including 1500 words. This module runs parallel with the above modules finishing in Week 19.

See the course specification for more information about typical course content outside of the coronavirus outbreak:

Course specification

Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.