Quick facts
| Qualification type | UAL Level 1 Award in Art and Design |
| Duration | 1 year |
| Study times |
You will be expected to be in college for a minimum of 3 days per week, from 9:15 to 4:00. Your timetable will be confirmed at induction. |
| Entry requirements |
Entry is via an interview where your commitment, enthusiasm and motivation should shine through. No GSCE qualifications or previous Art and Design experience are necessary. |
| Campus |
Leonardo House, West Suffolk College Sixth Form, Bury St Edmunds |
| Work placements | Work related experience |
Is it for me?
The UAL Level 1 Award in Art and Design is an outstanding course at the very heart of our Art School. The course is designed for you to adapt to studying and the college culture before progressing to more demanding and specialist level 2 and 3 courses.
The course is split between three distinct areas of study. These are:
Art and Design: You will learn and develop a broad range of hands-on creative, technical and professional skills. These include illustration, fine art, design skills, 3D/sculpture, digital work, animation, graphics, digital illustration, printmaking, painting and photography. This course is delivered across different assignments in specialist studios with professional staff. As your course progresses, you will focus more on your own creative interests and individual skills. This mix of structured teaching and the culture of open expression are at the core of courses.
Maths and English: you will continue with your Maths and English studies.
Life skills: you will study character strengths, learning skills, world knowledge and team work.
We love doing as many enriching things as possible This includes trips, exhibitions, live assignments and freelance work opportunities.
What you'll learn
Creative and technical skills:
- 2D illustration and design skills
- Drawing and painting
- 3D making skills - media and processes
- Printmaking
- Animation
- Introduction to games design (L2 Digital Arts)
- Digital: various software - including Adobe CC (Photoshop, Illustrator)
- Idea generation
- Exploration and experimentation of media and processes
- Independent development of studio work into own unique outcomes
- Contextual studies - historical and modern international art and design and connections to the wider world.
Professional skills:
- Working on 'live' assignments
- Meeting deadlines
- Working with focus and independence
- Communication
- Presentation of outcomes
- Online professional social media profile
Work experience placements
Work related experience is encouraged as part of this course, this practical experience is invaluable for your creative journey and future career prospects. By actively engaging in hands-on work, you will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills you acquire in the classroom to real-life situations.
Assessment
This course is assessed by deadline-driven coursework with no exams. All coursework is assessed at Pass, Merit, Distinction levels against the qualification unit criteria. We are proud to be a University of the Arts London (UAL) accredited college, the largest creative awarding body in Europe.
Further study
- Digital Arts Diploma Level 2
- Art and Design Diploma Level 2
- Architecture (Conceptual) Extended Diploma Level 3
- Art and Design (General) Extended Diploma Level 3
- Art and Design Foundation Diploma Level 3
- Art and Design Foundation Diploma Level 3 - Digital Art Pathway
- Computer Games Design and Development Extended Diploma Level 3
- Fashion and Textiles Extended Diploma Level 3
- Fashion Media and Promotion Extended Diploma Level 3
- Graphic Design Extended Diploma Level 3
- Interactive Media and Computer Arts Extended Diploma Level 3
- Interior Design, Styling and Decoration Extended Diploma Level 3
- Photography Extended Diploma Level 3
- Visual Special Effects and Animation (including Model Making) Extended Diploma Level 3
Example careers
- Graphic Designer
- Illustrator
- 3-D Animator
- Web Designer
- Creative Director
- Photographer
- Videographer
- UX Designer
- Art Director
- Architect
- VFX Supervisor
- Concept Artist
- Interior Designer
- Art Teacher
- Product Designer
- Art Therapist
Days & times
Starting September 2025