Art and Design BTEC Level 2 Diploma

This one-year course aims to help you improve not only your art and design skills, but gives you the opportunity to gain a full Level 2 qualification in English and Maths.

It will help you develop your skills, knowledge and understanding of art and design through the exploration of drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, wood, metal and plastics, photography and digital media. There will be artists and study visits to art galleries and museums.

In addition, this course will help you develop a deeper understanding of the industry and give you an opportunity to build a portfolio for progression.

The diploma provides education and training in art and design for full-time learners who want to go into employment or on to further study. It will help you to develop skills knowledge and a better understanding of art and design practice and theory as well as knowledge of the sector in terms of career paths.

You will focus on either two dimensional (2D) or three dimensional (3D) work, complete a major project and have the opportunity to build a portfolio for progression. In addition to your Functional Skills sessions and personal tutorial sessions you will have approximately four art sessions per week of 2.5 hours each. They will be varied and include group critiques, lectures and workshops. You will produce a variety of practical work including production plans, annotation and final evaluations. You will also learn to develop your critical skills and ability to contextualise your work in relation to historical and contemporary artists. There are several skills and attributes that will be expected of you. You will need to be continually focused on generating and developing ideas as this is the essence of all creativity. In addition to this you must demonstrate self-motivation and a willingness to experiment. Many of your tutors are practising artists and designers bringing current industry practice to the classroom. From our teaching team you can expect:

- Enthusiasm and commitment
- Individual guidance to help you progress and achieve
- Help with working on your individual strengths
- Extensive guidance for application to higher level courses
- Help with building a varied portfolio of work
- Help with exploring careers within the creative industries

The course is taught through a range of approaches designed to provide you with the opportunity to develop your technical and conceptual skills. In order to cover all eight units you need to pass the course and you will be given assignments to work on at regular intervals throughout the year. The teaching team will help guide you through all of the assignment requirements. All of your work will be assessed as you complete the assignments the staff will provide you with feedback to help you better understand the processes behind the subject matter. Delivery methods will include practical workshop sessions in specialist rooms, classroom-based theory sessions supported by IT and computer-based research real-world industry situations (group projects collaborative assignments) educational visits to venues within the UK.

Students studying on this exciting programme will gain access to specialist facilities such as the Digital Media Centre, the ceramics, metal, wood and screen printing workshop,s highly skilled and industry experienced teaching staff, excellent routes of progression within Reading College for further Visual Arts courses, a full Art Design and Media BTEC Level 2 Diploma and Level 2 Functional Skills in English and Maths and help with becoming more independent.

Four GCSE grades D or above including an Art-related subject English Language and preferably Maths or a BTEC Level 1 Diploma with a Merit profile and supporting Functional Skills. Details of suggested portfolio content is included on our website on the Art Graphics and Fashion page. A satisfactory reference is required.

Students who successfully complete the one-year programme will be able to progress to a Level 3 course such as Fashion Design and Media Photography and Digital Imaging Art and Design Graphics and Digital Arts.