Student work from the Preparation for Foundation Online Short Course

Designed to help students build a high-quality portfolio of work in preparation for the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, the Preparation for Foundation Online Short Course is a good option for international students thinking about further study. Students will be introduced to a range of design disciplines as well as exploring drawing using different approaches and techniques.

We caught up with two former students to find out more about the course and hear about their work. Read more about how you can uncover your artistic potential with short courses in fine art.

20-year-old, Verda Modoglu, came to London to study after finishing high school in Istanbul. She is currently a foundation student at Camberwell College of Arts and is looking forward to starting her BA next year. “Next year I will start my BA in Architecture at Central Saint Martins,” she tells us. “Before I started the foundation course I didn’t really know what it was going to be like. The Preparation for Foundation Online Short Course really prepared me for the foundation year. With all the projects we did during the course, I really understood what they were expecting from us.”

After completing the Preparation for Foundation Short Course, Verda was keen to start a Foundation Diploma, and is now coming to the end of the course. She has enjoyed working on a wide range of projects, including a final major project exploring green spaces in Istanbul. “The last project on the foundation course is the final major project,” she explains, “and we were able to choose our own project topics. My final project was about increasing the green space ratio per person in Istanbul. I wanted to make a change in my city. I turned an abandoned place into a public park and theatre. The whole process was super fun and I explored many new techniques.”

Zeruo Wang, another former short course student, also enjoyed the variety of projects on the Preparation for Foundation short course. Originally from China, Zeruo currently studies Product and Industrial Design at Central Saint Martins. “I really enjoyed the course,” she tells us, “it gave me the chance to explore many different subjects, which was useful as I wasn’t sure which subject to choose for further study. It gave me a better understanding of each subject to make my decision.”

Zeruo also found tutor feedback very helpful during the course, noting that “almost every day I got one-to-one feedback from tutors, who were are all professionals in the subject. I not only got lots of knowledge from them, but I also got a taste of how things work and what I could expect from the foundation course.”

Working with students from across the world was something that both Verda and Zeruo enjoyed while studying on the course. “We did so many group projects during the Preparation for Foundation Online Short Course,” says Verda, “and I had the chance to meet with new people in an international environment. I really enjoyed working with my classmates in the group tasks.”

Verda also found that the course offered a useful insight into digital teaching tools, which helped her prepare for the foundation course. “I learnt how to use ‘Workflow’, which is a website that we use on the foundation course,” she says.

Both students found the course helpful in identifying which areas they were most interested in. As Zeruo puts it, “I found what I wanted to study after finishing this course. I also got advice on what areas I could improve on to better prepare for my foundation study.” Verda similarly felt that she left the course with a clear idea of how she could develop her work; “I learnt new techniques like making 3D samples and collages,” she said. “I worked hard on the tasks they gave each day to develop myself. I had a chance to work on my own to see my process. I developed most of my art skills on this course besides my portfolio preparation.”

Verda recommends the course to anyone looking to apply for the foundation diploma. “I would especially recommend it to people who are planning to study at UAL because this course really prepares students for the foundation course,” she says. “Each project was so interesting and fun, so people who are interested in art and design will definitely enjoy this course. They will learn different materials and techniques like I did.”

Zeruo also notes that the course is a good choice for anyone who isn't sure what area they are most interested in and may benefit from experimenting with different techniques and approaches.