Two paint-covered hands touching; wrists also visible and both people are wearing friendship bracelets

BA (Hons) Available in Clearing

Fine Art

Develop your practice, explore and experiment with new processes and media, and engage with contemporary fine art practice and theory.

Start date: September 2025
Location: Cambridge
Duration: 3 years
UCAS course code: W105

Start date: September
Location: Cambridge
Duration: 4 years with foundation
UCAS course code: W106

Start date: September 2025
Location: Cambridge
Duration: 4 years with placement
UCAS course code: W107

1st

in the East of England for undergraduates employed as managers, directors or senior officials.

Source: GOS 2025

Experiment with your creativity, explore materials and processes, and discover which media best communicate your ideas in a collaborative studio environment.

We encourage creative risk-taking, and you’ll explore many new practices and artistic platforms, including photography, printmaking, performance art, film and video, digital media, installation and site-specific approaches.

Our tutors, who are all professional artists, and expert technicians will be on hand to support you to build a substantial portfolio of work.

Student Jennifer Drieu talks about why she chose to study at ARU, and how the Fine Art course helped her develop as an artist.

Why ARU?

Join a course that scored 92% for ‘Freedom of students to express ideas, opinions and beliefs’ in the National Student Survey 2024
Get hands-on in your own studio space from day one
We offer an annual prize of £3,000 for the student with the best graduate work
Benefit from our Fine Art Research Unit's lecture series

Study at an award-winning university

We were named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2023. We've also been awarded a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework – a reflection of the outstanding education we offer our students.

Careers

What was really useful was writing proposals, producing a CV and a personal statement... and the ability to be in exhibitions during the course, and to self-administer exhibitions.

Ian Wolter, Award-winning artist and sculptor

Our degree opens the door to many different creative and professional opportunities.

As a student, you’ll have opportunities to exhibit your work, and develop professional skills in curating, group work, event management, and marketing and promotion.

Our modules cover professional practice and include live briefs, and there’s careers and employability support on offer from day one. You can be sure you’ll develop skills and experience you need to stand out.

Graduation doesn’t need to be the end of your time with us. You might also choose continue your studies on our MA Fine Art degree. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.

Where have other Fine Art students found work experience?

What can you do with a Fine Art degree?

How can ARU help with my employability and career development?

Teaching and modules

You’ll start by exploring a range of approaches to observational drawing and experimenting with a variety of media, as well as gaining key knowledge of the theory and history of art.

In your second year, you’ll work on establishing your individual art practices and start planning your future career – but you’ll still have plenty of space to explore and experiment.

In your final year, you’ll focus on advanced studio practice and your Degree Show exhibition, as well as a Research Project and preparing for professional life after graduation.

Student work

Our student showcase

Work by Anugrah Mishra
Work by Francesca Gagni
Work by Chloe Culley
Work by Simona Racheva
Work by Caitlin Barnes
Work by Samuel Richardson
Work by Sarah Strachan
Work by Henry Huang
Work by Jessica Evans
Work by Lia Montero Lopez
Work by Sarah Haq
Fine Art showreel 2024: see some of the outstanding work by our students

What will I study?

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1

Fine Art Practice 1
Critical Histories of Art
Ways of Seeing
Into ARU
Approaches to Drawing *
Experimental Practice *
Anglia Language Programme (15 credits) *

Year 2

Fine Art Practice 2 (core module)
Critical Issues and Debates
Ruskin Module (15 credits)
Printmaking Ideas and Processes *
Spatial Practices *
Archive: Creative Futures *
Exhibitions in Context *

Year 3

Fine Art Major Project
Research Project *
Working in the Creative Industries *

Module details

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.

Year 1

Foundation in Art and Design

Module details

You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.

Placement year

Work Placement - Cambridge School of Art

Module details

What happens on a foundation year?

What happens on a placement year?

How is Fine Art assessed?

What equipment will I need?

Who teaches Fine Art at ARU?

Read profiles of teaching and research staff on this course.

Benet Spencer
Senior Lecturer
Rosanna Greaves
Senior Lecturer
Robert Holyhead
Senior Lecturer

Facilities

As well as our dedicated fine art studio with your own workspace, you’ll have use of facilities including:

Ruskin Gallery, a professional digital art gallery
life drawing studio
dedicated Mac and PC suites with the latest software
specialist printmaking workshop including etching, screen-printing, and lithography
3D workshops for physical media including wood, plastic, metal and clay
comprehensive photography and media facilities
Future Lab, a digital workshop with a variety of computer-aided manufacturing machines.

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Entry requirements

UK students

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.

Main

5 GCSEs at grade D, or grade 3, or above and evidence of two years post-GCSE study at Level 3.

If you have achieved at least grade E in one A level, or equivalent, you are exempt from the two years post-GCSE study requirement, but you still must meet the GCSE requirements.

Applicants who do not meet the two years post GCSE study at level 3 may be considered based on their satisfactory employment history, which must be a minimum of two years full time employment supported by employer evidence and deemed appropriate by the University for meeting the course of study applied for.

If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 5.5 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

International students

English language requirements

Contextual offers

Portfolio review

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Fees and funding

UK students

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

If you start a course on or after 1 August 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £25,000. This is called repayment Plan 5. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £25,000. After 40 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.

If you started a course on or before 31 July 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £27,295. This is called repayment Plan 2. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £27,295. After 30 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

International students

£17,500 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

£17,500 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

£17,500 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

Placement year fee

Additional costs

Living costs

Bursaries, sponsorship and working

Apply for Fine Art

Clearing places available

UK students, apply through Clearing for a September 2025 start

Apply through Clearing

Apply by phone

UK students, call our Clearing line

01245 686868

UK students

Apply through UCAS for 2026

Apply through UCAS

International students

Apply direct

Apply online

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Fine Art

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

Careers

Teaching and modules

Student work

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

Facilities

Entry requirements

BA (Hons)

Important additional notes

With foundation year

With placement

Important additional notes

International students

English language requirements

Fees and funding

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

BA (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

Apply for Fine Art

Clearing places available

Apply by phone

01245 686868

UK students

International students

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