Art and Design (AQA) Fine Art

About this course

Art and Design develops your visual communication, creative and critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills which allow you to express your creativity through visual media, social and digital media and in other traditional public forums such as museums and in outdoor public spaces. The two-year A level course builds on GCSE or equivalent Art and Design and should be taken in conjunction with two or three other A level subjects.

An Art and Design A Level qualification can be taken along with other humanities and science subjects for entry to a broad range of university courses servicing the creative fields.

  • It develops your analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • It develops your visual communication skills in broad range of areas
  • An A level qualification in Art and Design is valued for any course in the creative arts and media.

What you will study/learn

You will be required to work in one or more area(s) of Fine art, such as those listed below. They may explore overlapping areas and combinations of areas:

  • Drawing and painting
  • Mixed-Media, including collage and assemblage
  • Sculpture
  • Ceramics
  • Installation
  • Printmaking (relief, intaglio, screen processes and lithography)
  • Moving image and photography.

Assessment:

The AQA A Level in Art and Design uses a synoptic approach which combines learning from different areas of study. There are four assessment objectives with two assessable components each.

  • Assessment Objective 1: Component 1 (15%), Component 2 (10%)
  • Assessment Objective 2: Component 1 (15%), Component 2 (10%)
  • Assessment Objective 3: Component 1 (15%), Component 2 (10%)
  • Assessment Objective 4: Component 1 (15%), Component 2 (10%)

Entry requirements

Students applying for A Level programmes must have the equivalent of 4 GCSEs with a grade 5-8 (A-C grade) or better, or have taken A Levels previously, with unsatisfactory results, and level B2 English according to the CEFR for Languages; either IELTS 5.0 or better, or Cambridge FCE Grade C or above (this only applies to applicants whose first language is not English).

Students may also apply for A Level programmes if they have a satisfactory high school leaving certificate, or secondary school exit qualification, which is not equivalent to the A Level for UCAS purposes.

There are no previous learning requirements for AQA Art and Design. However, we recommend that students should have the skills and knowledge associated with a GCSE and/or AS Art and Design course or equivalent.

Awarding Body

AQA

Career Prospects and further study

The study of Art and Design provides pathways into creative industries, marketing, communications and TV production.