- Location
- Anniesland Campus
- SCQF Level
- 8
- Start Date
- 25 Aug 2025
- Qualification Type
- HND
- Course Type
- Full-Time
- Duration
- 1 Year (August to June)
Applications open 15th January 2025
HND Contemporary Art Practice is an exciting well-established fine art course designed to develop you as a creative practitioner. The course will equip you with the essential practical and enquiry skills required to prepare you for Art School or to work as an independent artist. The diversity of the programme will allow you to build on your previous art experience as well as introduce you to more contemporary and exploratory ways of working. This is for entry to the second year of HND Contemporary Art Practice.
What will I learn?
HND Contemporary Art Practice Year 2 is primarily focused on identifying and developing your own studio practice in preparation for 2nd or 3rd year entry to art school. The course is delivered through three main projects.
Term 1 is designed to enhance your skills and support you in the development of your ideas, leading to strengthen and develop your own art practice. This is delivered in part through specialist workshops where the focus will challenge and extend your art practice.
Term 2 will give you more autonomy and decision making with your work and the direction you want to travel in. You will be able to work in any of the specialist areas the department can offer you including screen printing, 3d work and 2d art practice. You will also undertake a professional exhibition of your work which will be in a public space.
Term 3 will focus on professional practice, exhibition, and the final graded unit. This is a self-driven project supported through mentoring sessions and will come to fruition in a final exhibition.
The College has facilities which will allow you to work in any of the following areas:
- 3D Art Practice: sculpture, ceramic, casting, installation and audio visual
- 2D Art Practice: drawing, painting, printmaking - screen printing/ etching/ relief, digital and mixed media.
Theoretical study is integrated throughout the year and will be as far as possible linked with your own art practice. Critiques and presentations will also take place through the year alongside gallery and studio visits. The college will also support you in your application to art school.
Life drawing is an important additional element and may be offered by the College.
It may be helpful to have a look at some of our HND in Contemporary Art Practice student's work
Entry requirements (minimum)
- Students should have a pass at HNC level (15 credits) at Grade B or above in Contemporary Art Practice.
- Students with alternative HNC Art and Design group awards will be considered but may have to undertake additional units throughout the year.
Entry requirement equivalency table
If you do not meet the entry criteria for your chosen course, you may be offered an alternative course in the same subject area.
Employer and industry links
In addition to the course...
- You will have the opportunity to participate in a two-day workshop with Glasgow Print Studio
- You will also have the opportunity to work on live project briefs
- Visits to galleries and artists’ studios take place throughout the course
- You may have the opportunity to participate in cultural visits abroad.
Articulation Routes
The College currently has articulation agreements with the following Art Schools:
Gray’s School of Art at Robert Gordon University Aberdeen – You may progress to year two or three of the BA (Hons) Contemporary Art Practice
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design - Successful HND Contemporary Art Practice students may progress to year two or three of the BA Hons Fine Art degree programme.
Entry will be dependent on the following:
Satisfactory completion of the HND Contemporary Art Practice
Grade A in the Graded Unit
Attendance at interview
Portfolio review.
You will have the opportunity to progress to the following institutions to study fine art in a wide range of specialist areas. Applications to year 1, 2 or 3 will depend on your portfolio.
Edinburgh College of Art
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art
Grays' School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Heriot-Watt University
Highlands and Islands University
University of the West of Scotland
Forth Valley College
City of Glasgow College
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Portfolios are suitable for application to all UK Art Schools.
Jobs and further study
Students from this programme will have the opportunity to progress to the following institutions to study fine art in a wide range of specialist areas. Applications to year 1, 2 or 3 will depend on the individual student and their portfolio.
Edinburgh College of Art, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Grays' School of Art, Glasgow School of Art, Heriot-Watt University, Highlands and Islands University, University of the West of Scotland, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Portfolios are suitable for application to all UK art schools.
Take a look at the course progression map for art and design courses.
Making an application
For courses starting in August, you can make up to two applications.
Applications are made to a course and a first choice of campus. If the course is oversubscribed at your first choice you will be automatically considered for alternative sites and may be made an offer without a further application.
I've applied — what happens next?
When you apply
You will receive an automated email confirming that we have received your application (remember to check your SPAM folder).
Once our admissions team check your application and you meet our entry requirements you will be:
- Made a direct offer (unconditional or conditional)
- Invited to book an interview session- where you will be given information about the course. You will be asked to submit an e- portfolio of artwork prior to this session.
- Advised that your application is unsuccessful – you have not met the entry requirements for this course and are advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
- We aim not to reject an application and if you don’t meet the entry requirements you may be referred to a different course or level.
If you are invited to interview, you will be informed of the outcome of your interview by email within 14 working days. The outcome will be one of the following:
- Unconditional offer of a place – you have met all the entry requirements (including the portfolio of work), and your place is guaranteed. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your place.
- Conditional offer of a place – your place is secured pending you meeting the entry requirements. This may mean achieving school or college qualifications which you may not be able to provide to us yet. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your conditional place. Once your conditions are met this will change to an unconditional offer of a place which you must accept before you can enrol on the course.
- Waiting list – you have met all entry requirements, and have been interviewed however, the course is now full, and you have been placed on a waiting list. If spaces do become available, you may be contacted. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Unsuccessful – your interview has been unsuccessful. You may be offered a place on a course at a different level, or advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
Once an offer is received, you must reply within 14 working days or risk losing your place, as the system will automatically decline your offer after 14 days.
Once you have accepted your offer, you will be sent out instructions about student funding, joining instructions and induction date.
