Interview with Sean McAlurum

You are the Programme Leader for the new Foundation Diploma in Art & Design at Prague College that is presented now in the new campaign in the Prague metro. Can you please shortly introduce us this programme?

The Foundation Diploma in Art & Design will be a programme allowing students to study art and design 24/7 (every day). This course is the normal accepted route of all UK art students because generally all students have not been able to study art full time at school or college and so the Foundation introduces students to a range of creative possibilities, gives them time to make decisions on their preferred future artistic path and ultimately they will all produce a folder of work that will allow them to apply for HND and BA courses in the field of Art and Design. My philosophy for our foundation will be to encourage experimentation and allow students to naturally develop their skills and artistic preferences. By allowing students time to develop and learn they will inevitably make decisions in what area of art and design they would like to focus on. This approach is also reflected in the structure of the units which first of all have briefs that are open to interpretation, and the briefs then will be a little more focused and finally all students will work on a Final Major Project where they will work on particular skills and interests that they have developed.

Why did Prague College decide to extend/change the Access Semester in Art & Design which used to be only for one semester for the whole year programme?

Prague College decided to move from an Access Semester to a full one year Foundation Programme because we feel that the students need more time to develop their knowledge, skills and to give them more time to discover their strengths and preferences. We felt that the Access Semester was forcing students to make choices too soon on whether to progress within Graphic Design or Experimental Media. Another important reason for moving to a one-year programme is that we want students to develop good working practises such as ideas generation, sketching and researching. By doing this, they will be better prepared for the HND.

What kind of students usually apply for this programme?

Students who are presently applying for this program are interested in art and design, but have probably had little chance to explore their interests further and are uncertain on exactly what career path to take. Also they will not have a folder of work prepared that allows them to apply for HND and/or BA, and this is a key reason most people apply for the Foundation Programme.

Can I try to apply even if I am totally a beginner in the art or design field?

Hmm, that's a good question! Theoretically, the answer is yes. Personally I feel that you have to have some creative ability, but often students will not be aware of their abilities, as they have had very little chance to express themselves fully creatively. Also now that technology is a big part of Art and Design, it is not such a necessity to be able to draw as those lack of skills can be potentially be compensated for by use of the computer. I also feel that artistic people have a certain way of looking at the world around them and are able to think conceptually. These I feel are important in the field of art and design. If a beginner in art and design is constantly looking around them, interpreting what they see, and soaking information up, then I feel Prague College can help them develop the skills required to express themselves.

What happens when I finish the programme?

I give you a medal! Only joking :-)

When you finish the programme, we will give you a Foundation Diploma that is recognised by all art colleges and will help you apply for any HND or BA of your choice. Ideally, we hope that you continue to study at Prague College and you will enter our three-year programme by entering the HND for two years followed by the BA for one year. Of course you will also hopefully have an excellent portfolio of work produced over the year, and this you will use along with your Diploma.