The vast majority of FdA Illustration progress to the one year BA Top-up delivered at SCCH.
The following is advice to all those second years who are in the midst of interviews for the top-up or BA. It's generously given by Hannah Cousins who last year completed the top-up year at Camberwell after gaining a Distinction for the FdA.
The following is advice to all those second years who are in the midst of interviews for the top-up or BA. It's generously given by Hannah Cousins who last year completed the top-up year at Camberwell after gaining a Distinction for the FdA.
FdA to BA. Advice for interviews and moving on to a top-up course...
Be interested in something
Have something to say or a story to tell. In your final year you will be expected to write your own briefs so you need to find a topic that interests you (eg. A book, a theory, a social movement) firstly, in order to provide a starting point to develop ideas from and secondly, so that your chosen subject can hold your attention through the duration of the project.
Be relevant
Cultural context is important and you should consider how an audience will respond to your work in light of current affairs. Keep up to date with anything connected to your projects- political affairs, world news, book launches or trends in social media, you'll find that your work can be much more provocative and thus more interesting to prospective tutors.
Read
Get a head-start on your dissertation research over the summer and get to know philosophers key theories, political movements and the historical context. You will need to demonstrate an intellectual understanding of the development of particular ideas and what this means in relation to your research.
Work hard
Moving on can be unsettling and you don't have long to adjust. If you want to do well then my advice is to focus on your work and to be proactive in finding out how to get what/where you need to (for example, if you are studying somewhere new you may need to be inducted to use printmaking facilities or find out how to obtain a computer log-in to do printing or photocopying). There are a lot more students in a BA year group (my year had almost 80 students) and you will get much less attention and advise than during your time on the FdA so be prepared to ask for help, rather than being offered it.
Rest up
Use your summer break to refuel and prepare yourself for the year ahead. When you finish your final year you may want to keep momentum going after the degree shows so this is your last chance for some proper 'R&R'.
Nurture you craft
Being the same as everyone else is no way to survive. So do what you do, be yourself, trust your instincts and guard your craft carefully.
