Painting

This degree provides an ideal opportunity to nurture your love of painting. You’ll study both abstract and figurative painting traditions during practical workshops with demonstrations by painters, technicians and conservators. London Met was ranked 4th in the UK for fine art and photography by The Guardian's university league tables.

With access to both life drawing classes and workshops, you’ll produce work in a range of mediums and develop a strong understanding of how painting crosses other media. Taught by painters who have exhibited internationally, you’ll also visit artist studios in London, painting shows across England and learn to understand exactly how drawing is fundamental to any painting practice.

You’ll explore oils, acrylics, watercolours and spray paint, and investigate how different paints are made. You’ll examine how contemporary painters use long-standing traditions in mark-making, processes and techniques, and consider colour theory as used in painting now and in the past.

In the first year, you’ll spend your time among other painting students learning how to propose and develop your own painting projects. In the final two years you’ll develop your skills in a themed painting studio taught only by painters, where you'll have your own work space to experiment, develop your ideas and show and talk about your work. These studios are chosen at the beginning of your second and third year.

Uniquely, this painting degree offers a professional practice strand, which allows you to learn how professional painters make a living while developing a work-related learning placement during the summer break in your second year. This means you’ll graduate well-equipped to make your way as a painter. All painting students at London Met are taught how to self-organise in the art world, giving you the knowledge to market, frame, photograph, pack and hang paintings professionally. Throughout the course your paintings are tested in display and in group critiques, and you’ll end the final year by exhibiting a series of your paintings as well as publishing an exhibition catalogue with your peers.

You’re taught by a very special group of painting tutors including Andrea Medjesi-Jones, Michael Stubbs and Camilla Wilson. Each one of them is an experienced and innovative art academic with an international reputation and an excellent record in exhibiting. You'll be assessed through a portfolio of practice, written and illustrated work. There are no examinations.

Entry requirements

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• A minimum of grades BBC in three relevant A level subjects such as the arts, humanities and social sciences (or a minimum of 112 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification in relevant art and design subjects)
• A portfolio review
• GCSE English at grade C (grade 4)

We also accept mature students with diverse backgrounds and experiences, and encourage applications from international/EU students with equivalent qualifications. Suitable applicants living in the UK will be invited to a portfolio interview. Applicants living outside the UK will be required to submit a portfolio of work via email.

If you do not have traditional qualifications or cannot meet the entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, you may still be able to gain entry by completing the Art and Design Extended Degree (with Foundation Year).

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.

After the course

Graduates of this course may go on to further research or study, or choose to work in cultural institutions or commercial galleries as an artist, curator or consultant. There will be employment and self-employment opportunities in art/culture journalism, as well as in education.