University College Falmouth
Encyclopedia
University College Falmouth is a British
university college
in Falmouth, Cornwall
. Founded in 1902, it had previously been the Falmouth School of Art and then Falmouth College of Arts until it received taught degree
-awarding powers (and the right to use the title "University College") in March 2005. In April 2008, University College Falmouth merged with Dartington College of Arts
, adding a range of Performance courses to its portfolio. This merger had been the subject of dispute by some supporters of Dartington.
The University College is located in Penryn
and Falmouth
. Tremough Campus, in Penryn, is the larger of its two campuses, which it shares in a unique partnership with the University of Exeter
. The Woodlane Campus is in Falmouth town centre and provides a historic contrast to the modernity of Tremough.
The University College is a partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall
initiative.
.
In 1902, Falmouth School of Art was a wholly private venture and offered classes such as Freehand Drawing, Model Drawing, Painting from Still Life, Drawing from the Antique, Drawing in Light & Shade, and Memory Drawing of Plant Form. Students were charged between four and ten shillings per session for the privilege, and were offered the opportunity to enter for Board of Education
exams.
In 1938, the Local Education Authority
(LEA) took over the administration of the institution.
In the 1940s, courses became the responsibility of the Head of Truro School of Art, Stanley Wright was appointed Principal, the School was recognized by the Ministry of Education
and began to plan ambitious expansion. At this time there were six full-time members of teaching staff responsible for 21 full-time students, 55 part-time day students and 104 part-time evening students. Students were offered the option of studying either "Art" or "Craft". Art, by definition, covered fine Art, drawing and painting, museum study, and modelling and casting in clay. "Craft" included Leather
, Weaving
, Bookbinding
, Block Printing and Wood Inlay.
In the 1950s, the College relocated from Arwenack Avenue to Kerris Vean in Woodlane (built in 1875), Jack Chalker was appointed Principal and courses for the Ministry of Education’s Intermediate and National Diploma in Design Examinations were offered for the first time. Studios for sculpture and printed textiles were constructed in the grounds. The School now occupied a unique site in the former Fox-Rosehill sub-tropical gardens (which rivalled many others of great renown, such as Glendurgan
and Trebah
), Michael Finn was appointed Principal, the School began a commercial design course for vocational students as well as a junior design course for school children, and the National Advisory Council for Art Education (NACAE) was established.
In the 1960s, the NACAE published its first report, Peter Lanyon
and Terry Frost
were appointed as visiting lecturers, a further storey was added to the textiles and sculpture workshops for use as a printmaking studio, and alterations to Kerris Vean presented opportunities for the study of photography. The question for Falmouth at this time was whether an art school with only 120 students, situated in a remote and economically disadvantaged part of the country, could compete for recognition with much larger institutions, against a national backdrop of changing approaches to art education. The LEA and leading artists such as Dame Barbara Hepworth, Bryan Wynter
and Patrick Heron
were both generous with, and energetic in, their support of the School.
The next dilemma for the School was whether it should seek the NACAE’s authorization to offer the new Diploma
in Art & Design (equivalent to a degree), and at that point, it decided to focus on full-time Intermediate and National Diploma students, and relinquish both its commercial design course and some part-time classes. With the purchase of Woodlane’s Rosehill House (built by Robert Were Fox in 1820) in the offing, it had seemed certain that the School would successfully achieve the recognition that it so earnestly sought, but having underestimated the NACAE’s basic requirements for general accommodation, studio space and staffing, and having failed to convince the Council that such a small institution could survive, it was with regret that the School received the news that the NACAE had refused its application. Undaunted, the search for additional land commenced.
Encouragement came to try again from Dame Barbara Hepworth
, Bernard Leach
, Patrick Heron
and Bryan Wynter
in 1964. In 1965, the momentous day arrived when the NACAE overturned its earlier verdict, following a reassessment of the School by the Chairman and Vice Chancellor of the NACAE, and the Principal of the Royal College of Art
(RCA). The School was now recognized as a centre for the Diploma in Art & Design, with Painting as a main course. Recognition for sculpture was to follow shortly. There were now 40 full-time students at the School, with a remit to expand to at least 100 students, but such expansion could only come about with a major building programme and the purchase of yet more land.
In the mid-1960s, additional studios and technical workshops were added to the School’s estate, and the LEA acquired Rosehill House on its behalf. Of great architectural merit, this building became the centre for Complementary Studies with History of Art, and the Library. Additional land was then purchased at the southernmost boundary of the Woodlane site to enable the enlargement of the painting studios and to provide a cinema, canteen, common room and games room.
At this time, the School offered a pre-diploma (the precursor of our modern-day Foundation programme), a Diploma in Art & Design (DipAD) which superseded the National Design Diploma (NDD), and entrance examinations for postgraduate art and design institutions such as the RCA and the Slade. Design became an important aspect of the School’s curricula, with Patrick Heron teaching two-dimensional design, and Dame Barbara Hepworth and Bernard Leach teaching three-dimensional design. Photography appeared in the College’s academic portfolio for the first time in 1963. The number of teaching staff at the School had risen from six in the 1940s to 25 in the 1960s.
In the 1970s, the School acquired an hotel opposite the Woodlane site and converted it into an hostel for 21 students, John Barnicoat was appointed Principal, and the School was recognized by the Council for National Academic Awards
(CNAA) as a centre for a three-year programme of study leading to the award of a BA(Hons) degree in Fine Art. In 1976, Tom Cross
was appointed Principal and the School continued to develop its resources by improving its sculpture studios and creating a new studio for ceramic sculpture. A purpose-built facility for photography and film was added, the library was enlarged, and the acquisition of a further student hostel in Woodlane, at Lamorva House, enabled the School to offer accommodation to 57 students. In addition, the original Arwenack Art School was handed back to the School to serve its introductory Foundation course as a centre for three-dimensional studies.
In the 1980s, BA(Hons) Fine Art was the principal academic course. A two-year BTEC General Art & Design course was added to the School’s portfolio and additional facilities for printmaking, photography, textiles and fashion were then created in buildings adjacent to the School in Woodlane. At this point, the School had a population of approximately 200 students on both HE and FE courses.
The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the School's Board of Governors, the acting Principal, Ian Carrick, the acting deputy for the Principal, Charles Hancock and Patrick Heron
, quickly implemented the School’s only available strategy for survival and galvanized the support of local MPs, renowned artists, former students and friends of the School. The response received was overwhelming and an extraordinary number of individuals wrote to the NAB in support of the School from both within the County and outside it.
Research conducted by NAB itself found that graduates from Fine Art courses headed the league tables for gaining employment in arts related fields after finishing their degrees. The NAB subsequently withdrew its threat of closure and agreed that it would turn its attention to reviewing Cornwall's art and design provision in its entirety instead.
Historically there had been no overall LEA policy for art and design education in Cornwall beyond an accepted notion that Fine Art should be taught at Falmouth School of Art and "applied" Art at Cornwall College
, and it had been observed on several occasions that this anomaly presented the greatest impediment to the development of a real centre of excellence for art and design education in Cornwall.
As a result, a joint working party involving senior specialist staff from both institutions was formed by the LEA to consider the future development of art and design in the County.
In 1978, Cornwall College, a predominantly FE orientated institution, had formed a Faculty of Art & Design. It offered full-time, three- and four-year vocational courses in Graphic Design
, Technical Illustration, Display & Exhibition Design, and Ceramics to 150 students, leading to the award of South West Region Diplomas in Design and Licentiateship to the Chartered Society of Designers
. In the early 1980s, these courses were converted to BTEC National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) courses. A one-year Foundation Design course was also in operation and in 1982, the CNAA validated the Faculty’s Postgraduate Diploma in Radio Journalism.
By 1986, the student population of this Faculty had risen to around 500 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs). The Faculty had significantly outgrown its resources at Cornwall College’s main campus and there were no residential facilities for the increasing number of students that it recruited nationally.
In 1987, it was agreed by Cornwall County Council
, and endorsed by the Secretary of State for Education, that Falmouth School of Art and Cornwall College's Faculty of Art & Design would merge to become Falmouth School of Art & Design. This new institution would be located at the Woodlane Campus in Falmouth.
The portfolio of courses to be offered by the new institution to the combined population of 636 full-time students included: BA(Hons) Fine Art, BA(Hons) Scientific & Technical Graphics, PgDip Radio Journalism, BTEC ND and HND Graphic Design, BTEC ND and HND Technical Illustration, BTEC HND Ceramics, BTEC ND Design, BTEC ND General Art & Design and a Foundation course.
In the same year, the first phase of new building work to provide accommodation for BA(Hons) Scientific & Technical Graphics commenced at Woodlane, the newly-formed Board of Governors for Falmouth School of Art & Design appointed Professor Alan Livingston as Principal, and a structure comprising eight Study Areas led by Principal Lecturers was agreed.
As a result of the Education Reform Act 1988
, the School became an independent Higher Education Corporation in April 1989.
. By 1996 the student population included 906 full-time and 60 part-time undergraduates, 38 full-time and 68 part-time postgraduates, and 290 FE students.
In 1998–99, the College was the only HE institution in the UK to be awarded 24 out of 24 for its teaching of art and design at undergraduate and postgraduate level by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). The College also acquired its second campus at Tremough
, an 18th Century, grade II listed country house and 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) estate in the nearby town of Penryn
.
initiative, including social facilities, additional teaching accommodation and a Learning Resource Centre.
Under the auspices of the CUC, the University of Exeter
's operations in Cornwall transferred to Tremough in 2004, as this campus has been designated the "Hub" of the CUC (with Cornwall's FE Colleges forming the "Rim").
In April 2008, University College Falmouth merged with Dartington College of Arts, adding a range of Performance courses to its portfolio.. In October 2010, the University College opened its new Performance Centre, which combines teaching facilities with spaces for public performances.
University College Falmouth offers a Foundation Diploma in Art & Design.
Undergraduate Courses at University College Falmouth include: BA(Hons) Advertising, Creative Events Management, Fine Art, Illustration, Marine & Natural History Photography, Photography, Press & Editorial Photography, Fashion Photography, Contemporary Crafts, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Performance Sportswear Design, Textile Design, 3D Design, Digital Animation, Drawing, Digital Media, Radio Production (FdA), English, Creative Writing, English with Creative Writing, English with Media Studies, Film, Journalism, Public Relations, Dance, Choreography, Music, Creative Music Technology, Popular Music, Theatre and Music Theatre.
Postgraduate Courses include: MA Art & Environment, Creative Advertising, Curatorial Practice, Fine Art: Contemporary Practice, Illustration: Authorial Practice, International Journalism, Multimedia Broadcast Journalism, Performance Writing
, Professional Writing (including a part-time distance learning option), and Television Production.
Career & Professional Development Courses, Short Courses and Summer Schools include: Business Writing, Writing Creative Marketing Copy, Writing for Radio, an Introduction to Professional Writing, Professional Media Practice and courses delivered with the American online short course provider, Mediabistro.
Open Education: University College Falmouth launched the specialist Art, Design, Media & Performance open education repository, openSpace, in April 2010. Funded by a £20,000 grant from the Higher Education Academy, and project managed by JISC, the pilot project released 40 M-level credits from the MA Professional Writing course. The units, made available to the public through a Creative Commons license, are free to use, access and study. A full Screenwriting Unit is freely available to study online. Other units include intoductory units to: Novel Writing, Fiction Writing, Non-Fiction Writing, Writing for Children, Business Writing and Feature Writing.
an and other funding has been invested in Phase One and Two of Tremough's development. Current projects on site include further student accommodation, sports facilities and AIR, the Academy for Innovation and Research. Construction is also underway on The Exchange, a £10m joint project between Falmouth and Exeter to provide fantastic study spaces and facilities as an extension of the Library at Tremough.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
university college
University college
The term "university college" is used in a number of countries to denote college institutions that provide tertiary education but do not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university...
in Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
. Founded in 1902, it had previously been the Falmouth School of Art and then Falmouth College of Arts until it received taught degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
-awarding powers (and the right to use the title "University College") in March 2005. In April 2008, University College Falmouth merged with Dartington College of Arts
Dartington College of Arts
Dartington College of Arts was a specialist arts institution near Totnes, Devon, South West England, it specialized in post-dramatic theatre, music, choreography, Performance Writing and visual performance, focusing on a performative and multi-disciplinary approach to the arts. In addition to this,...
, adding a range of Performance courses to its portfolio. This merger had been the subject of dispute by some supporters of Dartington.
The University College is located in Penryn
Penryn, Cornwall
Penryn is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Penryn River about one mile northwest of Falmouth...
and Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
. Tremough Campus, in Penryn, is the larger of its two campuses, which it shares in a unique partnership with the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
. The Woodlane Campus is in Falmouth town centre and provides a historic contrast to the modernity of Tremough.
The University College is a partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall
Combined Universities in Cornwall
The Combined Universities in Cornwall is a project to provide higher education in Cornwall, one of the few counties in the United Kingdom not to have a university within its boundaries, and also one of the poorest areas of the country in terms of GDP per head...
initiative.
History
University College Falmouth was founded as Falmouth School of Art in 1902, in response to the diminution of scientific activities in Cornwall that was brought about by the decline of the Cornish mining industryMining in Cornwall
Mining in Cornwall and Devon began in the early Bronze Age approximately 2,150 BC and ended with the South Crofty tin mine in Cornwall closing in 1998...
.
Falmouth School of Art
School board (England & Wales)
School boards were public bodies in England and Wales between 1870 and 1902, which established and administered elementary schools.School boards were created in boroughs and parishes under the Elementary Education Act 1870 following campaigning by George Dixon, Joseph Chamberlain and the National...
exams.
In 1938, the Local Education Authority
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
(LEA) took over the administration of the institution.
In the 1940s, courses became the responsibility of the Head of Truro School of Art, Stanley Wright was appointed Principal, the School was recognized by the Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education (United Kingdom)
The administration of education policy in the United Kingdom began in the 19th century. Official mandation of education began with the Elementary Education Act 1870 for England and Wales, and the Education Act 1872 for Scotland...
and began to plan ambitious expansion. At this time there were six full-time members of teaching staff responsible for 21 full-time students, 55 part-time day students and 104 part-time evening students. Students were offered the option of studying either "Art" or "Craft". Art, by definition, covered fine Art, drawing and painting, museum study, and modelling and casting in clay. "Craft" included Leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
, Weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
, Bookbinding
Bookbinding
Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block.-Origins of the book:...
, Block Printing and Wood Inlay.
In the 1950s, the College relocated from Arwenack Avenue to Kerris Vean in Woodlane (built in 1875), Jack Chalker was appointed Principal and courses for the Ministry of Education’s Intermediate and National Diploma in Design Examinations were offered for the first time. Studios for sculpture and printed textiles were constructed in the grounds. The School now occupied a unique site in the former Fox-Rosehill sub-tropical gardens (which rivalled many others of great renown, such as Glendurgan
Glendurgan Garden
Glendurgan Garden is a National Trust garden situated above the hamlet of Durgan on the Helford River in Mawnan Smith, near Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Glendurgan Garden was laid out by Alfred Fox in the 1820s and 1830s...
and Trebah
Trebah
Trebah is a sub-tropical garden situated in Cornwall near Glendurgan Garden and above the Helford River .-History of Trebah:In 1831 Trebah was acquired by the Fox family who built Glendurgan Garden. Trebah was first laid out as a pleasure garden by Charles Fox, a Quaker polymath of enormous...
), Michael Finn was appointed Principal, the School began a commercial design course for vocational students as well as a junior design course for school children, and the National Advisory Council for Art Education (NACAE) was established.
In the 1960s, the NACAE published its first report, Peter Lanyon
Peter Lanyon
Peter Lanyon was a Cornish painter of landscapes leaning heavily towards abstraction. He also made constructions, pottery and collage....
and Terry Frost
Terry Frost
Sir Terry Frost RA was an English artist noted for his abstracts....
were appointed as visiting lecturers, a further storey was added to the textiles and sculpture workshops for use as a printmaking studio, and alterations to Kerris Vean presented opportunities for the study of photography. The question for Falmouth at this time was whether an art school with only 120 students, situated in a remote and economically disadvantaged part of the country, could compete for recognition with much larger institutions, against a national backdrop of changing approaches to art education. The LEA and leading artists such as Dame Barbara Hepworth, Bryan Wynter
Bryan Wynter
Bryan Wynter was one of the St. Ives group of British painters. His work was mainly abstract, drawing upon nature for inspiration....
and Patrick Heron
Patrick Heron
Patrick Heron , was an English painter, writer and designer, based in St. Ives, Cornwall.- Early life :...
were both generous with, and energetic in, their support of the School.
The next dilemma for the School was whether it should seek the NACAE’s authorization to offer the new Diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
in Art & Design (equivalent to a degree), and at that point, it decided to focus on full-time Intermediate and National Diploma students, and relinquish both its commercial design course and some part-time classes. With the purchase of Woodlane’s Rosehill House (built by Robert Were Fox in 1820) in the offing, it had seemed certain that the School would successfully achieve the recognition that it so earnestly sought, but having underestimated the NACAE’s basic requirements for general accommodation, studio space and staffing, and having failed to convince the Council that such a small institution could survive, it was with regret that the School received the news that the NACAE had refused its application. Undaunted, the search for additional land commenced.
Encouragement came to try again from Dame Barbara Hepworth
Barbara Hepworth
Dame Barbara Hepworth DBE was an English sculptor. Her work exemplifies Modernism, and with such contemporaries as Ivon Hitchens, Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson, Naum Gabo she helped to develop modern art in Britain.-Life and work:Jocelyn Barbara Hepworth was born on 10 January 1903 in Wakefield,...
, Bernard Leach
Bernard Leach
Bernard Howell Leach, CBE, CH , was a British studio potter and art teacher. He is regarded as the "Father of British studio pottery"-Biography:...
, Patrick Heron
Patrick Heron
Patrick Heron , was an English painter, writer and designer, based in St. Ives, Cornwall.- Early life :...
and Bryan Wynter
Bryan Wynter
Bryan Wynter was one of the St. Ives group of British painters. His work was mainly abstract, drawing upon nature for inspiration....
in 1964. In 1965, the momentous day arrived when the NACAE overturned its earlier verdict, following a reassessment of the School by the Chairman and Vice Chancellor of the NACAE, and the Principal of the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
(RCA). The School was now recognized as a centre for the Diploma in Art & Design, with Painting as a main course. Recognition for sculpture was to follow shortly. There were now 40 full-time students at the School, with a remit to expand to at least 100 students, but such expansion could only come about with a major building programme and the purchase of yet more land.
In the mid-1960s, additional studios and technical workshops were added to the School’s estate, and the LEA acquired Rosehill House on its behalf. Of great architectural merit, this building became the centre for Complementary Studies with History of Art, and the Library. Additional land was then purchased at the southernmost boundary of the Woodlane site to enable the enlargement of the painting studios and to provide a cinema, canteen, common room and games room.
At this time, the School offered a pre-diploma (the precursor of our modern-day Foundation programme), a Diploma in Art & Design (DipAD) which superseded the National Design Diploma (NDD), and entrance examinations for postgraduate art and design institutions such as the RCA and the Slade. Design became an important aspect of the School’s curricula, with Patrick Heron teaching two-dimensional design, and Dame Barbara Hepworth and Bernard Leach teaching three-dimensional design. Photography appeared in the College’s academic portfolio for the first time in 1963. The number of teaching staff at the School had risen from six in the 1940s to 25 in the 1960s.
In the 1970s, the School acquired an hotel opposite the Woodlane site and converted it into an hostel for 21 students, John Barnicoat was appointed Principal, and the School was recognized by the Council for National Academic Awards
Council for National Academic Awards
The Council for National Academic Awards was a degree awarding authority in the United Kingdom from 1965 until 1992. The CNAA awarded academic degrees at polytechnics, Central Institutions and other non-university institutions such as Colleges of Higher Education until they were awarded university...
(CNAA) as a centre for a three-year programme of study leading to the award of a BA(Hons) degree in Fine Art. In 1976, Tom Cross
Tom Cross
Tom Cross, also known as Decius, is an American computer security expert and hacker.- Early life :Cross was born in 1976 in Toronto, Canada and grew up in Tennessee. His father worked in telecommunications policy and his mother was a Registered Nurse's Assistant...
was appointed Principal and the School continued to develop its resources by improving its sculpture studios and creating a new studio for ceramic sculpture. A purpose-built facility for photography and film was added, the library was enlarged, and the acquisition of a further student hostel in Woodlane, at Lamorva House, enabled the School to offer accommodation to 57 students. In addition, the original Arwenack Art School was handed back to the School to serve its introductory Foundation course as a centre for three-dimensional studies.
In the 1980s, BA(Hons) Fine Art was the principal academic course. A two-year BTEC General Art & Design course was added to the School’s portfolio and additional facilities for printmaking, photography, textiles and fashion were then created in buildings adjacent to the School in Woodlane. At this point, the School had a population of approximately 200 students on both HE and FE courses.
Reorganisation of art education in Cornwall
By 1984, the School was under threat of closure from the National Advisory Board (NAB) on the grounds that its Fine Art degree course "was academically and geographically isolated". The National Advisory Body (NAB) was set up to 'rationalise' fine art provision in Britain in line with prime minister Margaret Thatcher's belief that art education should return to its 19th-century role of providing designers for industry.The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the School's Board of Governors, the acting Principal, Ian Carrick, the acting deputy for the Principal, Charles Hancock and Patrick Heron
Patrick Heron
Patrick Heron , was an English painter, writer and designer, based in St. Ives, Cornwall.- Early life :...
, quickly implemented the School’s only available strategy for survival and galvanized the support of local MPs, renowned artists, former students and friends of the School. The response received was overwhelming and an extraordinary number of individuals wrote to the NAB in support of the School from both within the County and outside it.
Research conducted by NAB itself found that graduates from Fine Art courses headed the league tables for gaining employment in arts related fields after finishing their degrees. The NAB subsequently withdrew its threat of closure and agreed that it would turn its attention to reviewing Cornwall's art and design provision in its entirety instead.
Historically there had been no overall LEA policy for art and design education in Cornwall beyond an accepted notion that Fine Art should be taught at Falmouth School of Art and "applied" Art at Cornwall College
Cornwall College
Cornwall College is a further education college situated on various sites throughout Cornwall with its main centre in St Austell. The college is a member of the 157 Group of high performing schools...
, and it had been observed on several occasions that this anomaly presented the greatest impediment to the development of a real centre of excellence for art and design education in Cornwall.
As a result, a joint working party involving senior specialist staff from both institutions was formed by the LEA to consider the future development of art and design in the County.
In 1978, Cornwall College, a predominantly FE orientated institution, had formed a Faculty of Art & Design. It offered full-time, three- and four-year vocational courses in Graphic Design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
, Technical Illustration, Display & Exhibition Design, and Ceramics to 150 students, leading to the award of South West Region Diplomas in Design and Licentiateship to the Chartered Society of Designers
Chartered Society of Designers
The Chartered Society of Designers , headquartered in London, England, is the professional body for designers. It is the world's only Royal chartered body of professional designers...
. In the early 1980s, these courses were converted to BTEC National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) courses. A one-year Foundation Design course was also in operation and in 1982, the CNAA validated the Faculty’s Postgraduate Diploma in Radio Journalism.
By 1986, the student population of this Faculty had risen to around 500 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs). The Faculty had significantly outgrown its resources at Cornwall College’s main campus and there were no residential facilities for the increasing number of students that it recruited nationally.
In 1987, it was agreed by Cornwall County Council
Cornwall County Council
Cornwall Council is the unitary authority for Cornwall, in England, United Kingdom. The council, and its predecessor Cornwall County Council, has a tradition of large groups of independents, having been controlled by independents in the 1970s and 1980s...
, and endorsed by the Secretary of State for Education, that Falmouth School of Art and Cornwall College's Faculty of Art & Design would merge to become Falmouth School of Art & Design. This new institution would be located at the Woodlane Campus in Falmouth.
The portfolio of courses to be offered by the new institution to the combined population of 636 full-time students included: BA(Hons) Fine Art, BA(Hons) Scientific & Technical Graphics, PgDip Radio Journalism, BTEC ND and HND Graphic Design, BTEC ND and HND Technical Illustration, BTEC HND Ceramics, BTEC ND Design, BTEC ND General Art & Design and a Foundation course.
In the same year, the first phase of new building work to provide accommodation for BA(Hons) Scientific & Technical Graphics commenced at Woodlane, the newly-formed Board of Governors for Falmouth School of Art & Design appointed Professor Alan Livingston as Principal, and a structure comprising eight Study Areas led by Principal Lecturers was agreed.
As a result of the Education Reform Act 1988
Education Reform Act 1988
The Education Reform Act 1988 is widely regarded as the most important single piece of education legislation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the 'Butler' Education Act 1944...
, the School became an independent Higher Education Corporation in April 1989.
Falmouth College of Arts
The 1990s witnessed the rapid development of the College's academic portfolio. Falmouth School of Art & Design became Falmouth College of Arts to signify its recognition of media as an arts subject. From 1992 the College's awards were accredited by the University of PlymouthUniversity of Plymouth
Plymouth University is the largest university in the South West of England, with over 30,000 students and is 9th largest in the United Kingdom by total number of students . It has almost 3,000 staff...
. By 1996 the student population included 906 full-time and 60 part-time undergraduates, 38 full-time and 68 part-time postgraduates, and 290 FE students.
In 1998–99, the College was the only HE institution in the UK to be awarded 24 out of 24 for its teaching of art and design at undergraduate and postgraduate level by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). The College also acquired its second campus at Tremough
Tremough
Tremough Campus is a university campus situated in Penryn, Cornwall. It is the only such university project in Cornwall currently. The name Tremough derives from the Cornish word for "pig farm"....
, an 18th Century, grade II listed country house and 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) estate in the nearby town of Penryn
Penryn, Cornwall
Penryn is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Penryn River about one mile northwest of Falmouth...
.
University College Falmouth
The University College's new Design Centre opened at Tremough in the Autumn of 2003 as part of a £50 million development of the Tremough Campus under the Combined Universities in CornwallCombined Universities in Cornwall
The Combined Universities in Cornwall is a project to provide higher education in Cornwall, one of the few counties in the United Kingdom not to have a university within its boundaries, and also one of the poorest areas of the country in terms of GDP per head...
initiative, including social facilities, additional teaching accommodation and a Learning Resource Centre.
Under the auspices of the CUC, the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
's operations in Cornwall transferred to Tremough in 2004, as this campus has been designated the "Hub" of the CUC (with Cornwall's FE Colleges forming the "Rim").
In April 2008, University College Falmouth merged with Dartington College of Arts, adding a range of Performance courses to its portfolio.. In October 2010, the University College opened its new Performance Centre, which combines teaching facilities with spaces for public performances.
University College Falmouth offers a Foundation Diploma in Art & Design.
Undergraduate Courses at University College Falmouth include: BA(Hons) Advertising, Creative Events Management, Fine Art, Illustration, Marine & Natural History Photography, Photography, Press & Editorial Photography, Fashion Photography, Contemporary Crafts, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Performance Sportswear Design, Textile Design, 3D Design, Digital Animation, Drawing, Digital Media, Radio Production (FdA), English, Creative Writing, English with Creative Writing, English with Media Studies, Film, Journalism, Public Relations, Dance, Choreography, Music, Creative Music Technology, Popular Music, Theatre and Music Theatre.
Postgraduate Courses include: MA Art & Environment, Creative Advertising, Curatorial Practice, Fine Art: Contemporary Practice, Illustration: Authorial Practice, International Journalism, Multimedia Broadcast Journalism, Performance Writing
Performance Writing
Performance Writing was pioneered at Dartington College of Arts in Devon, UK as a radical new approach to writing. It is a multi-modal approach which explores through artistic practice how writing interacts with other art forms and practices — visual art, sound art, time-based media, installation,...
, Professional Writing (including a part-time distance learning option), and Television Production.
Career & Professional Development Courses, Short Courses and Summer Schools include: Business Writing, Writing Creative Marketing Copy, Writing for Radio, an Introduction to Professional Writing, Professional Media Practice and courses delivered with the American online short course provider, Mediabistro.
Open Education: University College Falmouth launched the specialist Art, Design, Media & Performance open education repository, openSpace, in April 2010. Funded by a £20,000 grant from the Higher Education Academy, and project managed by JISC, the pilot project released 40 M-level credits from the MA Professional Writing course. The units, made available to the public through a Creative Commons license, are free to use, access and study. A full Screenwriting Unit is freely available to study online. Other units include intoductory units to: Novel Writing, Fiction Writing, Non-Fiction Writing, Writing for Children, Business Writing and Feature Writing.
Woodlane Campus
Woodlane Campus is situated less than half a mile from the original Falmouth School of Art and is close to the two Foundation Studies studios. Woodlane is home to BA(Hons)Fashion Design, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Performance Sportswear Design and Public Relations, and provides facilities for MA Creative Advertising and MA Illustration: Authorial Practice. Since, 2002, the original school of art building has provided dedicated studios for MA Fine Art: Contemporary Practice.Tremough Campus
Tremough Campus is used and managed jointly by University College Falmouth and the University of Exeter in Cornwall. Tremough is the hub of the Combined Universities in Cornwall project. Over £105 million of EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an and other funding has been invested in Phase One and Two of Tremough's development. Current projects on site include further student accommodation, sports facilities and AIR, the Academy for Innovation and Research. Construction is also underway on The Exchange, a £10m joint project between Falmouth and Exeter to provide fantastic study spaces and facilities as an extension of the Library at Tremough.
Academic ranking
University College Falmouth came 46th in The Guardian Good University Guide 2012, making it the highest ranked University College (excluding Colleges within the University of London) in the UK. The University College also appeared in the Top 20 for Art & Design.Student Union
The Student Union, "FXU", is the representative body of the students of University College Falmouth and the University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, on the campuses of Tremough and Woodlane. FXU organises events for students throughout the year such, facilitates community action and volunteering, provides opportunity for sporting involvement and offers student welfare advice.Notable alumni
- Luisa BaldiniLuisa BaldiniLuisa Baldini is Anglo-Italian news reporter and presenter, presently working for BBC News.-Biography:Born in Tanzania to an Italian father and English mother, she first came to the UK when the family moved to North London. She attended St. Helen's School and then Haileybury College, Hertford...
, newsreader and presenter - Julia Botfield, newsreader
- Tacita DeanTacita DeanTacita Dean is an English visual artist who works primarily in film. She is one of the Young British Artists, and was a nominee for the Turner Prize in 1998.-Life and work:...
, artist - Sarindar DhaliwalSarindar DhaliwalSarindar Dhaliwal is a Toronto based multi-media artist, writer and teacher. She was born in the Punjab, and grew up in Southall, London...
, artist - Lorna DunkleyLorna DunkleyLorna Dunkley is a British television news presenter, currently with Sky News. She presents the two-hour Weekend Lunchtime strand on Saturdays and Sundays at 12pm - 2pm, as well as presenting Afternoon Live every Monday from 2pm - 5pm & she now presents News, Sport & Weather on a Tuesday evening...
, TV presenter - John Dyer (painter)John Dyer (painter)John Dyer is a Cornish-based painter, focussing on colourful landscapes, architecture, gardens and notable events, especially in Cornwall.Dyer was born in Ruishton, Somerset to artist parents, Ted Dyer and Vivien Hutchings....
- Liz FullerLiz FullerElizabeth "Liz" Fuller is a British Television presenter, Welsh actress, TV host of ITV Wales The Pop Factory, model and media personality, known for once having owned the British branch of the Miss World franchise...
, actress - Gunnar GarforsGunnar GarforsGunnar Garfors has worked with new media developments and mobile services in particular since 2001. He has presented on these topics at seminars and conferences on six continents around the world and regularly takes part in panel discussions...
, CEO and president - Hew LockeHew LockeHew Donald Joseph Locke is a sculptor and contemporary British visual artist based in London.-Background:...
, artist - Sophie LongSophie LongSophie Long , is an English journalist who works for BBC News, mainly appearing as a presenter on the BBC News Channel.-Early life:...
, news presenter - Paul McGowan (artist)Paul McGowan (artist)Paul McGowan is an artist and fashion designer, currently appointed as artist in residence at the Eden Project. He is a former student of the Falmouth School of Art, and had his first exhibition in St Ives while still a student....
- Hugh O'Donnell (artist)Hugh O'Donnell (artist)Hugh O'Donnell is an English painter, printmaker and site-specific artist.-Life and work:O'Donnell studied at Camberwell College of Arts, London; University College Falmouth, Cornwall, England;...
, artist - Keith SalmonKeith SalmonKeith Salmon is a British fine artist. His work is principally semi-abstract Scottish landscapes which are created based upon his experience as a hill walker. Even though he is blind Salmon has climbed more than one hundred Munros, many of which have been captured in his artworks.-Education and...
, artist - Tim ShawTim ShawTim Shaw may refer to:* Tim Shaw , British radio personality* Tim Shaw , American football player* Tim Shaw , Australian after dinner speaker and television personality...
, sculptor - David TremlettDavid TremlettDavid Tremlett is a Cornish sculptor, installation artist and photographer. He currently lives and works in Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, Great Britain.- Biography :...
, artist - Julie UmerleJulie UmerleJulie Umerle is an abstract painter and contemporary visual artist based in London.-Life and work:Julie Umerle was born in the United States to an English mother and a Polish father...
, artist - Gerard WoodwardGerard WoodwardGerard Woodward is an award-winning British novelist, poet and short story writer, best known for his trilogy of novels concerning the troubled Jones family, the second of which, I'll Go To Bed at Noon, was shortlisted for the 2004 Man-Booker Prize.He was born in London and briefly studied...
, novelist and poet
External links
- University College Falmouth – official website
- Combined Universities in Cornwall
- FXU Student Union