Winchester School of Art

Winchester school of art is part of Southampton University which is included in the Russell's group of Universities, a selection of the most prestigious universities over the country, due to it's high level of research and teaching. Winchester is a lovely city and not too far from home or Southampton (where I have close friends and family), the Campus itself is quite new and very light with most studios including north facing light. The courses I went to look at were Fashion and Textile Design and Graphic Arts, both of which have similar course formats, I have summarised my notes from the talks and open days below:

University and city:

• Beautiful city
• Close to Southampton (15 minute train journey)
• Halls 15 minute walk to campus
• Really nice campus and building (lots of windows and naturals light)
• Large studio space
• Cars allowed in halls but not without valid reason e.g medical
• Flats in halls had no sofa area, just kitchen/dining area
• All rooms in halls ensuite
• Lots of pubs
• Good night life in Southampton with bus home 2am

Both courses:

• Impressive back log of job placements after graduation
• ABB/foundation pass
• £9000 per year
• Opportunity to do what you want to do
• Time for part time job in first and second year if required
• No set holiday projects but encouraged to keep working
• Course leaders have large background in industry
• All teachers are practitioners
• Looking for creative journeys in sketchbooks at interview
• Opportunities for exchange trips
• Lots of media suites with Lynda.com for online support
• First semester is a range of workshops for every pathway
• Pathways chosen in second semester
• Focused on employability
• Range of printers- mimaki, 3D, wallpaper
• Screen print room
• Library has one of the largest artist book collection
• Enter a range of competitions

Fashion and Textile Design:

• Research centres at the Tate and the V&A
• Reflective journals in year 2 and 3, 3000 and 4000 words
• Workshops open 8am-8pm Monday-Saturday
• Flexibility on which workshops to attend
• Range of knitting and weave machines

Pathways:

• - fashion design
• - knitwear for fashion 
• - printed textiles
• - woven textiles

Graphic Arts:

• Very self directed and flexible
• Links to studios in Berlin
• Students often take on extra projects
• Learn transferable skills
• Interview all applicants 1:1
• 90/95 intake of 300/400 applicants

Pathways:

• Graphic design
• Illustration
• Photography
• Motion Graphics

Both courses looked really interesting, I liked the amount of freedom there is, especially on the graphics course where you can do anything you like, merging the pathways if that's where you're journey takes you.The college is also really well equipped with a large range of new and old machines, and large working spaces to suit all different needs.