Art and Design

Why Art and Design in Southampton

University of Southampton ranks in the top 10% of UK institutions for design programs, maintaining student satisfaction above 90% according to The Guardian 2023. Its digital lab houses VR headsets, 3D printers, and the Igloo—a 6-meter immersive screen for interactive work. Winchester School of Art, the university’s art school, achieved recognition when over 90% of its research was classified as “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. This translates into current methodologies for students and strong employment prospects: game design graduates secure positions in 90% of cases.

Fashion Design

BA Fashion Design centers on sustainable practices through donated fabrics that would otherwise go to waste, giving students freedom to experiment without buying expensive materials. The program draws on market analytics from industry partners while membership in UKFT, British Fashion Council, and Graduate Fashion Week unlocks access to exclusive scholarships, placements, and events. Students also work with a local vintage archive spanning the Victorian era to the 1980s, which they use to contextualize ideas and source pieces for photo shoots.

Fine Art

BA Fine Art merges critical theory with practice across painting, sculpture, printmaking, installation, performance, photography, video, and digital techniques. Students select studios that match their artistic needs and join Shared Drive—collaborative projects bringing together learners from all years. The program sharpens both creative skills and the ability to articulate concepts. Between second and third year, students can spend a Year Abroad at partner universities, which broadens their cultural experience and subject knowledge before they graduate ready for professional art careers, creative industries, or postgraduate study.

Design and Art of Games

BA Games Design and Art spans formats from board games and escape rooms to narrative adventures and video games. Students create projects for marginalized audiences and engage with socially significant themes through research-led approaches. They visit studios, attend conferences, and present work at external venues. In their final year, they launch a complete game project showcased to peers and industry professionals. The shared studio environment helps each student identify and strengthen their unique capabilities while expert guidance from sector representatives builds professional networks for future careers.

Graphic Communication

BA Graphic Communication structures itself around four pathways: design for society, identity and information, language and narrative, future environments. This lets students either specialize or pursue broad design training while working with emerging platforms and traditional materials. Weekly guest lectures bring practitioners and agencies in to help build industry connections. Students exhibit at WSA degree show, London graduate showcase, and enter international competitions like Silent Book Contest and ISTD Student Award Scheme, integrating knowledge of sustainable practices, civic engagement, and business innovation for professional readiness.

Textile Design at University of Southampton

MA Textile Design runs real projects with designers affiliated to London Fashion Week and British Fashion Council, immersing students in professional scenarios. They develop technical skills from drawing and design evolution to heritage techniques alongside competencies in trends, color forecasting, and market analytics. The program includes trips to exhibitions, shows, and production sites across the UK and Europe, plus opportunities to attend London Fashion Week and Africa Fashion Week. Students learn to style outcomes, plan shoots with professional photographers, stylists, and makeup artists, and create Look Books while receiving support in finding and preparing internship applications.