Overview of the Bachelor of Visual Arts First Year Programme
As a student at Nelson Mandela University in the Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA), you will start with a general first year called the Bachelor of Visual Arts First Year programme.
What You Will Learn
During this first year, you will gain a wide range of skills, including:
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Visual literacy: Understanding visual information.
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Creative problem solving: Finding innovative solutions.
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Design skills: Learning how to create effective designs.
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Drawing skills: Improving your ability to draw.
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Technical and technological skills: Becoming skilled with tools and software.
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Working with various media: Using both traditional and modern materials.
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Concept development: Learning how to develop and express ideas in two and three dimensions.
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Teamwork: Collaborating with others.
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Communication: Explaining your ideas both visually and verbally.
Specialisation After First Year
At the end of your first year, you can apply to specialize in one of the following areas:
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Fashion and Textiles
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Fine Art (including Ceramics, Painting, Printmaking, and Sculpture)
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Graphic Design
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Photography
Completing the Bachelor of Visual Arts First Year is required for students who want to major in Ceramics, Fashion and Textiles, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, or Sculpture.
Purpose of the Programme
The first year is designed to introduce you to all the courses available. It helps you understand the creative process and develop skills for future interdisciplinary projects. During the year, you will also create a First Year Interview Portfolio to show to an interview panel. If you do well, this will allow you to move on to the second-year programme of your choice. After finishing the first year and the interview, you can focus on your chosen specialty in Ceramics, Fashion and Textiles, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, or Sculpture.
Admissions Requirements for Bachelor of Visual Arts: Subject Requirements and Applicant Score (AS)
BACHELOR OF VISUAL ARTS: FULL-TIME
(Qualification code: 10050 – A1)
Admissions requirements
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Minimum National Senior Certificate (NSC) statutory requirements for degree entry must be met.
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An applicant with NSC Grade 12 Mathematics or Technical Mathematics requires a minimum Applicant Score of 350.
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An applicant with NSC Grade 12 Mathematics Literacy requires a minimum Applicant Score of 365.
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Admission is subject to Departmental selection.
Prospective Visual Arts students are to inquire with the following staff:
More information on studying and enrolling at Nelson Mandela University:
https://myfuture.mandela.ac.za/
https://www.mandela.ac.za/study-at-mandela
Progression and selection into Bachelor of Visual Arts second-year programmes:
The Interview Process and Criteria for Admission
Admission to the Bachelor of Visual Arts second-year programme of your choice is not automatic and is subject to internal selection rules and procedures outlined below.
The Bachelor of Visual Arts programme has limited places in each course we offer. This implies that where the number of applicants to a programme exceeds available positions, a selection procedure must be applied based on the quality of your First Year Interview Portfolio and academic merit. Placement into your chosen programme is subject to the following criteria:
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You will be requested to indicate two choices of preferred specialisation (for example, Photography or Ceramics) at the second-year level.
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You must attend an interview with a panel of course lecturers, together with the relevant senior academics.
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You must submit for consideration at the interview(s) a First Year Interview Portfolio reflecting first-year work.
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You may be required to complete a challenge test. This may be a written challenge on a given topic, conducted under controlled conditions, or the production of a creative visual output, according to a prescribed brief, that shows process evidence of the student’s creative ability.
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During the interview, you are counselled about the course most suited to your abilities. Students not accepted into their preferred specialisation will subsequently be offered a place in a suitable alternative programme according to available capacity.
The Department of Visual Arts reserves the right to accept only students with the appropriate skill and capacity for the intended field of study. Students have the right to appeal the course placement offered through appropriate channels. As mentioned, all placements made due to the interview must be deemed provisional. Applicants will be informed of the results of their interviews once all the interview discussions have been completed and the panels have completed their deliberations. Admission remains conditional until confirmed after the publication of the official first-year results.
Bachelor of Visual Arts: First Year Ceramic Projects
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