West Dean College has announced a new two-year Foundation
Degree* for students to develop craft skills in conservation,
restoration and heritage making. The new FdA Historic Craft
Practices means that students can specialise in Clocks, Furniture
or Musical Instruments and combine their interest in heritage with
practical hands-on skills development. The course, which offers an
alternative to the traditional University route to a career,
balances practical and academic skills and includes a period of
work placement.
"The arts and crafts underpin the UK's world-leading creative
industries sector, which is worth £71.4 billion a year," says
Francine Norris, Director of Education. "According to figures the
craft sector alone currently employs over 100,000 people while with
growth of 10 per cent, the creative sector is outstripping all
other industry sectors in terms of recovery."
On successful completion of the course students will be able to
work in a range of heritage craft contexts, as designer-makers or
within antiques restoration or heritage conservation. The
Foundation Degree will offer a recognised qualification. For those
wishing to undertake further study, the course prepares students to
progress to a specialist Graduate Diploma at West Dean or other
Level 6 qualification such as the final year of a BA degree.
