Arts University Plymouth is a specialist art university with a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the areas of art, design, craft and digital media.
Plymouth College of Art, which was founded in 1856, was granted full university status in 2022 and formally recognised with the new title of Arts University Plymouth, following approval by the Privy Council. This makes us the City of Plymouth’s first specialist arts university.
If you’re considering a creative degree, you can join Art’s University Plymouth and kickstart a career in one of the UK’s most dynamic and fastest-growing industries, employing over 2 million people in the UK. All of our courses show you how to combine your artistic talent with business acumen, giving you the toolkit you need to be successful in today’s creative economy.
We provide opportunities for you to liaise with a broad range of creative industries, alongside our expert academics – all practicing artists, designers and makers in their specialist field. As artists, they know how important it is to trial ideas and share expertise. They arrange for industry to write and assess real-life briefs, helping students to understand how to succeed in business – without compromising creativity or integrity.
The university is known for combining over 160 years of history with modern thinking and cutting-edge facilities. The university’s two city-centre campuses are also home to Fab Lab Plymouth and MIRROR at Arts University Plymouth, a public-facing gallery which has shown work by Martin Parr and Matt Stokes, as well being the future host of British Art Show 9. The college is proud of its commitment to both traditional and digital arts courses – our £8million specialist art, craft and digital design centre opened in 2014 with cutting-edge ceramics, glass and digital design workshops, including a range of facilities situated in Fab Lab Plymouth, such as 3D printing and laser cutting.
From Fashion Design to Fine Art to Animation & Games,Arts University Plymouth offers a range of creative Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses. We also offer Post-16 study options, which are equivalent to three A Levels and enable students to progress to Higher Education. There is also the option to study a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, validated by the University of the Arts London, and available to students with a Level 3 qualification.
More than 40,000 students call Plymouth home, and it’s not hard to see why. If getting out into nature excites you, then there’s the beautiful countryside and coastlines to explore, including the breathtaking moors of Dartmoor. If you prefer more cultural pursuits, there is a wide range of art galleries and museums showcasing Plymouth’s nautical heritage dotted around the city. Or if shopping is your thing, there is a large shopping centre with big name brands, plus plenty of independent boutiques across the city. After all that exploring, you can let your hair down in one of Plymouth’s many pubs, bars and clubs.