BA (HONS) CONTEMPORARY PORTRAITURE

There are three stages to our BA (Hons) Contemporary Portraiture, which you can complete in three years (full time) or six years (part time). You’ll need to successfully complete each stage in order to progress to the next, including meeting attendance requirements (as detailed in our Attendance Policy).

Teaching will take place at both our Bankside and Mermaid Court campuses across different modules.

There are four main components to the BA, detailed below:

Studio Practice

The Studio Practice modules give you the support to develop personal projects in response to a series of briefs. These modules are taught through one-to-one tutorials, group critiques, workshops, lectures and practical work in a studio. As part of Studio Practice, you’ll also undertake contextual research to support each of your personal projects, which includes preparatory work, research, and pieces of reflective and discursive writing.

Professional Development 

This module provides you with a professional toolkit to equip you with the skills and knowledge to pursue further study or a career as a professional portrait artist after your degree. The module includes teaching on; registering as a self-employed artist, creating a website and digital portfolio, using marketing and business tools, applying for and completing exhibition and residency projects, working to client briefs for commissions and compiling proposals. 

Critical and Contextual Studies 

Here you will learn about key ideas that will help inform, inspire and challenge you and provide a broader understanding of the context in which you make art, including sessions focusing specifically on portraiture. You’ll learn through lectures, seminars, group activities, gallery visits and independent study for one day a week across a term. These modules are typically assessed through written work.

Elective Skills Workshop Courses 

Unique to the Academy is our Elective Skills Workshop Course programme which provides students access to a wide array of skill training courses related to portraiture and figurative painting. These term long skills courses are led by professional artists who are experts in their disciplines, enabling you to gain new skills from industry professionals. 

BA (HONS) Contemporary Portraiture Full Time Programme Mapping

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BA (HONS) Contemporary Portraiture Part Time Programme Mapping

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Stage 1 (Level 4)

One year full time, two years part time. 

In Stage 1 you’ll focus on exploring and investigating. Stage 1 doesn’t contribute to your final BA grade and classification, but you will need to complete and pass all the modules to progress to Stage 2.

Within Stage 1, you will study: 

Studio Practice: Experimental Studio Practice modules 1, 2 and 3

You will undertake three Studio Practice modules designed to assist you in uncovering the motivations behind your artistic creations. These modules are taught at our Bankside campus and are structured to guide you through diverse methods of initiating artistic experimentation, allowing you to explore, develop, and refine your comprehension and application of artistic language and craftspersonship. Assessment for these modules will be based on your documentation of preparatory work, studio diaries, final pieces, and presentations.

Elective Skills Workshop Courses

If you choose the full-time mode, you will take two to three Elective Skills Workshop courses each term, whilst part-time students will attend one to two. These courses are non-assessed, giving you the flexibility to develop skills without the pressure of evaluation. The majority of these courses are taught at the Bankside campus, with a select amount taking place at the Mermaid Court campus. 

Throughout Stages 1 and 2, three of your elective selections should include drawing electives to build your core skills in drawing. Additionally, in Stage 1, you will be required to complete the Digital Development elective to equip yourself with digital skills for the Professional Development module in Stage 2.

Critical and Contextual Studies: Portraiture and it’s Contexts 1

Over one term, you’ll attend sessions considering histories and debates that inform the creation of portraiture. This essay-assessed module will include lectures, seminars and object-based study, together with independent learning.

Stage 2 (Level 5)

One year full time, two years part time.  

In Stage 2 you’ll focus on self-reflection and analysis. Stage 2 counts for 33% of your final BA grade and classification.

Within Stage 2 you will study: 

Studio Practice: Live Commission and Thinking Through Studio Practice modules 1 and 2

These modules run for two full days each week across all three terms (full time) or two days per week across three of the six terms available (part time).

Your third Studio Practice project is an exciting live commission, where you’ll source a client, negotiate a brief and complete an artwork. The other two Studio Practice modules focus on further developing your own artistic practice, preparing you for Stage 3. In Stage 2, you’ll be given your own studio space at our Mermaid Court campus to work on your Studio Practice modules independently, alongside your peers, outside taught sessions.

Elective Skills Workshop Courses

You’ll pick Elective Skills Workshop courses across Stage 2 to help refine your techniques within your chosen discipline(s). You should to complete the remaining drawing electives in Stage Two. These courses are non-assessed, granting you the flexibility to develop skills without the pressure of evaluation.

The majority of these courses are taught at our Bankside campus, with a select amount taking place at our Mermaid Court campus.

Critical and Contextual Studies: Portraiture and it’s Contexts 2

This module scrutinises the frameworks which construct meaning around and within portraiture. It will develop your skills through a mixture of taught sessions and independent study, over one term, with a greater focus on critical thinking and theory. The module is assessed through an essay.

Professional Development: Understanding Professional Creative Practice

To help prepare you for life as a practising portraiture artist, in Stage 2 you will complete a professional development module which will equip you with basic professional skills to embark in your career. 

You’ll create a portfolio of evidence for assessment, which includes creating a website, marketing plans and evidence of the use of marketing and business tools. You’ll need to study independently in addition to your taught sessions to complete this module.

Stage 3 (Level 6)

One year full time, two years part time

The final stage of your BA is where you really come into your own as a portraiture artist. You’ll focus on creating one major body of work that is entirely self-initiated and self-directed in your own dedicated studio space. This stage counts for 67% of your final BA grade and classification.

Within Stage 3 you will study:

Studio Practice: Extended Personal Studio Practice

At Stage 3, you’re expected to be increasingly independent in the studio, but you’ll still be supported through regular group critiques and one-to-one tutorials as you hone your own practice, research your artist’s statement and prepare to exhibit at the Graduate Show.

As a full-time student, you will typically spend a minimum of two days a week per term working on your Studio Practice project, and undertake independent study on your self-initiated brief. If you choose to study part-time, you’ll typically spend a minimum of one day a week per term on Studio Practice throughout the two years.

This module is assessed at the Graduate Show. You’ll also submit a supporting portfolio of developmental work and take part in a viva voce with a team of tutors and an external assessor, where you’ll answer questions about your project development, curatorial choices and contextual knowledge.

You will complete this module in your personal studio space at our Mermaid Court campus.

Elective Skills Workshop Courses

You’ll pick Elective Skills Workshop courses across Stage 3 to continue to refine your skills in portraiture and figurative painting. If you are a full time student you will choose a maximum of one Elective Skills Workshop Course each term, if you are part time you will undertake a maximum of three elective courses spread throughout the two years of Stage 3. 

The majority of these courses are taught at the Bankside campus, with a select amount taking place at the Mermaid Court campus.

Critical and Contextual Studies: Extended Contextual Research Project

You will complete an extended research project which focuses on an area of research that supports the development of your practical work. You will receive support in one-to-one tutorials from your Critical and Contextual Studies tutors. This project is assessed through an extended essay (although an alternative form of assessment is also available).

Professional Development Module: Engaging with the Art World

This module completes the process of preparing you for a life after the Academy, either as a professional, practising portraiture artist with a sustainable career, or as an artist working in the wider creative industries. It offers the opportunity to evaluate and communicate your progress in relation to personal and professional development through review of achievements to date and planning to maximise the opportunities that arise from the final stage of the programme.

Our BA (Hons) Contemporary Portraiture course is taught across both of our campuses, conveniently located within walking distance of each other in the London Borough of Southwark.

Our Mermaid Court campus houses personal studio spaces for our BA and Fine Art Foundation students, a Wood & Metal Workshop and a Library (165A Borough High Street, London SE1 1HR).

The lead tutors for the BA (Hons) Contemporary Portraiture* are:

SADIE LEE

Sadie Lee is our Contemporary Portraiture Programme Leader.

BRIONY MARSHALL MRSS

Briony Marshall is our Professional Development Leader.

TOM MORGAN EVANS

Tom Morgan Evans is our Critical & Contextual Studies Department Leader.

Our Studio Practice tutors include Sadie Lee, Gavin Maughfling, Robin-Lee Hall and Sue Spaull.

The tutors you are taught by within the Elective Skills Workshop courses will depend on the courses you choose. You can view all our tutors here.

FEES 2025/26

Fees for the full-time BA (Hons) Contemporary Portraiture in the academic year 2025/26 are £27,825 for the three-year duration of the full-time programme or £27,828 for the entire six-year duration of the programme part-time. This equates to £9,275 per annum full time and £4,638 per annum part-time if completed in six years.

Where students switch from full time to part-time mode (or vice versa) partway through the programme, annual tuition fees will be recalculated pro-rata from the relevant full programme tuition fee outstanding.

Students at Art Academy London are currently not eligible for a Student Loan for undergraduate degrees.

Our 2025/26 fees are as follows:

We align our tuition fees for undergraduate programmes with those set by the government as per the OfS Approved (fee cap without TEF award) registration fee limit. Full-time fees are set at the maximum of this limit (and per-annum part-time fees at 50% of the full-time per-annum fees), which are reviewed annually. Therefore fees may be subject to annual increases, following those set by the Government (which uses the RPIX measure of inflation to set annual increases).

If you opt to pay termly, fees will be subject to a 5% surcharge.

Fees can also be paid within a longer, individually agreed payment plan to spread the annual fee across the academic year. Payment plans do incur a 10% surcharge.

A deposit of £100 is also payable on acceptance of the offer (which is deducted from your first year’s tuition fee. Please see 3.2 of the Terms & Conditions for details). The Academy reserves the right to retain this deposit if you fail to enrol. If you cancel within the stated 14 calendar days this deposit will be refunded along with any other monies paid.

BURSARIES

We want to make sure as many students as possible can access the high-quality fine art education we provide. As part of this, we offer bursaries to help with tuition fees for our BA (Hons), which you can apply for once you’ve been offered a place to study with us by completing the bursary application form. We offer two types of bursaries, and you can apply for one or the other:

If you have a low annual household income or any other exceptional circumstances, you may be eligible for a bursary, for an amount up to the value of 30% of the annual tuition fees. Bursaries are assessed on an individual basis, based on need as well as merit, and are awarded at the discretion of the Principal and Director of Academic Quality, Standards and Student Experience. Please note, you’ll need to provide evidence of income to support your application for an Academic Bursary. The Bursary is awarded as a reduction in tuition fees, rather than a monetary award.

Any financial support is awarded subject to students complying with our Terms and Conditions and the Student Handbook. For further information about bursaries, including how to apply, please contact our academic team at [email protected].

We also support the Black Heart Scholars Programme.

Please see our Bursaries page for more information.

DEPOSIT

A deposit of £100 is also payable on acceptance of the offer (which is deducted from your first year’s tuition fee. Please see 3.2 of the Terms & Conditions for details). The Academy reserves the right to retain this deposit if you fail to enrol. If you cancel within the stated 14 calendar days this deposit will be refunded along with any other monies paid.

REFUNDS 

Once you’ve returned the signed contract and paid your deposit, you have a 14-day cooling-off period to change your mind. If you choose to cancel during this time, we’ll refund your full deposit. After this period, the Academy reserves the right to retain this deposit if you fail to enrol.

You’ll need to pay your tuition fees before the start of the programme. Beyond the statutory cooling off period, you must inform the Academy of your intention to withdraw. If you wish to withdraw from your course after its official start date, you will be liable for a fee. Full details of the liability can be found in our Terms and Conditions. Should you need to, you can suspend your study for up to 12 months. Please see our withdrawal and interruption of study policy for more information.

Please see our Terms and Conditions for more information on Fees.

Please see our Withdrawal and Interruption of Study Policy and our Refund Policy for more information.

MATERIALS

While some basic materials are provided for certain Elective Skills Workshop courses, you’ll need to provide most of the materials required to complete the course successfully and cover other costs such as those associated with the final year Graduate Show.

Based on a survey from our previous students, we estimate that these costs will be between £500 and £1,500 per year, although this will vary depending on the materials, chosen disciplines and stage of the programme.

We have a small shop on site, where you can purchase some materials at a heavily discounted price. You can find guidance on where to buy other specialist materials in the Student Handbook and from your tutors.

TRIPS AND VISITS 

You’ll be expected to visit galleries and exhibitions independently, to help develop your contextual knowledge and practice. Some parts of the programme will also suggest you visit specific exhibitions; many of these are free.

We understand that where there is an entry fee, you may not always be able to attend; while we encourage you to take these trips, they’re not compulsory or essential, and your tutor will prepare an alternative itinerary of free museums and galleries visits that you can follow.

We welcome all enthusiastic candidates to apply. If you are interested in studying with us, please register to attend an open day or email [email protected] or call +44 (0) 20 7407 6969 to discuss our courses further or arrange a visit.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

We accept applications on a rolling basis. You should note that applications are subject to availability and will not be accepted if the programme has reached capacity.

More information can be found in the Admissions Policy.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please fill out the online application form here.

If you wish to apply by post, please email [email protected] to request an application form.

Remember, the application form is your first opportunity to tell us about yourself, as well as being a vital source of the information we need to make a decision. Please take your time to complete the form accurately and remember to check you have provided all the information required, including the link to your digital portfolio. We only accept applications on the form provided and reserve the right to reject incomplete or alternative applications.

Should you have any questions about the application process or completing the form, please speak to a member of the Admissions team.

THE RESULT

We’ll normally tell you our decision within three weeks. There are three possible outcomes, detailed below.

Conditional offer: this means we will offer you a place providing certain conditions are met before registration on the programme e.g. the completion of outstanding qualifications. Each offer is specific to individual circumstances.

Unconditional offer: this means you’ve met the academic and non-academic entry requirements and have been accepted onto your chosen programme.

Unsuccessful application: this means we have decided not to offer you a place on the programme. Applicants can be unsuccessful for many reasons and should be aware that many of the programmes at the Academy receive far more applications than number of places available.

Feedback on the decision will be given to any applicant who requests it. We will always ensure that the interviews and portfolio reviews are carried out fairly and equally. All those conducting interviews are trained to do so and fully conversant in our Admissions Policy. Although decisions to admit or reject applicants are academic judgments and therefore cannot be appealed, if an applicant feels that the interview and selection process was not conducted fairly and equitably or as described in our Admissions Policy, the process for making a complaint in this regard can be found within the policy document.

NEXT STEPS

You will be notified of the outcome by email. If successful, you’ll also receive: an offer letter, the Terms and Conditions (contract) which you will need to sign and return along with your deposit, and copies of the Student Handbook, Programme Handbook and Academic Regulations. By accepting an offer you agree to abide by the Academy’s Regulations.

You’ll also be invited to our Graduate shows, to get a sense of the community and see what you can achieve by studying with us.

Prior to starting you will be sent the course documents for the Elective Skills Workshop courses and have a meeting or phone conversation with a member of the Academic Team to discuss and agree your choices for the first term. Part-time students will also need to decide on individual routes through the first stage of the programme.

We consider each application on an individual basis and welcome candidates from a variety of backgrounds.

You’ll attend an interview (around 45 minutes to an hour) with one or two tutors to discuss your application and review your portfolio. This can be online if you are unable to attend physically – please get in touch to find out more. Remember, this discussion is also an opportunity for you to ask us questions!

As part of this, we’ll assess your key artistic skills, level of ability, and enthusiasm to explore new ways of working and develop your ideas. We’ll also evaluate your awareness of artistic concepts, and the cultural, historical and professional contexts of fine art. We’ll review your personal statement and any academic references provided (if applicable).

Although no formal qualifications are required, you’ll need to demonstrate work at least of Level 3 (A-Level) equivalent. In some cases, we may ask to see additional supplementary work.

Intake is only in term one (September). Entry is typically at Stage 1, but we may allow direct entry to Stages 2 or 3 if we think you have appropriate prior qualifications and experience – please get in touch to find out more.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

As part of your application form you’ll need to submit a personal statement. This is your opportunity to stand out from the other candidates, to set the scene for your interview. Your personal statement should be approximately 500-1000 words and cover the following:

• Give us some context; What have you done previously (educationally, artistically and professionally)? Why are you interested in Contemporary Portraiture?
• Explain the ideas, concepts, and research behind your work, and tell us how you intend to expand and develop your ideas and research in the future.
• Tell us about the materials, methods, and processes you use to make work and what you’re interested in exploring in the future.
• Tell us how and why artists have influenced your work.
• Why do you want to study at Art Academy London? What do you hope to gain from the programme? What are your ambitions?

PORTFOLIO

As part of the application form you’ll be asked to submit a digital portfolio, so that we can assess your suitability for the programme ahead of a physical interview.

The digital portfolio should contain approximately 10 – 20 ‘slides’ including extracts from your sketchbooks. Digital portfolios must contain information about media and dimensions as a minimum, you may add titles and other explanatory text if you wish. This should be submitted as a PDF, Powerpoint or Word document.

For interview you’ll need to bring a physical portfolio with you. This doesn’t need to be completely different content to the digital one.This should be approximately 15 ‘sheets’ or pieces of work (no less than 10, no more than 20) plus your sketchbooks. Your physical portfolio does not need to be mounted or ‘presented’, but rather a collection of work. You should, however, consider the order in which you wish it to be viewed.

For both digital and physical portfolios you should include evidence of:

• Drawing
• Finished work/ projects (from research to realisation; we want to see your working process)
• Work that demonstrates your range (include pieces that demonstrate your ability with different media and techniques)

You should consider the following:

• We’re not looking for perfection. Including developmental, unfinished and experimental work is important too.
• Be decisive. The ability to select and edit is important. You should have something to say about every piece and demonstrate that you can critically self-evaluate.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

All applicants are required to demonstrate an appropriate level of English language competence to study with us. This can be through previous study in English (evidencing an approved English language qualification at Level 2, GCSE or equivalent). If you are unable to provide evidence of a relevant, formal English qualification, we will require specific performance in written English tests at interview. Appropriate level of spoken English is assessed at interview.

ADMISSION POLICY 

We do not sponsor international students through the Tier 4 visa system and therefore cannot accept international students unless they are able to prove right of residency in the UK. We operate a fair and transparent admissions process to ensure that the widest range of people can benefit from the fine art education we provide; find out more in our Admissions policy and Criminal Convictions Policy and Procedure.

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS AND POLICIES

When studying with us, it’s important that you are aware of our Academic Regulations and Policies. These outline the agreed procedures and protocols to ensure you understand both the expectations and support available to you. To find out more information please see our Academic Regulations and Policies page.

APPLICATION PROCESS

We are committed to supporting accessible learning and welcome students with disabilities and special educational needs.

DISCLOSURE

We encourage you to disclose any disabilities or special needs when you apply, so we can plan any support that we may need to provide at the earliest opportunity, including during the admissions process. Admissions decisions are always made on the basis of a candidate’s ability and/or potential to complete the programme.

ACCESSIBILITY AND REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

Provided that a candidate is suitable for the programme applied for, we will make reasonable adjustments for applicants with a physical or mobility impairment in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Art Academy London’s premises are old buildings which inevitably means that access to some areas can be problematic for people with a physical disability. However, work carried out on our main Mermaid Court building over the last few years means that we can accommodate most students with physical disabilities on academic programmes.

Where necessary, we will make appropriate arrangements to mitigate any accessibility issues such as rescheduling of classes, workshops, tutorials, lectures and other events to spaces within the main building of Mermaid Court, which is wheelchair accessible. It may also include the provision of facilities to undertake classes and workshops in techniques and processes outside of the dedicated space in which they normally occur (i.e. printmaking) and individual provision of facilities such as storage spaces, where these are normally in unaccessible areas. The library is currently inaccessible to wheelchair users and alternative arrangements are in place for students with mobility issues to access the library resources

Some of our buildings will remain inaccessible for the foreseeable future (our second building at Mermaid Court). We are committed to improving access to all our buildings and are working towards making all areas of our campus fully accessible to all.

HEARING TECHNOLOGY FOR HARD OF HEARING/DEAF APPLICANTS

Portable induction loops can be provided during open days, interview and in teaching spaces if required.

OTHER DISABILITIES AND CONDITIONS

If you have any other disability, specific learning difficulty, health, or mental health difficulty, please contact us to talk about options for support.

STUDENT SUPPORT

SEN STUDENTS

We welcome students with Special Educational Needs. A bespoke programme of Elective Skills Workshop courses will be mapped if necessary, and alternative assessment models employed where appropriate to provide a parity of opportunity with non-SEN students. Our SEND Coordinator will act as a personal tutor and first point of contact for all SEN students, and will also ensure that all other tutors working with SEN students understand that student’s needs and how to support them. In the final year of study, SEN students may be given additional support as necessary as they work towards their Graduate Show.

The SEND Coordinator, and other staff members as relevant, will keep in regular contact with the parents of SEN students if appropriate, including meeting with them to discuss the progress of the student and any issues arising in their course of study.

DISABLED STUDENTS

Students or applicants who declare a disability, specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), long term health condition or mental health disability are asked to complete a ‘Student Declaration and Identification of Support Needs’ form. This is in addition to the declaration requested at application and is intended to ensure we capture the information we need to ensure a safe and successful educational career at the Academy. A member of the Academic team will then contact the student to discuss their individual support requirements and agree actions, which are made available to relevant tutors and support staff, informing them of any services and adjustments required.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities and confidence my time at AAL has given me – from presenting an interactive artwork in a dilapidated Victorian house, to exhibiting at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, to being shortlisted in the Scottish Portrait Awards– things I’d never have dreamt of before studying here.

I probably gained most from the Electives furthest from my painting-a-person-in-front-of-you comfort zone: getting over my squeamishness to understand the tendons of the hand in Anatomy Drawing, or battling with an aversion to straight lines to get to grips with three-point perspective in Composition in Contemporary Painting. But it was the core Studio Practice modules that really gave me confidence in my own creative resources.”

Minnie Scott Portraiture 

We’re thrilled to announce we will soon be teaching part of our programmes in a prestigious new building, Triptych adjacent to Tate Modern. The move will further reinforce Bankside as one of London’s foremost cultural quarters. Backed by generous donor support, including from developers JTRE, and a recently successful fundraising auction at Christie’s London, the relocation will enable the Academy to extend our unique approach to skills-based, contemporary art education.

The new campus will increase the Art Academy’s physical footprint and the positive impact through its work of reinforcing connection and collaboration with the local Southwark community. Designed with architects Squire and Partners and forming a part of JTRE’s Triptych development, the landmark site encompasses 13,940 square feet across two levels and features:

• 9 state of the art studios
• 2 gallery and exhibition spaces
• An auditorium
• Specialist workshop spaces for local artists and communities
• A cafe and art supplies shop open to the public

Find out more 

If you don’t find the answer to your question here please contact the Academic team on +44 (0) 20 7407 6969 or email [email protected]

Can I study the BA (Hons) Contemporary Portraiture* part-time?

Yes, part-time students attend two days a week over six years; it takes two years to complete each stage (level).

Are bursaries or student loans available for the BA (Hons) Contemporary Portraiture*?

Students studying on our undergraduate programmes are currently not eligible for student loans. We can offer advice on possible sources of funding for students. See the ‘Fees and Funding’ section above for more details or contact us to discuss your options.

Do you take mature students for the BA (Hons) Contemporary Portraiture*?

Yes, applications from mature students are welcomed. Mature students make up a large part of our community.

Do I need to have undertaken any formal training before applying for the BA (Hons) Contemporary Portraiture*?

No, but the BA (Hons) Contemporary Portraitur is for those intending to make art their full-time occupation. During interview, we will consider your level of ability and commitment through discussion and portfolio review.

Is the BA (Hons) Contemporary Portraiture* recognised or accredited?

Do I need to supply my own materials?

Yes, materials are not included in your tuition fee costs. For more information on material costs see the ‘Fees & Funding’ section above.