This Foundation Year has been specifically designed to allow you to undertake an additional year of study to build stronger creative footings that ensure successful progression through your chosen degree.Working in a friendly, lively and energetic environment, you will be given the freedom to expand your knowledge of practical skills, creative exploration and conceptual thinking, underpinned by broad critical understanding, academic writing and emerging theoretical principles.Dedicated Foundation tutors will support you throughout the year and BA teaching staff from across all the schools within the Birmingham Institute of Creative Arts (BICA) will work closely with you to prepare you for progression.There will be a range of opportunities to work on collaborative and individual projects, aimed to build your social skills and identify your role as a developing practitioner.PLACEMENTSYou will have the option of an international exchange, and the opportunity to get involved in a range of live projects. Placements are not part of the curriculum but are encouraged and supported by staff should an opportunity arise.In such an example, our students have worked closely with Flatpack Festival in programming some of the events, organised and ran animation workshops and volunteering throughout the festival.Graduates and students were also involved in the production of a Rube Goldberg animation for Second Home Studios which subsequently won the RTS Best Production Craft Skills award.Students have also participated in Animation Festival submissions such as Annecy, Encounters, New Designers, and the prestigious Royal Television Society Awards amongst others.