Exploring Courses at Edinburgh College of Art: A Comprehensive Guide

Edinburgh College of Art (ECA), an integral part of the University of Edinburgh, offers a wide array of courses across art, design, architecture, history of art, and music. Tracing its roots back to 1760, ECA stands at the forefront of research and research-led teaching in the creative arts, humanities, and creative technologies. This article delves into the courses offered at ECA, its history, campus, and the unique opportunities it provides to students.

A Historical Overview

The Edinburgh College of Art can trace its history back to 1760, when the Trustees Drawing Academy of Edinburgh was established by the Board of Trustees for Fisheries, Manufactures and Improvements in Scotland. This board had been set up by Act of Parliament in 1727 to "encourage and promote the fisheries or such other manufactures and improvements in Scotland as may most conduce to the general good of the United Kingdom". The academy aimed to train designers for the manufacturing industries. The board was responsible for constructing the Royal Institution (named for the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts in Scotland) and also commissioned the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. From 1826, classes were held at the Royal Institution building. The master of the school was always a fine artist, the first being French painter William Delacour. Subsequent masters included Alexander Runciman and David Allan. The academy's focus gradually shifted from applied arts to encompass fine art, and the school gained a reputation for excellence in both painting and design.

In 1858, the academy was affiliated to the Science and Art Department in London, known as the "South Kensington system", under which it became the Government School of Art for the city of Edinburgh. A School of Applied Art was also established under this system. The Drawing School became part of a system of schools managed on similar lines, and distinctive teaching practices were lost. In 1903 it amalgamated with the School of Applied Art. Frank Mears taught architecture at the College on a part-time basis from 1918.

ECA was officially recognised by the Scottish Government as a Small Specialist Institution for the teaching of art, design and architecture prior to the merger with University of Edinburgh in 2011. With the creation of Edinburgh College of Art in 1907, the institution moved to new premises on Lady Lawson Street.

Campus and Facilities

The Edinburgh College of Art (ECA), part of the University of Edinburgh, lies just to the south of Edinburgh's famous castle. Formerly a cattle market, the site lies above the Grassmarket and opposite Edinburgh Castle. The red sandstone main building was designed in the Beaux-Arts style by John Wilson while working for John More Dick Peddie and George Washington Browne, and was completed in 1909. The main building was listed Category A in 1970. The Architecture Building was added to the east end of the college in 1961, designed by architect Ralph Cowan, who was a Professor of Architecture at the college. In 1977 the Lauriston Campus was expanded with the addition of the Hunter Building. This L-shaped red sandstone block, designed by Anthony Wheeler in 1971, encloses the college courtyard and fronts Lauriston Place to the south. In the 1990s the college took over a separate group of buildings in the Grassmarket, for use as a library and teaching space, and also took over the former Salvation Army building on West Port. The nine-storey Evolution House on West Port by Reiach and Hall Architects was completed 2003, adjacent to the main College building. Built as speculative offices, it now houses the art and design library, as well as providing design studios and office facilities for the School of Design.

Read also: Semester Dates Guide

While the college remains mainly concentrated on the Lauriston Place Campus, as a result of the merger with the University of Edinburgh in August 2011, the new enlarged ECA incorporated Minto House on Chambers Street (part of ESALA) and Alison House in Nicolson Square (Reid School of Music). In 2017, the Lauriston Campus expanded to include the former Lothian & Borders Fire & Rescue Service Headquarters, formerly housing the'Museum of Fire', Building (arch.

Academic Programs and Courses

The Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) is one of eleven schools in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. It provides higher education in art and design, architecture, history of art, and music disciplines for over three thousand students. The College now combines with the University's School of Arts, Culture and Environment to create a new Edinburgh College of Art within the University containing Art, Design, Music, Architecture and Landscape Architecture, and History of Art.

Exchange Programs

The two options for the ECA exchange semester are a Painting studio, or a studio in ECA's Intermedia program. KU Visual Art majors should have completed the KU Foundations courses (13 credits) and at least four of the introductory studio courses to be considered for the ECA spring semester exchange. Exchange links exist between the College and jewellery and silversmithing departments around the world, including Canada, USA, Japan, Estonia, Finland and Seoul, South Korea.

Course Structure and Teaching Methods

Many courses are taught with lectures and seminars. Faculty (called lecturers) don't often hold office hours, but welcome individual questions and are eager to help visiting students. Past exam papers are available and local students use them to prepare for exams. You will earn direct UC credit and grades for all coursework.

Specific Course Information

At the University of Edinburgh you have the opportunity to select courses from a range of disciplines.

University of Edinburgh Course Catalog: Find a full selection of courses offered at the university. Open each course to see a description that states whether it's open to visiting students.
Alternative Course Options: See lists of more easily accessible courses that may fall under high-demand subject areas at the University of Edinburgh like politics, history, and literature.
UCEAP Course Catalog: See a list of courses students have taken on this program. This is not a current representation of course offerings on this program.

Many lower-level courses at Scottish universities are equivalent to upper-division UC level.

UAL Foundation Diploma

The UAL Foundation Diploma is recognised as one of the best preparations for progression into specialist Higher Education Art and Design study in the UK. The course is challenging and encourages creative exploration, experimentation and risk-taking. You will be pushed to extend your subject knowledge, critical thinking and practical skills to create a college-level portfolio for successful applications to HND and Degree courses across the UK. Approaches to drawing and contextual research underpin the course whilst you explore four main specialist areas: Painting and Printmaking, 3D/Sculpture, Textiles and Visual Communications, delivered by subject specialists in our studios and Mac Labs. You will develop a wider awareness of the different perspectives, approaches and ethics within diverse creative practices.

You are encouraged to reflect on your experience as you progress to choose two of the specialist areas to further explore and investigate. During this time, you are supported to prepare applications and portfolios for HND and Degree level study. Our Creative and Tech. Futures Day, HND presentations and University talks will enable you to make informed decisions when applying for Higher Education or employment within the Creative Industries. During the course, you will not only benefit from studying in Scotland's Capital City but also have the opportunity to visit London on our annual study trip to further expand your research, visiting major Art Galleries and Museums to inspire and contextualise your creative practice and portfolio. Students specialise towards the end of the course, independently initiating and developing an extended project of personal work within a chosen professional context. Using the skills gained over the course you will consolidate your practice, realise your creative ideas and have an opportunity to present your final project at the end of the year assessment. Our Foundation Diploma students are very successful and receive offers on HND and Degree-level programmes across the UK.

Jewellery and Silversmithing Department

The philosophy of the Jewellery and Silversmithing department is balancing innovation with old and new approaches to traditional craft techniques. Our programme aims to produce designers who create fresh, exuberant work demonstrating originality and innovation. We maintain an outstanding international reputation and an impressive track record of employability with strong industrial links. We aim to equip graduates with a realistic understanding of the wider industry including career and future study opportunities. We have close ties with industry professional bodies, including Edinburghâs Scottish Goldsmiths Trust and London Goldsmiths Company who annually support our final year students with precious metal awards and sponsorship. Jewellery and Silversmithing is an internationally renowned department located in the School of Design alongside Glass, Design Informatics, Product Design, Textiles, Fashion, Performance Costume, Interior Design and a range of Visual Communication disciplines. BA (Hons) and MFA award programmes are all offered with the further opportunity to study for PhD by studio practice.

Unique Aspects of Studying at ECA

Study at one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the United Kingdom and take classes with local and international students across its historic city campuses. The College of Science & Engineering is globally renowned, boasting key developments in cloning, vaccination production, smartphone technology, and robotics. Courses offered in the biological sciences, computer science, and engineering often align with UC's curricula and are therefore popular with UC students. Foreign language study available. Notable options: Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish.

Traveler Profile Considerations

All students have unique things to consider when studying abroad. A Traveler Profile is a set of personal factors, characteristics or life experiences that could impact daily life abroad. Your individual Traveler Profile may include things such as your age, foreign language proficiency, gender, medical history, medication use, mental health, mobility, piercings and tattoos, travel experience, and more. SAGE is dedicated to creating international engagement opportunities that meet the needs of all our students and providing resources to support you through the process of studying abroad. Before selecting a program, consider how your Traveler Profile may impact your experience abroad in unique ways and talk with your Program Coordinator about any program-specific concerns.

Research Environment

At the Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) School of Art we provide a highly dynamic and supportive research environment for our large and diverse graduate community. You will also need to meet the Universityâs language requirements.

Edinburgh College of Art is a vibrant and creative community of students and academics: a place of experimentation, exploration, intellectual stimulation and exciting collaborations. We enjoy an international reputation for the quality of our teaching and research across the disciplines of art, design, architecture and landscape architecture, history of art and music. Tracing our history back to the 1770s, we remain at the forefront of teaching and research, ideally placed to engage with the challenges of the future. Our home within the University of Edinburgh makes us distinctive, offering many opportunities to benefit from the diverse range of expertise and resources associated with one of the world's leading academic institutions.

Research Community

Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) has a vibrant research community reflecting the diverse expertise of its members and the disciplines it brings together. Based across five schools and numerous research centres, our varied projects use and develop methodologies that can be speculative, process-driven or product-oriented. Our strength is in also fostering rich, creative relationships between investigators and across lines of critical inquiry, leading to both depth and breadth of understanding across art, design, culture, architecture, environments, media and music. Our cross-cutting approach has attracted funding from major providers, including the UK Research Councils and institutions from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in the Arts, Humanities, Science and Medicine.

Outward-Looking Approach

At ECA, we focus on engaging stakeholders at all stages of our research projects, from shaping initial questions through developing methodologies to sharing findings and recommendations. As a result, our research has achieved substantial impacts on public and institutional policy and professional practice, as well as having raised awareness and understanding among the public. Many of our research projects are site-based: in studios, galleries, museums and concert halls. They also reach beyond cultural institutions and audiences to industry, healthcare, law, education, cities, landscapes and the people they serve.

World-Leading Research

ECA is home to a number of flagship research centres, including OPENspace, the Scottish Documentary Institute and the Institute for Music in Human and Social Development. Our leading academics are Principal and Co-Investigators on projects bringing together researchers from world-class universities and institutions and published in established international journals. We are dedicated to building capacity and skills among early career researchers, helping them to become leaders in their field and ambassadors for our Institution. We are delighted to have 11 of the University of Edinburghs Chancellor's Fellows, all selected for their track record and their potential to drive forward creative, innovative and exciting research.

Student Life and Opportunities

Edinburgh, a charming city combining a rich, celebrated past with contemporary points of interest, is consistently considered one of the most desirable places to live in the world, and is also ranked the greenest in the UK.

Study Abroad

You will take a total of 15 credit hours, typically divided over three to six classes. Please be flexible â we canât guarantee specific courses. On this program, in addition to your course load at the University of Edinburgh, you may enroll in one of the following courses with Arcadia. You may choose to underload at the University of Edinburgh if you are taking Arcadia elective classes. Courses in different but related subject areas do not count towards these requirements (e.g. Some courses will also require that you have completed a course in Introductory Econometrics, earning a grade of B or higher. Select a course to view the delivery period, normal year taken, requirements, credits, and a brief description. Please review your course choices with your academic or study abroad advisor, and submit the online course form to The College of Global Studies at Arcadia University. List all course choices and alternates in order of preference. The Edinburgh College of Art (ECA), program is open to majors in the School of Art+Design majors. It is one of 21 Schools housed at the University of Edinburgh, located in the heart of Scotlandâs capital of Edinburgh. Learning is studio-based and research-focused; a mix of one-to-one tutorials, group critiques, seminars, lectures, and field trips. Youâll be able to take courses using both traditional and digital facilities, and world-class libraries, museums and collections.

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