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Art and Technology BA

London, Stratford (UCL East)

Study at the intersection of art and technology with this transformative degree, blending artistic practice, creative coding, AI, physical computing, networked technologies, and more. This practice-based Art and Technology BA places you within the prestigious UCL Slade School of Fine Art, and at UCL East – designed for collaboration and disruptive thinking. You'll explore, experiment and critique technology in the context of arts practice and computational culture, graduating with transferable skills to shape the creative, cultural and tech sectors.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
3 academic years
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£9,535
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£39,800
Programme starts
September 2026
Application deadline
14 Jan 2026
UCAS course code
W102
Apply via UCAS

Entry requirements

A levels IB Diploma Other qualifications
Grades
ABB
Subjects
No specific subjects, but a portfolio of work is required. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4.

Contextual offer information

Grades
CCC more about contextual offers
Subjects
No specific subjects, but a portfolio of work is required. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4.
Points
34
Subjects
A total of 16 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5, plus a portfolio.

Contextual offer

Points
30 more about contextual offers
Subjects
A total of 15 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5, plus a portfolio.

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Equivalent qualification

Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 30 credits at Distinction, 12 credits at Merit and 3 credits at Pass, all from Level 3 units. Plus a portfolio of work required.

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF) or BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (RQF - teaching from 2016) with Distinction, Distinction, Distinction. Plus a portfolio of work required.

D3,M1,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. A portfolio of work is required.

ABB at Advanced Highers (or AB at Advanced Higher and BBB at Higher). A portfolio of work is required.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

International applications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

Access and widening participation

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.
Check your Access UCL Scheme eligibility

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

English language requirements

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Course overview


This degree programme is for a new generation of artists to create art connected to emerging and disruptive technologies, experimenting in new forms of expression, communication and collaboration. It provides you with the chance to explore the power of creative, critical and computational thinking.  

You will learn skills in the following art and technology areas:

  • Creative Coding
  • Sensing Practices
  • Digital Fabrication
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Machine Learning
  • Worlding and Gaming
  • Computational Publishing
  • Immersive Environments – virtual (VR), mixed, augmented or extended reality 

Each year is structured thematically around theory, practice and presentation. These thematic areas are interconnected and designed to enable students to develop an integrated interdisciplinary understanding, as well as art practice through technology, informed by history and theory, experimentation, imagination and research-oriented arts practice.

Adopting a practice-based approach enables students to understand the central role of technology, particularly in the areas of creative computing/computational art and culture. This includes reading, writing/coding/wiring and thinking with technology as critical tools for our times, in recognition of the way in which technology contains material processes and our experiences are ever more programmed. It explores how technology, with its underlying assumptions and biases, influences consumption and production. It highlights that technology is not neutral in its impact or design within digital culture. 

All elements of the course are connected to art practice and theory, questioning how certain histories and technologies become accepted as standard ("the canon"), focusing on issues of class, gender and race. We explore how power dynamics are structured by and embedded within technologies and how art practice might be used to critically investigate and challenge this. 

As an Art and Technology BA student, you will be part of the UCL Slade School of Fine Art. You will be based at UCL East, joining a community of students studying interdisciplinary degrees across new intersections of arts, humanities, social sciences and science. 

What this course will give you

You will benefit from world-class teaching and research across the arts and humanities at UCL, ranked 6th in the world for these disciplines (THE World University Rankings 2024 by subject), as well as from creative practitioners working in different fields. 

You will have access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, including the Institute of Making, the Fabrication Lab, and the co-working and learning Slade Studio at UCL East. These spaces offer exceptional resources for exploration, experimentation and innovation in your work. 

Additionally, you will benefit from the vibrant creative cultural hub of East London's East Bank, and many of London's galleries, museums, libraries and theatres, which are close to the Slade School of Fine Art in Bloomsbury.  

You will be supported in career readiness by UCL Careers and the School for the Creative and Cultural Industries (SCCI) based at UCL East. 

Teaching and learning

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BA (Hons) in Art and Technology.

Modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Each year includes an extended art practice module of 45-60 credits, running across all three terms. These art practice modules are built on self-directed learning, providing the opportunity to engage deeply in art practice. Students will create art through peer-supported learning (collaborative/individual projects, group critiques, seminars), negotiated study (one-on-one and group tutorials), and class-based learning (artist talks, workshops, focused technical teaching). 

Year 1 

In Year 1, there are six compulsory modules, including an extended art practice module. The focus is on building a strong foundation in the skills, methods, processes and theoretical frameworks for exploring the intersections of art and technology, supported by studies in histories and theories. 

Year 2 

In Year 2, there are five compulsory modules focusing on establishing and consolidating your professional practice as an artist while continuing to develop technological skills, tools and methods. A case study module (Find Your Art and Technology Future) complements this process, empowering you to explore your career objectives or project aspirations at the intersection of art and technology.  

Year 3 

In Year 3, there are five compulsory modules with opportunities to collaborate with professional practitioners or communities on public engagement activities of real-world significance. The year culminates in a final-degree exhibition, where your ideas and work will be unveiled in a compelling display to a global audience, marking the culmination of your artistic journey. 

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Compulsory modules

Histories & Theories of Art and Technology

Creative Computing 0: Coding Practice for Artists

Technology as a Way of Seeing

Creative Computing 1: Sensing Practice for Artists

Creative Computing 2: Artificial and Machine Intelligence in Arts Practice

Art Practice 1


Compulsory modules

Technology as a Way of Being

Find Your Art and Technology Future

Art Practice 2

Creative Computing 3: Worlding and Gaming in Arts Practice



Compulsory modules

Engagement, Exhibition, Experience and Display

Independent Study in Arts and Technology Practice

Art Practice 3

Career Structures and Strategies

Creative Computing 4: Art Futures


Your learning

You will learn through a mix of art practice, theory and skills-based learning approaches designed to empower you as an artist. Art practice is developed through practice-based learning with an emphasis on self-initiated work. You will be supported to develop this through one-to-one and group tutorials, seminars, critiques (crits), contemporary art lectures, workshops and one-to-one technical support. 

Learning hours are made up across a variety of formats and each module is different. Formats include lectures, seminars, tutorials, case study, crits, e-learning, student-led contact, independent learning and studio time.

Approximately 6-12 hours per week will be spent attending lectures, seminars, crits, tutorials, workshops and talks. You will also be expected to spend approximately 30 hours per week on independent study, reading and research, creating computational art projects and self-directed learning.

Assessment

Modules are assessed through a mixture of summative coursework assignments, including essays, blogs, reports, creative art projects, portfolios, publications, pop-up shows, alongside a final-year Public Degree Show. 

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

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Online - Open day

Art and Technology BA - 1:1 Calls with Programme Team

Book a 1:1 call with a member of the Art and Technology BA programme team. You will be able to ask any questions you may have about the programme: how the programme will be taught, where the degree could take you or about studying this course at our UCL East campus. We are not able to offer individual advice about the make up of your portfolio, but are happy to answer general questions about the different formats/media that could be included.

Online - Open day

Art and Technology information video

Watch this video to find out more about Art and Technology at UCL, including entry requirements, course structure and other helpful information. Recorded Spring 2024.

Watch on demand event

Online - Open day

UCL Art and Technology BA - Taster Session

Join us to learn about UCL's new Art and Technology BA starting in September 2025. This course is for a new generation of artists interested in merging art with emerging technologies. It combines modular studies with studio practice and explores the intersections of art, humanities, and science. Key areas include creative coding, AI, robotics, sensing, game design, computational publishing, and immersive environments.

Watch on demand event

The foundation of your career

Potential employment destinations for graduates may include the many possibilities contained in the creative art and technology economy, for example: creative technologist, digital artist, art and technology educator, cultural institution roles focusing on the curation, exhibition, and promotion of digital and technology-based art. 

Employability

As a graduate of the Art and Technology BA programme, you will develop the following skills and attributes to prepare you for a wide range of life and career choices: 

  • Learning technical skills, alongside an experimental, imaginative and research approach to fuse contemporary art practice with technology. 
  • Demonstrating practical skills and working knowledge of digital technologies, such as creative coding, sensing practices, digital fabrication, artificial intelligence, machine learning, worlding and gaming, computational publishing, and immersive environments. 
  • Thinking about the interconnections between art practice and emerging and disruptive technologies and applying them to meet the needs of the creative, cultural and technology sectors. 
  • Understanding the ethics and politics involved in the relationship between art and technology, including equality, diversity and inclusion. 
  • Creating digital environments that critically engage with issues of class, gender, race and colonialism. 
  • Reflective and self-directed learning, key to lifelong and professional learning. 

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £9,535
Tuition fees (2025/26) £39,800

Fees are for Undergraduate 2025/26 entry and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases and are subject to the passing of secondary legislation. Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2025/26 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

You may incur material costs for pursuing individual research interests in the studio practice modules. Art practices vary widely and being economical and creative in the use of materials is part of the learning process to become a practicing artist. Assessment is made on the quality of the artwork which is not determined by the cost of the materials.

Travel costs will be incurred for attending UCL events on the Bloomsbury campus, including Slade contemporary art and staff lectures. (UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East).

Students in Year 2 will need to cover associated transport costs (if applicable) for the chosen case study on a specific organization, self-directed project, event or placement. It is possible to conduct the case study remotely, so this cost will vary depending on the individual proposal.  

Students will have access to computer cluster rooms, but having a personal computer (PC or Mac) with a minimum specification of 8GB RAM, 500GB SSD storage, and an external USB hard drive with at least 1TB of storage are highly recommended. Owning a personal computer and external hard drive provides greater flexibility, allowing students to work outside of scheduled hours, install necessary software and tools, and store files. This specification is estimated to cost approximately £550 or more. Whilst the programme primarily uses free and open-source software, additional costs may be incurred if students choose to pursue individual research interests requiring paid software or specialized tools.  

There may be other additional costs such as visiting art galleries, museums or similar as part of field trips for some modules. We recommend students apply for a Student Art Pass (approximately £10) for discounted entry to museums and galleries across the UK.

There may be additional travel and expenses, such as refreshments or meals, associated with an internship or the undertaking of project work at an employer’s premises.  

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Funding your studies

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Scholarships

The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.

Next steps

Your application

We seek to select candidates who, in addition to academic achievement, have the potential and passion to develop a critical awareness and an understanding of art and technology and its contexts. We look for candidates who are self-motivated to take initiatives and keen to experiment within our studio-centred learning environment.

How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

Step 1: UCAS 

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS. 

Step 2: Portfolio Submission 

Along with your UCAS application, you will also submit a portfolio of creative work.

For further information on Slade’s portfolio submission see:  BA Art and Technology Portfolio Guidance.

You will receive precise instructions regarding your portfolio submission from UCL's student administration system, Portico. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview in late February or March. 

Apply via UCAS
Application guidelines
Download prospectus

Got questions? Get in touch

Slade School of Fine Art
Slade School of Fine Art

slade.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk

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