Learn about Jasmine-Shah Miah's journey from foundation year to BA Fashion Branding & Communication.
How has your foundation year benefited you?
My foundation year (FY) benefited me by setting me up for the big jump from A-level to university, which can be really overwhelming. It gave me the opportunity to try every pathway to ensure I made the right decision in terms of picking my pathway at the end of the year. I would describe my foundation year as: informative, inspiring and nurturing.
In what ways has your foundation year prepared you for your first year?
My foundation year taught me the standard of university work that was expected from me which can be quite different and overwhelming coming from A-levels or college to university. It also taught me how to start making connections with people from other courses which is essential for a first year BA course as collaborations are expected.
Can you give an example of a task this year where you have had to use the skills you have learnt on your foundation year?
In my foundation year we were taught the basics of all Adobe programmes which can be really hard to understand and take a lot of time to get the hang of. Every module I’ve had so far has required an Adobe programme, and from my foundation year teaching me to how to use these programmes I was able to get started much quicker and start improving on the skills I learnt straight away.
Aside from learning the CAD programmes that not only put me at a massive advantage for my BA course but has given me the chance to develop my skills learnt further giving me a bigger advantage in the work place which, has already impressed potential work experience employers. My FY also taught me the skills to be able to push myself out of my comfort zone and how to do so in an organised matter which, is something I thought I would always struggle with.
Can you please explain some of the workshops you undertook and why they were interesting?
One workshop that I was particularly intersected in was the mono-printing workshop on the second floor of Parkside, it was something I had taught myself to do during A-level art but wasn’t particularly great at. This gave me the chance to learn how to do it step by step and better what little skills I already had of the workshop, it ended up coming in very helpful during the first project of my FY.
What support did you receive?
I received a lot of support through my lectures and guest talkers/helpers, which is something I really valued and needed after the jump from A-levels to university. I had the opportunity to talk though my ideas and help visualise them more clearly with the help from my lectures which is something I really struggled with to begin with. This has helped a lot through my BA course.
Did you look at other universities to study, and why did you choose to study at BCU?
I had started researching university foundation years since the start of year 12, as I knew it was something I wanted to do and needed to do as I knew I wouldn’t be quite ready for a BA course. A lot of the ones I looked at were not fashion specific, they were only art specific which was quite disheartening. I eventually came across BCU’s foundation year mid way through my A-levels and I just knew it was the course for me. It had everything I wanted in a fashion foundation year which I really struggled to find anywhere else.
Now you’re in your first year of your BA, do you have any future plans?
With the extra year of experience from the foundation course I’m confident enough to start applying for work experience throughout the summer and the next one, I have a variety of skills and in my portfolio which I have gained from my foundation year.
What piece of advice would you give a prospective student who is looking to apply to the foundation course that you wish you were told?
The foundation year is more beneficial than you think, even if you think you’re sure about what course you want to be on. It gives you the opportunity to learn skills that you may not learn on your course that may come in useful. It’s also great for confirming which BA course is right for you.
