The department has a strong fine art bias with an emphasis on visual investigation. Although starting points will vary, the best art comes from an imaginative and thoughtful interpretation of first hand visual experience.

The department staff have a wide range of skills and individual directions are encouraged. Relating the work of students to that of other artists, through gallery visits and workshops so that there is a context for art making is an integral part of our teaching methods. Work is taught in as wide a range of media as practicably possible. The main thrust of our teaching is based around the painting and drawing media with exploration into printmaking and 3D. An 'artlab' comprising of Mac computers, digital cameras and a scanner provide image manipulation facilities, not to mention fast internet capability and colour and black and white printers.