You should have an interest in creating and understanding art and the determination to develop that interest. The main purpose of the course is to develop your ability to appreciate the visual world and to respond in a personal and creative way. The skills you will develop will be varied. Among them, you will develop a working knowledge of materials, practices and technology in one or more of the disciplines within art. You will develop the skills to interpret and convey your ideas and feelings using art, craft and design. You will develop your immaginative and creative powers and your experimental, analytical and documenting skills. You will also develop a specialist vocabulary and the knowledge and understanding of the place of art, craft and design in history and in contemporary society. However, this course is not an easy option and you should be prepared to work hard at developing your abilities. You should have an understanding of the basic elements of art - colour, tone, form, texture etc. and also some understanding of the place of art, craft and design in the world - its history and purpose.

AS and Advanced GCE in Art and Design is suitable for students who wish to study art, craft and design at a higher level usually at university, who are looking to take up careers for which an art background is relevant, eg. careers in advertising, publishing, architecture, museums, theatre or art gallery work, or those with an interest in and aptitude for the subject, but who do not intend to study it further.