Diploma in Sculpture

Heatherley’s Diploma in Sculpture is an independent award, comparable in level to a Bachelor of Arts degree. Graduates have successfully progressed to Master of Arts courses at leading UK universities and art schools. Assessment is conducted by the Course Director and Principal, and is validated by a team of external advisors.

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and value the unique experience each student brings to the course. Our selection is based on motivation and the potential to benefit from the intensive two-year programme. While we encourage applications from graduates of Foundation and BA courses in Sculpture and Fine Art, sufficient preparation may also be demonstrated by sustained commitment to part-time study. Applications are open to individuals aged 19 and over, including mature students.

Applicants will be invited to an interview, during which they will be asked to show a portfolio of recent work. As well as examples of three dimensional work, there should also be evidence of drawing ability and an awareness of contemporary art and design. Whilst completion of an art foundation course is desirable, a sustained commitment to non-vocational classes and courses would also be regarded as acceptable experience.

Successful applicants will receive confirmation via email. To accept your place you must confirm in writing and pay the deposit of 10% of the first year’s fees.

Please contact us at info@heatherleys.org with any questions about eligibility.

The Sculpture Diploma is structured to develop your technical skills, creative voice, and critical understanding of contemporary and historical sculpture. From the outset, you’ll gain a comprehensive vocabulary of sculptural techniques—learning to weld, cast, carve, construct armatures, model in clay and wax, and use ceramic hand-building and glazing methods. You’ll also explore printmaking processes including woodcut, etching, and monoprint to complement your sculptural practice.

The course begins with a strong emphasis on observational study, using the human head and figure as the foundation for exploring form, structure, and expression. Weekly life drawing sessions support your development in both objective analysis and imaginative exploration, encouraging a personal response to the figure. As you progress, the curriculum expands into conceptual and material investigations, allowing you to explore expressive possibilities and develop a sculptural language unique to your practice.

There are three stages to the course:

1. Objective Study – Focused on observation and the expressive interpretation of human anatomy. You will learn modelling techniques in clay and plaster, build armatures, and experiment with casting in plaster and water-based resin.
2. Personal Exploration – Encourages individual creativity and deeper engagement with visual language. Projects challenge assumptions, tap into imaginative processes, and develop your understanding of materials. You’ll receive expert instruction in welding, assemblage, and carving in wood and stone.
3. Independent Project Work – In the final stage, you’ll design and execute a self-directed body of work with continued tutorial and technical support. Your final project will be assessed and exhibited publicly at the end of the second year.

You’ll study in small groups of 5–10 students, sharing a studio and benefiting from close one-to-one teaching. A dedicated project tutor oversees each studio, ensuring focused, personalised support. Critiques, group discussions, and tutorials—both formal and informal—are a regular part of the learning environment.

Tuition is delivered by a team of practising artists, many of whom are graduates of top institutions such as the Royal College of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art. Tutors are also members of leading professional organisations, including the Society of Portrait Sculptors and the Royal British Society of Sculptors. A rich programme of gallery visits, lectures, seminars, and visiting artist talks runs throughout the course, helping you to place your own practice in a wider historical and contemporary context.

Diploma students have access to two dedicated, fully accessible sculpture studios located on the ground floor. Both studios are spacious, with high ceilings and large windows that provide excellent natural light throughout the working day.

Studio 1 is equipped with robust workbenches designed for carving, construction, and assemblage. Studio 2 is tailored for modelling and casting, offering the ideal environment for working in clay, wax, and plaster.

The sculpture department also includes purpose-built facilities: a fully equipped workshop with machine tools for working in wood and metal, and a kiln room for firing ceramic work. Specialist technicians in sculpture and ceramics provide inductions in the safe and effective use of machinery, glazes, and oxides.

All essential tools are available for student use, though you are encouraged to begin building your own personal toolkit over time.

Assessment takes place in two stages over the duration of the course, culminating in the award of the Heatherley Diploma in Sculpture following a satisfactory final assessment at the end of the second year.

As part of your final year, you will complete a 5,000-word dissertation that contributes to your overall assessment. With support from your tutors, you’ll be encouraged to reflect critically on your own artistic practice and contextualise it by referencing the work of other artists whose ideas and methods resonate with your own.

Graduates of the Sculpture Diploma are equipped to pursue a wide range of creative careers. Many go on to establish independent studio practices, exhibiting their work in galleries across London, the UK, and internationally. Some have won awards, undertaken private and public commissions, and built successful reputations as professional sculptors. Others choose to continue their education at prestigious postgraduate institutions such as the Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins (UAL), and City & Guilds of London Art School. Heatherleys graduates have also pursued careers in art therapy, teaching in adult and higher education, and roles in related creative industries. These include special effects for theatre, film, and television, exhibition design, curation, bronze casting, metal fabrication, retail design, and the creation of jewellery and ceramics.

Each year the Thomas Heatherley Educational Trust makes available a number of bursaries for full-time diploma students. Up to 50% remission of fees may be offered to successful applicants. For further details and to apply for a bursary, please contact us at bursar@heatherleys.org.