Learning in the Rycotewood Furniture Centre, our students develop skills as creative thinkers and makers, who innovate furniture craft through the exploration of materials and skills. The programme balances design, craft and theory to nurture furniture designers and makers of excellent ability who can progress to employment or further study with a broad understanding of the processes involved in the design and craft of furniture.
Foundation Degree (FdA) Furniture Design and Make (Part-Time)
Furniture Design and Make
Awarding body
Course overview
Application codes
Course Code
OXPDGFDESPT
Institution Code
025
Date, fees & location
Start date
September 2025
Location
City of Oxford College
Fees
Home/EU* Fee for September 2025 entry: £5,140 per year
Timetable
Duration
3 Years
Study mode
Part-Time
Delivery
On Campus
Award
Course award
Upon successful completion, you will be awarded a Foundation Degree (FdA) Furniture: Design and Make from Oxford Brookes University.
The programme is delivered in the Rycotewood Furniture Centre of Excellence.
You will be taught by highly professional furniture designer/ makers who have been in industry and are kept up-to-date with current practices.
Work related experiences are fully integrated into the programme and include regular guest speakers, live project briefs, competitions and visits. The programme will culminate in a professional public exhibition for the industry and networking opportunities.
You will be encouraged to engage in live projects and national competitions. Current examples are New Forest Trust Fine Furniture Competition, Alan Peters Award and Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers Young Furniture Maker Awards.
Please note that as programmes are reviewed regularly, the module list may vary from that shown here:
Level 4
- Technical and Visual Communication
- Furniture Craft
- Design and Make
- Manufacturing and Material Culture
Level 5:
- Advanced Technical and Visual Communication
- Furniture Production
- Advanced Design and Make
- Advanced Manufacturing and Culture
Teaching & Assessment
Work-related opportunities
Work related experiences are fully integrated into the programme and include regular guest speakers, live project briefs, competitions and visits. The programme will culminate in a professional public exhibition for the industry and networking opportunities.
You are encouraged to engage in live projects and national competitions. Current examples are New Forest Trust Fine Furniture Competition, Alan Peters Award and Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers Young Furniture Maker Awards.
Resources
You will be provided with a suitably equipped place to work when attending college that will include access to specialist staff, IT facilities and other learning resources which will be appropriate for the nature of work you will be required to undertake. Additionally, the college offers a wide range of other resources and facilities which will be available to you, further details of which can found in the Higher Education Student Handbook.
Each student will be allocated their own work bench and space in the HE workshop. Students have access to a dedicated IT suite, design studio, veneering, spray finishing upholstery and wood machine workshops.
As well as being enrolled at City of Oxford College you will also be enrolled with Oxford Brookes University and so will benefit from the same facilities and services as on campus students.
Study support
If you do not have a recognised disability or specific learning difficulty, but feel that you require additional support with your studies, you may be eligible to access some discrete sessions in one of the following areas:
- Assistive software training
- IT upskilling
- Essay planning and structure
- Proof reading and editing written work
- Bibliographies and referencing
- Time management and personal organisation
- Revision and exam tips
- Presentation techniques
At each level of study you will be asked to participate in formative assessment procedures which require you to consider your own work against the agreed assessment criteria.
This allows you to reflect upon your own practice, with tutors, and to take responsibility for acknowledging areas of strength and areas for further development in your work.
N.B. Your eligibility for any of the above support will be reviewed with your course tutors and a member of the study support team on your campus.
How to apply
If you have a Student visa, please book a call to discuss your options.
Applicants should apply online through the Oxford Brookes University website.
All applicants to the course will be interviewed and their portfolios reviewed, so we can assess the candidates suitability and compatibility. This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your academic, artistic and practical skills needed to embark on this course.
You can also use your interview as an opportunity to tour the facilities, meet staff and students and have a rundown of the course.
Oxford Brookes offers accommodation for new and existing full-time students who wish to live in our halls and shared houses.
Entry Requirements
Tariff Points
64 points
Please note: Each application will be considered on an individual basis, following the university principle of widening access to those that don’t meet traditional academic entry criteria.
We also welcome applications from mature students with design or woodworking experience who may not have formal qualifications.
Normally the requirement would be:
Either:
- a minimum of the equivalent of two years’ full-time relevant work experience and a current role in an appropriate workplace setting
- evidence of ability to study at academic level 4
- evidence of support from their employer and recommendation
Or:
- a minimum of one A-level at grade C plus the equivalent of 5 GCSE passes at C grade or above normally including mathematics and English Language – or a recognised equivalent vocationally related qualification, or:
- A National Diploma in General Art and Design or
- An Art Foundation course, or
- Level 3 City and Guilds Diploma in Furniture, or
- Access to Art and Design
In addition
- Where applicable: IELTS normally minimum level 6.0 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in the reading and writing components and a minimum of 5.5 in the speaking and listening components.
Please note: Students are typically expected to start at Level 4, but can be admitted to any level of the course which is considered suitable, after portfolio review and interview using the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS). Under this arrangement, a student may apply to have previous academic credits or other learning (APL) or experience (APEL) taken into consideration. Such applications are considered by the Faculty CATS committee and must be supported by the Programme Coordinator.
Careers
Develop a career in furniture design and make with this work-related Honours top-up progression route.
Graduates have found employment in a variety of roles within the furniture industry. Typically they find employment as furniture makers, furniture designers/ CAD technicians, before moving into management positions and self-employment as designer-makers.
After you complete
Course award
Upon successful completion, you will be awarded a Foundation Degree (FdA) Furniture: Design and Make from Oxford Brookes University.
Ready to start your application?
Apply now
Fees
Fee Breakdown
Home/EU* Fee for September 2025 entry: £5,140 per year
Please note: Tuition fees are published for the first year of entry only and may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by the Office for Students.
*Fee information for European Union (EU) students: If your course starts on or after the 1st August 2021, you will no longer be eligible for financial support from Student Finance England unless you meet one of the following criteria:
- you are able to benefit from the citizens’ rights agreements
- you are an Irish national living in the UK or Republic of Ireland: benefits of Irish nationals under Common Travel Area guidance arrangement will continue
If you are interested in this course and would like an informal, no-obligation chat about the details of the course, would like to arrange to come on-site and visit our facilities, learn how to sign up, or anything else, please get in touch and we’d be happy to help!
ADDITIONAL COSTS
Materials fee of £300 per year.
Your materials fee covers most everyday consumables, such as adhesives, domino and dowel joints, screws, wood finishes, sanding belts, machine blades/knives/cutters and sharpening, mini-bus and coach travel, paper for sketchbooks, printing credit, etc.
Certain sundries such as mitre bond, epoxy resin, fixings, components, are allocated within budget to a fixed quantity for the year.
Specialist items which are specific to students’ own projects such as timber, catches, magnets, hinges are not included within materials fee.
All students are supplied with a starter pack at the beginning of each year that includes:
- 1” roll masking tape
- 1 metre of 120 grit Mirka abrasive paper
- 1 metre of 180 grit Mirka abrasive paper
- 1 metre of 240 grit Mirka abrasive paper
- 6 Mirka sanding discs (120, 180, 240)
- 6 cotton rags
- 3 pairs disposable gloves
In the first year, the materials fee includes:
- Plywood and MDF to make tool drawers.
- Timber for practice joints.
- Timber, board, and veneer for Craft Table
- Materials for Seating Model – offcuts, construction veneer, etc
- Timber, board, veneer, and hinges for Craft Box
- Jig, rod, former material for your D&M Table
In the second year, the materials fee includes:
- Gordon Russell Model – offcuts, construction veneers, etc.
- Production Table, Production Stool
- Storage D&M – prescribed quantities of Himax, Valchromat, Grada, Jigs, timber, template boards
- Pitt Rivers – offcuts
- Seating – prototype board materials, jigs, template boards
You should be aware that accommodation and day-to-day living costs are not included in our fees.
We strongly recommend purchasing a laptop to support you in your studies on the course.
We recommend that you budget £100 a year for additional costs such as for stationary to undertake your studies.
You can borrow textbooks and access journals from the recommended reading lists, as these are available from the Learning Resource Centre.
