FAQs

Who attends a CSM Short Course Online?
Anyone 18 or over, of any nationality can attend one of our courses. As long as you have a passion for art and design you are welcome to apply. A minimum level of spoken and written english is required (minimum IELTS score of 5).

How many people attend?
There are between 8 and 12 students per course. This small size allows a good deal of individual attention from your tutors.

How good do I need to be to attend one of these courses?
Our online courses are aimed at anyone who has an interest in art or design and who wishes to improve their skills and knowledge through practice. While some courses are more suitable to learners with previous experience in the field, there are also entry level courses which are easily accessible for complete beginners.

When do I need to apply?
There is no strict deadline for applications. We take enrolments until each course is fully subscribed and so we recommend you apply as early as possible, ideally at least three months prior to when you wish to start.Your place on a course is only guaranteed once the fee has been received.

Can I get on the course if I am from overseas?
As the courses are taught online, there are no restrictions for you to attend the classes. Please be aware that you will be required to attend live classes which will take place at a specific time (GMT) and day every week. You will also need to confirm that your level of spoken and written english is sufficient to attend the course (minimum IELTS score of 5).

How good does my English need to be?
All students must have a minimum IELTS score of 5 to join our online courses. If you are based in London, you may wish to combine your art or design course with English language studies run by the Language Centre at the University of the Arts London. Further details can be found at www.arts.ac.uk/international.

What is the minimum age for students to enrol?
Anyone over 18 years old can come on our courses. There is no upper age limit - we have students of all ages. If you are too young for our main courses, we also offer courses specifically for 13 to 15 year olds and 16 to 18 year olds during the academic holidays and these are listed on our website with the age range in the course title or in the 'Courses for under 18 year old' section.  Please note that students must be the minimum age specified for the course on the first day of class.

Do you have facilities for students with disabilities?
The college aims to respond positively to disability so that all students can take advantage of our courses. Some of the current communication methods of the Virtual Learning Environment might not be accessible depending on the disabilities. Please contact our office before you enrol so that we can ensure every effort will be made to accommodate your needs.

What equipment do I need to attend a short course online?
Apart from the materials list specific to the course you choose, you will need a recent computer which has a minimum of pentium4 (pc) or G4 (mac) processor, and 1Gb RAM. It will also need to be equipped with a microphone, a webcam and a pair of headphones. Finally, the computer will need to be connected to the Internet with a minimum broadband connection of 2Mbps, typically allowing for at least 256k upload and 512k download speeds.

Why do I need headphones when my computer is equipped with speakers?
The live class is using technology which enables you to talk to and hear the tutor and other students. Because the microphone records everything around you, it would also record the voices coming from the speakers, creating an echo loop which would eventually make the live class non-audible. In such case, the tutor would be forced to switch off your microphone remotely.

Can I participate in a live class from anywhere?
You can connect to a live class using any modern computer with a decent internet connection, assuming that you are in a relatively quiet environment. As a live class requires your attention for the whole time of the session, you will need to make sure that you won't be disturbed by your surroundings.

How long is a live class?
Although a live class typically runs between 1 and 1.5 hours (depending on the length of the course), you would be required to allow for at least 15-30 minutes before and after the allocated time for the live class. This is to make sure that all your equipment is set and working correctly, as well as to allow time for further questions to be answered at the end of the live class.

Do I need to study in between live classes?
Unless specified, you would be required to allow for 1.5 hours self-study time per week. A typical course will provide you with one assignment every week, to be submitted before the next live class. You might also be required to read further lesson materials, do research on the internet and/or on location.