Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business additional costs

Summary of additional costs that may be incurred as part of your study at the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business.

General costs

Tuition fees do not cover normal costs of study such as:
  • core textbooks
  • printing
  • photocopying
  • report binding
  • optional field trips
  • stationery
  • thesis branding
Placements
If/when you are on placement there may be additional costs incurred for subsistence and travel.
Specific costs are detailed below.

Plymouth Business School
Tuition fees do not cover the general costs of study (printing, textbooks etc.) or placements.

School of Art, Design and Architecture

Master of Architecture

  • Books: Although you may wish to purchase books, the library (physical and online) holds core texts that relate to modules.
  • Printing projects
  • Print coursework
  • Art supplies/materials/binding
  • Field trips (optional)/fieldwork
  • Software: Adobe Creative Suite is freely available for students on computers on campus. All other major software packages we use offer free licenses to students. For software packages such as Autodesk’s, you can install them for free in your own computers during your studies.
  • Site visits
  • Modelmaking materials

MA Architectural Design

  • Books: Although you may wish to purchase books, the library (physical and online) holds core texts that relate to modules.
  • Printing projects
  • Print coursework
  • Art supplies/materials/binding
  • Field trips (optional) /fieldwork
  • Software: Adobe Creative Suite is freely available for students on computers on campus. All other major software packages we use offer free licenses to students. For software packages such as Autodesk’s, you can install them for free in your own computers during your studies.
  • Site visits
  • Modelmaking materials
We do supply a dedicated studio space, however students will be expected to equip themselves with materials including stationery, model making materials, sketchbooks, printing, books or re-assessments. Whilst most of the recommended reading lists are available from the University Library, you may wish to purchase specific texts for personal use. We also aim to keep extra printing/bounding costs down by submitting coursework electronically (this also helps reduce waste). Further, the fabrication workshops have an extensive supply of materials which can be purchased directly from the labs.
We encourage students to explore a variety of digital platforms, whereby a range of software required for the course is available on the university’s computers, although students may wish to purchase specific software packages – where you are reminded to take advantage of student licenses.

BA (Hons) Architecture

  • Books: Although you may wish to purchase books, the library (physical and online) holds core texts that relate to modules.
  • Printing projects
  • Print coursework
  • Art supplies/materials/binding
  • Field trips (optional) /fieldwork
  • Software: Adobe Creative Suite is freely available for students on computers on campus. All other major software packages we use offer free licenses to students.

BSc (Hons) Architectural Engineering / BSc (Hons) Building Surveying / BSc (Hons) Construction Project Management / BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying

While the cost of your tuition covers lots of things, it doesn’t cover everything. For instance, this course doesn’t cover the cost of any stationery, printing, books or re-assessments which you might need. However, most of the recommended reading lists are available from the University library and the majority of the coursework is submitted electronically using the learning portal, not incurring any printing or bounding costs.
We supply Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for fieldwork and lab work.
Specialist software required for the course is available on all university computers, some of them accessible 24 hours. There are some free educational licenses which are available for personal use.

BA (Hons) Creative Media

The course provides an extensive range of equipment, software and facilities. Students will be expected to meet the usual study costs of books, printing and stationery. Additional costs will include field trips (optional), file storage, SD cards, headphones etc.
Production costs will depend upon the student’s choice of medium and the subjects they choose to focus upon during their project work. For example, if a student wishes to make a documentary about a subject that requires travelling to conduct interviews, then the student would be expected to meet these costs. If a student is working in photography, then they may incur printing and possibly framing costs. These costs are dependent on the student’s own project planning and are therefore optional.

BA (Hons) Digital Media Design

• Laptop
Students are recommended to have their own game-capable laptop or desktop PC.
• Software
Adobe Creative Suite is freely available for students on computers on campus. Other major software packages we use offer free licenses to students.
• Placements
If/when you are on placement there may be additional costs incurred for subsistence and travel – although you may also be paid for your work.

BA (Hons) Filmmaking

The course provides an extensive range of high-end professional-level filmmaking equipment, post-production software and facilities.
Students will be expected to meet the usual study costs (stationery, etc). Although you may wish to purchase books, the library (physical and online) holds core texts that relate to modules.
Additional costs may include optional field trips, SD cards, hard drives, headphones, etc.
Filmmaking production costs will depend upon the student. For example, if a student wishes to make a film that requires travelling, then the student would be expected to meet these costs. If a student is working in crew-based drama production and requires actors, then they might be required to pay for travel and provide food for your crew. These costs are dependent on the student's own project planning and are therefore optional.

BA (Hons) Fine Art

Students are expected to meet their normal study costs (stationery, printing art materials, etc.) Although you may wish to purchase books, the library (physical and online) holds core texts that relate to modules. However, we do supply dedicated fine art studio spaces. There may also be costs relating to residential fieldwork. These vary in cost according to the location and the length of the field trip.

MA Game Design

• Laptop
Students are recommended to have their own game-capable laptop or desktop PC.
• Software
Adobe Creative Suite is freely available for students on computers on campus. All other major software packages we use offer free licenses to students.
• Conferences and Exhibitions
Students are expected to engage with the game development community and/or the game studies community by taking part on at least one local event during their academic year.

BA (Hons) Game Arts and Design

• Laptop
Students are recommended to have their own game-capable laptop or desktop PC.
• Software
Adobe Creative Suite is freely available for students on computers on campus. All other major software packages we use offer free licenses to students.
• Placements
If/when you are on placement there may be additional costs incurred for subsistence and travel – although you may also be paid for your work.

BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Typography

The course provides a dedicated studio environment and access to computers and workshop facilities such as letterpress, screen printing, 3D scanning and printing.
Tuition fees do not cover normal costs of study such as:
  • Books: Although you may wish to purchase books, the library (physical and online) holds core texts that relate to modules.
  • Stationery and art supplies
  • Materials such as specialist papers, board, wood
  • Printing
  • Laptop (optional – desktop computers with relevant software provided in studio) Adobe Creative Suite is freely available for students on computers on campus.
  • Field trips (optional)

BA (Hons) Illustration

The course provides:
  • A dedicated studio environment
  • Paper and drawing materials for life drawing workshops
  • Print workshop introductions are free and then afterwards only substrate and plates are chargeable – not inks
  • Adobe Creative Suite is freely available for students on computers on campus
  • Specialist online learning access
  • Visiting speakers
  • Materials for set projects within modules
Tuition fees do not cover normal costs of study such as:
  • Books
  • Printing
  • Art supplies/materials
  • Optional Field trips/fieldwork – Two trips: London and Overseas
  • Optional London Show (Year 3)

BA (Hons) Photography

The course has a wide range of technical resources and equipment that are available for students to use and are part of their tuition fees. However, like all visual art disciplines, students will have their own unique way of making their photography and for this reason a student might incur extra costs based on their practice and research.
These might include the following items, but this list is not exhaustive:
  • Books (the library is well stocked with titles appropriate to the study of photography and visual culture, but specific titles focussing on an individual student’s area of interest might have to be purchased).
  • Printing and photocopying (even if a student uses digital cameras and technology, they will be expected to print their work out).
  • Photographic materials (analogue film and paper, mounting and framing).
  • Field trips – optional (national and international trips).
  • Placements If/when you are on placement there may be additional costs incurred for subsistence and travel.

BA (Hons) Interior Design / BA (Hons) Product and Furniture Design

Tuition fees do not cover normal costs of study such as:
Books: Although you may wish to purchase books, the library (physical and online) holds core texts that relate to modules
  • Stationery
  • Photocopying and printing
  • Printing final thesis
  • Materials (e.g., wood, metal, ceramics and fixings) used in project work
  • Optional field trip: travel, accommodation and subsistence costs on field trips organised by the course will be your responsibility.
  • Placements: you may incur additional costs for subsistence and travel on work experience placements.
  • External exhibitions: you may incur additional costs to participate in external exhibitions

School of Society and Culture

BA (Hons) Acting

  • We provide all of core texts free. The library has additional holdings of any texts you might need.
  • We avoid printing wherever possible and choose sustainable alternatives – for example, online viewing. Printed materials will be supplied when necessary.
  • All additional materials related to productions - lighting, set, etc. – is provided by us without cost to the student.
  • We use standard Office software which is available free to download for our students.
  • We provide costume for productions.
  • Theatre visits (for example to see shows at Theatre Royal) are paid for by us and free to our students.
  • We have a dedicated placements officer who obtains placements, work experience and paid work for our students. There is no charge for this service to students and many roles for which you can apply give you, the student, a small fee.

BA (Hons) Anthropology

There are no compulsory additional costs. Field trips are fully covered, mandatory readings are made available online.

English courses

  • Most universities do not help you with the costs of your books – but we do! Your first-year core texts will be free on all our programmes, and we give you Amazon vouchers to help towards the costs of your other books.
  • All our field trips are free or heavily subsidised, enabling all students to access them, regardless of their financial circumstances.
  • Placements are voluntary but we help you as much as we can with them.
  • There are no other statutory costs attached to our programmes.

History courses

  • Books: texts for core modules are provided free of charge for all students in first, second and third year.
  • Printing: most assignments are submitted electronically, only the final year dissertation needs to be printed and bound.
  • Software and equipment: all necessary software and IT equipment for modules such as Oral and Visual History or History Dissertations is free to use for history students.
  • Field trips: field trips are optional – local/day field trips are free for students; there is a small charge for students on residential trips (for example in 2020 the charge for our 4 day London trip will be £20 per student which covers all travel, accommodation and breakfast and relevant admissions).

BA (Hons) Music

There are costs associated with maintaining a personal instrument. There are no other additional costs.

Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies/Police and Criminal Justice Studies

Summary of additional costs that may be incurred undertaking a Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies degree or a Police and Criminal Justice Studies degree:

General costs of study
Tuition fees do not cover normal costs of study such as: books, stationery, printing and photocopying.

Placements and work-based learning
If students go on a placement year or undertake the work-based learning module there may be additional costs incurred for subsistence and travel.

Study Abroad
Students have the opportunity to study part of their programme at a university abroad for one or two semesters at stage 2. This will incur additional costs to be covered by the student (flights, visa costs, medical insurance, etc.). Student Finance England offer means-tested travel grants as well as a reduction in tuition fees for those going for a full year of study.

Fieldtrips
There may also be costs related to fieldtrips – usually subsistence costs as travel costs will be covered.

Education courses

General costs of study
Tuition fees do not cover normal costs of study such as:
  • books
  • stationary
  • printing
  • photocopying
ITE Placements
When you are on teaching practice there may be additional costs incurred for subsistence, accommodation and travel. The university provides assistance with these costs in certain circumstances.
Additional courses
We offer a programme of non-compulsory professional development opportunities ranging from Makaton to sports coaching. These are offered at cost to trainee teachers wishing to develop specific areas of their practice.

Graduation
Student ticket: Free of charge
Guest tickets: As with many graduation venues, there are associated costs. To help offset these costs, we charge guests to attend. Guest ticket prices will be announced prior to each round of ceremonies.
Graduates must wear academic dress. Exact cost dependent on award.
It's important to stress that the University makes no money whatsoever from graduation. The revenue we receive from guest ticket sales only goes part way towards offsetting the costs of the event. Please see the graduation webpages for more information.