The Problem with Cultural Capital in Art and Design Higher Education

This paper was presented at the ADM-HEA GLAD (Group for Learning in Art and Design) Conference 2007. The paper explores the flaws of using interviews as part of the undergraduate admissions process for Art and Design subjects. These flaws manifest as both difficulties otherwise acceptable candidates may face in an interview and in problematic assumptions and misconceptions interviewers may have. The paper then goes on to focus specifically on what problems expectations of candidate cultural capital can cause and how lower emphasis on cultural capital will encourage widening participation.