BA (Hons) Fashion and Textiles Design

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Fashion and Textiles Design are an increasingly competitive area with an industrial and commercial climate. This is an innovative, cutting-edge course which will prepare you for a career in the design industry. We will help you develop design skills, technical and professional expertise. The course covers 3 key themes; design, manufacture and business.

Our aim is to produce confident, versatile and talented people who envisage a career in the design business. Throughout the course you will develop your skills by tackling challenging project briefs, often in collaboration with industry and sponsorship by fabric manufacturers. We have links with John Smedley, Clive Hutton and Obi Womenswear among others. You will find out about the real world of design and develop a close understanding of marketing trends and consumerism.

This course is ultimately structured to provide a route into employment into the Fashion and Textiles industries, and we aim to help students achieve their full potential through being challenged, stimulated, informed and rewarded. As part of this, technical and critical skills associated with creativity will be developed to a high standard.

You will have the opportunity to take part in educational visits to trade fairs and manufacturers for an insight into international aspects of the business. Through participating in live projects and national competitions, you will experience working to a professional design brief that closely mirrors industry practice. Embedded within the programme of study, you will develop essential employability skills such as CV writing and professional practice modules. All students on the course will have the opportunity to showcase their work at our annual Fashion Show, and final year students can exhibit their work in London at an industry focused graduate showcase at the end of their course.

Course Content and Structure

Year one (Level 4)

All students follow a common first year programme, including the core modules as outlined below:

• Visualisation
• Historical/Contextual Studies 1
• Design Processes/Theory
• Business and Professional Studies
• Studio Practice

Year two (Level 5)

Core modules are:

• Historical/Contextual Studies 2
• Industrial Practice
• Fashion/Textiles Design
• Fashion/Textiles Processes and Technology

You will also be expected to take part in a voluntary work placement for two weeks.

Year three (Level 6)

This is the consolidatory part of the course, primarily aimed at providing the opportunity to compile a body of work including a professional portfolio and a practical exhibition, in order to enter the workplace. To achieve this, you will study the following:

• Dissertation
• Professional Practice
• Final Major Project

In addition to the taught modules, students will participate in the following:

• Visiting Lecturers from Industry
• Industrial Placement
• Educational Visits

Assessment

Practical, theoretical and design, you will be expected to undertake a number of design briefs which will be presented at critiques.

Entry Requirements

One of the following:

• 200 UCAS Tariff Points- from at least 2 GCE A Levels or BTEC National qualifications or a Foundation Diploma
• Access to HE Diploma in an art related programme with at least 45 credits at Level 3
• Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

We welcome applications from people of any age who might not meet the standard entry criteria, but we would expect to see evidence of continuing academic and/or professional development and a capacity to pursue the course successfully.

If your application is successful, you may be invited to attend an interview with a portfolio of design related work to demonstrate your ability and suitability for the course.

Progression Routes

Fashion is a global industry employing people in a variety of roles across the world. On completion of this course you will have the necessary skills and professional portfolio to allow you to gain employment in a variety of areas within the fashion industry.

Alternatively, you may choose to further your study with the Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Pattern Cutting or the MA Design Enterprise.

If you are unsure which course is the right one for you, please contact us further information and guidance.