BA (Hons) Fashion

In your first year, you’ll study four skill-based units delivered as iterations in the first and second terms. These units draw on a range of expertise, as part of an instructional yet intellectually challenging student journey. Theory is embedded across each of the units, offering you the opportunity to critically reflect on the study of fashion from the start of your learning. These four units do not directly relate to your later specialisms but define through investigation and experience the range of possible practices and areas of study you may want to engage with as specialism during your time on the course. Level 4 concludes with an individual design project where you’ll begin to define strengths and specialist choices. This runs concurrently with the ‘Professional Practice’ unit where you’ll be directed to produce an appropriate portfolio, both digital and hard copy, which is suitable for industry scrutiny. You’ll undertake a two-week placement or have professional engagement with a brand or company and the portfolio will be significant in securing and supporting this process. The Level 4 journey will not only shape your experience through learning new skills, but will identify your strengths, interests and areas of specialisms as well as introducing you to live industry practices, it will also ensure that you engage with a broad range of experiences, which will support specialist decisions in the future.

Level 5 will begin with the ‘Fashion Branding and Communication’ unit where you’ll engage with distinct and challenging research methodologies while at the same time preparing for a professional role in industry. There will also be a range of optional units that run concurrently with ‘Fashion Branding and Communication’. You’ll select one of these optional units in order to support and help to define your possible specialism, however, the nature of your journey is organic and no firm decisions need to be made at this point. You’ll also undertake the unit ‘Design Identity’ which is instrumental to the investigation of your unique character and individual design philosophy. You’ll be encouraged to question existing practices and look for new solutions, exploring diversity and emotionally considerate design as practice. Concluding Level 5 is the ‘Design: Enterprise and Innovation’ unit that offers you the opportunity of UK or international work experience, or participation in a ‘Live Project’ with a high-end brand or design company. You’ll be assisted in finding a placement and participating companies include Kenneth Cole – New York and Metal Pointus – Paris. We also offer an international student exchange. This unit offers these options to give you flexibility of choice and experience. You may wish to prepare for the ‘real world’ of employment or have the opportunity to experience a different cultural and educational environment.

Level 6 is the most challenging year. This where you'll apply all previous knowledge and focus specifically on a specialist area of study related to the named awards. The ‘Fashion Product Development’ unit prepares you for the ‘Final Major Project‘. In the ‘Research Project’ unit, you’ll either conduct investigation into a topic relevant to your practice and produce a dissertation, or develop a creative business proposal that supports your practice and further prepares you for a possible career. In the ‘Final Major Project’ unit, you’ll focus on the development of a specialist body of work aligned to the named award whilst the ‘Design Futures’ unit prepares you further for a career in fashion by developing a professional portfolio, considering self as brand and further engagement with industry. Ultimately, the final year requires you to define the final direction of your practice. It encourages you to be ambitious, innovative and to understand the content and context that will allow you to create a cohesive and professional portfolio of practice, in preparation for the challenges of employment or further study. You’ll graduate with the knowledge, professional skills and creative agility necessary to further develop your specialist practices, in professional environments. You’ll also be equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and differentiated modes of learning that will enable you to pursue postgraduate study or related forms of employment within the creative industries. The course recognises that in order to remain alert to the ever-changing demands of a dynamic subject area, you’re required to be flexible, inclusive, proactive, reflexive and progressive practitioners, graduating from the course fully equipped to be confident professionals within your chosen field. You’re actively encouraged to form collectives, start-up businesses, organise events, complete internships, enter competitions and work collaboratively. The course values and recognises the importance of creative networks established while studying.