COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA (Hons) Fashion programme is structured to develop creative, technical and professional skills through increasingly independent and industry-focused learning over three years. In the first year, students build a strong foundation through core modules including Fashion: Getting Started, Fashion and Textiles Principles and Practice, Fashion and Textiles Studio Practice, Creative Debates and Creative Interventions. The major Fashion: Getting Started module introduces the essential processes of fashion design through drawing and visualisation, garment construction, pattern cutting, printed textiles, photography, digital fashion and fashion communication. Students participate in practical workshops and studio projects that encourage experimentation, creative problem-solving, research, reflection and portfolio development while learning how different design and technical disciplines interact within the fashion industry. The remaining first-year modules strengthen understanding of textile materials, studio practice, creative thinking and contemporary design debates, helping students establish their own creative direction. In the second year, the emphasis shifts towards professional practice and commercial awareness through core modules including Fashion Industry Preparation, Innovating for Industry and Signature Practice in Fashion Design, supported by optional specialist laboratories in digital technologies, materials, social practice, culture or creative enterprise. Students respond to industry-focused briefs by researching markets, brands, consumers and current fashion trends while developing innovative garment and textile solutions that reflect both commercial requirements and their emerging personal design identity. Studio practice becomes increasingly independent as students refine advanced technical skills, experiment with two-dimensional, three-dimensional and digital design methods, and present professional-quality work suitable for industry contexts. In the final year, students undertake self-directed creative projects through Planning an Independent Fashion Project, Initiating a Personal and Professional Practice in Fashion and Resolution and Realisation for Fashion. These modules require students to develop their own project briefs, conduct extensive research, experiment with advanced fashion design techniques and produce a professionally resolved fashion collection that reflects their chosen career ambitions and individual design philosophy. Students demonstrate innovation, critical thinking, technical excellence and effective communication while building an industry-standard portfolio for exhibition at the graduate fashion show. Throughout the programme, continuous portfolio development, reflective practice, tutorials and professional feedback prepare graduates for careers in fashion design, textile design, product development, creative direction, fashion consultancy, costume design, entrepreneurship and other roles across the international fashion industry.