Fashion Design BA (Hons)

Course Content

• Course Details

  “The fashion industry is an important and pivotal part of the UK economy with the industry directly contributing £32.3 billion to the country’s GDP in 2017, with fashion a major UK employer representative of 890,000 jobs.”

  Caroline Rush, British Fashion Council 2019.

  Our course aims to equip you with the skills to succeed and thrive in this exciting and fast paced multi-billion pound industry. Fashion Design is a multi-faceted subject and you will be exposed to a range of topics including illustration & portfolio skills, CAD, computer aided design & manufacture, design research & contextual studies, technical skills in garment production alongside, presentation skills & communication to help you identify your strengths and future career path. Through your research and development we will encourage you to respond to environmental, political and the wider global issues to put your work into context.

  Integral to our fashion design programme is our strong creative industry links within the footwear, fashion, textiles and accessories sector who offer live projects, competitions, work experience and contribute to our outstanding guest lecture series, which exposes you to leading brands and high profile speakers.  These opportunities enable you to develop and practice your emerging academic, creative, commercial and entrepreneurial skills within a professional setting.

  Year one introduces you to the design development cycle from concept through to production. Building on these skills, group project work, live briefs and in-depth research and portfolio development form year two, in preparation for year three. In your final year you are given the opportunity to develop your own briefs and create a final collection of work to showcase your individual concept and design aesthetic.

  Our second year students hosted an exhibition of their latest concepts, at Waterside campus. See how they got on here:

  National and International competitions, awards and opportunities are embedded into the three years of study.

  There are also a number of prestigious awards during the event, and our students are regularly recognised – either as nominees or overall winners.

  That’s not all – our students have also seen their collections displayed at Asian Pacific Leather Fair in Hong Kong, Ningbo Fashion Week in China, Lineapelle in Italy, PV in Paris and The Wing at Silverstone Racecourse right here in Northampton.

  The Degree Show

  As a final year student, you’ll put together a major collection and display your designs exclusively in front of a host of the University’s industry partners and VIP guests.

  There are also several prestigious awards during the year, and our students are regularly recognised – either as nominees or overall winners.

  Final year students display their work at the annual Degree Show at Waterside campus. Our Fashion Design students deliver some stunning designs. You can browse many of their fashion creations on our Flikr account.

  Final year student stories

  In 2020, we asked some of our final year fashion students about their final collection projects. The portfolios they displayed were both inspiring and innovative. See for yourself below.

  Here Simon talks about his inspiration from his grandfather and World War 2:

  Amy had a very interesting project where she grew her own fabric!

  Maisie discusses how her life and her family have inspired her work:

  This course has been designed to contribute towards achieving the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

  SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Stage 1
    • Fashion, Leather Fashion and Textiles: Context (40 Credits)
      Module code: FSH1106

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to address issues around Fashion Leather Fashion and Textiles for Fashion. It is intended to stimulate and promote an exploratative and questioning attitude towards the subject. An understanding of generic design skills and the design development process will underpin the module.
    • Design Practice: Concept, Research and Design Development (60 Credits)
      Module code: FSH1107

      Status: Compulsory
      This module will investigate the nature of design in relation to a range of contexts. It aims to stimulate and promote an ethos of exploratory and questioning attitudes through problem solving allowing the student to develop visual research and contextual aspects as a means of communicating a design research concept.
    • Design Communication
      Module code: FSH1118

      Status: Compulsory
  • Stage 2
    • Contextual Studies 2 (20 Credits)
      Module code: FSH2101

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to help students become familiar with a broad range of research methods and approaches through engagement with critical analytical models written responses student-led investigation and the production presentation-based ideas and information.
    • Design Practice: Research & Design Development Fashion/Footwear & Accessories & Printed Textiles (60 Credits)
      Module code: FSH2105

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to offer a multi-disciplinary delivery that engages students across the subjects of fashion textiles leather and footwear & accessories. Students will be encouraged to further develop and progress creative aesthetic technical exploration while developing a considered approach to a contemporary design practice.
    • Visual Studies and Promotion (20 Credits)
      Module code: FSH2106

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to support students in developing visual design communication and promotion skills. Students will be encouraged to explore conceptual aesthetic and experimental approaches to developing individual lines of enquiry within the fashion design communication process.
    • Creative and Technical Exploration: Fashion (20 Credits)
      Module code: FSH2107

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module will support students in advancing their skills required for the creative applications of pattern cutting and construction. Students will be encouraged to explore in-depth technical methods and processess to garment construction while exploring aesthetic approaches to contemporary fashion design.
  • Stage 3
    • Research and Development - Final Major project (40 Credits)
      Module code: FSH3110

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to draw on and showcase their skills and experience. They will undertake a self initiated project that encompasses theoretical and practical design practice resulting in a developed concept ready for further exploration.
    • Realisation - Final Major project (40 Credits)
      Module code: FSH3111

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to draw on and showcase their skills and experience. They will undertake a self initiated project that encompasses theoretical and practical design practice resulting in a professional collection and portfolio to support their launch into industry or post graduate education.
    • Advanced Design Communication (20 Credits)
      Module code: FSH3112

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to underpin the final major project through a variety of theoretical reflective practice-led and presentational investigations. As future designers there is a requirement for students to consider the changing nature of design contexts and the need to communicate personal creative identities within the professional environment
    • Visual Promotion (20 Credits)
      Module code: FSH3113

      Status: Compulsory
      The module will emphasise the need to recognise thefashion/textiles/footwear/accessories/ leather and fashion promotions industries as agents of change and the resulting implications.It will help you to idenitfy your market level and explore suitable methods of promotion in this field through a visual narrative.

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• Entry Requirements

  Standard entry requirements apply to this course. A typical offer is around BCC at A Level or DMM at BTEC.

  For more more information on how to make an application, please visit our How to Apply page.

  If you are an International student and would like information on making an application, please see our How to Apply page.

  Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) Entry Requirements

  Admission to this foundation course is normally DEE at A Level or MPP at BTEC. However, we would also like to hear from you if you have professional or industry experience instead, a range of other qualifications or self-developed subject knowledge that relates to the course you wish to study.

  English Language Requirements

  All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:

  • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands
    for study at undergraduate level

  For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

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• Fees and Funding

  21/22 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 21/22 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK – Full Time: £9,250
  • UK – Part Time: £1,465 per 20 credit module
  • UK – Integrated Foundation Year: £6,780 as part of a four year programme (subsequent years will be charged at standard BA rate)
  • International – Full Time: £13,000
  • International – Integrated Foundation Year: £13,000 as part of a four year programme (subsequent years will be charged at standard BA rate)

  Additional Costs

  Study trips

  • New York: £800 (Not compulsory)
  • Milan/Amsterdam/Sweden: £400 (Not compulsory)

  2020/21 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 20/21 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK and EU – Full Time: £9,250
  • UK and EU – Part Time: £1,450 per 20 credit module
  • UK and EU – Integrated Foundation Year: £6,750 as part of a four year programme (subsequent years will be charged at standard BA rate)
  • International – Full Time: £12,900
  • International – Integrated Foundation Year: £12,900 as part of a four year programme (subsequent years will be charged at standard BA rate)

  Additional Costs

  Study trips

  • New York: £800 (Not compulsory)
  • Milan/Amsterdam/Sweden: £400 (Not compulsory)

  For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.

   

   

   

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• Student Perks

  At the University of Northampton, everything we do, from funded trips to paid internships, is to give you everything you need to make a difference when you leave.

  If you join this full time degree at Northampton you will receive a laptop when your course begins. The laptops are built to a bespoke custom specification ideal for use in the seminar room, collaborative group work or studying at home.

  Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd. We’ve created the Northampton Employment Promise because we are so confident that if you focus on your studies and complete one of our awards you’ll be highly employable by the time you graduate. Putting you in a great position to secure employment or continue your studies.

  To check out the full list of perks visit our Student Perks page.

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• Integrated Foundation Year (IFY)

  The Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) offers a new and exciting route into studying for a degree, attracting ambitious and driven students who are willing to learn and advance.

  If you have non-standard qualifications or do not quite meet the admissions requirements we can offer you a fantastic opportunity to study a four year programme which includes an Integrated Foundation Year. The Integrated Foundation Year will help you develop the theoretical/practical and academic skills you need, in order to successfully progress to the full award.

  Featuring a reduced tuition fee in the first year, our four-year courses will enable you to successfully follow the degree pathway of your choice while gaining essential study skills. The foundation year of your chosen degree will be studied on a full-time basis and is aimed at supporting the transition to higher education. Years two, three and four are then studied as a standard degree programme.

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• Opportunities Abroad

  We are keen that our students see themselves as global citizens and embed opportunities to broaden your horizons into the programme. In previous years our students have had the opportunity to visit fashion capitals of the world such as Milan, Tokyo and New York. British Council supported trips have funded opportunities for students to visit India, China and Turkey for specific projects often working in collaboration with international students.

  Exhibitions show casing students work have taken place at The Indian International Leather Fair in Chennai, India, Asian Pacific Leather Fair in Hong Kong.   The Worshipful Company of Leathersellers has supported student travel to international trade fairs such as Le Cuir in Paris, Micam and Lineapelle in Italy. The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers has supported student travel to Paris, Italy to international trade fairs and exhibitions.

  All the study trips are optional and the costs vary year on year. Typically, this is approximately £800 for New York, and £400 for European trips (Milan, Amsterdam, Sweden).

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• The Degree Show

  As a final year student, you’ll put together a major collection and display your designs exclusively in front of a host of the University’s industry partners and VIP guests.

  There are also several prestigious awards during the year, and our students are regularly recognised – either as nominees or overall winners.

  Final year students display their work at the annual Degree Show at Waterside campus. Our Fashion students deliver some stunning designs. You can browse many of their fashion creations on our Flickr account.

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• Changing Futures Week

  Changing Futures is a five-day, University wide showcase of activities and industry speakers to help students explore skills and activities to develop their academic and personal lives and offers unrivalled opportunities for networking and industry insight. Speakers have included ex-students such as Helen Kirkum and Lydia Elise Millen as well as industry leaders such as Sarah Harris (Vogue) and Jemma Coffey (Giles Deacon).

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• FAQs

  How will I be taught?

  We take a range of approaches to teaching, to help you learn in the best way for you. This is a creative course that aims to nurture creative and innovative designers for the future.

  Fashion Design BA (Hons) will enable you to realise your full potential through a varied programme of studio-based projects, specialist practical workshops, group critiques, one-to-one tutorials, study visits and regular personal tutorial support. You will get feedback throughout the year, verbally, written and online.

  How will I be assessed?

  Theory is assessed through essay writing, blogs, assignments and presentations. Practical work is judged through studio presentations, portfolio and product realisation.

  Will I have access to any specialist facilities?

  Yes! We have a fashion manufacturing facility, including flatbeds and overlockers and a range of specialised production equipment. A fully equipped textile print room with screen printing, hand dying, transfer printing, laser cutting and two footwear manufacturing workshops.

  Students have access to a range of CAD packages including Lectra, which specialises in CAD software and CAM cutting-room systems for industries. As well as:

  • Lazer cutter and digital printers
  • Full-size printing table and print room facilities
  • Footwear and Accessory workshops with specialist machinery for the production of leather goods.

  Will there be opportunities for work experience?

  During your second year you might want to choose to do a co-ordinated work experience placement and there will be other opportunities for placements throughout your course. We encourage you to make the most of these opportunities.

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Careers and Employability

This course will open up a vast range of career opportunities, including…

• Designers
• Pattern cutters
• Illustrators
• Production Managers
• Buyers

We have alumni working across  a wide range of brands and retailers including; Brandix, ASOS, TOPSHOP, River Island, White Company, Next, Ted Baker, LVMH, Henry Holland, Emilia Wickstead and Anya Hindmarch.