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Fashion Textiles BA (Hons)
Course overview
Turn your passion for colour, texture and pattern into a career in fashion with our BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles degree course, where you’ll have the freedom to explore and create in traditional and contemporary ways.
Through a wide range of design-led projects, this course sets itself apart by giving you the skills to become not only an excellent fashion designer but also a specialist in print design as you develop an in-depth understanding of a range of techniques.
In our open studio environment, you’ll have plenty of space to develop the visual, creative and practical skills you need to work in contemporary textiles. Your printed designs could be realised as anything from a catwalk collection, to a fabric design and accessories or fashion-led interiors and textile art.
Along the way, you'll have plenty of opportunities to show off your talents. You’ll get the chance to work on live industry projects and exhibit your work at shows including Graduate Fashion Week and the New Designers Exhibition, and make the most of the department’s industry links with fashion brands such as Alexander McQueen, Peter Pilotto, Material Lab and Westcott Studios.
*Please note - this course is subject to validation and will be moving from UCA Rochester to UCA Epsom for 2022 entry.
| Length of study | 3 years full-time |
|---|---|
| Campus | Epsom |
| Entry requirements | 112 UCAS tariff points |
| Course entry options | Sept 2022 |
| UCAS institution code | C93 |
| UCAS code | W231 |
Course details
As well as an introduction to fashion and printed textile design, visual studies, drawing and illustration, you'll learn about the exciting possibilities of print through creative studio practice and cultural studies.
Your studies will also include:
• Introduction to digital textile design and production (CAD and CAM)
• Research and cultural studies
• Printing, traditional and digital
• Introduction to garment production (pattern cutting and sewing)
• Seminars, discussion and presentations.
Getting Into Print
You’ll get straight into the print room and working on fabric, translating your ideas into print. You’ll learn the foundations of fundamental practical, technical knowledge and the grounding in printed textiles techniques, pattern cutting and research - required for the course and for your career.
Pattern and Repeat
In this unit you’ll get to explore print design through repeat and non-repeating pattern design. We'll introduce you to the exciting creative potential within the structural applications of pattern and repeat in textile design and how these devices can inform your design work. The formal and informal use of repeat, combined with scale and colour, will be explored to create innovative and original design work.
Digital Technicolour
In this unit you’ll get to translate your creative ideas into digital print. A key focus is the introduction and exploration of digital textile design and production methods CAD (computer aided design) and CAM (computer aided manufacture). The digital manipulation of hand generated design ideas ready for digital print production will be explored as you learn how to translate your drawings and paintings into digital formats. You will be encouraged to examine in detail how digital design and production methods can enhance and expand your creative ideas.
Fashion History and Theory
You’ll get to explore how fashion has been shaped through history. A series of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials will establish a foundation for the evaluation and discussion of fashion, dress and textiles in both written and oral form. This unit will draw on seminal works and the latest academic research to explore the production and consumption of fashion and textiles in their historical and theoretical context. This will give you an understanding of the methodology of fashion research for both the historical and recent past.
The second year of the course has an industry focus with a live project, and opportunities for a work placement and to study abroad. You'll expand your knowledge and skills through more in-depth experimentation in a wide variety of materials, techniques and processes.
Your studies will also include:
• Preparation for employment and business practice
• Contemporary fashion and professional industry practice
• Printed textile design and innovation, production techniques, pattern cutting and sewing
• Research and self-critical practice
• Digital printing, silk screen printing and dyeing explored in greater depth.
Textiles Futures
This unit is all about experimentation and the innovative use of print. You will undertake in-depth experimentation with a wide range of materials, techniques and processes as you create a body of samples, prints, fabric samples, fabric manipulation and print swatches. These will be inspired by the idea of “textile futures”, advances in print technology, new fibres, products and concepts related to contemporary society.
Print Application
You’ll get to explore a range of construction and sewing methods for a range of products. A key focus of the course is to learn how print ideas can be applied to a range of products and contexts. This unit provides a further opportunity to explore the potential of a variety of pattern cutting and making techniques and builds an awareness of how these techniques can enhance your printed textiles work.
Industry Placement
You’ll get to experience what it is like to work in the fashion textiles industry.This option enables you to undertake a self-initiated work placement relevant to your course aims and potential career direction.
OR
Industry Case Study
This option offers you the opportunity to study an aspect of the industry you’re interested in. You’ll undertake fieldwork into a self-selected topic or question, using both primary and secondary research methods.
Designs Into Industry
You’ll get to create commercially aligned print design for a specific company, producing a design statement for the development of a capsule collection of printed design ideas for a specific market/company. The unit focuses on a live project scenario in which a selected company profiles, product lines, promotion and branding as well as future markets are researched.
Design Concepts and Contexts
You will explore significant movements and moments in the history of design and the arts in order to help develop your appreciation of how these movements and moments shape culture - and potentially your own work.
Developing Research and Critical Enquiry
Through exploration of a subject area related to either broader contextual issues, or a concern within the industry you aspire to work in, you will develop appropriate research skills applicable to your final year of study.
Study Abroad (optional)
This is an optional unit allowing you to spend a period of time in an overseas educational institution.
Year three is all about the final collection you want to design, make and showcase to the industry. You’ll consolidate your acquired knowledge and understanding, enabling you to prepare for professional practice in your chosen career pathway with your final major project.
Your studies will cover:
- Final Major Project and dissertation
- Individual design brief, industry competition and specialist professional practice
- Research, design and create a final collection of your choice for fashion, interiors or textile art
- Present your work at your Degree Show, or London showcase such as Graduate Fashion Week and the New Designers Exhibition
- Production of a professional portfolio.
Final Major Project
You’ll prepare, develop and realise your final major project, define your creative identity as a designer and demonstrate your ability to manage your project independently, efficiently and professionally.
Research activity into a range of ideas related to your chosen project theme can also involve working with a company sponsor as you align to your skills, interests and career aspirations to the needs of the fashion industry.
Professional Portfolio
In this unit you’ll demonstrate your individual creative identity, through the creation of a professionally presented portfolio. This will typically consist of art work, design work, fabric samples, fabric/paper textile collections, swatches, illustration and photographs which show your final collection in the best light possible. You will be asked to consider the importance of creating an on-line presence to promote and showcase your work to the industry. This may also include final collection work and live project/ competition work.
Dissertation
This unit consists of a substantial period of sustained, individually negotiated research on a subject that is likely to be related to the contextual and/ or theoretical concerns of your discipline or chosen area of practice, towards the provision of structured written argument.
This course offers the opportunity to study abroad for part of your second year. To find out more about studying abroad as part of your course please see the Study Abroad section:
Tuition fees
The course fees per year for 2022 entry will be available here shortly.
As a guide the fees for 2021 entry are:
- UK students - £9,250
- EU students - £9,250 (see fee discount information)
- International students - £16,950 (standard fee)
- International students - £16,270 (full early payment fee)
Additional course costs
In addition to the tuition fees please see the additional course costs. The details for 2022 will be available here shortly. As a guide please see the additional course costs for 2021 entry.
Further information
Find out more about our course fees and any financial support you may be entitled to:
These fees are correct for the stated academic year only. Costs may increase each year during a student’s period of continued registration on course in line with inflation (subject to any maximum regulated tuition fee limit). Any adjustment for continuing students will be at or below the RPI-X forecast rate.
Course specifications
Please note, syllabus content indicated is provided as a guide. The content of the course may be subject to change in line with our Student Terms and Conditions for example, as required by external professional bodies or to improve the quality of the course.
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Facilities
Our fashion facilities include: large and well-equipped pattern and production studios and workshops with industrial sewing machines, embroidery machines and specialist finishing machines.
Fashion studios, UCA Epsom
Fashion sewing studios, UCA Epsom
Fashion studios, UCA Epsom
Fashion studios, UCA Epsom
Course connections
We have strong industry connections with a range of leading organisations, including:
- Zandra Rhodes
- Alexander McQueen
- Peter Pilotto
- Jonathan Saunders
- Erdem
- Tom Cody
- Keeler Gordon
- Preen
- Vooprint Studios
- TO3 Textiles Innovation Centre
- Cite de la Dentelle et de la Mode Museum, Calais
- Turner Contemporary
- Quex Park Museum.
Graduates from this course have secured positions at many fashion and textile companies - just a few of them include:
- Jimmy Choo
- Debenhams
- Skinny Dip
- Monsoon
- House of Fraser
- Circleline Design
- print.one.
Key areas of graduate work include:
- Textile design for clothes
- CAD design for printed textiles
- Fabrics and print products
- Fashion accessories
- Interiors and exterior print applications
- Freelance design or research
- Design forecasting
- Entrepreneurship and artists- in-residence.
You may also like to consider further study at postgraduate level.
"UCA has such a friendly and welcoming energy, amazing facilities and the peer and tutor support needed to create the best working environment so my creative output can reach its full potential."
Apply now
UK applications
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Apply for part-time study - starting September 2022:
International & EU applications
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Apply for full-time study - starting September 2022:
When to apply:
The UCAS application deadline is 15 January. If you are applying directly to us, you can apply throughout the year but we recommend you apply as early as possible so you have time to arrange accommodation and visas.
For more information visit our how to apply pages
Entry requirements
The standard entry requirements* for this course are:
One of the following:
- 112 new UCAS tariff points, see accepted qualifications
- Pass at Foundation Diploma in Art & Design (Level 3 or 4)
- Distinction, Merit, Merit at BTEC Extended Diploma / BTEC National Extended Diploma
- Merit at UAL Extended Diploma
- 112 new UCAS tariff points from an accredited Access to Higher Education Diploma in appropriate subject
- 27-30 total points in the International Baccalaureate Diploma with at least 15 IB points at Higher level, see more information about IB entry requirements.
And four GCSE passes at grade A*-C and/or grade 4-9 including English (or Functional Skills English/Key Skills Communication Level 2).
Other relevant and equivalent Level 3 UK and international qualifications are considered on an individual basis, and we encourage students from diverse educational backgrounds to apply.
*We occasionally make offers which are lower than the standard entry criteria, to students who have faced difficulties that have affected their performance and who were expected to achieve higher results. We consider the strength of our applicants’ portfolios, as well as their grades - in these cases, a strong portfolio is especially important.
To view the equivalent entry requirements for your country please select it in the list below.
Don't meet the international entry requirements or English language requirements?
You may be able to enter the course through the following entry courses:
Pre-sessional English courses in the UK or China
For this course, you’ll be required to submit an online portfolio via your UCA Applicant Portal. When producing your portfolio, make sure you demonstrate a strong affinity for materials and the application of pattern and colour to a variety of media, supported by a creative approach to drawing and clear evidence of an interest in the historical and contemporary elements that shape and influence the fashion industry. Further information on how to compile and upload your portfolio will be provided once you have applied. If you receive an offer, you’ll be invited to attend an Offer Holder Webinar where you can meet the course team and learn more about the course.
Get in touch
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