In your first year, you'll be introduced to fashion and printed textile design, as well as visual studies, drawing and illustration. You'll learn about the exciting possibilities of print through creative studio practice and cultural studies. 

Your studies will cover: 

• Introduction to fashion and printed textile design 
• Visual studies, drawing and illustration 
• Introduction to digital textile design and production (CAD and CAM) 
• Research and cultural studies 
• Printing, traditional and digital 
• Introduction to garment production 
• Seminars, discussion and presentations.

Getting Into Print
This unit provides you with the foundation of fundamental practical, technical knowledge and the grounding in printed textiles techniques, pattern cutting and research - required both to study on the course and to later embark on your career in the fashion textiles industry.

Pattern and Repeat
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
This unit focuses on 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
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, an industry placement and an opportunity 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 cover: 

• Work placement 
• Creative design, business practice 
• Contemporary fashion and professional practice 
• Printed textile design, production techniques, design process and patter cutting 
• Research and self critical practice 
• Digital printing, silk screen printing and dyeing explored in greater depth 
• Collaborative team project with industry partner 
• International exchange.

Textiles Futures
The unit focuses on in-depth experimentation with a wide range of materials, techniques and processes as you create a body of samples, prints, fabric innovation samples, fabric manipulation and print swatches, inspired by the idea of “textile futures”, advances in print technology, new fibres, products and concepts related to technology.

Print Application
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
The Industry Placement option enables you to undertake a self-initiated work placement that is relevant to your potential career direction and contributes to the fulfilment of the course aims and objectives. 
OR
Industry Case Study
The Industry Case Study option offers you the opportunity to study an aspect of the industry that you have identified as an area of interest, through the method of case study research. You will then undertake fieldwork into a self-selected topic or question. Using both primary research (in-depth interviews, observations, visual or audio documentation, questionnaires) and secondary research (historical research, contemporary debates, statistics).

Designs Into Industry
This unit will focus on the production of a design statement in 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
This unit introduces you to a range of cultural and critical theories and design contexts and concepts that are vital for developing a broader contextual understanding that underpin your main pathway and future contextual studies units. The unit will explore significant movements and moments in the history of design and the arts in order to help students develop a widening appreciation of the aesthetic forces, which shape culture and potentially the student’s own work. 

Developing Research and Critical Enquiry
This unit provides space to consider the research and inquiry options available to you in the final year, and evaluate your future direction. 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 that will allow you to spend a period of time in an overseas educational institution.

At the final stage of the course, 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 independent project and dissertation 
• External design brief, industry competition and specialist professional practice 
• Internal and external exhibition and shows 
• Research, design and create a collection, which is presented at either catwalk show or exhibition such as Graduate Fashion Week and New Designers 
• Production of a professional portfolio.

Final Major Project
This unit is about the preparation development and realisation of your final major project. The assignments in this unit are designed to prepare you by consolidating knowledge acquired during the previous two years. You are provided with the opportunity to begin to define your creative identity as a designer. The unit provides the opportunity for you to demonstrate your ability to manage your independent project efficiently and in a professional manner. Research activity into a range of ideas related to your chosen project theme may involve working with a company sponsor.

Professional Portfolio
The Professional Portfolio unit provides the opportunity to demonstrate your individual creative identity, aligned to your career aspirations. The vehicle for doing this is through the production of a professional portfolio, consolidating the knowledge and skills acquired on the course. The Professional Portfolio 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

Thesis
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:

• Study abroad information

We have strong industry connections with a range of leading organisations, including: 

• Alexander McQueen
• Peter Pilotto
• Jonathan Saunders
• Erdem
• WGSN
• Tom Cody
• Keeler Gordon
• Preen
• Westcott Studios
• TO3 Textiles Innovation Centre
• Ronse, Belgium
• Cite de la Dentelle et de la Mode Museum, Calais
• Turner Contemporary
• Quex Park Museum
• Eyefix Designs.

Graduates from this course have secured positions at many fashion and textile companies - just a few of them include: 

• Jimmy Choo 
• Debenhams
• Skinny Dip
• The Collection
• Monsoon
• Beetlejuice
• House of Fraser.

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.