Hand Embroidery BA (Hons)

In your third year, you'll engage with practice-based research led by proposal. You will complete a dissertation, whilst also developing a major project supported by professional practice. Your final collection and portfolio will be showcased in a selected exhibition.

Contextualising Practice
The unit consists of a period of individually negotiated research which directly supports your hand embroidery practice during your third year. Employing a wide range of research methods, you will be able to locate your hand embroidery practice within a wider context.

Research and Experimentation for Major Project
The unit provides you with the opportunity to critically examine and advance your practice and define the context of your practice in preparation for the double Unit ‘Major Project’. You will be required to complete a Student Learning Agreement (SLA) for this unit.

Major Project
Your Major Project written proposal will be defined by the outcomes which have been produced and critically evaluated in the unit Research and Experimentation for Major Project. Your Major Project should be original, ambitious, and challenging, using concepts and techniques, which are at the forefront of your practice. This is a double unit and comprises 50% of the overall unit credits of Year Three.

Tuition fees
The course fees per year 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

For students studying at the Royal School of Needlework, there is a studio fee to make sure everyone has access to the same high-quality materials for the Technical Stitch units. This will be approximately £250 for first year students and approximately £350 for second year students. For more information 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:

• UK course fees
• International & EU course fees
• General additional costs for students

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.

Renowned for the creative expertise of its students and graduates, the Royal School of Needlework degree students have been selected to work on a number of high-profile commissions.

Our recent connections have included:

• Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen: hand embroidery for the wedding dress of HRH The Duchess of Cambridge
• Red Carpet Green Dress: hand embroidery for the Oscar dress worn by actress Naomie Harris
• Nicholas Oakwell Couture for the GREAT Britain campaign, an ostrich feather embellished couture gown modelled by Erin O’Connor and worn by Cheryl Versini-Fernandez at the UK X-Factor Live finals
• Hussein Chalayan for Paris Fashion Week
• Patrick Grant and E.Tautz for London Collections Men
• Giles Deacon for London Fashion Week
• Jasper Conran for London Fashion Week
• Liberty Art Fabrics Interiors and the V&A Museum of Childhood’s ‘Small Stories: At Home in a Doll’s House’
• Marks & Spencer and Oxfam ‘Love Mum – Shwop’ campaign.

Hand embroidery is both a diverse and specialist subject but it opens up a wide range of career opportunities. Degree graduates from the Royal School of Needlework have progressed to roles as:

• Embroidery artisans for couture and fashion
• Studio embroiderers for Film and TV costume
• Freelance embroidery designers
• Studio designer-makers for interior design companies
• Independent designer-makers
• Hand embroidery and textile tutors for Higher Education and Further Education
• Teachers
• Postgraduate researchers and academics.

You may also like to consider further study at postgraduate level.

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.

• Non-UK equivalent qualifications
• English language requirements

For this course, you’ll be required to submit an online portfolio via your UCA Applicant Portal. Further information on how to compile and upload your portfolio will be provided once you have applied. Once your portfolio has been received, you’ll be invited to attend an online interview to discuss your portfolio of work with the academic team. During the interview you’ll also meet the course team and learn more about the course. Students from diverse educational backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We welcome students with a broad range of A-level subjects, as well as students with appropriate Art & Design Foundations or BTEC/UALAB diplomas which allow you to demonstrate your ability to research, evaluate and produce creative solutions.

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