Textiles at UCA

A catalyst for change, MA Textiles at UCA Epsom is a responsive and diverse creative programme of study. 

What sets our course apart is the opportunity we provide for you to engage with a range of broad professional industry contexts as you develop and expand your practice through the course. You’ll graduate as a flexible specialist with confidence in sustainable practice that industry will want to invest in.

We’ve drawn together a rich and longstanding legacy of established academic excellence in research, knowledge and expertise in textiles practice and professional industry contexts. Along the way you will examine the intersections of textiles with other subjects, with a focus on the priorities of sustainable textiles in wider creative industries and creative communities. 

And you’ll be a part of our vibrant, interdisciplinary and international postgraduate community of staff and students across textiles, fashion design, digital fashion, fashion photography, creative direction and global fashion cultures. This creative community will inspire you to develop your creative practice, share ideas and collaborate with practitioners from other disciplines while being supported all the way by your academic team.

Course entry options

Select from the options below to find out more about the different study options available for this course:

What you'll study

What you'll
study

The content of the course may be subject to change. Curriculum content is provided as a guide.

For our students coming from a non-UK educational background, UCA has launched an Integrated International Pre-Masters year. On this course you’ll prepare for postgraduate study with a mix of online and face-to-face learning that will give you the study skills required to complete a Master’s, and you’ll also improve your English for academic study.

Launch
Launch week is a cross-school event bringing together postgraduate students across all disciplines within the School of Fashion and Textiles to get to know each other and form an international, cross-functional, dynamic postgraduate community.

Textiles Practice 1
Through defining or redefining your concepts in a creative context, you will consider a range of textile applications for fashion, interiors or other relevant industry and build from your existing skills. By the end of the unit, you will have developed innovative textile/material investigations, experimental and exploratory work and prototypes supported by research.

Critical thinking for Creative Practice
Within this unit you will be introduced to historical and contemporary debates that underpin your creative practice. You will be given the opportunity to expand your historical and contextual knowledge, examine ethical frameworks, and be introduced to social and cultural approaches to fashion and textiles.

Opportunity Week
Opportunity Week is cross-school event bringing together all postgraduate students across all disciplines within fashion and textiles to formally present their work in progress and major project proposal to their postgraduate community. Students will be encouraged to give formative feedback and identify shared interest and potential collaboration opportunities.

Textiles Practice 2
This unit allows you to explore expanded concepts for textiles for a wide range of sectors, contextualising your work in the world of fashion, the body, interiors/spaces and experience.

You will begin to interrogate your practice in far greater depth with a view towards constructing a specific body of work for an industry. Practice continues from a defined project proposal, and you will have the opportunity to collaborate with an external creative industry partner.

Collaborative Professional Practice
Within this unit you will be introduced to markets, industry connections, contexts and future facing professional development within your discipline, to complete a two-stage collaborative professional project. This can be either within your course remit or working with students from the Business School for the Creative Industries for a creative start-up.

Major Project
This final unit will require you to produce a significant body of work, which encapsulates the creative ideas, research methodologies, new insights, technical expertise, and professional contexts. Work should be executed to an appropriate standard for impactful positioning in a professional context.

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.

Fees & funding

Fees & financial support

Tuition fees

  • 2024/25 entry: £10,500

Tuition fees

Tuition fees

  • 2024/25 entry (MA): £18,000
  • 2024/25 entry (Integrated International Pre-Masters course - 30 weeks): £17,500
  • 2024/25 entry (Integrated International Pre-Masters course - 15 weeks): £8,750

Please note: the fees listed here are correct for the stated academic year only. For more detailed information about our course fees please see our fees and finance pages

UCA scholarships and fee discounts

At UCA we have a number of financial support information available to assist you with the cost of your studies.

Current UCA students and alumni may be eligible for a tuition fee discount.

Financial support

There are lots of ways you can access additional financial support to help you fund your studies - both from UCA and from external sources. Discover what support you might qualify for please see our scholarships and fee discounts.

Additional course costs

In addition to the tuition fees there may be other costs for your course. The things that you are likely to need to budget for to get the most out of a creative arts education will include books, printing costs, occasional or optional study trips and/or project materials.

These costs will vary according to the nature of your project work and the individual choices that you make. Please see the Additional Course Costs section of your Course Information for details of the costs you may incur.

You didn't select a valid content link for Staff Profile 3
Beverly Ayling-Smith

"The great thing about doing an MA is the artistic freedom you experience, which encourages you to take risks with your work and deeply question your decisions, from both a creative and theoretical perspective."

Beverly Ayling-Smith

Chatto a student


Entry & portfolio requirements

Entry & portfolio
requirements

MA course

  • A good honours degree or equivalent qualification in a related discipline

and/or

  • Relevant work experience, demonstrating your ability to study at postgraduate level.

Consideration will also be given to applicants who can make a strong case for admission in relation to a particular project and can demonstrate their potential to satisfactorily complete the course.

Portfolio requirements

For this course we will need to see your portfolio for review. You can either submit a digital portfolio or request an in-person portfolio review with the course team. Further information will be provided once you have applied.

MA course

The entry requirements will depend on the country your qualifications are from, please check the equivalent qualifications for your country:

Any additional entry requirements listed in the UK requirements section, e.g., subject requirements, work experience or professional qualifications, also apply to international applicants applying with equivalent qualifications.

Portfolio requirements

You will be required to submit a portfolio for review. Further information on specific portfolio requirements and how to submit your portfolio will be sent to you after we have reviewed your application.


MA course with Integrated International Pre-Masters course

  • A recognised bachelor degree or 3 year diploma with a strong portfolio in a relevant subject.

Any additional entry requirements listed in the UK requirements section, e.g., subject requirements, work experience or professional qualifications, also apply to international applicants applying with equivalent qualifications.

Portfolio requirements

You will be required to submit a portfolio for review. Further information on specific portfolio requirements and how to submit your portfolio will be sent to you after we have reviewed your application.


English language requirements

To study at UCA, you'll need to have a certain level of English language skill. And so, to make sure you meet the requirements of your course, we ask for evidence of your English language ability, please check the level of English language required:

Don't meet the international entry requirements or English language requirements?

You may be able to enter the course through the following entry pathways:

Apply now

Please use the following fields to help select the right application link for you: