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Fashion BA (Hons)

Do you have a passion for fashion? Do you love fabrics, patterns and colour? Have you imagined seeing the clothes you’ve designed on a catwalk, in magazines or online?

 

W291 BA/F

Course routes:

 

Course overview

Foundation year Work placement

School of Arts & Creative Industries

See what it's like to study at our School of Arts & Creative Industries.

You develop your portfolio in fashion design or fashion communication, helping to hone your specialism in your chosen area. You learn about the fashion business with a focus on marketing, promotion, image creation and styling skills. Your own creativity, ideas and self-expression is placed at the heart of your learning and our team help nurture and guide your interests so that you graduate with a distinctive creative style and voice.

Fashion is a rapidly changing global industry with new digital tools transforming design and making processes and addressing issues of sustainability. You learn from experienced industry practitioners, embracing the latest technology, collaborating with international partners and exploring new sustainable materials.

Your degree culminates with a fashion show, where you present your collections to the public.

Top reasons to study fashion at Teesside University:

  1. Industry-standard facilities: immerse yourself in our sewing studios, print rooms and technical workshops, where you develop your craft and digital technical skills (2D and 3D), enabling you to create innovative physical and digital garments.
  2. Get creative: our course and campus are powered by Adobe and Apple. We’re Europe’s first Adobe Creative Campus and the only Apple-accredited University, equipping you with the digital tools and resources to hone your creative skills.
  3. Industry connections: network with and learn from experienced fashion professionals who contribute to our course, working for brands such as Berghaus, Barbour and Speedo.
  4. Real life experience: work on live briefs on real projects to prepare you for the range of professional careers available in the fashion industry.
  5. Work experience: you gain targeted training in how to thrive in the fashion industry, from testing ideas and creative directions to understanding pitching etiquette and developing large-scale projects. Our students are encouraged and supported in applying for international design.

Creative UK
Creative UKTake advantage of our Creative UK membership and help futureproof your career, with networking events, a resource hub to support professional development, and bespoke workshops in partnership with industry leaders and mentors. Sign up for free student membership to get opportunities, events and newsletters sent directly to your inbox.

Download pdf Order prospectus

 

Course details

Course structure

Year 1 core modules

Collaboration Project 

Enhance your skills in team-working, communication, project management and negotiation. You collaborate with a group of your course mates to produce a small-scale creative project in response to a subject-specific brief.

This is a 20-credit module.

Introduction to Fashion Practice

Study contemporary fashion practice and its communication to specified audiences and markets through 2D and 3D outputs. Develop skills in the fundamental principles and practices of the fashion industry, embedding the use of the design process to create original fashion related solutions in either digital or physical format. Create an awareness of fashion and promote experimentation through alternative and innovative approaches, while exploring research methods relating to fashion.

This is a 40-credit module.

Introduction to the Creative Industries

With many opportunities in the creative industries sector, learn how to start on your career path while developing vital employability skills such as networking and digital presence. Understand the structure of the sector and the interdisciplinary relationships between art, design and media. Discover how the sector operates locally, nationally and globally – debating the role of policy and the importance of sustainability.

This is a 20-credit module.

The Fashion Project

Examine contemporary fashion practice through cultural, social and historical studies. Learn about industry processes, working practices, fashion communication and professional visualisation through your own fashion project and digital project portfolio. This includes design development, pattern cutting, garment manufacture and production of a range of fashion samples.

This is a 40-credit module.

 

Year 2 core modules

Creative Research Project

Develop critical thinking and analysis skills, exploring contemporary issues and debates related to the creative industries. You research a specific area or development within your chosen subject – this may be technical, economic, ethical, legal, cultural, sociological, or a combination. You draw on appropriate academic and industry sources to contextualise your research. You present your topic and initial research within taught sessions, providing an opportunity for peer and tutor feedback.

This is a 20-credit module.

Fashion Image and Innovation

Develop your technical skills in garment design, patterning and manufacture or your creative skills in journalism, magazine creation, fashion promotion and storytelling. Using industry standard software, you visualise 3D fashion concepts, produce and explore 3D virtual environments and new markets within the industry.

This is a 40-credit module.

Industry Project

You develop and explore, in depth, a creative industry-based project in your specialist area of design, art, media, music, photography or illustration - relevant to your future professional practice. While forming a professional portfolio of work, you experience real-world business scenarios and challenges, industry competitions and cross and inter-disciplinary activities. You gain skills in project management, applied research methods and collaborative creative work.

This is a 40-credit module.

Working in the Creative Industries 

There are many challenges facing contemporary art, design and media practices. You research the social, political or ecological challenges around us to generate a small-scale project. You develop and reflect on your understanding of enterprise in the context of the creative industries. Contextualise your own professional practice and aspirations through application of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

This is a 20-credit module.

 

Optional work placement year

Work placement

You have the option to spend one year in industry learning and developing your skills. We encourage and support you with applying for a placement, job hunting and networking.

You gain experience favoured by graduate recruiters and develop your technical skillset. You also obtain the transferable skills required in any professional environment, including communication, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, organisation, confidence, self-reliance, problem-solving, being able to work under pressure, and commercial awareness.

Many employers view a placement as a year-long interview, therefore placements are increasingly becoming an essential part of an organisation's pre-selection strategy in their graduate recruitment process. Benefits include:

· improved job prospects
· enhanced employment skills and improved career progression opportunities
· a higher starting salary than your full-time counterparts
· a better degree classification
· a richer CV
· a year's salary before completing your degree
· experience of workplace culture
· the opportunity to design and base your final-year project within a working environment.

If you are unable to secure a work placement with an employer, then you simply continue on a course without the work placement.

 

Final-year core modules

Major Project

You produce a self-managed, individual extended piece of independent investigation and/or creative production or portfolio of work. Supervised by an academic member of staff, you take responsibility for the planning and execution of the work, including the consideration of associated legal, social, ethical and professional issues. You explore in depth a chosen subject area, demonstrating your ability to analyse, synthesise and creatively apply your learning, showing critical and evaluative skills and professional awareness.

This is a 60-credit module.

Professional Practice

Plan and implement your departure from education to your first or new career, or to further study. You continue your creative practice, developing a portfolio and/or extended piece of work which reflects you as a creative. You explore discipline-specific employability strategies, and engage and network with industry to develop key connections.

This is a 60-credit module.

 

Modules offered may vary.

 

How you learn

Think, dream and make: learn through doing, with focused studio time for practice-based creative work, allowing you to develop ideas and undertake larger-scale, more ambitious projects.

Develop your creative voice: you are coached to find and grow your creative voice. Collaboration with industry professionals and your peers gives you new perspectives on developing your practice.

Grow resilience: develop a creative journal, capturing your challenges, milestones and reflections to see patterns in your thinking and linking reoccurring ideas. You learn how to test ideas, explore creative directions, understand pitching etiquette and develop large-scale projects to help you thrive in the creative industries.

Join the creative sector: our intensive, career-focused modules help you understand working in the arts and creative industries. From industry leaders’ professional wisdom and insight to accessing professional opportunities and creative coaching, you become an industry insider and leave with a working understanding of the professional community.

Become connected: access our network of alumni and practising creatives at Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA). Benefit from supportive voices, specialist expertise, shared wisdom and new ideas, establishing critical relationships that propel you into your creative career.

Get creative: take part in MIMA Creative Week, a festival of workshops where you experiment with new materials, go on field trips and upgrade your tech skills.

Expand your horizons: collaborate with our international partners in Prague, Dubai and India becoming international creative citizens while developing an understanding of wider global contexts, sustainability and the changing shape of equality and diversity.

How you are assessed

The work produced is the work assessed. There are no exams – producing design projects are a key feature. Assessment is undertaken against carefully defined criteria and project-based assignments involve a critique. The critique is a reflective process allowing for both staff and peer group appraisal.


Our Disability Services team provide an inclusive and empowering learning environment and have specialist staff to support disabled students access any additional tailored resources needed. If you have a specific learning difficulty, mental health condition, autism, sensory impairment, chronic health condition or any other disability please contact a Disability Services as early as possible.
Find out more about our disability services

Find out more about financial support
Find out more about our course related costs

 

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Year 1 entry
96-112 points, including a creative subject, from any combination of recognised Level 3 qualifications. Consideration is also given to students without formal qualifications but with evidence of practical fashion experience at an appropriate level. Applicants may be invited to share a portfolio where applicable to show skills in fashion design.

Applicants are invited join us on campus for an applicant day, enabling you to see our fashion facilities, to have your portfolio reviewed by a member of the fashion team, meet staff and students and learn more about studying at Teesside University.

Non-EU international students who need a student visa to study in the UK should check our web pages on UKVI-compliant English language requirements. The University also provides pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements.

Helping you meet the entry requirements
We may be able to help you meet the requirements for admission by offering you the opportunity to study one or more Summer University modules, some of which can be studied by distance learning.

Alternative degree with integrated foundation year
If you are unable to achieve the minimum admission requirements for Year 1 entry you could, subject to eligibility, join one of our degree courses with an integrated foundation year.

Direct entry to later years
If you have previously studied at higher education level (for example, a foundation degree, HNC, HND or one or more years at degree level at another institution) you may request direct entry to Year 2 or year 3 of this degree.

Mature applicants
We welcome applications from mature students (aged over 21) who can demonstrate, through portfolio/written work and relevant experience, that they have developed cognitive and technical skills through their life experiences.

For general information please see our overview of entry requirements

International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country

For general information please see our overview of entry requirements

International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country


You can gain considerable knowledge from work, volunteering and life. Under recognition of prior learning (RPL) you may be awarded credit for this which can be credited towards the course you want to study.
Find out more about RPL

 

Employability

Career opportunities

Many of our graduates go on to work with companies including NET-A-PORTER, YOOX, The Princes Trust and Pentland, others have gone to set up their own businesses with support from our start-up incubator Launchpad.

 

Information for international applicants

Qualifications

International applicants - find out what qualifications you need by selecting your country below.

Select your country:

  
 

Useful information

Visit our international pages for useful information for non-UK students and applicants.

Talk to us

Talk to an international student enrolment adviser

 
 

Other course routes

Foundation year

Study this course with a foundation year if you need additional preparation or if you don't have sufficient grades to join Year 1.

BA (Hons) Fashion (with Foundation Year)

Work placement

Study this course with an optional work placement year, at no extra cost. Alongside this, you can gain valuable experience and engagement with the sector through our shorter work placements, internships and work experience opportunities.

Work placements

Full-time

Entry to 2024/25 academic year

Fee for UK applicants
£9,250 a year

More details about our fees

Fee for international applicants
£17,000 a year

More details about our fees for international applicants


What is included in your tuition fee?

  • Length: 3 years (or 4 with a work placement)
  • UCAS code: W291 BA/F
  • Start date: September or January
  • Semester dates
  • Typical offer: 96-112 tariff points

Apply online (full-time) through UCAS

 

Part-time

2024/25 entry

Fee for UK applicants
£4,500 (120 credits)

More details about our fees

  • Length: Up to 6 years
  • Attendance: Daytime
  • Start date: September or January
  • Semester dates

Apply online (part-time)

 

Choose Teesside

  • On video

    Harry Tribe, BA (Hons) Fashion

    Join Harry as he talks about why he studied fashion at university and what it meant to have his work displayed at a fashion show in Milan.

    Maimuna Nasrullah, BA (Hons) Fashion

    Find out about Mai’s experience as a fashion student at Teesside University.

     
  • News

    Sunday Girl creator Abigail Dennison National acclaim for Teesside academic’s independent publication
    A magazine which started life as a passion project for a Teesside University academic is growing a national audience.

    Read the full story

    Fashion student raising awareness of autism with new collection
    This World Autism Acceptance Week (Monday 27 March to Sunday 2 April), Teesside University is celebrating the work of an inspiring student who is making a difference through her new fashion collection.

    Read the full story

    Emily Dey pictured in Milan Fashion graduate selected for international design programme
    A fashion design graduate from Teesside University is completing a prestigious training programme to experience working in the fashion industry.

    Read the full story

     
  • Student work
     
  • Student and graduate profiles
    Airen Sopany

    Airen Sopany

    BA (Hons) Fashion

    The course has taught me new things about fashion that I was unaware of including fashion theories and histories.

    Meet Airen

     
 
 
 

MIMA Creative Week

Have a look at the highlights from the School of Arts & Creative Industries Creative Week 2023.

 

Get in touch

UK students

Email: saci-admissions@tees.ac.uk

Telephone: 01642 738801


Online chat (general enquiries)

International students

Email: internationalenquiries@tees.ac.uk

Telephone: +44 (0) 1642 738900


More international contacts

 

Open days and events

 
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