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BA (Hons) Fashion Design
Overview:
USW’s Fashion Design degree will extend your study beyond the university, so you also experience the fashion industry before you graduate.
We’ve created a learning environment that establishes the culture, attributes and skills needed for life after graduation. You’ll engage in design thinking and learn how to solve complex issues of design, understand sustainability and commercial success, and develop your strong creative vision. But the key to this degree is you. We want to help you achieve your goals and help you find your place.
You’ll study at USW’s creative campus in the centre of Cardiff. Our studios offer views of the city, and social spaces for generating ideas and collaborating with other students. All our facilities are purpose-built and industry-standard, so you’ll experience what it’s like to work in the fashion industry while you study, helping you prepare for your tomorrow, today.
We believe in an anti-elitist and inclusive approach to fashion. We challenge the problematic elements of the industry, while honouring fashion’s potential to be radical, thought-provoking, innovative and embrace the full spectrum of humanity.
We seek to educate non-conformists and change-makers. Our graduates make a difference through their work. They use fashion as a way to address real issues, such as disability, politics, racial inequality, garment workers’ rights, and environmental issues.
BA (Hons) Fashion Design
Typical A-Level Offer
CCC to include a relevant art and design subject (this is equivalent to 96 UCAS tariff points).
Typical Welsh BACC Offer
Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C in the Skills Challenge Certificate and CC at A Level with a relevant art and design subject (this is equivalent to 96 UCAS tariff points).
Typical BTEC Offer
BTEC Extended Diploma Merit Merit Merit in a relevant subject
Typical Access to HE Offer
Pass the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points
Additional Requirements
GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances
Online application form
Information requested on this form should be completed in as much detail in order to process your application successfully. All fields marked * must be completed.
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Entry Requirements
Contextual offers
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions. USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Here is a link to our Contextual Admissions Policy.
Other qualifications and experience
We can also consider combinations of qualifications and other qualifications not listed here may also be acceptable. We can sometimes consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or advanced entry to year two or three of a course where this is possible.
To find out which qualifications have tariff points, please refer to the UCAS tariff calculator.
If you need more help or information or would like to speak to our friendly admissions team, please contact us here
Applicants in the UK
Selection for this course is based on a suitable application. If you do not meet the entry criteria, you may also be required to provide a portfolio of your work to help us assess your suitability for the course.
WHAT YOU WILL STUDY
Modules on our Fashion Design degree will push you, helping you grow into a professional designer who can thrive in the global fashion industry. You will learn new ways to think, make, draw, and promote yourself, so you’ll be ready to respond to working in this demanding industry.
Each year, modules build on the skills you have already gained and aim to enhance your creativity.
The degree starts with building a solid foundation in core skills: sewing, drawing, pattern cutting, designing, and researching. These are essential to your career as a designer. You’ll begin to connect with the industry through partnerships and projects in the second year, which will improve your design practice.
Your final year is a creative playground, where you’ll really develop as a designer and become ready launch into the industry. Combining traditional and cutting-edge technology, you’ll have the skills and creativity to define you as a contemporary and innovative industry professional. All your hard work will culminate at Graduate Fashion week in London, where you will launch your collection.
Year One
• Fashion Engineering 1 – Fashion Introduction
Garment construction, industrial sewing techniques, pattern drafting and cutting, technical documentation, and project management.
• Fashion Design 1 – Fashion Design Methods
How to innovate using the design process, fashion design techniques, design methods, and project management.
• Fashion Engineering 2 – Sustainable Production
Sustainable sewing processes, zero-waste and sustainable pattern cutting techniques, and draping.
• Fashion Design 2 – Circular Fashion Design
Sustainable design methods, circular fashion design, design for disassembly, and upcycling.
• Fashion Cultures 1 – Fashion Studies
Design history, fashion history, gender studies, sustainable design theory, fashion ethics, and academic research skills.
• Fashion Communication – Visual Language
Fashion illustration, visual communication, drawing for design, digital illustration, and technical drawing.
Year Two
• Fashion Engineering 3 – Traditional Construction
Traditional construction techniques in a modern context, advanced construction techniques, and advanced pattern cutting processes.
• Fashion Design 3 – Fashion Realisation
Three-dimensional design techniques, process through product development, industry-focused design and innovation.
• Fashion Cultures 2 – Fashion and Society
Critical perspectives on fashion in relation to identity, ethics, media cultures and industry practices, and research methods in preparation for your final year dissertation.
• Fashion Design 4 – Design for Industry
Developing your identity as a designer, digital design skills, design for Industry, understanding the global fashion industry, digital image manipulation, and future design methods.
• Fashion Engineering 4 – Future Construction
Future construction processes, digital technical skills required in Industry, 3D printing, laser cutting, digital pattern cutting, and pushing at the boundaries of what is possible in garment construction.
• Fashion Industry Preparation – Industry Skills and Experience*
Personal branding, portfolio preparation, CV development, professional skills, and the role of branding in design.
*25% of this module can be studied in Welsh
Optional Sandwich Year
• Fashion Industry Experience Diploma
Working in the industry, gaining experience to define your place in the fashion and design industries, building networks in preparation for your final year.
Year Three
• Critical Research in Fashion
Developing a research base for your graduate collection.
• Professional Practice 1 – Launching collection research
Research and design for your launching collection, developing a brief, designing, experimenting, and digital design processes.
• Professional Practice 2 – Launching collection realisation
Creating your launch collection, production management, pattern cutting, toiling, sewing, digital creation, and cross-industry collaboration.
• Professional Strategies*
Developing your professional profile, building a personal brand, CV development, social media strategy, understanding industry-standard professional behaviour, and career planning.
• Fashion Futures
Trend Forecasting, visual research, industry competitions.
• Professional Portfolio
Developing your professional portfolio, look book, photoshoots, working with models, and launching yourself into the industry.ho can thrive in the global fashion industry. You will learn new ways to think, make, draw, and promote yourself, so you’ll be ready to respond to working in this demanding industry.
*25% of this module can be studied in Welsh
Teaching
Our teaching team is made up of industry professionals and technical experts. They will guide and push you to develop your own identity as a designer. You will develop all the skills and professional attributes required of an industry leader. You can expect lectures and workshop both online and in-person. Most of all, you can expect to be hands on and working from days one in our busy and active studios.
Assessment
This degree is assessed through regular coursework submissions, as well as practical assessments, presentations and collaborative projects. Assessment is designed to support your learning and help you achieve your goals.
COURSE DETAILS
Placements
At USW we prepare you for your future career from day one. You’ll work with industry throughout your degree and we’ll support you to gain valuable experience through internships, work experience and placements.
We have strong links with industry partners that offer opportunities for work experience. Many of these are right on our doorstep in Cardiff, ensuring you make the most of your time in this creative capital city.
Fashion is a global industry and our links with international brands connect USW students to opportunities anywhere in the world. Many of our students have travelled globally to undertake work placements in India, Austalia, Europe and the USA. You’ll also compete in national and international design competitions, which will showcase your work on a global stage.
Facilities
As part of our Cardiff campus, fashion students benefit from a whole floor dedicated to fashion design, fashion promotion, and fashion business and marketing.
These facilities include two design studios with city and Bay views. All spaces are designed to inspire you to consider the fantastic location of a capital city in all the work that you do.
Specialist facilities include industrial sewing machines, specialist machines and steam presses, knitting machines, a variety of dress stands including male, female and children, laser cutting and 3D printing facilities, as well as a fully equipped production workshop and access to University-wide facilities and equipment. The fashion floor also features a creative space where students can meet to collaborate, work, host meetings, network and relax.
We have a full suite of manufacturing equipment, including industrial sewing machines. Our students also engage with the latest technological approaches for design and use software to design in 3D and 2D. This mix of live and digital design gives our students a unique experience and our graduates an edge.
Additional Costs
We also welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications. Please visit the country specific pages on our international website for exact details.
English Requirements
In general, international applicants will need to have achieved an overall IELTS grade of 6.0 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component.
However, if you have previously studied through the medium of English IELTS might not be required, but please visit the country specific page on our international website for exact details. If your country is not featured please contact us.
CAREERS
Facilities
Based in USW’s Cardiff campus, we pride ourselves on our first-class facilities, with our experienced & enthusiastic staff providing guidance and support so you can realise your creative vision.
Our Computer Games Design students benefit from several industry-standard games labs. These provide access to common games engines and related tools such as: Unreal Engine, Autodesk Suite and Adobe Suite.
Our games labs have all the facilities you need to realise your vision. Including Nvidia RTX graphics cards, Ultra-wide monitors, and a variety of VR kits. We also use an industry standard, cloud-based source control solution so you can collaborate whether you’re in the lab or at home.
Wider facilities are also available for you to use, such as Mocap suites, Green-screens, Sound recording studios and 3D printers.
We also have an extensive catalogue of games related books and ebooks within our library.
Industry
Our Computer Games design course is closely connected with the games industry in Wales. Our lecturers run Cardiff’s contribution to the annual Global Game Jam, are involved in Games Wales and participate within the Wales Games Development Show every summer. Providing numerous opportunities for our students to build contacts, find internships and be the first to hear about graduate gaming roles. Our student games designers visit GameCity in Nottingham, attending seminars, meeting games developers and journalists and playing the latest innovative titles. Students have also received industry funding to develop their projects and release their games via Steam and Windows Mobile platforms and been cited in Develop’s 30 under 30 game development rising stars.
Fees
Full time
- 12 to 18 months
Complete your degree in the shortest possible time and study flexibly – when and where suits you!
£7,250
You’ll study 9 modules in total (approx. 37 hrs/week).
Part time option one
- 12 to 18 months
Study for a degree whilst fitting it around your work, care and other life commitments.
£4,250
You’ll study 6 modules per year (approx. 25 hrs/week).
Part time option two
- 12 to 18 months
Take time to study and spread the tuition fees over a longer period – at no extra cost.
£5,500
You’ll study 4–5 modules per year (approx. 19 hrs/week).
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Call us
- +44 (0) 203 771 5653
- admissions@westfieldcollege.co.uk
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