Fashion Design, BA (Hons), University of Portsmouth

the United Kingdom

Study options for this course

The award	How you will study	Study duration	Course start	Domestic course fees	International course fees
BA (Hons)	Full-time, Sandwich	3 - 4 years	September	-	-

About Fashion Design, BA (Hons) - at University of Portsmouth

Overview

Bring your creative ideas to life using industry-level facilities on our multi-award-winning BA (Hons) Fashion Design degree course.

You’ll grow into a confident, knowledgeable fashion professional via our teaching approach—combining fashion and textile design and encouraging innovation, self-awareness, and critical thinking. Your unique strengths are recognised and valued in all you do on this course. You'll develop communication, leadership, and collaboration skills through creative exchange and enterprise projects, and build a deep knowledge of traditional and digital making skills using industry-leading CLO3D. Vital sustainable and ethical design principles and innovative research methods underpin your learning and creativity.

At Portsmouth, you’ll be able to deliver authentic, imaginative work that pushes the boundaries of what fashion and textile design means now and in the future.

Course highlights

Master traditional and innovative fashion design methods, including pattern-cutting, fashion illustration, silkscreen print, embroidery, and constructed textiles and biomaterials
Explore sustainable design methods to help you change the fashion industry for the future
Gain valuable industry experience and entrepreneurship skills by taking an optional placement, either with a company or as self-employed
Enhance your collaboration and team-working skills by working with other students on other courses in the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries
Get insight into the fashion industry by attending guest lectures by visiting international professionals—previous visitors include Mohsin Sajid, Niccolo Casas and Shingo Sato
Showcase your skills by exhibiting your work at the University’s annual graduate show
Opt to do a foundation year with ICP to get uni-ready ahead of this course, then take up a guaranteed place on this full Bachelor's degree when you successfully finish your foundation year

areers and opportunities

Our collaborative and project-orientated course will give you the skills to become highly employable.

Graduate areas

Our graduates have worked across design, marketing, communications and commerce in areas such as:

fashion, textile or accessories design
trend prediction
buying
visual merchandising
teaching or lecturing
journalism or writing

Graduate destinations

Our graduates have worked with some of the biggest names in fashion and major retailers, including:

Ralph Lauren
Hugo Boss
Matthew Williamson
River Island
Fat Face
Marks and Spencer

Ongoing careers support

Get experience while you study, with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, and work experience. You can also venture into freelancing, or set up and run your own business with help from the University Startup Team.

Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to help you find your perfect role.

Entrepreneurs in Residence

If you're interested in setting up your own business while you study, you can get support on this course from the Entrepreneurs in Residence programme. Our Entrepreneurs in Residence are experienced business professionals who work with us to deliver group workshops and 1-to-1 drop-in clinics to help you plan and market your business idea.

Placement year (optional)

You can do an optional work placement to get valuable longer-term work experience in the industry. Placements are also a great way to build upon your existing skills and knowledge for your final-year studies, and can make you attractive to employers after you graduate.

You can work with a company, or go self-employed and start up your own business with other fellow students or by yourself.

Whatever you decide, you'll get support from our Creative Careers team.

Supporting your creative career

Our dedicated Careers and Employability team have extensive recruitment experience across a multitude of areas including the creative sector.

They can provide you with supporting and advice, including:

Searching for the ideal job through their database of vacancies
Giving tips on how to write an interesting CV that will catch employers' attention, no matter the role
Organising mock interviews, so you can hone your technique and familiarise yourself with the recruitment environment
Writing your startup business proposal – if you're going down the self-employment route
Researching placement opportunities and applying for creative opportunities

The team will continue to support you throughout your placement year and beyond, providing you with help for up to 5 years after your graduate.

Placement destinations

Previous students have completed work placements at designers such as:

Paul Smith
Mary Katrantzou
Peter Pilotto

Notes about fees for this course

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance

Entry requirements

104-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent, to include a relevant subject. Applicants without a relevant subject will be asked to provide a portfolio to support their application.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.