BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Development

The BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Development course is situated in the School of Design and Technology and is concerned with the design, development and realisation of fashion products for the fashion clothing industry. You will learn the skills of research, how to produce initial design ideas, and how to develop designs through to a finished 3D prototype. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the fashion industry, its markets, and the particular role of the fashion product designer and developer within the industry.

You will study a range of units that will equip you with the relevant professional, communication and business skills and undertake live projects set by industry where there will be presentations to and from the companies involved. You will have the option of doing a placement year in the industry between the second and final year of the course.

Successful completion of this year will give you an additional qualification, and you will have the opportunity to make contacts and build valuable relationships for your future career before the end of your studies. This course focuses on producing graduates who are encouraged to make an innovative and visionary contribution to product development within the fashion industry.

BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Development is based at Curtain Road in Shoreditch, on the edge of the City of London and very near to Hoxton. The area is rich in creative studios, fashion PR companies, magazine head offices, art galleries and hip restaurants, bars and clubs. Specialist markets nearby include Spitalfields and Columbia Road, the White Cube Gallery is just down the road in Hoxton Square and the Geffrye Museum is a short walk away at the bottom end of Kingsland Road.

Students on this course might be invited to participate in study trips. This may involve, for example, visits to key areas of capital cities, factories, stores and museums. Attendance on these trips is not compulsory but recommended. Details regarding timings and costs will be issued closer to the relevant trips.


Course Structure

Year One - Stage One - level 4 - 120 credits

• Term One: Introduction to Fashion Design Development (20 credits); Product Technologies (20 credits)
• Term Two: Introduction to Cultural and Historical Studies Option (20 credits); Product Creativity and Communication (20 credits)
• Term Three: Product Design and Development (40 credits)

Year Two - Stage Two - level 5 - 120 credits

• Term One: Cultural and Historical Studies (20 credits); Creative Professional Practice (20 credits)
• Term Two: Research Methods (20 credits); Creative Industry Practice (20 credits)
• Term Three: Industry Project (40 credits)
• Professional Placement Year (optional)
• Diploma in Professional Studies

Final Year - Stage Three - level 6 - 120 credits

• Term One: Concept Development (40 credits)
• Terms One Two and Three: Contextualising Your Practice (20 credits)
• Terms Two and Three: Product Design and Realisation (60 credits)
• Travelling across London

The renowned London College of Fashion library is at our John Prince’s Street site, and you will need to travel to this site, and possibly others, during your course to use the library, which is open seven days a week in term time, and for tuition and special events.


Course structure

The information outlined is an indicative structure of the course. Whilst we will aim to deliver the course as described on this page, there may be situations where it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, for example because of regulatory requirements or operational efficiencies, before or after enrolment. If this occurs, we will communicate all major changes to all applicants and students who have either applied or enrolled on the course.

Please note that due to staff research agreements or availability, not all of the optional modules listed may be available every year.
In addition, the provision of course options which depend upon the availability of specialist teaching, or on a placement at another institution, cannot be guaranteed. Please check this element of the course with the course team before making a decision to apply.