MA Fashion Cultures

Please note that for this MA course applicants will apply to one of the two pathways:

Either
MA Fashion Cultures: History and Culture
Or
MA Fashion Cultures: Fashion and Film


This new course, MA Fashion Cultures, offers a unique experience in fashion education at postgraduate level. The course has two specific but interrelated pathways: History and Culture; and Fashion and Film. On this course you will have the opportunity to study fashion and dress within its historical, social and cultural contexts. A dynamic in-depth exploration of theoretical and methodological perspectives will give you a grounding in the history of fashion and an underpinning of social and cultural theory for both pathways.

You will then undertake more specialised study on your chosen pathway. On the History and Culture pathway you will investigate fashion as object, representation and practice through an interdisciplinary approach from both historical and contemporary perspectives. On Fashion and Film you will investigate the ongoing changing relationship between fashion, costume and forms of film as well as the relationship between cinema and consumption within a global context. While you will choose one pathway, you will have the opportunity to attend the lectures for the other pathway if you wish to, so you can gain the fullest possible understanding of a variety of disciplines and their impact upon visual and material cultures.

The pathways are led by renowned experts in their respective fields, and they are supported by research fellows, professors, authors, curators and historians who contribute to the course. Based in one of fashion’s most important cities, our students benefit from access to the special collections and archives of many leading institutions in London, including the V and A, Museum of London and the British Film Institute. You will also have the opportunity to work with other graduate students from the Culture and Curation Programme on some units of the course.

We attract students from a wide variety of academic and industry backgrounds, some of whom have completed theory-based first degrees, while others come with practice-based backgrounds. After completing their Masters studies, some students from both former courses have progressed to higher level research degrees, and others have established themselves in a number of related fields including curation, visual merchandising, styling, archiving, fashion buying, lecturing and research.


Course Structure

12 months - 3 terms - Level 7 - 180 credits

Block One September to January:

• Social and Cultural Theories (20 credits) (both pathways);
• Fashion Histories (20 credits) (both pathways);
• Research Methods (20 credits) (both pathways)

Block Two February to May:

• Circuits of Fashion (20 units) (History and Culture pathway) OR Fashion, Stardom and Celebrity Culture (20 credits) (Fashion and Film pathway)
• Gendering Fashion (20 credits) (History and Culture pathway) OR Film Concepts, Global Cinema (20 credits) (Fashion and Film pathway)
• Collaborative Unit (20 credits) (both pathways).

Block Three May to September:

• Masters Project (60 credits) (both pathways)
• 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.