Program Overview

Fashion Design With Foundation Year

Overview

The Foundation Year of this four-year programme aims to provide you with an understanding of the subject to allow you to progress on to the BA (Hons) Fashion Design course, which is ranked in the top 10 for Fashion and Textiles in the Guardian University Guide 2023.

Attendance and Duration

• Full-time
• Four years

Next Enrolment

• September 2025

Introduction

The world of arts and media is changing at a phenomenal rate, and there has never been a better time to explore your creativity and the ways in which you can apply it to the world around you.

This Foundation Year provides the perfect opportunity for you to explore the key principles of art, design and media. The course is designed to help you develop your creative skills, it gives you a chance to build a larger portfolio, and provides a good transition period to familiarise yourself with the School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology and life as a student at Salford.

Course Details

Foundation Year

• Digital Media Applications: This module helps you to become more familiar and confident with technology. As well as learning creative software and photography skills, it will allow you to explore a creative subject of your choice and give you essential time management and research skills.
• Creative Methods: This module will enable you to examine the creative and professional practice of others as a way of reflecting on your own practice. You’ll create a range of outcomes to help you build a dedicated portfolio as well as learning about major influences in art and design.
• Creative Risk Taking: This module is all about challenging your creative thought and highlighting the importance of creative risk taking. The briefs allow you to produce a range of outcomes that underpin all of the main art and design disciplines as well as giving you the flexibility to interpret the brief to your area of interest.
• Creative Practice Major Project: This module is designed to allow you to bring together all your prior learning from the previous modules. It gives you the opportunity to propose and create your own brief based on a theme, topic, or issue that you are passionate about.
• Introduction to the Creative Industries: This module allows you to explore the creative industries and its career opportunities. You’ll learn about a range of subjects including responsible design and future trends within your chosen area of art and design.

Year One

• Introduction to Fashion Design: This module introduces you to the foundational principles of fashion design, focusing on the development of personal and innovative concepts in response to design briefs.
• Fashion Design: Principles: This module introduces you to the primary principles of the 2D fashion design process.
• Fashion Contexts: The Fashion Contexts module develops your knowledge and understanding of the wider contexts surrounding fashion design.
• Introduction To Pattern Cutting and Construction Techniques: This skill-based module is primarily conducted within the workshop or studio environment through a series of demonstrations and lectures.
• Fashion Illustration & CAD 1: This module is designed to immerse you in various approaches to fashion communication, with a particular focus on drawing and sketching.
• 3D Approaches to Design Research: In this module, you will develop an understanding of research concepts and methodologies pertinent to fashion design.
• Fashion: Industry Practice Part 2: In semester two, this module also features a mentoring experience where you are partnered with final year students according to your interest in either design or styling.

Year Two

• Fashion Illustration & CAD 2: This module builds upon the foundational skills acquired in Year 1, with a heightened focus on Adobe Illustrator and an introduction to digital design.
• Fashion Design Specialism: Fashion Design: Specialism will enable you to develop and realise your personal direction within the fashion industry and allow exploration of specific skills and techniques.
• Industry Practice: Fashion Design: The purpose of this module is to place fashion design practice; particularly pattern cutting and production techniques, within a business context.
• Critical Dialogues: Critical Dialogues asks you to investigate and share an informed critical perspective on a selected topic in fashion, clothing and their wider contexts.
• Fashion Design Capsule Collection: 'Capsule' is produced within the fashion industry to communicate the essence of a much larger or complete fashion collection.
• Work Placement: Fashion Design: Placements within industry not only add to your knowledge and appreciation of your chosen discipline but can also enhance future employment prospects.
• Digital Fashion Design: This module is designed to bridge the gap between traditional fashion design and the digital future, ensuring you are well-prepared to lead and innovate in the fashion industry.

Year Three

• Design and Research for an External Brief: This module offers you the opportunity, to develop a comprehensive body of creative work that reflects a deep understanding of the contemporary fashion industry's realities and expectations.
• Design Development: You will develop an understanding of creative cutting, explore the full potential of the creative design interpretation and consider pattern cutting as a creative process.
• Portfolio Module: Fashion Design: Portfolio module is an opportunity to consolidate learning from the entire degree to compile a professional portfolio of your strongest work.
• Independent Research Project: The emphasis in this module is on independent research, exploration and investigation.
• Negotiated Major Project: Collection: Negotiated major project, is structured to integrate and synthesise cumulative learning experiences acquired throughout the course.

What Will I Be Doing?

• 70%: Coursework
• 10%: Presentations
• 20%: Dissertation

Employment and Stats

• Graduates entering the fashion industry work across a diverse range of careers – as designers, stylists, pattern cutters, buyers, visual merchandisers, illustrators and retailers.
• Many have set up their own labels.
• Recent graduates have found employment with companies such as Adidas, John Lewis, Levi's, Max Mara, New Balance, Puma, River Island, Topshop, Warehouse, Peter Pilotto, H&M, Superdry, Roland Mouret and many more.

Career Links

• Students have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with a wide range of industry professionals.
• The valuable knowledge and experience that visiting speakers bring ensures that you are kept informed of the current changes and demands within the fashion industry.

Requirements

• This course isn’t suitable for international students.
• By applying to this Foundation Year you are applying to a four-year programme - the shared Foundation Year, followed by a three-year art, design or media degree here at University of Salford.
• The Foundation Year is not a standalone qualification.

Standard Entry Requirements

• GCSE English Language at grade C/level 4 or above (or equivalent).
• Maths at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) is preferred but not essential.
• A Levels: 64 tariff points from A-levels (or equivalent) to include an Arts & Design qualification preferred
• T Levels: Pass: D or E in core subject.
• UCAS tariff points: 64 tariff points from A-levels (or equivalent) to include an Art and Design qualification preferred
• BTEC National Diploma: MPP including Art & Design
• Scottish Highers: 64 points including Art & Design
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 64 points including Art & Design
• International Baccalaureate: 24 points including Art & Design
• European Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 60% overall (relevant subject)
• Access to HE: Pass Level 3 Access to HE Diploma with 64 points (relevant subject)

Alternative Entry Requirements

• Salford Alternative Entry Scheme (SAES)

How Much?

• Type of study | Year | Fees
  • Full-time home | 2025/26 | £8,505 for Foundation Year and £9,535 for subsequent years.
  • Full-time home | 2026/27 | £8,505 for Foundation Year and £9,535 for subsequent years.

Additional Costs

• Students should expect to pay their studio levy each year.
• Most undergraduate students will receive £150 per year from the Salford Inspire scheme which can be put towards your studio fee.
• In addition, in year three of study, students will also incur a cost to participate in shows.
• Foundation Year students will not need to pay until they go into their first year.
• First year costs: £150
• Second year costs: £150
• Third year costs: £350
• For optional trips, you should expect to pay from £350 to £1,200.
• Costs are approximated based on the current academic year.
• You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.