Fashion and Textiles

Program Overview

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Fashion and Textiles MA

Overview

Our MA Fashion and Textiles degree course will help you develop the skills and critical awareness you need to pursue your creative talents in research, enterprise, or a creative career or practice.

On this workshop-based course, you'll develop your core practice in a fashion or textile context, unique to Portsmouth. You'll identify and explore your own motivation, be challenged to create designs, and develop your own digital and physical fashion products, using our excellent facilities that are a playground for creatives like you.

You'll also learn and hone transferable skills, gaining the confidence and tools needed to become a successful innovator and leader.

Whatever the focus of your studies, you'll strengthen your creative, critical, and practical abilities to achieve considered, professional results that are commercially viable. Whether you're interested in a leadership or management role, or starting your own business, this course can help you accomplish your goals in a constantly growing industry.

Key Information

• Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
• Start Date: September 2026
• Eligibility: This course accepts UK, EU, and international students.

Entry Requirements

UK Qualifications

• A minimum of a second-class honours degree in a related subject, or equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications.
• Please get in touch if you're not sure if your undergraduate subject is relevant to this degree.

Non-UK Qualifications

If you're applying as an international student with a non-UK degree, you’ll need to show you meet the UK entry requirements listed above.

English Language Requirements

• English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 (or equivalent) with no component score below 5.5.
• You do not need an IELTS or equivalent certification if:
  • you have a UK degree
  • you have a degree from a majority English speaking country (not taught by Distance Learning)
  • you are a national of a majority English speaking country
  • Degrees taught solely in English from non-majority English speaking countries will be considered on a case by case basis.

Course Costs and Funding

Tuition Fees

• UK, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man students:
  • Full-time: £9,400
  • Part-time: £4,700 per year
• EU students (including Transition Scholarship):
  • Full-time: £9,400
  • Part-time: £4,700 per year
• International students:
  • Full-time: £17,200
  • Part-time: £8,600 per year

Funding Your Studies

Explore how to fund your studies, including available scholarships and bursaries.

If you're a UK student, you may be eligible for a Government Postgraduate Master's Loan, which you can use to help with course fees and living costs.

Modules

Full-time (Indicative)

Year 1

• Core Modules:
  • A Question of Research - 30 credits
  • Exploratory Practice - 30 credits
  • Major Project - 60 credits
• Optional Modules:
  • Concept Development - 30 credits
  • Context - 30 credits
  • Contextual Report - 60 credits
  • Transdisciplinary Experiences - 30 credits
  • Work-Based Learning - 30 credits

Part-time (Indicative)

Year 1 Year 2

• Core Modules:
  • A Question of Research - 30 credits
  • Exploratory Practice - 30 credits
  • Major Project - 60 credits
• Optional Modules:
  • Concept Development - 30 credits
  • Transdisciplinary Experiences - 30 credits
  • Work-Based Learning - 30 credits

Facilities

• Sewing Workshop
• Fabric Workshop
• Print Workshops
• Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality (CCIXR)
• 3D Workshops
• Printmaking and Letterpress

How You'll Spend Your Time

We recognise that you'll probably be juggling more demands when you do your Master's degree, as you may be working or you may have family responsibilities.

• Course Structure:**** This Master's will take you: 1 year (full-time), 2 years (part-time)
• Independent Study Time: Depending on your mode of study:
  • Full-time: 38 hours per week (approx.)
  • Part-time: 19 hours per week (approx.)
• Regular Tutorials: Online or face-to-face

Teaching

Master's study is deeper and more specialised than an undergraduate degree. This means you'll focus on something that really matters to you and your career as you work closely with academics committed to the subject.

You'll spend more time in independent study and research than you did for your undergraduate degree, but the majority of your teaching time will be in-person and face-to-face.

Assessment

You'll be assessed through coursework.

Career Development

This MA Fashion and Textiles degree will prepare you to explore your creative practice or pursue management opportunities within two globally in-demand industries. From design to export, the UK is a rich international source for fashion and textiles.

Graduates of this course have gone onto roles such as:

• Assistant designer
• Business owner
• Freelance designer
• Textile artist
• Technician

Graduates of this course have gone to work in areas such as:

• Design
• Start-ups

Supporting You

Master's study is more focused on independent learning than undergraduate study, but you'll get lots of support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed.

You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:

• Personal tutor
• Student support advisor
• Creative skills tutors
• Academic skills tutors
• IT and computing support
• Academic skills support
• Wellbeing and mental health support
• Disability advice and additional support
• Library support
• Support with English

How to Apply

Unlike undergraduate applications, which go through UCAS, applications for this Master's course are made directly to us.

There's no deadline for applications to this course. We accept applications right up until the start dates in September and January, as long as there are places available. If you wait until your start month to apply, you may find that the course is full.

If you're applying as an international student, remember that you'll need to leave plenty of time to get your visa organised.

You can find more advice about applying in our Master's application checklist. International students and current students and recent graduates of the University of Portsmouth also have some different application options, which are detailed below.