Program Overview

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BA (Hons) Fashion: Design and Communication

Why study this course with LJMU?

• Specialise in either Fashion Design or Fashion Communication - portfolios and news available on We Are Fashion
• Students have opportunities to study abroad or apply for art and design travel awards
• Opportunities to undertake work experience with local, national and international companies
• The programme is a member of the FTC (Association of Fashion and Textile Courses) as well as the Ethical Fashion Forum
• Growing reputation for producing employable graduates
• Studio based study in the Stirling-Prize nominated John Lennon Art and Design Building

About your course

The BA (Hons) Fashion: Design and Communication at Liverpool John Moores University offers you the opportunity to study either Fashion Design or Fashion Communication, while interacting within a creative, collaborative fashion environment.

The programme has been developed with two distinct pathways - each pathway benefiting from dedicated, separate studio spaces and teaching. The curriculum is delivered by specialists focused on their disciplines and close to the fashion community. You will be located in the award-winning John Lennon Art and Design Building within the School of Art and Design, which puts creative practice at its heart. During your studies, you will have a wealth of opportunities available to you, from live projects and competitions to developing an industry standard portfolio.

Innovation sits at the heart of our course, and the city of Liverpool is a source of inspiration for our students to grow and prosper as creative and forward thinking individuals.

Following from Liverpool's tenure as European Capital of Culture in 2008, the city has flourished to become key destination for fashion and the visual arts. The School of Art and Design sits at the centre of the city's cultural renaissance and has forged close links with key arts organisations including Tate Liverpool, Liverpool Biennial and FACT.

Fashion Design and Communication tutors encourage an experimental individual approach to fashion, allowing you to create your own style within the framework of the course curriculum. This approach will enable you to progress into a wide-range of careers - from commercial and high-end design to self-employment, freelance work and postgraduate study. Students are able to work within their fields of choice building on a firm skillset to prepare them for careers in the industry.

In Fashion Design, students work from concept to final garment construction so they understand the process of design as well as the practical application. Research is essential to innovation and we embed fashion studies to further our students' individual interests. This knowledge is empowering and allows our graduates to work across a wide range of the fashion industry from High Street to Couture.

In Fashion Communication, our students are able to work across the whole syllabus, from branding, PR, marketing, photography and styling. With knowledge from location sourcing to final layout and editorial, they are able to offer specialist companies a whole package of transferable skills to work on a broad range of projects.

Course modules

Year 1

• Introduction to Fashion (20 credits)
  • Within this module, you will independently learn through reflective practice and self-critical analysis to learn how to promote the use of a logical Design Process towards the creation of original fashion outcomes from independently researched sources. You will learn to create an awareness of fashion and promote experimentation through alternative and innovative approaches to fashion practice.
• Fashion Practice (20 credits)
  • The aim of this module is to learn how to articulate and present ideas and information in a comprehensible visual and oral form. You will increase your understanding of the discipline of fashion and promote individual focus through the execution of fashion related activities. You will learn how to embed the use of Design Process to create original fashion outcomes from independently researched sources.
• Visualisation and Technology (20 credits)
  • The aim of this module is to develop an awareness of professional fashion practice through the professional presentation of a body of artwork/design documentation. You will develop fashion communication skills, enabling the visualisation of fashion ideas and outputs in a professional format.
• Visual Direction and Technical Development (20 credits)
  • This module will allow you to develop and extend your knowledge of materials and technical processes in a fashion context.
• An Introduction to Contextual Research (20 credits)
  • Within this module, you will explore key concepts and themes concerning historical and contemporary cultural significance in relation to studio practice and wider contexts of fashion design and communication. You will also develop knowledge and understanding of research methods which underpin fashion practices.
• Contextual Research and Development (20 credits)
  • This module will allow you to develop key concepts and ways of thinking about fashion practices in both design and communication with relation to context and culture. You will also engage in debate and analysis to broaden and deepen your understanding of contemporary fashion practices resulting in a written assignment and a physical or digital artefact.

Year 2

• Visual Language and Technical Exploration (20 credits)
  • The aim of this module is to promote investigation into a range of technical processes to enhance creative concepts. You will have the opportunity to build confidence in a creative and conceptual approach to digital and traditional media. It will also provide you with the knowledge of 2D and 3D 'processes' for sampling.
• Creative Direction and Technical Application (20 credits)
  • Within this module, you will examine traditional and contemporary technical approaches in-depth for use within studio practice. You will also develop a range of visual and conceptual approaches to research methods for creative process. The aim of this module will allow you to explore links and synergies between industry and studio practice to inform and guide project work.
• Fashion Research in Practice (20 credits)
  • The aim of this module is to explore key concepts and themes in relation to studio practice and wider contexts of contemporary fashion design and communication. You will be able to engage in critical debate and analysis to broaden your knowledge and understanding of contemporary fashion practices.
• Critical Contextual Investigation (20 credits)
  • The aim of this module is to gain a deeper understanding of contemporary theoretical design issues and contemporary fashion issues through a written assignment leading to a proposal for Level 6 Research Project.

Year 3

• Final Major Project/s (40 credits)
  • This module provides the opportunity for you to produce a body of work that demonstrates a broad understanding of professional practical outputs within the fashion industry.
• Research Project (20 credits)
  • The aim of the Research Project is to deepen critical and theoretical engagement based on your chosen topic. You will facilitate the application and interpretation secondary and primary research methods to a focused fashion studies topic within a research project framework.
• Studio Project/s (40 credits)
  • The Studio Project/s provides the opportunity for you to develop your own programme of study via a series of projects. The aim of this module is to produce a creative body of work demonstrating a range of design applications in relationship to target audiences and support the development of research methodologies to apply to a range of concepts and outputs. This will strengthen the components of the Personal Development Portfolio focusing towards employability.
• Professional Practice (20 credits)
  • This module will equip you with a range of research methods to inform graduate career and postgraduate study options and give you a deep understanding of professional practice in your chosen field of study. It will offer you the opportunity to engage with and undertake external projects to enhance your understanding of industry practice.

Professional accreditation

The fashion team has a growing number of links with UK design support organisations such as the Fashion & Textile Association, Ethical fashion Forum and Graduate Fashion Week.

We also have strong links with local companies such as Matalan and BooHoo and Shop Direct, as well as national and international companies and designers who contact us directly for placements and live projects.

Your Learning Experience

Teaching Support Assessment

Excellent facilities and learning resources

We adopt an active blended learning approach, meaning you will experience a combination of face-to-face and online learning during your time at LJMU. This enables you to experience a rich and diverse learning experience and engage fully with your studies. Our approach ensures that you can easily access support from your personal tutor, either by meeting them on-campus or via a video call to suit your needs.

Teaching delivery is a combination of one-to-one tutorials, small seminar groups, online activities and lectures as well as peer review and critiques. These activities are supported by a series of practical workshops. Tutorials may include personal tutoring for personal development planning (PDP) when you can discuss your academic and future career plans with your personal tutor.

Dedicated personal tutor, plus study skills support

If you decide to pursue this degree course, you will join a supportive and creative environment where talent is nurtured and you are encouraged to really stretch boundaries. You will be expected to work independently and under pressure at times but our specialist staff will be on hand to guide you and give support when needed.

From the moment you begin your studies, you will be allocated a personal tutor, giving you plenty of opportunities to discuss course-related matters and your personal development at any time.

Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.

If you choose the Fashion Design Pathway, you will be expected to produce research and design development including samples, toiles, garments, illustration, photography and blogs.

If you opt for Fashion Communication, you will also be expected to produce a body of research linked to a series of projects that could include Branding, Styling, PR, Blogs, Photography, Trends and Magazine editorial/s.

Other forms of assessment include written dissertation and reports, a personal development planning folder or a CV, biography, press release and/or blog.

Constructive feedback, whether formal or informal, is crucial in helping you to improve your performance and your tutors will always be on hand to help you evaluate your own work and assess progress.

Formative and summative feedback is given throughout the year at key points for each module.

Career paths

As a Fashion graduate, there are all sorts of careers open to you within the fashion and related industries.

Students from the Fashion degree go on to forge successful careers as designers (Menswear and Womenswear), photographers, stylists, buyers, illustrators, PR officers, events managers and merchandisers, both in the UK, Europe and beyond.

We are exceptionally proud of the achievements of our graduates.

Many have gained significant international recognition for their work including, Rosie Davies, founder of the London Fashion Agency; Alena Johnson winner of Who's Next Pret-A-Porter; Phillip Whitehead Ted Baker; Danielle Windsor (Viktor & Rolf and Zara); Kirsty Doyle, winner of Project Catwalk; Andrew Foxall (Neil Barratt and Foxall Associates) ,John Mooney (ASOS), Hannah Smith BooHoo, and Kerry Crone, Matalan. Others have gone on to work with companies such as Erdem, Alexander McQueen, Dazed & Confused, Ted Baker, Adidas, PR companies, Sane Seven and Paul Smith.

The programme provides many opportunities to meet prospective employers in the fashion industry. For instance, you may take an active role in Graduate Fashion Week (GFW) where the programme won the Drapers Award for the best GFW publication.

As well as going directly into employment, some of our students go onto to study at postgraduate level in the UK and abroad. The Liverpool School of Art and Design offers students the opportunity to progress onto a range of Masters degrees including MA Fashion Innovation and Realisation, which provides students with opportunities to explore personal concepts and themes to a higher level.

The MA offers students the opportunity to work collaboratively with students studying Fine Art, Graphics Design and Illustration and Art in Science.

Student Futures - Careers, Employability and Enterprise Service

A wide range of opportunities and support is available to you, within and beyond your course, to ensure our students experience a transformation in their career trajectory. Every undergraduate curriculum includes Future Focus during Level 4, an e-learning resource and workshop designed to help you to develop your talents, passion and purpose.

Every student has access to Careers Zone 24/7, LJMU's suite of online Apps, resources and jobs board via the LJMU Student Futures website.

Tuition fees and funding

Home

• Full-time per year: £9,535

International

• Full-time per year: £17,750

Entry requirements

Please choose your qualifications below to view requirements

• Grades/points required from qualifications: BBC (112)

Work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth by visiting the UCAS Tariff Calculator.

GCSEs and equivalents

• GCSE Grade 4 or Grade C or above in English Language and Maths/Numeracy

A levels

• BBC

BTECs

• Extended Diploma: DMM

Access awards

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications

International Baccalaureate

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications

OCR Cambridge Technical

• Extended Diploma: DMM

Irish awards

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.

T levels

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.

International requirements

• IELTS: 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5, taken within two years of the course start date or equivalent English language proficiency test.

How to apply

• UCAS is the official application route for our full-time undergraduate courses. Further information on the UCAS application process can be found here

We are looking for students with an enthusiasm for fashion with a keen interest in contemporary style and image. You should be 100% dedicated to research into current and historical fashion cultures, and possess the following essential qualities:

• An enthusiasm for Art & Design based subjects
• Capable of discussing Art & Design issues
• The ability to analyse and reflectively criticise
• Visual awareness and communication

Fashion: Design and Communication is a broad and varied creative discipline. Applicants are required to bring a portfolio of work. A portfolio is simply a collection of drawings, images and documents that represent your work. It could include photographic content, film, written text, graphics, illustrations and other communication mediums. It should contain a well-presented collection of work that is creative and imaginative. Applicants may also present work on social media or relevant platforms.