Fashion Design BA(Hons) Degree

Course outline

Stage 1

• Design & Construction
• Designer in Society
• Production & Presentation
• Industrial, Professional & Global Contexts

Stage 2

• Embellishment
• Knitwear Design
• Computer-aided Design & Manufacture
• International Branding
• Professional Practice - Work Placement

Stage 3

• Professional Design Practice
• Professional Design Project Proposal
• Dissertation
• Final Project

Tell me more about the BA(Hons) Fashion Design course

 BA(Hons) Fashion Design award information form (92.73 KB)

This pioneering degree course has been devised to give you the very best start in the rapidly evolving global fashion industry. Developed with industry professionals, it allows you to develop the technical and creative edge to design original, inspiring collections.

From instigating trends and fashion drawing, to learning about comparative shopping and the commercial fashion industry, you'll experience all aspects of fashion design. Focusing on the vibrant and influential streetwear and leisure-clothing sector, you'll be encouraged to go out there and experiment, take risks and find your own path through practical experience and professional practice.

By choosing to study for a degree in Fashion Design at Falmouth you will:

• Benefit from being taught by friendly and approachable staff who are experts in their respective fields.
• Develop a range of skills to allow you to best demonstrate your ideas, from hand drawing to computer aided design (CAD).
• Take part in live projects and collaborate with fellow students across disciplines, locally, nationally and internationally.
• Experience the industry you'll be working in throughout your degree, with the opportunity to work with aspirational brands like Luella, Finisterre, Billabong, Diesel, Howies, Maharishi, and Mambo, as well as high street names like Gap, Whistles and Jigsaw.
• Pitch ideas to international clients - such as our course partners, Decathlon - using our video conferencing facilities.
• Be based at the stunning Woodlane Campus, with its inspirational atmosphere and industry-standard facilities.
• Take part in self-funded study trips and international work experience.

Links

• Luella
• Finisterre
• Billabong
• Diesel
• Howies
• Maharishi
• Mambo
• Gap
• Whistles
• Jigsaw
• Decathlon

How is the course taught?

This full-time course is delivered through study blocks. Project work is supported by lectures, demonstrations, field trips, professional experience and focus groups, seminars and tutorials. You'll develop peer and self-evaluation skills, which will be used in critical, conceptual, productive and professional capacities.

The course operates on a basis of continuous assessment with no formal examinations. Early on, you'll be introduced to the criteria used to assess your project work. 

Assessment

• Visual, verbal and written assignments
• Dissertation and two exhibitions in your final year

Facilities

Our world-class Fashion Studios house the latest technology and industry-standard facilities, including:

• Cutting tables
• Professional tailor's dummies
• Laser cutter
• Silicon taping machine
• Ultrasonic welder
• Designated steam room
• Industrial overlockers
• Blind stitching machines
• Knitting machines
• Video conferencing suite for receiving and presenting live briefs to international clients

Projects & fashion shows

Graduate fashion show

Our BA(Hons) Fashion Design students collaborate with Performance Sportswear Design, Public Relations, Press & Editorial Photography, Graphic Design, Textile Design, Digital Media, Dance and Music students to put on the annual catwalk fashion show for an audience of over 800.

• Media release: Falmouth takes the fashion industry by storm
• Media release: Falmouth introduces fashion designers of the future

Work placements

Our students have undertaken work placements with the following companies:

• Decathlon France
• Elle magazine (India)
• Tanya Sarne (founder of Ghost)
• Maison Martin Margiela (Paris)
• Todd Lynn (London)
• Luella Bartley
• Howies

International fashion brand Diesel is also offering internships for University College Falmouth students.

Student spotlight

Laura Leach a student on the BA(Hons) Fashion Design course has been named the National winner of the Lee Cooper Centenary Jeans Design competition.

Laura won the competition in only her second term at Falmouth against competition from all years from every Fashion Department in the UK. Lee Cooper went out of its way to highly recommend three other Falmouth first year students: Elle Glen, Emily Frost and Emma Brayford for their exceptional entries.

Student websites

Links to the websites and blogs of Fashion Design students.

• jackgullachsen.moonfruit.com 

Fashion at Falmouth: what the experts say

Articles about our Fashion Design and Performance Sportswear Design courses and students are available for you to download.

• 'How I broke into Fashion Design' - guardian.co.uk, 15 November 2010
• 'A world of possibilities for fashion students' - Western Morning News, 7 August 2009 (5.82 MB)
• What the industry is saying (247 KB)
• What the press is saying (12.1 MB)

Answers and advice about the course

For further information about BA(Hons) Fashion Design at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 255763.

Our student mentors are now on Facebook. To chat to a mentor about the course, living in Cornwall, or what to expect at Falmouth, check out the Fashion and Performance Sportswear Design group. You need to join the group before you can post. Our student mentors have already done the first year of the course... so ask them anything you like!

Fashion and Performance Sportswear Design Facebook group

If you're not Facebook you can still speak to a student mentor. Email your name and the course you're starting to: studentmentorenquiries@falmouth.ac.uk and we will be in touch with you.

Taster days

Our taster days are intended to give prospective applicants the chance to immerse themselves in their course of choice for a full day, working on a project with our staff and students. We run tours of all our facilities and accommodation, provide lunch, and really give guests a flavour of life at Falmouth.

• 25 November 2011: BA(Hons) Fashion Design & BA(Hons) Performance Sportswear Design - 30 spaces available

For more information, please email: tasterdays@falmouth.ac.uk

Open Design: UCF for design tutors

At our first Open Design event in February 2010, Heads of Department and Pathway Leaders from Foundation level courses around the UK spent the day with design staff and students at University College Falmouth, learning more about our facilities and courses.

Click here for more information and to register for the next Open Design event

Career opportunities

We anticipate that our graduates will go on to work in fashion houses as part of the design team, as freelance designers or establish their own clothing labels. However, to work in the fashion industry you have to be flexible, and the broad range of skills we will teach you will enable you to adapt to the fluid and volatile world of fashion.

• Fashion designer
• Proprietor of clothing label
• Fashion house team designer assistant designer
• Buyer
• Fashion forecaster
• Merchandiser
• Fashion journalist
• Fashion stylist
• Retailer
• Television presenter
• Teaching
• Postgraduate study

Entry requirements

A minimum of 220 UCAS points, equivalent Level 3 qualifications or relevant experience. You may be required to submit some work to help us decide who to interview. Successful applicants are generally those with the strongest portfolios, demonstrating experimentation, technical ability and understanding of the art and design process.

Please see our How to Apply page for more information.

For further information about BA(Hons) Fashion Design at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 255763.

Interview and selection process

We invite all applicants invited to interview. Small groups of applicants will be interviewed with their portfolios and sketchbooks by a panel consisting of two academic members of staff and two students. A department tour will follow the interview. The session will last approximately 3 hours. 

Please bring portfolio/project work/sketch books to interview as well as a personal project that represents you. Your portfolio should demonstrate the ability to investigate ideas and use a range of media, skills in observational drawing, and any investigations into design methods and skills. The team will be mainly interested in your abilities in the field of design and design research, but other types of work can be included if it demonstrates capabilities and interest in fashion/performance sportswear design. Please do not bring actual garments, however photographs of made garments within portfolios are welcomed. Life drawing should be limited to two portfolio pages only.

Interviews will be held on 20 January, 24 and 29 February and 2 March 2012 only. Morning interviews will be at 9.30am and afternoon interviews will be at 1.30pm.

Location: Woodlane Campus

Related courses

• Performance Sportswear Design BA(Hons)
• Textile Design BA(Hons)