Fashion Marketing BA(Hons)
Become part of the exciting and ever- evolving world of fashion marketing. This CIM-accredited course balances real-world industry experience with cross-course collaboration, built on foundations that are set in theory. By the time you graduate, you’ll be a proficient communicator with a deep knowledge of this digitally advanced industry.
Key details
| Location | Penryn Campus |
|---|---|
| Course Duration | 3 years / 4 years |
| Attendance | Full-time |
| UCAS code | W231 (3 year)/ W23S (4 year)* |
| Contact | 01326 254350 |
Apply now
Introduction
Through this fashion marketing degree, you'll learn to fuse skills in business, design and communication. You’ll gain an understanding of the need for a considered, conscious and sustainable approach in a fast-paced marketplace. And you’ll be part of a creative community preparing for an exciting career.
You will:
- Work on live projects with brands such as Fred Perry and John Lewis.
- Collaborate with photographers, designers and creators.
- Gain valuable experience through an optional placement year in industry (during the four-year course).
- Graduate from a course accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).
Choose between a three year degree or a four year degree with a year-long placement. Although you must select one for your UCAS application, you’ll have the chance to change your decision up to the end of your second year.
Covid-19 update
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have reviewed and made changes to our courses to provide flexible, blended delivery that offers high-quality digital engagement and access to face-to-face teaching in our facilities. You can see how your course may be adjusted by viewing the changes for the current academic year by visiting our welcome letters & latest course updates pages
What our students do
Fashion Marketing in the Circular Economy
From Intern to Exec - a Year at Harvey Nichols
Collaboration Explores the Future of Retail
Fashion Marketing Student: One to Watch
Fashion Marketing and Interior Design Student Collaboration
Innovative Installation at London Design Week
What our graduates do
Graduates from this course have gone on to secure roles in merchandising with Selfridges & Co, fashion retail at Browns, creative marketing at The White Company and PR at Inditex.
Course details
What you'll learn
You'll explore visual and verbal communication principles, international marketing concepts and contextual fashion design – refining your understanding of the industry and how its products and services are promoted. And with our accreditation and close alignment with the Chartered Institute of Marketing, we keep our practices professional and industry knowledge up-to-date.
You'll get to grips with the principles of fashion marketing as you examine social and digital brand communications and the role of visual design in globalised fashion. Using our industry-standard equipment and fashion marketing studio, you'll apply your knowledge to concept development and creative direction.
Modules
Fashion Marketing Principles
You'll begin by knowing the language of fashion marketing and understanding key concepts of the professional marketing role, specifically regarding market insight. Political, economic, social and technological factors in the marketing environment are deconstructed to help you understand the purpose of marketing planning. You will recall and explain the role and tasks of marketing through application of theory to current case studies and online content. This module is aligned with the CIM curriculum.
Marketing Communications
Identifying appropriate marketing communications concepts, technologies and creative processes in fashion industry contexts, this module helps you identify patterns of consumer behaviour and select appropriate tools and techniques in response. At the end of the module, you will be able to identify and report on marketing communications challenges, including the changing role of technology, digital media and the legal and ethical debate surrounding the topic.
Design Thinking
This module offers an introduction to the principles of visual design in a fashion and marketing context. You'll begin to come up with innovative and abstract ideas through the use of sketchbooks and other creative development methods. You'll also understand the appropriate use of graphical elements, such as photographic, typographic and layout design applied in fashion presentation, learning to use a range of industry-standard software tools for developing marketing communications and content generation, such as Adobe InDesign and Photoshop.
Creative Direction
In this module, you will employ appropriate creative direction in the context of fashion image-making and written content generation for digital and print, magazine, PR and events. You'll be given the opportunity to work in collaborative practice to develop creative solutions, working to debate, raise awareness and build engagement around contemporary societal issues such as sustainability, equality, diversity and ethics in a fashion context.
Themes in Culture
This module explores the cultural and historical contexts that have shaped the themes and issues arising in contemporary practice. A lecture, screening, seminar and workshop series establishes key cultural themes, historical developments and movements in visual culture that continue to impact on creative practice.
Exploring the industry in greater detail, you'll focus on trend prediction and brand development. You'll enhance your understanding of strategic marketing and international business practice, while working on a range of assignments set by industry partners and academic staff. You'll also be supported with careers advice, working towards securing internships and third-year placements
Modules
Fashion Buying & Merchandising
This module is focused on exploring buying, merchandising and visual merchandising theory through practical application; for instance, buying decision-making, product assortments, budgeting, planning retail space, and designing and implementing an in-store narrative. You'll begin to develop financial literacy, strategic thinking and visual solutions in order to examine the delivery of customer and shareholder value in retail.
On Brand
In this module, we'll consider branding theory and creative visual identity in a fashion environment. It supports you as you deepen your conceptual, theoretical and commercial understanding of brand communication, new product development processes and creative visualisation. You will also explore your employability skills through developing your self-promotion in an industry context.
Trends & Predictions
This module explores contemporary understanding of trend forecasting and long-term predictions using a range of processes adopted by industry practitioners, depicting drivers of change, including socio-cultural, technological, economic and visual factors. You will be able to interpret trend impact and translate these into potential scenarios for fashion and wider society.
Global Fashion
It's important to understand globalisation relative to the production and consumption of fashion. This module explores the structure and evolution of international agreements, emerging economies and technologies as a part of the political and social context of international trade. We'll assess the global supply chain in terms of profit, people and planet, with an emphasis on sustainable development. You will compare and contrast cultural difference and business development opportunities to support strategies for market growth.
Theories of Culture
Building on the Year one programme, this module further investigates the historical, social, cultural and global contexts in which contemporary practice occurs. It introduces theoretical perspectives in order to develop the ability to discuss your own and others' practice in an academic framework.
You'll begin this 30-week work placement year by creating a study and work plan – advised on and approved by your course team and the university's career service. Then, under the direction of an employer, you'll learn first-hand about different roles and your position in the industry. This is your chance to reflect and develop the kind of work-based skills required by longer live projects, typically seasonal buying cycles.
Modules
Employment Experience
This is an industry placement option. You will undertake a period of supervised work experience of 30 weeks or more, under the direction of an employer or several employers, and with a university-based academic mentor. This will enable you to develop and operate in a course-related working environment. You are required to evidence your experiences, reflecting on your skills acquisition and professional outlook in a report or blog-style documentary.
You’ll develop skills and insights around a specialism, as you work on an extended research project, strategic marketing plan and focus on professional strategies considering your future career path. You will also design your final major project to demonstrate everything you’ve learnt and achieved, giving you a chance to present strategic and creative marketing skills in a portfolio of work.
Modules
Marketing Strategies
In this module, you'll evaluate and critique contemporary industry practice and performance of fashion marketing strategies, working with strategic planning frameworks and discussing your ideas with peers and tutors. This leads to the design and defence of creative marketing solutions to an identified business problem. The context for this may arise from direct experience gained through industry placement, a case study, or an entrepreneurial collaboration. The focus of this strategic development will reflect your individual interests and often lays the foundations for your final major project.
Professional Strategies
In this module, you will evaluate your own learning journey and skills acquisition in preparation for opportunities after graduation. You'll create a communication strategy and portfolio of presentation materials reflecting your personal professional identity, in a range of print and digital formats.
You'll also have the chance to explore and plan for your final major project. The focus of development will reflect your individual interests, as you work towards creating the perfect portfolio of work in the context of your personal career opportunities.
Dissertation
At this stage, you'll complete a dissertation or equivalent, which arises out of agreed individual interests relating to practice. The study consolidates personal research developed from Year two, reflecting on your research strengths. You will engage in considered debate and detailed discussion of the chosen topic, exploring ideas with a supervisor to determine the nature, form, breadth and depth of your independent study. You'll then draft and produce a substantial body of written work.
Final Major Project
This module supports the completion your fashion marketing degree. You will devise a project proposal for a detailed marketing solution, underpinned by in-depth research, and produce a set of deliverables for an identified opportunity or problem in a fashion or lifestyle context. This may be retail, e-commerce, campaigns, events or publishing, but the project will reflect your strengths and career aspirations.
The modules above are those being studied by our students, or proposed new ones. Programme structures and modules can change as part of our curriculum enhancement and review processes. If a certain module is important to you, please discuss it with the Course Leader.
From module information to course aims and assessment criteria, discover the full course details for the 3 year course and the 4 year course with professional practice
We are making changes to our curriculum framework for courses starting in 2022. Modest amendments to our course module structure will provide you with new opportunities to collaborate and co-create with students from across disciplines during your studies.
This course page will be updated when these changes have been finalised and applicants will be notified.
How you'll learn
You'll choose between a three-year degree with short placement options, or a four-year course with a year-long industry placement(s).
This Fashion Marketing degree focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration with courses such as Fashion Design, Fashion Photography and Interior Design, as well as delivering live projects in a realistic, industry-focused environment. Industry partners – such as Gap, John Lewis and Fred Perry – set assignments, while our academic staff provide lectures, studio practice, demonstrations, field trips, seminars and tutorials. And with our Study Abroad scheme, you'll have the chance to spend a semester at a partner institution in a location like Italy, Spain, Holland, the USA or Singapore.* Fashion Marketing at Falmouth supports and encourages employment opportunities, giving you the scope for a year out in industry or short-term summer placement. This allows you to experience contemporary practice, building employability skills and highly valuable industry insights to further your career prospects.
* Due to ongoing restrictions on travel caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and changes to the UK's study abroad programme due to Brexit, we cannot guarantee study exchanges as a part of this course.
How you'll spend your time
| Year | Timetabled teaching and learning activity | Guided independent study | Placements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35% | 65% | 0% |
| 2 | 30% | 70% | 0% |
Optional placement | 0% | 12% | 88% |
3 / 4 | 22% | 78% | 0% |
How you'll be assessed
Year | Written exams | Practical exams | Coursework |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 0% | 0% | 100% |
2 | 0% | 0% | 100% |
3 / 4 | 0% | 0% | 100% |
The above percentages relate to 2019/2020 data.
Assessment methods
- Year One includes a written exam for Marketing Principles, aligned to the CIM curriculum.
- Continuous assessment through visual, verbal and written assignments.
- Individual and group projects.
- Essays and critiques.
- Presentations.
- A final dissertation.
- Portfolio of project work.
Staff
You’ll be taught by current and former fashion practitioners, providing experience from working with brands like Alexander McQueen, Elle UK, Vogue Paris, Figaro Japan, The Arcadia Group, WGSN, and Condé Nast Publications.
Some members of staff only teach on specific modules, and your course might not feature every member shown here.
Dr Michelle Lawrence
I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (MCIM) and a chartered marketer with ten...
Sarah Braddock-Clarke
Sarah E.Braddock Clarke studied Textile Design at Winchester School of Art, University of...
Dr Kate Strasdin
I joined Falmouth University in 2009 as an associate lecturer teaching histories and theories to...
Julie Ripley
Julie Ripley studied history of modern art, design and film at Northumbria University, where she...
Elizabeth Allen
Elizabeth studied Design and Development for the Fashion Industry at London College of Fashion,...
Facilities
- Digital training area with Adobe Creative Suite.
- Large, professional-standard studios.
- Professional printing and mounting service equipped with digital printers and large format inkjet printers.
- Access to online resources such as WGSN and LS:N Global.
How to apply
Apply via UCAS
Ready to join us? If you're applying through UCAS Apply and Track, you'll need to reference the university and course codes below.
- University code: F33
- Course code: W231 (3 year) / W23S (4 year)
Apply now
Applying as an international student?
International students can apply for a course through UCAS, via an agent or directly with the university. For more information about how to apply as an international student, visit our International applications page.
Application advice & interview information
We consider all applications on their own individual merit and potential. We invite all applicants to an interview day or audition to give them the opportunity to demonstrate this along with what inspires and motivates them in their field. Applicants will also be able to show their portfolio or give a performance depending on the course. We welcome applications from all subject backgrounds, whether you’ve specialised in STEM, the arts or humanities.
As a guide our typical offer at undergraduate level is 104 – 120 UCAS Tariff points, primarily from Level 3 qualifications such as but not limited to A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma or a Foundation Diploma.
You can choose to study a three-year degree with short placement options, or extend your degree to four years with a year-long industrial placement in the third year. While you need to choose one for your UCAS application, you can amend your decision up until the end of your second year.
If you’re an International student, you’ll need to make a new student visa application to transfer from the three to four-year course.
For applicants whose first language is English we require you to have or be working towards GCSE English Language Grade 4 (C), or equivalent.
If English is not your first language you will need to meet the same standard which is equivalent to the IELTS Academic 6.0 overall score, with at least 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. We accept a range of in country equivalencies and approved tests.
If you need a Tier 4 student visa to study in the UK, you'll need to take a recognised language test that is approved and vouched for by the University. You can read our English Language Requirements for more information.
UK/EU applications: 29 January 2021 (for equal consideration)
Late applications will be considered if there are places available.
International fee payers can apply throughout the year. But we recommend applying as early as possible, to make time for visa and travel arrangements.
What we're looking for
We want someone who:
- Is enthusiastic about fashion promotion, communication and retail.
- Has a collaborative approach to working.
- Shows critical thinking.
- Is aware of contemporary fashion news.
Fees, costs & funding
Tuition fees
£9,250 per year - full-time UK/EU
£16,000 per year - full-time international
Additional tuition fees for sandwich/placement year students:
£1,350 - sandwich/placement year - UK/EU
£1,850 - sandwich/placement year - international
£9,250 per year - full-time UK
£16,950 - full-time EU
£16,950 - full-time international
Additional tuition fees for sandwich/placement year students:
£1,350 - sandwich/placement year - UK
£1,850 - sandwich/placement year - EU/international
Typical course costs
- £200-£220 - Recurring annual costs
- £200 - One-off costs for the course duration (compulsory trips, final portfolios or shows, etc)
- £1,350 - Optional study visits and placements for the course duration
If you need to bring equipment or materials with you, these will be outlined in your Welcome Letter.
The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs
Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.
Funding
For information about funding available, please visit our undergraduate funding page
Ask a student
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