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Textile Design BA(Hons)

On our textile design course, you’ll be part of a vibrant, supportive community of multidisciplinary textile designers and makers. You’ll discover how to create sustainable designs for a range of outcomes, and take creative risks.

Textile Design BA(Hons)

Key details

LocationPenryn Campus
Course Duration3 years
AttendanceFull-time
UCAS codeW230
Contact01326 254350

Apply now

Get a prospectus

Ask an advisor

Explore Open Days & events

Introduction

Blending studio work with professional practice, you’ll develop your understanding of the textiles industry, while perfecting a range of techniques in our purpose-built studios. With opportunities to visit international trade fairs and exhibit work in a final year show, you’ll graduate as a confident, industry-ready textile designer.  

You will:

  • Learn essential skills within woven, printed and mixed-media textiles, with sustainability embedded throughout. 
  • Embrace artisanal, traditional techniques and digital design and production techniques in our well-equipped studios and workshops. 
  • Work to live briefs set by renowned companies such as Circleline, Envisage, Joules, RareThread and Wallace Sewell. 
  • Be encouraged to enter international competitions such as the Bradford Textile Society, Hand & Lock, i-dott and SDC (Society of Dyers & Colourists). 
  • Have the opportunity to travel to Paris for Première Vision, the International Textile and Trend Forecasting Show.  
  • Exhibit your final year’s work in our degree show and have the chance to be selected for New Designers, London. 

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

  • Students
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  • Ask a student

    What our students do

    Article
    Article

    Mentoring matters

    26 February 2021
    Second year Textile Design student Khadija has recently completed a placement with Mentoring...
    Article
    Article

    Textile Design Student Accepted to the Cordis Prize for Tapestry

    10 January 2020
    Textile Design Student, Felicity Whittaker, is exhibiting a tapestry at the Tapestry Showcase being...
    Article
    Article

    Sponsorship for Textile Student

    16 December 2019
    Third year Textile Design student Georgia Johnson has been awarded Madeira Thread Student...
    Article
    Article

    Further Success at New Designers

    1 July 2019
    Following on from Lauren Henry's win at New Designers last week, Textile Design student Evie...
    Article
    Article

    New Designer Win for Textile Student

    27 June 2019
    Textile Design student Lauren Henry has been named as one of the winners at this year's New...
    Article
    Article

    Textile Design Students Awarded by Bradford Textile Society

    10 June 2019
    Once again, students from BA(Hons) Textile Design have been dazzling the Bradford Textile Society (...
    Article
    Article

    Textiles Students Shortlisted in International Design Competition

    15 April 2019
    Entering competitions isn’t just about winning; it can open up channels of communication with...
    Article
    Article

    Textiles Students Win Prestigious Scholarships and Prizes

    2 April 2019
    Thread by thread, Megan Leech and Nancy Frail, two third year BA(Hons) Textile Design students,...
    Article
    Article

    Two Awards for Textile Student

    25 June 2018
    Zoe Wenban, a third year Textile Design student, scooped the Batsford Prize for Applied Arts and...
    Article
    Article

    Fashion Duo Featured in Vogue

    23 May 2018
    Fashion students Fadzai Kadzatsa and Angela Farrell have been featured in Vogue Italia's online...
    Close up of beadwork, blue circles and red lines and ribbons.
    Sketchbook with black feathers.
    Student working on loom in studio.
    Student working on loom in studio.
    Grey fabric pleated and manipulated into spiral shape.
    Fabric samples in various textures and colours.
    Plywood laser cut with flowers shapes and embroidered.
    Two students pulling squeegee over large screen for screen printing.
    Orange plaid fabrics dangling down.
    Screen printing screens in a rack.
    Blue, terracotta and mustard striped hand woven scarves.
    A display of different coloured jacquard woven fabrics.
    Lace trimming embroidered with flowers and the words eat and drink.
    Butterfly patterned fabric.
    Textured fabric in greys, cream and black.
    Textile students working on a loom.
    Hand woven fabric samples in dark colours.
    Glass with a graphic pattern printed on it.
    Samples of digitally printed fabric in whites and greys.
    Pleated and quilted fabric.
    A lattice threaded neck piece.
    Iridescent fabric circles and sequins.
    Model wearing jacket with digitally printed flower pattern.
    Hand printed floral fabric in green and blue.
    A display of colourful hand stitched embellished rectangles.
    A display of digitally printed and foiled designs.
    A selection of retro style digitally printed fabrics.
    Black, grey and pink hand woven fabric samples.
    Stitched hair piece with feather and red spiral.
    Brightly coloured illustrated fabric design of streets and interiors.
    Colourfully illustrated fabrics.
    Grey and yellow fabrics and wallpaper with a green plant design.
    Grey and red fabric samples.
    Wall display of different patterned and coloured samples.
    Tropical printed fabric with a red eyed frog.
    Red cord woven in pattern on a turquoise blue fabric.

    What our graduates do

    Article
    Article

    Graduate delivers colourful workshop for Textile Design students

    12 January 2021
    Textile Design graduate, Poppy Purchase returned to Falmouth to offer current students expert...
    Article
    Article

    Interview with Double Award Winner Jessie Dickinson

    7 February 2019
    Since receiving two highly competitive awards for digital embroidery, Jessie Dickinson, 2018...
    Article
    Article

    Textiles Student Completes Course as Double-Award Winner

    18 December 2018
    Winning a prestigious industry award as you leave university is an incredible achievement that can...
    Article
    Article

    Menswear Design with George May

    11 December 2018
    George May, who graduated from Sportswear Design in 2012, is a menswear designer at Belstaff UK, a...
    Article
    Article

    Prestigious Prize Awarded to Textiles Graduate

    25 October 2018
    Jessie Dickinson, a Textile Design graduate, has won the Wilcom Associate Prize 2018 at the...

    Course details

    What you'll learn

    Through this career-focused textile design course, you’ll learn about technical process and production alongside environmental and sustainability issues surrounding the textile industry. You’ll learn how to design and make woven, printed and mixed media textiles for a broad range of outcomes, including fashion, interiors and one-off artefact. Preparing for your career, you’ll also learn how to innovate and take creative risks, communicate professionally, network and approach potential employers. 

    • Year one
    • Year two
    • Year three
    Year one

    You’ll learn professional production processes in weave, print and mixed media. This will be backed up by intensive conceptual research alongside cultural studies lectures, drawing sessions, and tutorials with peers and academic staff. Building on essential knowledge and skills, you’ll create your own design collection in a textile process of your choice. 

    Modules

    Core Skills: Print
    Core Skills: Weave
    Core Skills: Mixed Media
    Themes in Culture
    Design and Make

    Year two

    Along with the help and insights of our industry partners, you’ll learn the realities of designing for business. In the second year of your Textile Design degree, we’ll explore marketing basics, working techniques, trend forecasting, innovation, and career opportunities. You’ll also have the chance to take on self-directed national and international work placements with companies like Wallace Sewell, Liberty and Rebecca Taylor (New York). We encourage cross-disciplinary collaborations where possible in order to build positive relationships across the university and to create fully resolved pieces of work. 

    Choosing a textile process to focus on for the rest of the course, you’ll design and create textiles for national and international competitions, and briefs set by industry clients. You’ll then present your work to your clients in a real-life simulation of industry practice. 

    Modules

    Targeted Design: Futures
    Targeted Design: Client & Market
    Production
    Theories of Culture

    Optional modules

    External Engagement
    Global Fashion

    Year three

    As well as writing your dissertation, you’ll create your own studio briefs in order to design and produce original textiles. This usually (but not exclusively) takes the form of collections of samples. You’ll also put together your professional portfolio and other self-promotional materials, and have the chance to take part in the New Designers exhibition in London. 

    Modules

    Dissertation
    Professional Portfolio: Business Focus
    Professional Portfolio: Career Focus

    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

    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

    This course blends studio work with professional practice. You’ll learn through workshop-based studio modules, lectures, seminars, group and individual tutorials, and advanced workshops in certain disciplines. There may also be opportunities to visit major trade fairs like Première Vision in Paris. 

     

    How you'll spend your time

    Year

    Timetabled

    teaching and

    learning

    activity

    Guided

    independent

    study

    1

    35%

    65%

    2

    32%

    68%

    3

    22%

    78%

     

    How you'll be assessed

    Year

    Written exams

    Practical exams

    Coursework

    1

    0%

    0%

    100%

    2

    0%

    0%

    100%

    3

    0%

    0%

    100%

    The above percentages relate to 2019/2020 data. 

     

    Assessment methods

    Submitted project work will be assessed against the learning outcomes of each brief. Occasionally you will formally present your work to tutors as part of the assessment.

    Self-assessment and peer assessment will be used to develop your ability to critically evaluate your own work and that of others.

    • Continuous assessment with no formal examinations
    • Coursework and portfolio
    • Dissertation or final-year project

    Staff

    You’ll be taught by a team of industry professionals and technical instructors, bringing experience in areas like weave, contemporary culture, fashion and interiors, public exhibitions, national and international research projects, and writing textile design books.

    Some members of staff only teach on specific modules, and your course might not feature every member shown here.

    Staff profile
    Staff profile

    Dr Simon Clarke

    Senior Lecturer

    Dr Simon Clarke is a senior lecturer with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in printed textile...

    Staff profile
    Staff profile

    Freya Moses

    Senior Technician, Printed Textiles

    I work as a senior technician within the Fashion & Textiles Institute. I specialise in printed...

    Staff profile
    Staff profile

    Hannah Maughan

    Senior Lecturer, Textile Design

    Hannah studied at Birmingham and the Royal College of Art, specialising in embroidery and mixed...

    Staff profile
    Staff profile

    Irene Griffin

    Technical Specialist - Mixed Media & Natural Colouration

    I am senior technical instructor for mixed media on the Textile Design programme with a background...

    Staff profile
    Staff profile

    Julie Ripley

    Senior Lecturer, BA(Hons) Textile Design

    Julie Ripley studied history of modern art, design and film at Northumbria University, where she...

    Staff profile
    Staff profile

    Matthew Abbott

    Senior Technician, Digital Skills, School of Architecture Design and Interiors

    Matthew joined Falmouth University in 1998 as a student on BA(Hons) 3D Design and has the...

    Staff profile
    Staff profile

    Sally-Ann Gill

    Senior Lecturer, Textile Design

    Sally-Ann Gill studied at UCA Farnham and at the Royal College of Art specialising in woven...

    Staff profile
    Staff profile

    Wendy Kotenko

    Senior Technician weave, The Fashion & Textiles Institute

    Wendy Kotenko is senior technician for weave on the textile design programme. She has an MA in...

    Facilities

    • Weave facility featuring hand looms and a computer-controlled power jacquard loom
    • Industrial and digital embroidery machinery
    • Digital and traditional screen-printing facilities
    • Dye lab
    • Laser cutting equipment
    • Open-plan design studios
    • Workshops dedicated to dyeing and manual printing

    Take a virtual tour

    Digital print and hand embroidery by Emma Louise Harding

    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: W230

     

    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.

     

    International applications

    Application advice & interview information

    Go to Toolkit
    • Entry requirements
    • Language requirements
    • Deadlines
    Entry requirements

    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. 

    Check how many points your qualifications are worth

    Language requirements

    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 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.

    Deadlines

    UK 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:

    • Has a range of either completed work from organised projects, or independent studio work development.
    • Shows skills in design communication, problem-solving and drawing.
    • Can think critically and develop ideas.
    • Demonstrates visual investigation through techniques like drawing, mark-making, image manipulation and pattern.
    • Combines conceptual thinking and practical skills.
    • Knows about textile design practitioners, and how creative professionals have influenced their own work.
    • Can verbally express ideas, discuss work, and talk about project strengths and weaknesses.

    Fees, costs & funding

    Tuition fees

    • Tuition fees 2020-21
    • Tuition fees 2021-22
    Tuition fees 2020-21

    £9,250 per year - full-time UK/EU

    £16,000 per year - full-time international

    Tuition fees 2021-22

    £9,250 per year - full-time UK

    £16,950 - full-time EU

    £16,950 - full-time international

    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. 

    Typical course costs

    • £250-£800 - Recurring annual costs
    • £100-£400 - One-off costs for the course duration (compulsory trips, final portfolios or shows, etc)
    • £1,600 - 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

    Funding

    For information about funding available, please visit our undergraduate funding page.

    Ask a student

    What better way to find out about life at Falmouth University than by asking our current students?  

    From course details, our facilities and the local area to the social scene and settling in, our students are ready and available to answer any questions you might have. Simply set up your account, send them a question and they'll get back to you within 24 hours.

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