MA Fashion Merchandise Management (Part Time)

Course overview  

The goal of this new and stimulating MA Fashion Merchandise Management course is simple – to be an innovative, challenging and inspiring Merchandise and Management programme for those who desire to be future leaders in the fashion industry.  

Delivering an innovative and relevant fashion merchandise curriculum, this course will equip you for a visual merchandise management career at a senior level in the domestic or international fashion industry.   

What is it?

1. This dynamic course offers an inside knowledge of industry strategies and cultures on a global basis, combined with a strong underpinning of key research and business skills and essential fashion industry management knowledge. It is a practically applied course that allows you to express your capabilities in developing concepts for the future of retail space design.

Who is it for?

2. This course is ideal for you if you are a self-motivated individual who wishes to develop or enhance both your career prospects and your intellectual and creative potential in the challenging field of visual merchandise management, building on previous fashion and/or retail knowledge, skills and experience.

Research and practice

3. The key elements of this course will focus on research, with an emphasis on practical skills and portfolio development, which assists in the proposition and exhibition of pioneering strategies within a retail industry context. Working closely with industry professionals who will offer an insider knowledge of industry strategies, these innovative approaches are encouraged through the analysis of new technological methodologies, creative retail environments and innovation in display concepts for clothing collections.

Innovation

4. While creative aspirations will be supported through personal tutorials and group workshops, the emphasis will be on innovation and the encouragement of the development of strategic and entrepreneurial vision. These elements are key in expressing your capabilities in developing concepts for the future in design through a stimulating portfolio of work.

What are we looking for?

5. This course is for individuals who can respond to challenges, are articulate and can contribute visual skills, original ideas and a keen awareness of current issues in many areas of fashion retail. Graduates will have increased employment prospects and be in a position to gain employment as innovators with the field of visual fashion merchandise.

Course content

• Retail Marketing and Management
  A comprehensive study of fashion retailing as an operating system.
• Retail Space Analysis and Design     
  Visual merchandising and branding and increased customer involvement with the product through the retail store environment analysed through a series of case studies.
• Marketing and Consumer Behaviour 
  Analysis of psychological and cultural factors in the creation and maintenance of human appearance.
• Buying and Merchandising 
  The theory of fashion merchandising and its application to basic retailing procedures. 
• Enterprise Innovation and Futures  
  Looking at new ways of shopping and improving competition throughout consumer markets by seeking sustainable market advantages through recognising and reacting to global issues.
• Major Project 
  The creation of a design portfolio that will provide students with the opportunity to apply a range of knowledge and skills developed on the course.
• Dissertation
  An original body of work that will culminate in the form a written topic proposed and negotiated by the student.

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Assessment

By project, report and dissertation.

Special features 

Runs January to December.

Image courtesy of  Checkland Kindleysides.|

Attendance

Postgraduate study is based on a balance between taught contact in seminars, lectures, tutorials and time spent on independent research and study.  

Special facilities

You will have access to fashion studios to design and make, workshops, multimedia suites, photography studios, IT suites and the library.  

Field trips

There are opportunities to take part in trips abroad to Paris, New York and Milan, as well as of course regular trips to museums and exhibitions in and around London which are relevant to the programme.   

Industrial placements

We actively encourage you to seek relevant work experience within a fashion or design company while on the course. This is part of the ethos of the fashion department, where flexible programmes and the strong links with industry which have led to placements such as:

• Trend Reporting for WGSN
• Mudpie Design
• Design at Jenny Packham
• Marketing Department at Harvey Nichols. 

Checkland Kindleysides Internship Award 

This award is specific to the MA Fashion Merchandise Management and it is anticipated that it will be one of many offered in the future.  

"Checkland Kindleysides are delighted to endorse this new course and look forward to working in partnership with the University to offer our creative inspiration, project advice and the creation of a CK Internship award in response to a 'live' brief we will provide" 

Andy Turnbull, Creative Director, Checkland Kindleysides.|

Fees  

Fees for the 2011/12 academic year are:

Full-time
UK and EU students: £3,625 pa
Overseas students: £9,400 pa

Part-time
UK and EU students: £1,815 pa
Overseas students: £4,700 pa