Alysha Stroud
Graduate
Graduated: 2020
BA (Hons)Fashion Design
3 years
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
2023
UCAS code:
F001
Institution code: S30UCAS points:
Campus:
Southampton City Centre
Why study a fashion design degree at Solent University
Make your cutting-edge designs ready for the catwalk. This degree will nurture your creativity through practical experience from tailoring to streetwear in our specialist fashion studios.
- 0rdmost affordable city for students in the UK (Student Living Index 2022, NatWest)
- £0minvested in a dedicated art and design school
- Work on highly creative and inspiring client projects, giving you a sound understanding of industry practice.
- Learn from an experienced course team. Our academic staff have a wide range of industry backgrounds.
- Access to high-end pattern-cutting and sewing studios. And in your final year, you will have your own dedicated space in the studio.
- Solent is an Adobe Creative Campus. You will have free access to Adobe Creative Cloud, which contains the full suite of Adobe professional software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, Premier Pro, and more.
- A creative, multi-disciplinary environment for world-leading research in media, culture and the arts – you will learn from experts in their field.
This video 'BA (Hons) Fashion - Final collections' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Throughout the course you will be supported to gain an in-depth knowledge of the fashion design process from initial concept, research and design development, through to the realisation of final design outcomes. With the freedom to explore both menswear and womenswear, you are encouraged to include print design and textiles into fashion design projects.
The academic team have a real focus on getting to know each student individually, and with a wide range of design briefs, from the highly creative to live commercial projects, you will be encouraged to push your creative design skills and develop your individual design identity - gaining an understanding of where you fit best in the industry.
You will study a wide range of advanced technical skills such as creative pattern-cutting, garment manufacturing and digital print design in our industry-standard facilities. Our facilities include specialist machine rooms, digital and sublimation printers and a range of laser cutters.
Emphasis is also placed on developing professional visual communication skills, including fashion illustration, technical drawing and mood board presentation, enabling you to build an exciting and industry-ready portfolio of design work.
To complement your studies and gain professional industry experience, you will be required to do a work placement. Past students have gained internships at House of Holland, Timberland, Alexander McQueen, Ted Baker and Marks & Spencer amongst many others.
Member of:
Student work
Course features
Professional membership
You have the opportunity to obtain a professional membership as part of this degree
Specialist facilities
This course has access to specialist facilities
Top-up option
If you have an appropriate Level 5 qualification, you can top it up to a degree in just a year
Foundation year available
If you're not quite ready for a full undergraduate degree, there's alternative entry through one of our foundation years
Further studies
After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent
Who is this course for?
Solent’s BA (Hons) Fashion Design degree is for students who are passionate about fashion design; who are keen to advance their creative design ability, knowledge of fashion industry practice and develop advanced creative technical skills.
Applicants should have previously studied a creative art and design subject, and have a portfolio of design work that demonstrates their skills and love of the subject area.
What does this course lead to?
This course primarily prepares students for design and studio assistant roles in menswear and womenswear, for a wide range of market levels from the high street to high-end.
Graduates also have the relevant skills to go into print and textile design roles. Graduates have also entered into roles such as; assistant buyer, production assistant, pattern-cutter and trend forecaster.
Meet the team
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Students are taught in specialist studios with a range of industrial machines for garment production and pattern-cutting equipment. Access is also available to digital and sublimation printers and a laser-cutter, and photographic equipment and studios. In the third year, each student also has their own designated studio space.
And as Solent is an Adobe Creative Campus, all students also have free access to Adobe Creative Cloud, which includes the full suite of Adobe professional software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, Premier Pro, and more.
Core modules
Fashion Illustration
You will participate in workshops to gain skills in drawing figures, faces, poses, fabrics and garments. A variety of media techniques such as collage and mixing media will be explored. Technical drawing of garments for production will also be covered.
Research and Concept Development
You will gain a broader understanding of how to research in depth, evaluate and respond to your findings with personal creative ideas. You will be able to select, edit and creatively record inspirational material. Particular insights will be gained in analysing and forecasting trends.
Fashion Design Development
This module will introduce you to the sequential processes relevant to the fashion design industry, following this process from concept to consumer. Exploring areas such as conception, design and production of fashion.
Fashion Theory I
A key focus of the module will be on the presentation and communication of key historical time periods and the social, cultural and political factors behind the creation, production and communication of the fashion design industry.
2D Fashion Design
On this module you will learn to design fashion products for specific markets by researching an influential Ready to Wear brand you would like to creatively collaborate with. Identifying trends and concepts that will appeal to the brand’s core customer, then translating these ideas into garment designs.
Fashion Design Realisation
On this module you will consolidate your illustrative, research, fashion and textile design, pattern cutting, production and digital skills. Gaining an understanding of how to design for a specific market level and brand within the fashion industry and how to produce a garment to a professional level using industrial processes and machinery.
How you will learn and be assessed
You will learn by:
You may be assessed by a combination of:
- Creative design projects
- Garment production
- Portfolios
- Written assessments
- Group presentations
Solent’s curriculum framework builds on our unique, creative and applied approach to teaching. The transformation of students’ lives is at the heart of our mission as a university, and our curriculum – informed by the latest theory – reflects this shared educational vision.
Find out more
Study support
The student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
Access Solent provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Why choose the industry?
Thanks to the course teams close links with industry, you will have the opportunity to take part in live commercial projects in all three years of study.
You will also be encouraged to collaborate with students from other fashion courses including Fashion Photography, Make-up and Hair Design and Fashion Styling, providing excellent networking opportunities.
We take an active part in Graduate Fashion Week, with a number of our students showing on the catwalk each year. In 2019, one of our students was selected for the Gala Show and two students were offered internships at Givenchy. For the past three years, our students’ work has also been selected to promote Graduate Fashion Week and has been featured in Vogue.co.uk, Elle.co.uk and Drapers.
Associate lecturers are also currently working in the fashion industry, and play a crucial role in teaching on the course.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2023/24 academic year are:
- UK, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per year
- International full-time fees: £15,000 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2023/24 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, previous other costs have been:
Compulsory costs:
Year one:
Materials, equipment, stationery and travel costs: £200
Year two:
Materials, stationery, capsule collection and travel costs: £250
Year three:
Materials portfolio, stationery, final collection and travel costs: £500
Bursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Financial information videos
Student finance - bitesize This video 'Student finance - bitesize' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Student funding - the essentials This video 'Student funding essentials - Student Funding for 2023' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
104-120 UCAS tariff points from A-levels
- A minimum of two completed A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at MMM or BTEC Diploma at D*D, T-level Merit or equivalent qualification or a combination of qualifications which comply with the minimum entry requirement of 104 UCAS points.
- Applicants are required to send an electronic portfolio.
- Direct entry into the second or third years may be considered for this course.
- Applicants over the age of 21 may be considered based on relevant experience, without having the required tariff points.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
Applicants from outside the UK will be required to submit an electronic portfolio for consideration.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about EU qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
Applicants from outside the UK will be required to submit an electronic portfolio for consideration.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please contact admissions.
Note to all international students requiring a visa:
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application and to take a look at this PDF document which outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.
104-120UCAS points
Any questions?
Contact our admissions team!Call: 023 8201 5066Email: admissions@solent.ac.uk
How to apply
Full-time
Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.
Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.
Your application should reach UCAS by 25 January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until the end of June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.
Find out what happens after you apply
Contextual offers
Solent endeavours to offer learning opportunities to students from all backgrounds. When we receive and review an application, we take into consideration the context and personal circumstances of applicants when making a decision, which means our advertised entry tariff could be reduced.
Alternative entry options
Top-up route:
We welcome applications from students currently studying a Foundation Degree, DipHE, HNC, HND or modules of an undergraduate degree course at another university, who wish to enter directly into Years 2 or 3 of one of our undergraduate degree courses. Please contact our admissions team for more information: contact us
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component
- TOEFL IBT minimum 80 with a minimum of 20 in each individual component
- Duolingo English Language Test - 115 overall with minimum of 95 in each component or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
We will prepare you for your future
Suitable roles for graduates include:
- Fashion designer
- Textile designer
- Stylist
- Buyer
- Fashion manufacturer
- Trend forecaster
- Consultant
- Freelancer
We will help you start your career
The Solent Futures team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
Find out more
Support at Solent
All students at Solent University have access to a range of specialist support services. Whether you are having financial difficulty, need additional help with academic skills or want advice on setting up your own business you'll find that help is always on hand.
Most of our specialist support services are based around the Student Hub, a central space where you can access all the information and support you may need during your time at University. The Student Hub is the first point of contact if you have any queries relating to your course, including questions about your timetable, options, and assessments and extenuating circumstances.
We work in partnership with the University to build a sense of pride and confidence in your Union, University and student experience.
Find out moreFurther study
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Make your application
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
