BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion and Communication

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Want to combine your interest in fashion with a career in PR and communication? Solent University's fashion promotion and communication programme can help you to improve your knowledge of PR, styling, marketing, photography and creative writing - following the fashion process from original concept all the way through to the promotion of a final product.

On this professionally-focused course, students are encouraged to develop their talent and skills for a career in fashion promotion and communication. Students will get to grips with the dynamics of fashion practice and explore how fashion brands are promoted.

Degree studies are reinforced with a strong focus on work based learning. Students must complete a minimum of 100 hours of work based learning in their final year. For many students this is a gateway into graduate employment.

The course has good industry links. This has enabled previous students to gain work placements and work on live projects through our in-house creative agency, Solent Creatives.

The course has strong industry links, providing students with opportunities for work experience through our in-house creative agency, Solent Creatives. Solent’s collaborative culture encourages fashion students to work on exciting shared projects with students from other creative courses, mirroring industry practises.

What does this course lead to?

Course graduates have gone on to roles such as fashion intern, PR assistant intern, womenswear buying assistant and fashion assistant at companies such as TopShop, Next, Grazia, Ted Baker, M&S, Kurt Geiger and London fashion week.

Who is this course for?

This course is perfectly suited to students who aspire to work in public relations, copywriting, visual merchandising, trend forecasting, styling or buying within the fashion industry. Applicants should have strong communications skills and a good command of written English.

Tuition fees

The tuition fees for the 2018/19 academic year are:
UK, EU and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per year
International full-time fees: £12,500 per year

Other 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.

Year one:
Compulsory material, stationery and travel costs: £150.

Year two:
Compulsory material, stationery and travel costs: £150.

Year three:
Compulsory portfolio, stationery and travel costs: £250.
Optional printing costs: £150 (students can submit work digitally).

Bursaries and scholarships

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

Graduation is the ceremony to celebrate the achievements of your studies. For graduates in 2018, 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.

96 UCAS tariff points from A-levels or equivalent

A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at MMM or BTEC Diploma at DD or equivalent.
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.

We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds. Applicants who are not in possession of the minimum entry requirements but are able to demonstrate aptitude, enthusiasm and motivation will be considered on an individual basis and may be admitted subject to satisfactory interview and/or portfolio. Please contact us for further details.

English 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 19 in each individual 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.

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.

Starting salary

£18,000

Average salary six months after the course.
Transferable skills

You’ll develop promotions and media skills that apply across a wide range of industries. These include branding, media management, advertising, PR, promotions and event production. You’ll also learn to use essential comms and PR software packages. Other transferable skills include presenting, research planning and project management.
Assessment

Assessment is continuous and students receive regular formative feedback at staged intervals. Final submissions will be in the form of individual or group projects. Verbal presentations and group critiques are also an important component of the continual unit assessment.
Practical vs theory

The course is taught in a mixture of lectures, tutor-led discussion groups, hands-on seminars, workshops and studio-based sessions.
Study abroad

The School of Art, Design and Fashion has embraced the Erasmus programme, facilitating student exchanges within European universities. As part of the European Union’s Lifelong Learning experience, Erasmus enables home students to study in a different European country for one semester as part of their degree course. For more information, see www.solent.ac.uk/exchange The...

Study abroad

The School of Art, Design and Fashion has embraced the Erasmus programme, facilitating student exchanges within European universities. As part of the European Union’s Lifelong Learning experience, Erasmus enables home students to study in a different European country for one semester as part of their degree course.

For more information, see www.solent.ac.uk/exchange

The school of fashion also organises a variety of international study trips, including visits to Paris, Rome and New York.

Through the Erasmus programme, Solent has welcomed fashion students from a variety of countries such as Portugal, Germany and Italy.

Solent University welcomes incoming exchange students from our partner universities under the European Union funded Lifelong Learning Programme – Erasmus and from other partners.

If you’re studying outside Europe then you may be able to study with us as an exchange student if there is a partnership agreement in place. If you are studying at a university which does not have a partnership agreement with us, then you could apply to study at Solent under our Study Abroad programme.
The industry

The UK fashion industry contributed £28bn to the UK economy last year, up from £26bn in 2013 (Oxford Economics, 2014, published by the British Fashion Council). This huge industry supports 880,000 jobs and is the largest employer of all the UK's creative industries. Solent’s fashion promotion and communication degree aims to...

The industry

The UK fashion industry contributed £28bn to the UK economy last year, up from £26bn in 2013 (Oxford Economics, 2014, published by the British Fashion Council). This huge industry supports 880,000 jobs and is the largest employer of all the UK's creative industries.

Solent’s fashion promotion and communication degree aims to prepare students for specialist careers within the international fashion industry in roles such as marketing, brand development, public relations, promotions, trend forecasting and publishing.
Student support and services

Student welfare - Solent University is committed to giving you the best possible educational experience during your time with us. As such we have a number of support services and policies set up covering funding, careers and employability, chaplaincy, counselling, international advice, student affairs, key academic skills, disability support and...

Student support and services

Student welfare - Solent University is committed to giving you the best possible educational experience during your time with us. As such we have a number of support services and policies set up covering funding, careers and employability, chaplaincy, counselling, international advice, student affairs, key academic skills, disability support and general student advice. Find out more about our approach to student welfare.

University facilities - You will have access to a modern, comfortable and efficient environment in which to study, following our extensive refurbishment and modernisation over recent years. Some key facilities include Mountbatten library, a wide variety of sports facilities, plus superb IT and media facilities. Find out more about our first-class facilities here.

Living in Southampton - Southampton is a vibrant student city and studying at Solent means that you will be at the very heart of the action. Find out more about being a student in Southampton.

Solent Students’ Union - Run by students for students, Solent Students’ Union is a key part of any student’s time at Solent. Visit the Students’ Union website for more information.

of students overall, are satisfied with the quality of the course

Study location

East Park Terrace

Got a question about this course?

Contact our Ask Solent team:

ask@solent.ac.uk 023 8201 3039

How to apply

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 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 June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.

Click the links below to apply through UCAS:

BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion and Communication

Design Foundation Year route:

Design Foundation Year

How to apply

Core units

Design in Context
Fashion Research
IT and Design for Fashion Communication
Fashion Industry: The Market
Fashion Promotion and Presentation

Core units

Concept Development
Buying and Merchandising
Fashion Media
Public Relations
Fashion Marketing and Brand Communication
Fashion in Context

Core units

Major Project: Research Proposal
Fashion Promo & Comms: Major Project
Work-Based Learning for Fashion and the Creative Industries

Options

Dissertation
Fashion Practice Dissertation
Entrepreneurial Practice
Freelancing at Solent Creatives
Creative Entrepreneurial Freelance Practice
Languages
Creative Business Start-up

Please note: Not all optional units are guaranteed to run each year.

Programme specification document

Web-based learning

Solent's virtual learning environment provides quick online access to assignments, lecture notes, suggested reading and other course information.

The Student Hub

The Student Hub is a central space where you can access all of the information and support you need during your time at University.

Professional and experienced staff can help resolve any query, and if they cannot answer the question themselves they will find the person who can.

Career support

98%

Assessment by coursework

Practical exams

Waste plastics and its incredible afterlife

For K2016, Solent University team up with Dow to develop a fashion show made entirely out of plastic materials.

Students have access to a range of specialist teaching facilities in our multi-million-pound media academy. These include a photography studio complex, make-up area, mono and colour darkrooms, printing areas, digital reprographics rooms and Mac suites with industry-standard software.

Solent’s collaborative culture encourages students to work on shared projects with students from other creative disciplines, mirroring industry practices.

360°Virtual tour

Solent University's fashion promotion programme meets industry needs and prepares students for specialist careers within marketing, public relations, promotions and publishing.

Suitable roles for graduates include:

Public relations
Buying and merchandising
Graphic design
Fashion styling
Trend forecasting
Fashion marketing
Brand development
Visual merchandising.

of students go on to work and/ or study.

of students are in a professional or managerial role.

The course provides a varied programme of seminars and lectures by visiting practitioners, as well as visits to industry events and businesses.

During the third year you will have the chance to undertake a industry placement. You will be supported by your tutors to secure these placements, drawing on their strong ties with the industry. You’ll also be able to pitch for work through our Solent Creatives agency.

Bethany's story

Bethany Wray - Graphic Designer at Chanel

What made you choose to study at Solent?
I knew someone who did the same course and thought it sounded interesting but also quite broad. When I was applying for courses, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do - this was the only course that covered lots of different aspects of fashion.

What was the best part about your course?
I thoroughly enjoyed my final major project; working on the Third Floor Publication team. It's where I discovered my love of graphic design and was able to develop my skills with the help of different teachers from different courses.

What do you do now and what do you find most enjoyable about your work?
I continued with graphic design and am now a graphic designer at Chanel, working in the fragrance and beauty division. The most enjoyable part of my job is seeing things that I've designed on our counters and in use by clients and staff.

What has been your biggest achievement in your work so far?
I helped to develop a 'Beauty Book' using a format that was new to Chanel. I introduced different processes and printing finishes to create something within brand guidelines but very elegant.

What was the most important skill you learnt at Solent that helped you succeed in your career?
How to handle criticism: Working in any creative field, you will come up against opinions and criticism of your work. Having this introduced at university meant I was well prepared for it when I was in the working world. You have to be able to take it the way it was intended (rarely is anyone actually being mean) and not let it upset you or distract you from doing your job.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of studying at Solent?
My advice would be to research the course(s) you're interested in, as Solent does a wide variety and some of them cross over, and even talk to someone who has done it if you can.