Fashion Marketing and Management (Professional Placement Year)

UCAS code: HH13

Here's what Bath Spa University says about its Fashion Marketing and Management (Professional Placement Year) course.

Develop your creativity and business expertise with this fashion marketing degree and launch your career in the fashion industry.

• Blend your creativity and interest in fashion with real-world business knowledge to kick-start a future-focused career. 

• Gain essential fashion marketing, digital communication, and brand management skills through hands-on projects, live briefs, and expert guidance—building a standout fashion portfolio that showcases your creative vision, strategic thinking, and professional potential.

• Stand out with the chance to earn additional accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and benefit from our close ties with Future Fashion Works and industry partners.

This Fashion Marketing and Management course offers a unique opportunity to combine your enthusiasm for fashion with essential business and management skills. Designed to prepare you for a dynamic career in the fashion industry, the course focuses on developing your academic, practical, and creative abilities, equipping you with the tools to thrive in marketing and business roles.

Throughout the course, you'll work on hands-on projects that explore brand strategy, digital communication, and global fashion trends. These experiences will enhance your creative thinking and deepen your understanding of the fashion industry and the evolving nature of fashion brands.

You'll also build technical expertise using industry-standard tools like Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, enhancing the professional quality of your portfolio. With support from BSU’s strong links to the Future Fashion Works, you'll graduate with the creative and strategic skills needed to succeed in the competitive world of fashion marketing and management.

More about the Professional Placement Year A Professional Placement Year (PPY), traditionally known as a sandwich year, is where you undertake a period of work with an external organisation for between 9-13 months. The placement occurs between your second and final years of undergraduate study. You can engage in multiple placements to make up the total time and are required to source the placement(s) yourself, with support from the Careers team.

Year one In your first year, you’ll develop a strong foundation in the key areas of fashion marketing and management. You’ll explore how the fashion industry connects with wider cultural and business environments, and start to understand how brands communicate and grow.

Through practical, creative, and digital work, you’ll begin building the skills needed to thrive in the industry—from branding and marketing to data management and design thinking.

Year two In your second year, you’ll dive deeper into the core areas of fashion marketing and management, building on the knowledge and skills developed in Year One.

You’ll explore key topic areas such as fashion buying and retail strategy, gaining insight into how fashion products are sourced, sold, and promoted. You’ll also develop your digital marketing skills and learn how brands connect with audiences in an increasingly online world.

You'll examine the psychology behind consumer behaviour to understand what influences purchasing decisions—and how fashion brands respond. In addition, you'll explore contemporary issues shaping the future of the industry, from sustainability to innovation and cultural change.

Year three This is your Professional Placement Year.

Final year Your final year is all about getting career-ready. You’ll refine your skills, deepen your industry knowledge, and develop a professional portfolio that highlights your strengths and ambitions. You’ll explore important topic areas such as digital technologies in fashion and sustainable fashion, gaining a future-focused perspective on how the industry is evolving.

A key part of this year is the Fashion Marketing and Management Project—an in-depth research project where you’ll investigate a topic of your choice. This is your opportunity to showcase your expertise, creativity, and independent thinking, and produce work that reflects your personal interests and career goals.

At Bath Spa, we pride ourselves on authentic assessments that reflect the realities of the industry. Our assessments are designed to reflect the real-world challenges of the fashion industry. You’ll work on a variety of creative and professional tasks—such as marketing reports, presentations, short films, and events. You’ll also develop your academic and critical thinking through essays and reflective writing, and take part in both individual and group projects. In some cases, you may complete time-constrained assessments to help prepare you for fast-paced industry environments.