Fashion Design
Entry requirements
UCAS Tariff
Although many of our students do come in with top grades and high UCAS points, these aren’t necessarily essential for entry. We typically ask for a minimum of 104 UCAS points, but we understand that talented artists, designers and makers can have a wide range of relevant strengths and skills beyond formal qualifications. We’re just as interested in exploring your portfolio as we are in seeing your grades.
You may also need to…
Present a portfolio
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
Arts University Plymouth is an arts university for the 21st century, preparing students who are uniquely placed to provide creative solutions to the complex global challenges of a changing world. Formerly known as Plymouth College of Art, we were granted full university title in Spring 2022. We are now the city of Plymouth’s first and only specialist arts university, allowing us to offer our students a dynamic and unique learning experience.
In May 2022 we were awarded the **Best Small or Specialist University at the 2022 WhatUni Student Choice Awards**, coming top in a list of well-respected specialist UK universities, based on unbiased and honest reviews from students across the UK, in a category that highlights the quality of our provision as a specialist creative university.
**From forecasting, concept and design development and creative pattern cutting through to the leadership of compelling marketing campaigns, fashion is one of the largest employers in the UK’s creative industries – offering endless opportunities to those forward-thinking individuals who seek to challenge the assumptions of design, take creative risks and communicate their individual style through their work.**
A spirit of independence runs through our vibrant fashion programme; we empower and prepare young creatives to become versatile future thinkers, makers and designers. By combining traditional craft techniques with digital technologies, you will transform your concepts from 2D fabrics into 3D forms. You will learn ways of thinking that will inform your personal design philosophies and lead you towards an individualised specialism.
Our Fashion Studio is a large, light space with panoramic views, and it is comprehensively equipped with industry standard technologies, but your experience at our university is not limited to just the Fashion Studio. We encourage cross-disciplinary and collaborative working, where you can expand your skills by exploring our professional textile print studios, workshops for jewellery and ceramics and our FabLab, which houses the latest laser cutting, 3D printing and design technology.
You will have the freedom to hone your signature aesthetic without the confines of a house style. The programme covers all aspects of the design process, from trend analysis, research and design development, drawing and illustration, colour and fabric development, historical and cultural studies and the translation of ideas from 2D to 3D, through to presentation, marketing and business development.
You will use global trend forecasting tools and learn software. You’ll learn to cut and manufacture quality one-off garments and collections with high levels of craftsmanship, and we’ll provide the tools for you to realise your ideas, and develop design specialisms in menswear, womenswear, lingerie, knitwear, performance wear and other technical routes.
You’ll investigate sustainable design and ethical manufacturing, acquiring a deep appreciation for every step of the commercial supply chain. You will become industry ready and develop entrepreneurial activity through collaborative projects.
Through expert industry speakers, live briefs and collaborations with brands like Phoebe English, Finisterre and Hiut Denim, you’ll develop market awareness, project management and communication skills, along with insight into factors that impact design, development and production. You will engage with industry events in London, Paris, New York and Berlin, as well as having the chance to showcase your work at Graduate Fashion Week. Through our extensive professional network, our students have secured placements with Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Gareth Pugh and Lulu Guinness.
Graduates can become:
- fashion designers
- knitwear designers
- stylists
- buyers
- fashion illustrators
- pattern cutters
- trend forecasters
- visual merchandisers
- studio managers
Modules
Throughout the programme, you’ll be encouraged to explore other creative practices and work on multidisciplinary projects, through collaborations across the college and with industry. You’ll graduate with a final collection that showcases your individual style and approach to design, and a professional portfolio to launch you into this vibrant industry as a confident fashion practitioner. Many of our modules incorporate business skills, and you will gain hands-on experience in construction and textile techniques, trend-forecasting and more.
Tuition fees
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The Uni
Arts University Plymouth
Arts, Design and Media
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Design studies
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
We don't have more detailed stats to show you in relation to this subject area at this university but read about typical employment outcomes and prospects for graduates of this subject below.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Design studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£13k
£16k
£18k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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