Fashion Design and Promotion BA (Hons)

Explore every aspect of fashion. Gain skills in, and an understanding of, fashion design, fashion promotion, and marketing. Launch your career in the growing and exciting fashion industry, with career paths including design, styling, promotion, marketing, manufacturing, visual merchandising, buying and selling.

Apply through Clearing

Overview

Can’t decide between fashion design, and fashion promotion and marketing? You don’t have to – Fashion Design and Promotion is a course that gives you skills and crucial understanding in both areas.

In fashion design you’ll develop concepts, explore materials, design fabrics through to full fashion collections, and develop an understanding of the manufacturing processes. You’ll gain all the skills you’ll need to construct garments – such as pattern making, cutting, sewing, fabric printing, and craftsmanship – all while discovering new technologies.

In the fashion promotion and marketing pathway, you’ll consider the whole fashion market, analyse future trends, develop brands, learn the marketing mix, gain an understanding of visual merchandising, create promotional materials, and plan and manage events, including fashion shows. You’ll learn graphic design, styling and photography, and will have access to our fashion journalism expertise.

Throughout the course you’ll be nurtured, supported, and developed by our expert team. They are on hand to guide you and help choose your preferred pathway. They have many years’ experience working and teaching in fashion, specialising in sustainability, garment construction, design, promotion and marketing. The course will prepare you to work in areas including: design, styling, promotion, marketing, manufacturing, visual merchandising, buying and selling.

Why us?

Get an all-round understanding of the industry and gain the ability to work across the sector. Employers compliment us on our ‘industry-ready’ graduates
We nurture. Small class sizes mean 1:1 support and guidance, to develop your skills, creativity and talent
Fashion sustainability is at the heart of your learning; we consider, and improve the environmental and ethical impacts of our fashion Hear Fashion Graduate Hulya Anefi's story about creating six garments from a recycled parachute
Previous student placements have included All Saints, Jonathan Saunders, Diesel and Oasis
Our graduates have gone on to work for high profile companies including Abercrombie and Fitch, River Island, Urban Outfitters and All Saints

Our students are well-suited for tailoring success – in 2023 five of our students reached the final of ‘The Oscars of the tailoring world’, The Golden Shears which celebrates the next generation of tailors in the UK. From over a hundred entries, 22 finalists were selected – five of those from this course: Lauren Crossman, Katie Victoria Jeffries, Isabella Tierney, Mairidh Niccormaic and Isabella Mac Giolla Ri
Learn from industry professionals. Recent guest speakers include John McClean, Creative Director of Abercrombie and Fitch, Alec Maxwell, Digital Creative Director at British Vogue, and Matty Gray, Outerwear Designer at Li & Fung and University of Sunderland graduate

Our student work

Join our creative community: @SunderlandCreative #WeAreCreative

Course structure

Teaching is almost entirely practical and studio based, supported by lectures, seminars, tutorials, e-learning, and independent study and research. Assessment is all coursework based.

In the first year, you’ll cover the fundamental foundation subjects across both fashion design and fashion promotion. In the second year, you'll build on, grow, and develop your knowledge and learning in both disciplines through a series of live projects, competitions and the annual second year Fashion Show.

You'll have the opportunity to apply to undertake an optional placement year out in industry between your second and final year, this is sometimes known as a sandwich degree.

In your final year, you'll specialise in your chosen pathway, developing your own unique Final Major Project. Previously these have included the creation and production of a full fashion line, developing a brand identity and look book, producing a fashion publication, and creating and delivering a fashion event.

Part-time study

If you study this course on a part-time basis you will typically complete 40-80 credits in a year, rather than the 120 credits of full-time students. All modules are taught during the day time and you will be studying alongside full-time students.

Year 1 (national level 4):

Core modules:

Introducing Fashion Design and Promotion (40 credits)

Develop a core understanding of fashion design and promotion, including understanding of basic fashion and promotion terminology, critical appraisal of briefings, visual and factual research, speculation on potential solutions, selecting and synthesising innovative ideas, developing preferred outcomes and refining and presenting ideas to an informed audience. Create a six-outfit collection for a high street/online store, alongside a promotional campaign including advertisement and packaging, all aimed at a specific target audience. Gain skills in using digital CAD packages, the construction processes for fashion, basic pattern-cutting, characteristics of fabric types, and fabric embellishment through print and embroidery.

Design Concept to Production (40 credits)

Develop core skills in inquiry and exploration and problem-based learning. Concentrate on underpinning basic pattern-cutting, fabrication, design and construction processes for fashion. Engage a wide range of technical pattern cutting, construction and visual communication skills. Apply a design process at an introductory level, which includes critical appraisal of briefings, visual and factual research, speculation on potential solutions, selecting and synthesising innovative ideas, developing preferred outcomes and refining and presenting ideas to an informed audience. Explore technical design skills through manual and basic digital methodologies to realise outcomes during supported workshop and directed study time. Use manual and related CAD technologies or other media, and develop skills to assist in the visual communication and presentation of design ideas.

Style Icons and Subcultures (20 credits)

Apply research and analytical skills to develop and evaluate written and visual material contexualising fashion history within the wider fashion world. Critically analyse the key theoretical arguments in fashion and build an awareness of the major designers, brands, publications and companies in the industry today. Develop a critical understanding of cultural, political and societal issues and events that have shaped fashion and the fashion media

Fundamentals of Motion Design (20 credits)

Develop your ability to convey ideas through moving image, by learning techniques that will allow you to design, plan, edit and create movies using motion graphics and special effects. Understand the language used to communicate through time-based media and learn a range of industry-standard software and hardware to hone your skills. Practice the techniques that will allow you to create and synchronise moving graphics, video, sound, typography, animated elements and visual effects to create dynamic and effective movies. These can be used in different design disciplines such as Graphics or Fashion, for promotion and advertising, animated look books, information graphics, personal portfolios, and more.

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Year 2 (national level 5):

Core modules:

Creative Product Development for Exhibition (40 credits)

Develop your core practical skills in a commercial design context. Gain practical knowledge of the fundamental skills and technologies that underpin design and manufacture in contemporary fashion. Progress the development of your creative design practice within a specified commercial context. Research and investigate a specific market, underpinning your understanding of the context of commercial design, fashion and textile sustainability and its restrictions. Develop deeper pattern-cutting skills, construction methods and fabric awareness, and apply your skills through a design project.

Fashion Branding and Producing the Event (20 credits)

Work towards two separate projects. Learn how to investigate and analyse different trends and design ideas in order to create a final range plan. Create an individual brand identity including logo and promotional literature for your final range plan. Develop a key understanding of how to plan, promote and brand a fundraising event to be held in the city of Sunderland in order to raise funds for your final year show, working within a team. Create a personal file documenting the process and methods of planning and staging the fashion event.

Commercial Fashion Design and Illustration (20 credits)

Develop an advanced understanding of how to use the most appropriate illustration and presentation methods to build upon your growing awareness of designing for a particular market sector, in this case, sportswear. Grow your skills in fashion illustration techniques in order to enhance your designs and improve presentation. Learn to utilise different visual communication methods in order to communicate your ideas in clear, exciting and innovative ways that meet individual and specific client requirements. Create both hand-rendered and digital illustration styles through using a variety of different methods and techniques to develop a design story. Investigate, analyse and evaluate the work of other illustrators in order to understand the different applications they use in order to further develop your own personal style.

Styling for Fashion Editorial (20 credits)

Explore the techniques and processes of creative imagery for fashion media. Study past and present stylists to discern the personal, aesthetic and historical influences on their work, as well as the impact of editorial brand and target audience on the imagery they create. Learn the practicalities of styling, including the sourcing of themes, garments, models and hair and make-up artists, and act as stylists and art directors to oversee your own studio shoots.

Experiencing the Creative Industries (20 credits)

Learn essential job search skills and experience a short work placement with an employer, or other experience of working in the creative industries. Prepare yourself for industry with a portfolio/showreel that demonstrates your creative abilities and prepares you to move towards Year 3 and professional practice. Build your online presence as a creative using CreateBritain.com and understand how social media can effectively become a shop window for your skills. Learn the importance of building a professional network and gain studio insights through agency visits, collaborations or creative lives talks. Experience the requirements of working with real clients on ‘live’ briefs, whether found through your own networks, or through HotHouse or the Creative Industries Hub.

Optional placement year:

Design: Applied Professional Practice (120 credits)

Final year (national level 6):

Core modules:

Professional Practice and Portfolio (40 credits)

Produce content for a professional portfolio, reflecting individual design skills and creativity to prepare for your chosen career. Complete a series of briefs or live projects allowing you to demonstrate a personal style in design, promotion and branding with guidance through personal tutorials in order to achieve a professional standard of presentation. Participate in a portfolio review with visiting professionals who can give you independent feedback and advice.

Contextual Issues (20 credits)

Develop a critical understanding of current contextual issues associated with the creative industries. Apply your research to evaluate, critique, discuss and synthesise your understanding of at least one current contextual issue facing the industry. Demonstrate your skills to produce a media platform to communicate your research, findings, understanding and analysis of the current contextual issues effectively and professionally.

Design Major Final Portfolio (60 credits)

In your final project you get to set your own brief, which will be carefully researched and presented in your Final Proposal. This will provide the framework for your personal project, which you can direct in a number of ways. Past successful final projects have included an ethical childrenswear range for IKEA, an original branding and promotion pack for an urban menswear range and a conceptual collection of mens’ suits inspired by the stages of grief through to acceptance.

Facilities

This course is based at the Priestman Building, the main base for art, design, and performance on City Campus. Thanks to a major renovation programme, the Priestman Building provides state-of-the-art teaching space and resources as part of a vibrant and creative learning environment.

Entry requirements

Our typical offer is:

Qualification	Minimum grade
High School Diploma along with one of the following at the required grade: SAT I and SAT II, ACT or Advanced Placement	GPA 3.0 or above and: Sat score of 1100/1600 from SATs AP (Grades 3+ in at least 2 subjects) ACT (score of 26+)

If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.

If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.

If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.

If you are studying a HND or Foundation Degree you may be able to enter onto the final year of our degree courses. For more information, please contact studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk.

Portfolio requirements

We are interested in your creative potential; please prepare a portfolio of work you have completed so far. We are not looking for perfection as we appreciate you may still be developing work. We would like to see:

A variety of work – we want to see a range of styles and technique
Work completed in or outside of your studies
Ideas that you feel didn’t work
Research: examples of various forms of investigation
Photographs of 3D, and large 2D, work
A USB stick or online link with any digital and screen-based work
Accompanied by work in progress, sketch books and development work

If you are an international applicant, please send a link to your online portfolio.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

The annual, full-time fee for this course is:

£9,250 if you are from the UK/Europe*
£14,000 if you are an international student

Tuition fees for part-time students are £6,935 per 120 credits. Please note that part-time courses are not available to international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK.

*European Union (EU), EEA (European Economic Area), and Swiss nationals who do not qualify for the EU Settlement Scheme are classed as international, however, for 23/24 admission you will receive a European student fee scholarship and will pay the home tuition fee rate for the duration of your studies. The discounted fee will be reflected in your offer letter. Learn more in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Fashion graduate Hulya Anefi adjusting garments on a mannequin

Career ready

The UK fashion industry is worth £26 billion to the economy and growing. More than 800,000 people are working in fashion in the UK and we want you to be part of it.

We'll prepare you to work in areas including: design, styling, promotion, marketing, manufacturing, visual merchandising, buying, and selling.

Career options

Graduates from this course have gone into a wide range of careers, from fashion design, pattern cutting and garment technology to sourcing and allocating, buying, branding, marketing, merchandising, communications, styling and more.

The professional skills graduates obtain from this course also allow them to build successful freelance careers.

Past graduates have gone on to work for well renowned design companies such as Abercrombie and Fitch, River Island, Debenhams, TopMan, All Saints and Matalan.

Fashion events

Get real life experience by organising your own fashion event in the city in the second year. Working together to liaise with venues, planning music, branding and marketing, booking models, and not forgetting creating pieces for the show.

Previous events have included a fashion film premiere, a catwalk show, a dance performance and DJ. The fundraising event, which is part of an event planning module, helps our students raise money for their final year Degree Show.

Creative Industries Week

Creative Industries Week gives everyone in Arts and Creative the opportunity to participate in a range of projects, workshops, talks, industry visits and career events. This exciting week encourages interdisciplinary working, broadens your experience, builds your confidence and helps to develop your career path.

Sunderland Culture

Sunderland Culture is a collaboration between the University, council and the city’s key cultures organisations. This partnership brings big-name creatives in contemporary visual arts, glass, ceramics and performance to the city; showcases exciting local talent; and gives our students unique experiences including exceptional career-enhancing opportunities.

Meet the students

I'm working as a Senior Menswear Designer, running a menswear department as the sole designer.

Adam King
This is a great course to figure out what you like because it covers fashion design and promotion.

Hulya Anefi
I've explored a wide range of topics, including styling, branding, making and digital design.

Matthew Maltas

Related courses

BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Promotion with Integrated Foundation Year

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries.

Page last updated: 25 September 2023

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.

Sign up to receive emails about your subject area.

I am currently serving or have previously served in the armed forces, including reserves.

Keep me up to date relating to my interest in the University of Sunderland via:

Email

You may unsubscribe at any time.

Using Your Personal Information
The University of Sunderland is collecting this data in order for you to receive information on your chosen subject(s). Your information will be stored securely in our Customer Relationship Management system which is provided by a 3rd party and used only for the administration and provision of this information. Should you choose to opt in to further communications we will also use your information to facilitate other useful marketing information based on your preferences. Further information on how your data is stored and used can be found in our Privacy notice - marketing.

Fashion Design and Promotion BA (Hons)

Overview

Why us?

Our student work

Join our creative community: @SunderlandCreative #WeAreCreative

Course structure

Year 1 (national level 4):

Core modules:

Year 2 (national level 5):

Core modules:

Optional placement year:

Final year (national level 6):

Core modules:

Facilities

Entry requirements

Fees and finance

Career ready

Career options

Fashion events

Creative Industries Week

Sunderland Culture

Meet the students

Adam King

Hulya Anefi

Matthew Maltas

Meet the team — BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Promotion

Related courses

Contact

Sign up to receive more information