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Fashion Design BA (Hons)
- Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
- Typical Offer: 104 - 112 UCAS tariff points
- UCAS Code(s): W230
- Start Date(s): September 2025
- Duration: 3 / 4* years (*see below)
- Study Mode(s): Full-time / Sandwich
- Campus: City Campus
Introduction:
Our BA (Hons) Fashion Design course has an established reputation, with exceptional national and international links within the fashion Industry, as well as a recognised global presence.
NTU fashion graduates are renowned within the industry for their creative, innovative and directional design skills, as well as a strong underlying awareness of commerciality, sustainability and technologies.
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You’ll have the opportunity to complete a work experience placement of up to a year in length. Dependent on the duration of your placement, you could gain an additional Diploma or Certificate in Professional Practice. -
Go on optional international study trips to events like Paris Fashion Week. You will also have the opportunity to apply for a European or international exchange to one of our partner institutions, including the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and more. -
Benefit from guest lecturers such as Giles Deacon, Christopher Raeburn, and internationally renowned Japanese pattern cutting expert Shingo Sato. -
Get involved with competitions and live projects with companies like Paul Smith, Sunspel, AllSaints, Universal Works, Priya Ahluwalia, Burberry, and Phoebe English. .
What you’ll study
This course offers you a challenging and dynamic opportunity to develop the relevant skills and knowledge required to springboard you into the global fashion and related industries.
Through personalised and collaborative project work, you will learn to integrate research, design ideas, technology and theory to develop directional and contemporary fashion design concepts.
The curriculum reflects current industry practice and includes in-depth broad-ranging visual research / concept development, material awareness, design development, creative pattern cutting, garment manufacture, prototyping / product development, fashion drawing / illustration, visual communication, sustainability and future thinking.
There is an opportunity for students to undertake a placement year, and transfer to the Sandwich route, please see further details in the ‘Year Three’ section below.
Fashion Fundamentals and Specialisms
(80 credit points, full year)
This module will introduce you to the fundamentals of fashion design through four key specialisms: Fashion Collection, Fashion Product, Fashion Technology, and Fashion Knitwear. In addition, you’ll be encouraged to explore other creative hubs in and outside of the school to personalise your experience and enhance your projects. The aim is to equip you with the essential knowledge and skills needed for the future of fashion while fostering your creativity and awareness of sustainability, inclusivity, and emerging technologies. You’ll gain a core understanding of each specialism through a series of lectures, tutorials, and hands-on workshops, and guided by your tutors, you will begin to uncover your strengths, interests, and career aspirations. This module will also prepare you for potential placement opportunities in your second year with the support of our NTU Employability team.
Design Fundamentals and Refection
(40 credit points, full year)
This module will introduce you to the fundamentals of design practice, including concept development, drawing techniques, colour theory, and material investigation. Additionally, you will use future thinking strategies to imagine new worlds and possibilities for design. The aim is to encourage further exploration of these fundamentals so you can personalise them in your work and lay the foundation for your growth as a responsible designer. This will help you see that the future is something you can shape, rather than something that just happens to you. Working in multidisciplinary teams with other students from across the Fashion, Textiles, and Knitwear (FTK) courses, you will build on this knowledge and test your essential employability skills. Regular reflection in seminars, tutorials, and workshops is also a key part of this module and will enable you to track your professional development.
Industry Practice and Menswear
(40 credit points)
This module will introduce you to the fundamentals of industry practice through a live menswear project. The brief will be set by an external industry partner, and you will work in collaborative teams to meet specific criteria. The aim is to equip you with the essential knowledge and skills needed for menswear design, including market and trends, while critiquing the current fashion system and its position on sustainability, masculinity, inclusivity, and ethics. Through a series of lectures, tutorials, and hands-on workshops you will build on strengths gained in Level 4, expanding the knowledge and skills of your chosen specialism: Fashion Collection; Fashion Product; Fashion Technology; or Fashion Knitwear, and refining other areas of creative interest. You will be exposed to industry processes, timelines, and standards and a high level of professionalism will be expected throughout. This experience is designed to prepare you for industry engagement at the end of the module and potential placement opportunities at the end of the year.
Co Lab: Research, Exploration and Risk-Taking
(20 credit points, second half of the year)
Co Lab offers an opportunity to practice professional behaviours, build supportive working relationships, take personal responsibility and develop your collaboration and reflection skills. The module is designed for you to take risks, experiment and embrace uncertainty in your creative process.
You will practice these skills in a project that is centred around engagement with one or more of the School pillars, these are:
Social justice
Sustainability and regeneration
Community (local or international)
Innovation and entrepreneurship)
The module asks you to reflect on your development of your professional working behaviours and how you have applied the knowledge and understanding of one or more of the pillars to your experimental creative process and decision making in your project.
Personal Exploration and Research
(40 credit points, first half of the year)
This module will help you consolidate your learning from previous modules while providing opportunities for further self-discovery and community building. At the beginning of the module, you will identify broader social, cultural, and/or environmental themes that align with your values. These themes will then serve as a springboard for ‘world-making’ and launch your personal project. The aim is to prepare you for your final year, by enhancing your confidence with academic sources and supporting you to push the boundaries of your creative experiments or prototypes. Emphasis will be placed on sustainable design strategies and the integration of both traditional and emerging technologies from Indigenous practice to ethical AI. Through a series of lectures, tutorials, and ‘new skills’ workshops, you will be encouraged to hone your chosen specialism: Fashion Collection; Fashion Product; Fashion Technology; or Fashion Knitwear, and expand its potential.
Optional module
(20 credit points, first half of the year)
Personalise your learning, selecting a module that develops your awareness of possible professional futures you may wish to engage with. Study with students from the creative community in the Nottingham School of Art and Design to expand your horizons, challenge ways of thinking and facilitate potential future collaborations. Choose from:
- Slow Making and Craftmanship
- 3D Materials and Exploration
- Millinery : Object and Narrative
- Trend Forecasting
- Human Stories and Inclusive Design
- Made to Last: Clothing Longevity for Circularity
- Music Video
- Web3 & Creative Autonomy
Optional Placement Year (Sandwich)*
We have an option for all of our students to undertake a placement year (Sandwich) and allow you to decide whether this is right for you once you have completed years 1 and 2 of your course. This time spent working in industry provides our students with crucial work experience, which is highly prized and much sought after by employers upon graduation. If you are successful in securing a placement you will have the chance to gain an additional Certificate or Diploma in Professional Practice, dependent on duration.
The additional placement year incurs a fee. For international students considering the transfer to the 4-yr SW route it’s important to seek advice from the International Student Support team and the Home Office regarding any potential visa implications and costs. For UK students, advice should also be sought regarding SLC eligibility, if applicable.
* If you choose to take the sandwich route option, you will still need to apply for this course with the full-time UCAS code: W230
Creative Practice and Theory
(20 credit points)
This module supports you in completing an individual research project that builds on your critical and contextual understanding of contemporary world issues from Levels 4 and 5. Your project will be presented as an illustrated dissertation or in an alternative format, encompassing skills in research, analysis, and communication. The aim is to identify a relevant aspect of design and/or the wider cultural context and explore it in depth. You will develop viable research questions and conduct appropriate primary and secondary research to answer those questions. Analysis of academic texts, along with your own first-hand observations, will inform your critical thinking and contribute to your creative practice. The themes you explore might directly impact the outcome of your specialism or enhance your overall understanding of the broader context in which your career will develop.
This module will enable you to develop a deeper understanding of contemporary world issues. Building on your Level 5 proposal, you will refine your chosen topic and expand your research skills through seminars, tutorials, and independent study. A series of formative assessments will scaffold the development of your work, including presentations outlining the starting points of your research and planned structure, and a draft assignment, before the final submission. This blend of activities will enhance your knowledge of world issues, theories, and debates related to 20th and 21st-century design and/or culture relevant to your topic. You will also develop skills in primary and secondary research, analysis, organisation of information, written and visual communication, and peer and self-assessment.
Creative Practice and Intention
(40 credit points)
This module is designed to initiate your final year project and build on the knowledge and skills gained from previous modules at Levels 4 and 5, including Optional and Co-LAB. You can choose to work individually or collaboratively in physical and/or digital formats, but you must have a clear rationale for this project following your proposal presentation at Level 5. The aim is to expand the scope of your specialism: Fashion Collection; Fashion Product; Fashion Technology; or Fashion Knitwear, and other areas of creative interest through extensive prototyping and refining of technical processes via advanced research methodologies, design development, and design translation. This work should also connect to broader social, cultural, and environmental themes raised in your parallel Creative Practice and Theory module to underpin the purpose and potential impact of your project.
Creative Resolution and Futures
(40 credit points)
This module focuses on the resolution of your final year project and emphasises the importance of effectively communicating your work to intended audiences and industry networks. You will refine the prototypes and technical processes developed in your Creative Practice and Intention module and build on them to create a coherent outcome based on your specialism: Fashion Collection; Fashion Product; Fashion Technology; or Fashion Knitwear, and other areas of creative interest (including internal/external competitions). The aim is to support you in developing creative and impactful visual and/or digital content that resonates with diverse audiences and enhances the reach and influence of your project. In addition, you will evaluate your statement of intent from your previous module and reflect on how your project has evolved to meet your career aspirations. The module will close with a showcase of your final-year project utilising the appropriate platforms to promote your work.
Video Gallery
How you’re taught
On this course, you’ll spend most of your time in a creative studio environment.
Teaching and learning experiences will include:
- lectures
- staged briefings
- independent learning
- NOW online learning portal
- demonstrations
- studio workshops
- textile workshops
- tutorials
- seminars
- team working
- verbal and visual presentations
- supervision in workshops
- live projects
- study trips
- peer group activities.
Co Lab
Want real-world experience alongside your degree? Co Lab is your opportunity to work with peers from different disciplines on live projects set by industry partners. Embrace collaborative practice as you explore how creativity can make an impact in society and develop the skills employers want to see in the creative industries.
Trips and study visits
Experience new cultures and learn more about the international fashion industry through trips to events like Paris Fashion Week, whilst taking inspiration from different subject areas through UK trips to places like Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Exchange opportunities
The Nottingham School of Art & Design has exchange agreements with a number of institutions around the world, such as the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. You may choose to study abroad in Year Two for one semester.
Showcase
You will be given the opportunity to exhibit your work during your time at NTU to members of the creative industries. You may also be selected to showcase at Graduate Fashion Week in London – where many of our previous students have won awards. Visit our ‘We Are Creatives’ showcase to take a look at the work of this year's graduating students’.
Contact hours
- Year 1 lectures/seminars/workshops (21%), independent study (79%).
- Year 2 lectures/seminars/workshops (20%), independent study (80%).
- Year 3 lectures/seminars/workshops (20%), independent study (80%).
How you’re assessed
Assessment is predominantly through coursework. You will receive feedback throughout each module and will be awarded a grade. Depending on the module, you may be assessed through 2D visual research and design development work; 3D development work and final product; portfolio work; evaluations; reports; essays; and a dissertation.
People excel in different ways, and we want everybody to have the best possible chance of success. On this course you will be assessed on a range of individual and group presentations, and your final year project.
- Year 1 coursework (100%)
- Year 2 coursework (90%), practical exams (10%)
- Year 3 course work (100%)
Your work in Year Two accounts for 20% of your final degree mark, and your work in your final year accounts for the other 80%.
Careers and employability
Our graduates go into a range of fashion-related roles across the world such as designers, product developers and buyers. Recent graduate destinations include:
- ASOS
- Abercrombie & Fitch
- Burberry
- Coach
- George
- H&M
- Mulberry
- Next
- River Island
- Roksanda
- Tom Ford
- Victoria Beckham
- Vivienne Westwood
- Yohji Yamamoto.
Our students have also had success at: The Young Ideas 50 Years in Fashion Illustration Competition, the Young Creators to the World contest at Lima Fashion Week in Peru and the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC).
Work placements and internship opportunities
You’ll have the opportunity to complete work experience or longer placement, with the chance to gain an additional Diploma or Certificate in Professional Practice, dependent on duration. Course tutors and our Employability team are on hand to support you in applying for placement and professional practice opportunities.
With the fashion department's excellent links with industry, students have secured paid summer internships at brands such as GAP inc. in New York and Urban Outfitters in Philadelphia.
Other recent placement destinations include:
- ASOS
- Christopher Raeburn
- GAP Inc.
- Jigsaw
- Old Navy
- Paul Smith
- River island
- Victoria Beckham
- Vivienne Westwood
YouFirst – working with our Employability Team
Studying a creative degree in a large university has many benefits, none more so than having access to a large employability team.
Our friendly, experienced careers consultants will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice you won't find in a book or on the internet. You can benefit from this at any time during your studies and up to three years after completing your course.
Connecting with industry
This course collaborates with industry at local, national and international levels. Live projects and competitions will give you the opportunity to have exposure to real-life design situations.
Our students have taken part and enjoyed success in a range of top industry projects, awards and competitions, including:
- a live project with Oasis inspired by The Nottingham Lace Collection, which saw our students’ design launched in stores and online
- winning the TU Menswear Scholarship Award, Tessuti Sports and Leisurewear Award, and Fashion Marketing Award at Graduate Fashion Week (GFW).
Creative Industries Federation
We are members of the Creative Industries Federation (CIF), which means students in the Nottingham School of Art & Design have the opportunity to sign up to free student membership. Creative Industries Federation are an organisation that represents, champions and supports the UK’s creative industries and membership grants students exclusive access to their selection of resources and events to help advance your career and connect with industry.
Hear from global leaders
Recent visiting speakers have included Creative Director of Graduate Fashion Week, Martyn Roberts, and renowned fashion journalist, Hilary Alexander OBE, who visited to give students a GFW Masterclass.
Former editor of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman, also visited to talk to students about her 25-year career at the magazine.
What our students are doing now
Student who survived cancer creates clothing range to support others
A fashion undergraduate who survived cancer in her teens has designed a clothing range to support women who are going through the same experience.
Funding secured to develop AI toolkit for universities teaching Art and Design
Fashion collection made entirely from donated fabrics
Campus and facilities
Our Fashion Design studios are lively, highly creative environments based in the Bonington building, a dedicated art and design hub. You can view all of our Fashion facilities on the Nottingham school of Art & Design Facilities page.
Entry requirements
BA (Hons) Fashion Design
- Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
- Contextual offer: 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
Other requirements
Contextual offers
A lower offer may be made based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer and we get data from UCAS to make these decisions. NTU offers a student experience like no other and this approach helps us to find students who have the potential to succeed here but who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Find out how we assess your application.
Other qualifications and experience
We may also consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or beyond the beginning of a course where applicable, for example, into year 2. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route.
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS tariff points attached to specific grades, including A levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
BA (Hons) Fashion Design
- 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
Other requirements
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
Undergraduate preparation courses (Foundation)
If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Foundation courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:
English language requirements
You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:
Advanced standing (starting your undergraduate degree in year 2 or 3
You may be able to start your undergraduate course in year 2 or 3 based on what you have studied before. This decision would be made in accordance with our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy.
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
Fees and funding
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there's no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
What's included in the course fees?
The School will cover the costs of any mandatory study trips.
In Final Year, the Nottingham School of Art & Design will provide infrastructure costs for your Degree Showcase, including exhibition set-up costs.
If you’re selected to showcase your work at Graduate Fashion Week in London, the School will cover the cost of transporting your work, the exhibition stand, and catwalk show.
Additional fees
Print and copy costs
We advise you to budget between £140 - £300 (minimum) per year for printing costs.
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
Material costs
Depending on the materials you choose to work with, you should budget a minimum of £300 (Year One), £500 (Year Two), and £900 - £1,500 (Final Year) to cover the production costs associated to your course. This will include things like fabrics, pattern-cutting paper, toiling fabric (calico), and printing (optional).
Stationery and reading materials
Most study modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary between courses and further information is available in the University’s bookshop, Blackwell’s.
A good supply of these essential text books are available in the University libraries, which students can easily borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library.
You should budget between £150 - £200 per year (minimum) for stationery and reading materials.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in an optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
If you choose to join optional UK research trips, you should budget £60 - £120 in Year One and Two (minimum). In Final Year, you should budget £420 (minimum) for optional UK research trips and a field trip to Paris Fashion Week.
Placements
You will have the opportunity to gain an extra qualification – a Certificate in Professional Practice on the Full-Time route. Or you may decide to switch to the Sandwich route in your second year, which includes a one-year Placement. Whether pursuing the Full Time or the Sandwich route you will need to budget for accommodation, travel and living costs whilst on Placement.
Costs will vary depending on whether the Placement is paid or unpaid, local or global. If you are working overseas, you will need to factor in the cost of setting up a bank account and visa applications; some companies pay for the visa as part of the Placement offer.
You should also budget £500 for interview/assessment centres in preparation for your Placement year.
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there's no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to those international students who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion, and dedication to their studies.
Please take a look at our International students page for information about fees, scholarships for international students, visas and much more.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
What's included in the course fees?
The School will cover the costs of any mandatory study trips.
In Final Year, the Nottingham School of Art & Design will provide infrastructure costs for your Degree Showcase, including exhibition set-up costs.
If you’re selected to showcase your work at Graduate Fashion Week in London, the School will cover the cost of transporting your work, the exhibition stand, and catwalk show.
Additional fees
Print and copy costs
We advise you to budget between £140 - £300 (minimum) per year for printing costs.
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
Material costs
Depending on the materials you choose to work with, you should budget a minimum of £300 (Year One), £500 (Year Two), and £900 - £1,500 (Final Year) to cover the production costs associated to your course. This will include things like fabrics, pattern-cutting paper, toiling fabric (calico), and printing (optional).
Stationery and reading materials
Most study modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary between courses and further information is available in the University’s bookshop, Blackwell’s.
A good supply of these essential text books are available in the University libraries, which students can easily borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library.
You should budget between £150 - £200 per year (minimum) for stationery and reading materials.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
If you choose to join optional UK research trips, you should budget £60 - £120 in Year One and Two (minimum). In Final Year, you should budget £420 (minimum) for optional UK research trips and a field trip to Paris Fashion Week.
Placements
If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.
If you undertake work experience or a longer placement, you will have the chance to gain an additional Certificate or Diploma in Professional Practice, dependent on duration. The Diploma in Professional Practice incurs a fee for the additional placement year.
If you secure a placement for year 3, and transfer to the sandwich route then additional fees will apply and there will be implications for your visa status. It is critical to consult with the NTU International Student Support Team and the Home Office for updated visa regulations and requirements before making any changes to your course structure
How to apply
Apply through UCAS.
We will ask you to provide a digital portfolio. Visit our webpage which has some advice on what to include to help make your portfolio stand out. After you have submitted your portfolio, we may also invite you to an online interview to help us make our final decision.
Optional Placement Year (Sandwich)*
Please be aware that all enrolments onto the Course will initially be for the full time 3-year route. There is however an opportunity for you to internally transfer to the 4-year SW route if you secure a placement. The placement would need to be confirmed and transfer agreed during your 2nd year to enable you to commence the placement in year 3. It is important that you seek advice regarding any funding and financial implications before making any changes to your course structure.
You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.
Application advice
Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example. After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
Writing your personal statement
Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:
Your portfolio
If your initial application is successful, you may be asked to upload a portfolio of your work and you may also be asked to attend an interview.
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.