Explore fashion on it's journey from sketch to shelf.

BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Marketing at Northumbria offers you the opportunity to creatively explore fashion design, products and promotion for future markets.

You will develop creative, intellectual and practical skills while exploring fashion, not only from an aesthetic and technical understanding of garment design and construction, but also through an understanding of products, lifestyle and culture that surrounds us. You’ll gain an understanding of, trend analysis and prediction, craftsmanship, functionality and how technological aspects of design work together to create fashion products. You will also gain an understanding of concepts and the creative market place, alongside lifestyle aspiration, the consumer and brand values.

This four-year sandwich course nurtures innovative designers by integrating design practice, knowledge, and skills within a studio-rich environment. Applying your creative skills through industry-based live projects and work placements, you will gain the specialist professional, cultural, ethical, and commercial skills to prepare you for a career in the diverse and vibrant fashion industry, making it an excellent choice for those wanting to pursue a Fashion Masters.

You can also consider a Sustainable Fashion Masters which is a progressive step towards reshaping the fashion industry by integrating eco-friendly practices, ethical production, and innovative design, making it an ideal choice for those passionate about sustainability and style.

Learning and teaching will enable you to acquire a flexible and imaginative approach to real-life problem solving. Studio activities and the specialist workshop environment are integral to this process in all levels of your study, encouraging individual intellectual freedom supported by a staff and peer collaborative community.

You’ll be encouraged to be hands-on, exploring technical skills, materials and processes as well as developing research and critical thinking.

Studying Contemporary Design Influences and business studies puts fashion in a cultural and commercial context and allows you to develop your personal practice within a social, moral and ethical setting.

You’ll be assessed on the whole range of learning and activity, through a range of projects and tasks. Assessments are designed to support your progression through levels of study by formative and summative methods and through feedback from staff and peers.  

Who teaches Fashion Design and Marketing at Northumbria?

You will learn from award-winning, research-active academic staff who bring a wealth of professional experience from the world of fashion to Northumbria. Our academic staff have worked as successful designers globally for some of the world’s biggest brands including Berghaus, Barbour Vivienne Tam, Abercrombie & Fitch and Nigel Cabourn. You will be taught by industry experts, developing the essential skills you need to succeed in your future career from inspiring, exciting and innovative staff.

Research-active staff act as consultants and provide supportive critiques, questioning the reasoning and aesthetic judgement behind your work, to support you in developing your practice through self-reflection.

Alumni and industry collaborators support the course at every level through professional association, live projects, internships, visiting lecturers and competitive portfolio briefs. We have recently collaborated with Urban Outfitters, Old Navy, Joseph, Dunhill, Sense Worldwide, Lacoste, Alfred Brown Worsteds and Nike.

Where will I learn during my studies?

A studio and workshop-based learning environment is at the core of this course and you’ll find that the technical facilities at Northumbria are excellent. You’ll have access to a specialist Mac laboratory and photographic studio as well as several mobile laboratories that deliver IT facilities for creative working. The machine room is equipped to industry standards and you can use digitally-enabled textile printing, pattern-making and embroidery.

Your course is supported by technology with tools such as the eLearning Portal and electronic reading lists that guide your preparation for seminars and independent research. Electronic Submission and Feedback (eSAF) will facilitate feedback on your project work, while Turnitin allows you to submit written documents with a critical eye on research, sources and developing your own ideas.

You’ll also produce an online portfolio which will act as a reference for your work and enhance your employability.

How does this course enhance my employability?

Working on creative projects, some set by external collaborators, will enable you to build and curate a portfolio of your own work to act as a calling card in applications for work placements and employment.

A one-year placement within the fashion industry will amplify your commercial awareness and clarify your career goals. You may also have the opportunity to join a field trip to Paris, London or New York to experience fashion in a different culture.

Your final project allows you to demonstrate design and professional skills including project management, communication and promotion that will make you valuable to the fashion industry.

In your final year, you may have the opportunity to show your final project at a key industry-facing national showcase for graduate talent in this discipline, helping you to establish contacts and employment opportunities by mixing directly with employers and alumni.

Northumbria University’s Careers Service offers support to all students with regards to employment.

You’ll graduate with a wide range of design knowledge, practice and transferable skills that prepare you for a future career in the fashion or wider industries.

Through working on real-life projects, industry placement and by establishing your own creative portfolio you’ll demonstrate the specialist skills, professionalism and commercial awareness to enter a successful career within major brands around the world.