We look at each application individually, considering your grades, interview (along with your portfolio/audition) and any relevant experience. We typically expect students to have achieved 48 UCAS points or PPP in a Level 3 Diploma / Extended Diploma. Mature students who don’t meet these standard entry requirements may be able to show us their potential through relevant experience. Applicants whose first language is not English and who do not have GCSE English will be asked to take an IELTS assessment or equivalent and will need to achieve an overall score of 6.0, with 6.0 in the writing element and at least 5.5 in all other sub elements.
Entry requirements
Why this course?
Shape a responsible future for Fashion! Our fashion degree delivers a bespoke, highly personalised training experience that nurtures individual creative identity, evidenced through award-winning student collections. With strong industry integration and a commitment to sustainability and ethical production, the course equips graduates to shape a more responsible and innovative future for fashion. This studio-based degree blends creative design with technical craft and ethical production, from creative pattern cutting and tailoring to printed textiles and CAD. Live briefs and collaborations develop a distinct voice, while the final-year collection and portfolio showcase your unique style.
At the heart of the BA (Hons) Fashion Design course is a commitment to creativity, innovation, and responsibility to sustainable design. This course is designed to equip you with the essential workshop skills that will drive your creative and technical development, while building a deep understanding of the fashion industry and your role within it as a designer. Through specialist workshops in illustration, design, pattern cutting, garment construction,digital applications and printed textiles, you will refine your craft, develop your own design identity, and build a powerful creative voice.
You will engage with a wide range of dynamic units, including live industry projects, giving you the opportunity to apply your skills in real-world professional contexts as you work towards creating a full collection. Throughout the course, you will critically evaluate your practice, reflecting on your progress and responding to the evolving demands of the fashion industry.
Alongside technical skill-building, you will engage critically with the socio-political and environmental challenges facing the fashion industry. You will explore fashion’s role within global narratives, considering the impact of colonial legacies, cultural appropriation, and the vital importance of inclusive and diverse representation within design.
Sustainability and ethical design are at the heart of everything you do, underpinning the course
ethos. You will explore how the industry is responding to global challenges and develop the
confidence, adaptability, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to shape your career in an ever-
changing professional landscape.
This course will challenge you, inspire you, and prepare you to make your mark as a future-
focused, responsible fashion designer.
Further information
This course is for you if you are an ambitious maker and thinker who wants to design with purpose. You’ll enjoy experimenting with materials, iterating patterns and solving real problems, and you care about slow fashion, longevity and responsible sourcing. Ideal for learners seeking a rigorous route into design studios, small labels or independent practice.
With an emphasis on research-led practice, you will refine your ability to articulate and present your ideas professionally, graduating with the confidence, skills, and industry insight needed to contribute meaningfully to a more ethical, inclusive, and responsible fashion future.
The BA (Hons) Fashion Design offers a range of industry-focused work experience and placement opportunities, enabling you to gain first-hand insight into the evolving landscape of contemporary fashion. Recent placements include prestigious fashion houses such as Iris Van Herpen (Amsterdam) and Robert Wun (London), as well as roles in H&M’s Head Office Buying and Styling team (London), providing invaluable exposure to both high fashion and commercial sectors. Previously, students have engaged in live projects with global organisations driving ethical and sustainable innovation, including Mabel (Spain), focusing on ethically produced vegan leather, and Redress (Hong Kong), an internationally recognised ethical fashion design competition. These projects are indicative and subject to annual change. Current collaborations include Desserto (Italy), pioneers in cactus-based fabric innovations derived from organic and circular farming systems, with exciting cross-disciplinary opportunities alongside BA Music Performance students. Throughout the course, you will continuously gather evidence to inform personal, critical responses, preparing them for careers in an industry that is both current and evolving in response to global challenges. This approach fosters confidence, adaptability, and an entrepreneurial mindset, empowering graduates to forge their own career paths within the sustainable fashion sector.
- Develop skills in creative pattern cutting and garment construction, illustration, concepting and design development
- An innovative and creative approach to design informed by research, market, concept development and experimentation.
- Printed textiles and CAD for presentation
- Tailoring, finishing and fit for durability – all informed by ethical approach to production
- Graduate with a professional profile: personal creative style, industry ready portfolio and final collection
- Engage proactively in professional development , developing professional networking and industry ready skills
Graduates progress into roles such as fashion designer, pattern cutter, print designer, stylist or brand founder, or into postgraduate study. Your portfolio, final collection and industry experience support applications to ethical and mainstream labels, small studios, start-ups and collaborative creative ventures.
Collaboration is a key element of our Fashion Design BA (Hons) at Northbrook College. You will have the chance to work with students from other creative disciplines on exciting projects, whether through set briefs or your own initiatives. This experience mirrors the collaborative nature of the fashion industry, preparing you for a successful career in this dynamic field.
Our teaching and assessment methods are designed to keep learning dynamic, engaging, and hands-on. You will experience a mix of:
- Practical and creative studio-based workshops to refine your skills
- Group discussions to exchange ideas and insights
- Lectures and seminars to explore concepts and techniques
- Small group study to collaborate and learn from others
- Independent study to deepen your knowledge and creativity
- Field trips are an exciting part of the course, offering you the chance to gain real-world insight into the fashion industry
Assessment methods are tailored to each unit and may include:
- Presentations (of practical work)
- Journals
- Research proposal
- Sketchbooks/drawings
- Written Assignments
With this variety, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow and demonstrate your skills in ways that suit your strengths!
Flexible Exit Awards
This programme is designed as a three-year course leading to the award of a BA (Hons) degree. It is delivered through a flexible 1+1+1 structure, with each year representing a distinct stage of learning and achievement. This approach allows students to progress through the programme in clearly defined phases while retaining the flexibility to exit at the end of any academic year if their circumstances change.
Students who complete the full programme will be awarded a BA (Hons). However, students who choose to leave the course before completion may be eligible for an interim award that formally recognises the credits they have successfully achieved.
Level 4 (Year 1) Students who successfully complete 120 credits at Level 4 and then leave the programme may be awarded a Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE).
Level 5 (Year 2) Students who successfully complete 240 credits, and then leave the programme may be awarded a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE).
Level 6 (Year 3) Students who successfully complete 360 credits, will be awarded a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA Hons).
This flexible 1+1+1 model ensures that students who do not complete the full degree can still receive formal recognition for their achievements, while those who continue through all three years graduate with a BA (Hons) qualification.