BA(Hons) Fashion Textiles
This course is open for applications
Page last updated 12 May 2023
Introduction
Learn to create garments, accessories and textile collections for fashion and interiors through sustainably driven and digitally enabled design.
Why study fashion textiles?
Fashion textiles is the largest of the UK creative industries and designers within this field are recognised globally for their skills and innovation. Today's fashion and textile designers are agile creatives exploring new ideas and solutions, and re-thinking how fashion affects our daily lives.
Why UWE Bristol?
BA(Hons) Fashion Textiles teaches you about all areas of fashion textiles, from the design and production of textiles through to the design and manufacture of fashion product.
Engage in a core curriculum of studio, technical and digital skills development, as well as a pattern cutting curriculum to support the translation of your ideas from 2D to 3D. Undertake Fashion Futures projects to help you understand and explore sustainable practice.
You'll have the opportunity to specialise in one of three creative pathways; Fashion Design, Textile Design or Fashion Textile Futures, which focuses on the development of alternative fashion outcomes.
Professional practice is key to this course and there are placement and project opportunities every year to help you develop your professional skills. Undertake an optional year in industry, and develop your knowledge by working with industry experts, learning from guest speakers, competing in live briefs and gaining hands-on experience.
UWE Bristol is a member of the prestigious British Fashion Council (BFC) Colleges Council which organises an annual programme of industry-led events and competitions to offer you opportunities to engage with industry.
Engage with research as you develop your design practice.
Showcase and sell your design work at high profile national and international events such as New Designers and Premier Vision in Paris, the world's largest fashion textile trade show.
You'll study at City Campus, our creative powerhouse spanning Bristol. It's made up of Bower Ashton and renowned contemporary arts centres Spike Island, Arnolfini and Watershed. You'll have access to dedicated studio spaces, specialist workshop facilities, and extensive library resources.
Focusing on the avenues that most interest you, through your modules and assessments, you'll explore different career paths and graduate with the confidence and skills to succeed.
Where can it take me?
Many of our graduates go on to secure successful careers with high profile designers and companies like Craig Green, Matthew Williamson, Cos and Victoria Beckham.
Choose from a wide range of roles such as fashion designer, textile designer, product developer, pattern cutter, studio manager or fashion buyer. Some graduates set up their own businesses or go onto postgraduate study and research. Developing professional, research and enterprise skills, you can shape the course in the direction you want to go in. Whatever you choose to do, our team of subject experts and Careers Service are there to support you.
Follow UWE Fashion on Instagram.
Take a look at how our graduates are changing the future of fashion.
Read how three of our former students won prestigious bursaries from The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters.
Have a look at some of our students' latest work in our 2019 Graduate Showcase, as well as our 2021 yearbook and 2022 yearbook. See more by watching the 2019 Fashion Textiles Degree Show film.
Watch: The learning and teaching experience
Structure
Content
The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.
Year one
You will study:
- Introduction to Fashion Textiles
- Exploring Practice in Fashion Textiles
- Professional Practice and Work Experience in Fashion Textiles 1
- Visual Culture 1
Year two
You will study:
- Developing Practice in Fashion Textiles 1
- Visual Culture 2
Plus, two optional modules from:
- Developing Practice in Fashion Textiles 2 or International Exchange*
- Professional Practice and Work Experience in Fashion Textiles 2 or Collaborate
*This module is for incoming and outgoing international students only.
Placement year (if applicable)
If you study on the four year (sandwich) course, you'll spend a year away from the University on a work placement after Year two.
You'll complete a placement learning module.
See the Placements and Fees sections for more information.
Final year
You will study:
- Preparation for Extended Study in Fashion Textiles
- Professional Practice and Work Experience in Fashion Textiles 3
Plus, one optional module from:
- Extended Study in Fashion Textiles and Visual Culture 3
- Extended Study in Fashion Textiles (minor) and Visual Culture 3
This structure is for full-time students only. Part-time students study the same modules but the delivery pattern will be different.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we will inform you.
"My course offered fantastic facilities, workshops and equipment to help me exercise my creativity and develop as a young designer. I started interning after I graduated, where I had the chance to work at London Fashion Week. I now work as a Junior Designer at Superdry." Emilia, 2018 Fashion Textiles graduate.
Learning and Teaching
Learn in design studios and technical resource centres on this practice-based course.
Attend lectures, seminars, practical workshops and tutorials. Develop skills in visual and verbal presentation techniques through group and individual project work.
Develop your professional and creative practice, with access to leading facilities, industry opportunities and plenty of professional input.
Craft your skills as a researcher, and work with academics and partners helping to shape new thinking in the field. The course is linked to the Centre for Fine Print Research, giving you access to the latest ideas in areas such as sustainable textile design.
Develop enterprise skills, exploring different audiences and contexts for your work. Learn to promote and position yourself, and build a compelling portfolio to take to employers.
Take part in live projects, industry briefs and placements throughout the course, gaining valuable work experience and putting your learning in context.
Benefit from regular professional input from guest lecturers. Past speakers include Eric Bremner, Creative Director at MaxMara; Iain Ewing, Head of Design Womenswear and Accessories at John Lewis; Jenny Postle-Cope, Womenswear Designer at Missoni; Richard Malone, Fashion East; and Frances Walker, Creative Design Consultant of Menswear at French Connection.
As well as making sure that the course reflects industry, experts come in to present and deliver live briefs. Recent collaborative partners include Henri Lloyd, Cos, Topshop, Mulberry and Next Sourcing.
Showcase your work at Premier Vision Paris. Past students have exhibited fashion films, live presentations and live streaming at a variety of events.
Our Creative Industries Degree Show demonstrates our most exciting graduate work in art, design, filmmaking and media. We also encourage you to show work on and off-line throughout the course and will help you develop the skills to do this.
In your final year, you can choose to design your own textiles collection, focus on just one product type, or carry out a more traditional type of dissertation on an area of fashion textiles that interests you.
See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.
Read about Eleana Burrow's success at the prestigious Anne Tyrell Student Design Awards and London Fashion Week.
Watch the UWE Bristol Fashion Showcase and see our course blog.
Approximate percentage of time you'll spend in different learning activities*:
| Year | Scheduled learning and teaching study | Independent study | Placement study |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 54% | 46% | 0% |
| 2 | 45% | 55% | 0% |
| 3 | 20% | 80% | 0% |
*calculated from compulsory and option module choices (where applicable) each year.
Get involved
Broaden your perspective by taking part in our international or European exchange programme, spending a semester at one of our partner universities.
Tap into support from our Enterprise team, who can offer funding, mentoring and co-working space for eight weeks over the summer, to help bring your business ideas to life.
Assessment
There are no exams on this course and you'll be assessed through design-based course work, presentations, written assignments and research projects.
See our full glossary of assessment terms.
Approximate percentage of marks awarded by each assessment method*:
| Year | Written exam assessment | Coursework assessment | Practical exam assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
*calculated from compulsory and option module choices (where applicable) each year
Features
Placements
Students who get work experience tend to graduate with better degrees. Experience also hones your skills, industry knowledge and professional network, making you a sought after graduate.
Professional practice is key to this course and you'll do a work placement every year to develop your professional skills.
If you choose the four year (sandwich) course, you'll spend a year away from the University on a work placement after Year two.
You'll also build your network as you progress through the course. Past students have worked with fashion labels such as JW Anderson, Vivienne Westwood, Vera Wang and Harry Steadman.
Get help to find your placement and support throughout from department staff and our award-winning careers service.
Study exchange
Grow your personal and professional network, and develop specialist subject knowledge by spending a semester at one of our fantastic partner universities abroad.
Increase your confidence, intercultural communication skills and boost your employability.
Explore our study abroad pages to find out more.
Fieldwork
Go on regular trips to London and other major cities so you can source new materials and conduct research in galleries, museums and archives.
Visit Premier Vision Paris and other field trips that support your creative and professional development.
Study facilities
Learn at our City Campus, with access to some of the best technical and creative resources in the country.
Construct garments in our industry standard sample and sewing room and develop technical skills in knit and digital embroidery. Access printed textiles rooms with facilities for screen print, dyeing, fabric manipulation, embellishment and decoration, plus digital, photo and heat transfer printing.
Experiment with materials, alternative forms and wearables in our physical making studios. Bring 2D ideas to life in our print centre, using the latest equipment for screen printing, etching, digital printing and lithography.
A mix of traditional and hands-on learning environments helps you quickly take on essential knowledge and skills, standing you in good stead for your professional career.
Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources.
Get a feel for the Fashion facilities we have on offer here from wherever you are.
Fashion Textiles student showreel
A showcase of student work from the BA(Hons) Fashion Textiles course at UWE BristolLife
Accommodation
An excellent range of options for all of the Bristol campuses and the city centre.
Bristol
A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.
Sports, societies and activities
There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.
Health and Wellbeing
We provide support in the way you need it.
Campus and facilities
Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.
Careers
Careers / Further study
Tailoring what and how you study, you can shape the course towards your chosen career path.
Our graduates work across all areas of the fashion industry, taking on roles as textile, fashion and fashion product designers, product developers, pattern cutters and stylists, garment technologists and fashion buyers.
Alternatively, you could choose a career in manufacturing, consultancy or decide to set up your own business.
Get inspired
Our award-winning careers service will develop your employment potential through career coaching and find you graduate jobs, placements and global opportunities.
We can also help find local volunteering and community opportunities, provide support for entrepreneurial activity and get you access to employer events.
Visit our employability pages to learn more about careers, employers and what our students are doing six months after graduating.
Fees
Part Time Course
Indicative Additional Costs
Full-time, sandwich course
Supplementary fee information
Your overall entitlement to funding is based on how long the course is that you're registered on. Standard funding is allocated based on the standard number of years that your course lasts, plus one additional year.
You'll apply for funding each year that you study and Student Finance will take into account how long the course is in each year that you apply. So if you register for the four year course and then transfer to the three year course, the number of years you can apply for funding will change. Student Finance will reassess your funding based on how many years you have been in study, not just those years for which you received student finance.
Always seek advice before taking any action that may have implications for your funding.
Additional costs
This refers to items you could need during your studies that aren't covered by the standard tuition fee. These could be materials, textbooks, travel, clothing, software or printing.
Entry
Typical offers
- Tariff points: 112
- Contextual tariff: See our contextual offers page.
- GCSE: Grade C/4 in English Literature or Language, or equivalent. We do not accept Level 2 Key Skills, Functional Skills or Certificates in Adult Literacy and Numeracy as suitable alternatives to GCSEs.
- English Language Requirement: International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*). *The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Please visit our English language requirements page.
- A-level subjects: No specific subjects required.
- EDEXCEL (BTEC) Diploma: No specific subjects required.
For information on required Guided Learning Hours please see our minimum entry requirements page.
- Access: No specific subjects required.
- Baccalaureate IB: No specific subjects required.
- Irish Highers: No specific subjects required.
- T Levels: No specific subjects required.
Entry requirements
If you don't meet the entry requirements, you may be eligible for BA(Hons) Fashion Textiles (with Foundation Year).
International applicants
For country specific entry requirements please find your country on the country Information pages. If you are an international student and do not meet the academic requirements to study this course, you can qualify by completing one of our Art and Design foundation programmes.
If you are applying to study at UWE Bristol and require additional support to meet our English language requirements, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses. Read more about our Pre-Sessional English Programme.
Selection process
Applicants will be required to submit a digital portfolio for review within 21 days of their application being received.
For more details on the process, please visit our selection page.
Read more about entry requirements.
How to apply
Read more about undergraduate applications.
Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.
For further information
- Email:
UK applicants
Admissions@uwe.ac.uk
International/EU applicants
International@uwe.ac.uk - Telephone:
UK applicants
+44 (0)117 32 83333
International/EU applicants
+44 (0)117 32 86644