BA (Hons) Fashion Design

BA (Hons) Fashion Design
The BA (Hons) Fashion Design offers you a challenging and dynamic opportunity to advance the relevant skills and knowledge required to springboard you into the global fashion and related industries. Through project and studio work you will learn to integrate research, design ideas, technology and theory to develop directional and contemporary fashion design concepts. The curriculum reflects current practice and includes: broad-ranging visual research, material awareness, design development, creative pattern cutting, garment manufacture, prototyping/product development, fashion drawing/illustration, visual communication, sustainability and future thinking, as well as an integrated approach to fashion theory.

Introduction
The course has a strong established reputation, with exceptional national and international links within the fashion industry.  Our graduates are renowned for their creative, innovative and directional design skills, as well as a strong underlying awareness of sustainability, commerciality and relevant technologies. Partnerships with industry enable us to connect with the global fashion landscape, so we can collaborate and develop international live projects and build relationships with a number of fashion-focused organisations: International Federation of Fashion and Textile Institutes (IFFTI) and Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York. This international perspective is embedded within modules and reinforced by optional overseas visits to fashion and textiles industry, trade and/or other professional events.

The course provides extensive activity as an important setting for building professional networks and enhancing your transferable skills for future employability opportunities. Links with live industry projects, competitions and professional bodies continue to be a key feature that informs the curriculum, giving you the chance to work with a diverse range of clients on both commercially aware and socially informed research projects. You will have the opportunity to work alongside specialist visiting practitioners, sharing research and new approaches. Visiting lecturers play a crucial role in bringing in a wealth of external knowledge and skills from a different perspective.

Tutorials will introduce you to a broad range of research and design approaches, deepening your learning by encouraging self-reflection, personal development and autonomy. The curriculum also requires you to consider your design application and context in relation to design responsibility – process, materials and manufacture – and you will be asked to consider the role of the designer in making responsible design decisions that impact positively on society. 

The course aims to inspire and prepare you to develop anenterprising, creative mind-set and the ability to thrive in a rapidly changing world of work, embracing the diverse and emerging roles within the fashion industry. It will enable you to incorporate critical and analytical problem-solving skills, together with general transferable skills, and prepare you for a broad range of related employment opportunities and/or postgraduate study, including NTU’s dynamic and experimental MA courses.

Programme Features
Established reputation
Founded in 1843, the School of Art & Design at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is one of the most well-established, renowned, and respected institutions in the UK, with exceptional national and international links within the fashion industry as well as recognised global presence. NTU is ranked 13th in Art & Design and 11th in Fashion & Textile subject area in the Complete University Guide and the Guardian University Guide 2026 respectively.

Competition opportunities
Opportunities to compete in significant local and international competition (e.g. Young Designer Contest (YDC), Young Design Award (YDA) and Arts of Fashion Foundation etc.)

Local and overseas practitioner insights
Good mix of teaching staff from diverse fashion business background, both locally and internationally.

Career support
Excellent support to ensure all students are employment ready at graduation with individual comprehensive e-portfolio containing student work, creative CV, etc. and opportunities for industry practitioner experience sharing.  

Our graduates are highly sought after in the industry.  93% graduates in 2021 were employed upon graduation.

Entry Requirements
Completing a Higher Diploma in Fashion Design or a related subject area;
Evidence of design skills in portfolio;
Evidence of good pattern cutting and manufacturing skills;
Submitting a personal statement in 300 - 400 words which outlines their reasons of applying for the Programme; AND
Attending an interview to determine their abilities to undertake the Programme.
OR

Mature applicants (of age above 21) will be considered according to their prior professional experience spanning a period of no less than 3 years, with accompanying qualifications (if any), and a satisfactory result at the selection interview. 

English Proficiency Requirements
An overall band score of 6.5 in IELTS, with no subtest score of less than 5.5; or
A score of at least 550 in TOEFL (213 for computer-based test).
(Graduates of VTC Higher Diploma are exempted from the requirements.)

Start Date
Sep 2026

Application Deadline
31 Mar 2026