Course Details:

FOUNDATION (YEAR O) DESIGN & CREATIVE BUSINESS

This 30-week course is designed to equip students with the academic skills and subject knowledge needed to progress on to study at undergraduate level. You’ll develop a unique portfolio of work throughout the course, helping you to progress onto a degree in any creative subject.
Stage 1
The first stage covers the key areas of related to your degree programme and will focus on either creative design or business. You’ll learn the theoretical knowledge and debates surrounding these disciplines and the historical and international contexts which underpin them. You will also will also being to build the foundations for studying at degree level.

Stage 2
This stage builds on the key research, analytical and reflective skills built in Stage 1. Students will also have the opportunity to explore specialist areas of study and focus on your chosen path within the creative arts or business.

Stage 3
Students undertake a self-directed, specialist project which will synthesise and conclude their newly learned knowledge. The Final Major Project consists of three units which include advanced language and study skills needed for progression onto an LCCA design or creative business undergraduate degree.

Modules include:

• Introduction to Creative Business (pathway dependent)

• Introduction to Design (pathway dependent)

• English for Academic Purposes, Research & Study Skills

• Visual Culture

• Final Major Project

YEAR 1 (LEVEL 4)

The first year of this course will provide you with a fundamental understanding of fashion marketing and creative fashion business and management as well as key brand management techniques and fashion buying and merchandising.

Fashion Marketing

Gain a solid understanding of the fashion marketplace, core knowledge that is needed to progress onto the second year of the course. You will also learn key aspects of fashion marketing to understand the importance of customer relationship with products.

Fashion Branding and Promotion

Throughout this unit, students will learn the processes of fashion branding and the importance of effective brand management.

Fashion Buying and Merchandising

This unit will teach you how to effectively build your product from concept to consumer. You will learn core theories of fashion buying and merchandising, as well as learning product management, merchandising strategies and how to align them with your overall brand strategy. 

Fashion Management

Understand fundamental principles of fashion management and fashion business with a global context. You will learn the different factors affecting fashion marketing and consumer groups as well as assessing sustainability within the fashion world.

Modules include:

• Fashion Marketing

• Fashion Branding and Promotion

• Fashion Buying and Merchandise

• Fashion Management

YEAR 2 (LEVEL 5)

Year 2 of the BA (Hons) Fashion Management & Marketing allows you to work out in which area you would like to specialise in and hone your skills during an industry work placement. Key areas of study include fashion forecasting, visual merchandising and professional practices.

Forecasting and Fashion Futures

This unit emphasises the importance of predicting future trends within the fashion industry. You will understand the role fashion forecasting plays across strategic industry sectors, including product development, retail and marketing.

Visual Merchandising and Experiential Retailing

Students will learn the importance of visual merchandising with the ever-important ‘customer experience’ during this unit. Everything from the design of the floor plan to store windows and the ‘look’ of mannequins will be examined to ensure you have the tools to engage and inspire your target audience.

Professional Practice and Industry Placement

This module will allow you to experience the fashion industry first-hand as you undertake an industry placement whilst enhancing your professional CV. You will gain essential workplace skills and have the opportunity to assess your own strengths, weaknesses and career ambitions.

Modules include:

• Forecasting and Fashion Futures

• Visual Merchandising and Experiential Retailing

• Professional Practice and Industry Placement

YEAR 3 (LEVEL 6)

The third year of this fashion course will encourage further independent work as you complete an industry-linked final major project. 

Strategic Research

This unit will allow you to perform thorough, investigative research in order to propose a new fashion business concept. Your analysis should take the competitive business marketplace into consideration, ensuring your research is innovative and will effectively reach your target audience.

Trend Forecasting and Concept Development

The core focus of this unit is to discover future trends within a chosen market sector from a thorough analysis of the macro environment.

Strategic Implementation and Career Planning

Combining all your analytical research, this unit involves producing a market report, visual pack and final research project which should be in line with your career goals within fashion business management.

Modules include:

• Strategic Research

• Trend Forecasting and Concept Development

• Strategic Implementation and Career Planning