Fashion Design BA (Hons)

This course is in clearing

Why study at UEL?

Top 40 UK university

Guardian University Guide 2026

1st in England

Overall Positivity, National Student Survey 2026

Fastest Rising in England for graduate employability

Graduate Outcomes Survey 2025

Overview

Course modules

The fashion design degree foundation year equips you with essential skills in design, technical processes, and contextual understanding to prepare for a career in fashion design.

Year one of the fashion design degree introduces foundational skills in technical innovation, creative processes, and collaborative projects for a career in fashion design. You explore design, research, and business processes, gaining proficiency in digital tools like Adobe Suite and WGSN. Modules emphasise industry insights, sustainability, and global supply chains, preparing you for fashion marketing and creative roles.

Year two of the fashion design degree builds on foundational skills to refine creativity, technical expertise, and professional identity for a career in fashion design. Modules emphasise innovative design solutions, digital tools, global trends, and sustainability while fostering self-promotion through portfolio development and branding. Collaborative projects and industry placements prepare you for success in the evolving fashion industry.

A chance to do a placement year in a fashion design business in London.

Year three of the fashion design degree emphasises advanced research, creative practice, and innovative solutions, preparing you for a career in fashion design. Modules focus on self-initiated projects, industry collaboration, and professional portfolio development, culminating in a Final Major Project and exploring business strategies to launch successful careers in the competitive fashion industry.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

Download course specification

Entry requirements

Degree:

96 UCAS points

This is the standard advertised entry requirement for most students applying to this course.

Degree with contextual offer:

64 UCAS points

You may be eligible for a reduced offer based on your personal, educational or socioeconomic background.

Degree with foundation year:

48 UCAS points

If you do not meet the standard entry requirements, you can apply for a foundation year. This additional year prepares you with the academic skills needed to progress to the full undergraduate degree.

 

Missing some qualifications? 


We have a range of pre-entry programmes to help you meet the entry requirements for this course.  

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Your previous qualifications, uncompleted study or industry experience may mean you can start your studies at a later point in the course and influence your eligibility for entry

What makes this course different

1st in London

Our Design Studies courses ranked 1st in London for “Learning Opportunities” in the 2023 National Student Survey.

Ranked 9th nationally

Our fashion and textiles courses ranked 9th nationally for 'satisfied with teaching' in The Guardian University Guide 2025.

Guardian University Guide 2025

Fashion design facilities

We have large studios and resources and continue to expand. We have pattern-cutting studios, sewing rooms, print and textile rooms, laser cutting and 3D printing facilities and much more.

Connecting Creativity

Discover career-focussed, practice-based, collaborative art education at East London Arts. Through degrees, community projects and industry partnerships, we shape the next generation of creative talent in East London and beyond.

Explore East London Arts

Course options

Start date

Degree

UCAS code: W230

Fashion Design BA (Hons), home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • This course is in Clearing,
  • Full time, 3 years
  • £ 9,790 per year. Subject to change, see fees, funding and additional costs below

Fashion Design BA (Hons), home applicant, part time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • Part time, 6 years
  • pro-rata full time fee

Fashion Design BA (Hons), international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant
  • Full time, 3 years
  • £ 17000 Old 16020 per year

Degree with foundation year

with foundation year
UCAS code: W233

Fashion Design BA (Hons), home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • This course is in Clearing,
  • Full time, 4 years
  • £ 9,790 per year. Subject to change, see fees, funding and additional costs below

Fashion Design BA (Hons), international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant
  • Full time, 4 years
  • £ 16020 per year

University of East London X London Fashion Week 2024

Careers Guarantee

The UEL Careers Guarantee is the University’s commitment to supporting you with your career development during your studies and after you graduate. It brings together careers guidance, employability support and opportunities designed to help you prepare for work or further study.

What can I do with this degree?

Fashion Design graduates go into a wide range of roles across the creative industries, including junior and senior designer, pattern cutter, garment technologist, stylist, creative director, fashion consultant, tailor and freelance designer. Past graduates have gone on to work for notable names including Bianca Saunders, Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, Mother of Pearl, Knwls, Ede and Ravenscroft, Hand and Lock and LiDS.

Further study options include an MA in Fashion, MA in International Fashion Business, MA in Creative Enterprise, or an MBA in Fashion Entrepreneurship, all available at UEL.

Official student data from Discover Uni

The banner below displays some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).

How you'll learn

The fashion subject area is made up of industry-knowledgeable staff, entrepreneurs and business owners, so you can be sure you will be learning in real-time.

We believe it is important that your education is consistent with the times and reflects the industry you will progress into.

Guided independent study

When not attending timetabled lectures or workshops, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study.

This will typically involve skills development through 3D studio and workshop development, online study, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects and preparing practical and written coursework assignments and presentations. 

Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, specialist facilities, such as edit suites, the library, the full Microsoft Office software, Teams, and Moodle: our Virtual Learning Environment.

Academic support

Our academic support team provides help in a range of areas - including learning and disability support.

Dedicated personal tutor

When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of the academic course team who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at UEL and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer.

Workload

Each year you will spend around 300 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module. 

The approximate percentages for this course are: 

  • Year 1: scheduled teaching - approx. 300 hours; guided independent study - 450 hours
  • Year 2: scheduled teaching - approx. 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours
  • Year 3: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.

Your timetable

Your individualised timetable is normally available within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9.00am and 6.00pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.

Class sizes

To give you an indication of class sizes, this course normally attracts 40-50 students a year. Lecture sizes are normally 40 plus students. 

In the classroom, you will be taught in groups of 20-25 students. However, this can vary by academic year.

How you'll be assessed

Coursework will include practical outcomes, e.g. garment construction, technical sewing files, reports and presentations. Coursework includes essays, research files, sample and development portfolios, practical design development, group and seminar presentations and a final-year project. You will have the opportunity to gain feedback from your lecturers, peers and our industry partners. We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.

Campus and facilities

What our students and staff say

Fashion students working on a pattern in a studio
This Fashion Design course has been instrumental in shaping my path towards my dream job. It consistently encourages me to explore a multitude of outlets. I believe that gaining early exposure to the industry, especially during my first year provided me with the remarkable opportunity to collaborate with Umbro China. That experience is significantly contributing to my journey of becoming a modesty-oriented fashion designer within the fashion industry."

Arooj Arooj

BA (Hons) Fashion Design student

ACI Fashion subject students working in the atelier
If you're motivated and would like to be mentored and taught while you work by industry leaders and academic professionals, UEL is an ideal place to study. My experience has helped me understand the type of professional patience, perseverance and creativity that is invaluable in fashion design."

Sharan Samra

Fashion Design with Placement Year, BA (Hons), undergraduate