
Fashion Design BA (Hons)
Course Overview - Fashion Design BA (Hons)
This is a Connected Degree
Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after youve started your course.
Overview
Bring your creative and original ideas to life on our multi-award-winning Fashion Design degree course.
Youll develop your innovation, self-awareness, and cr...
<strong>This is a Connected Degree</strong><br/>Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after youve started your course.<br/><br/><strong>Overview</strong><br/>Bring your creative and original ideas to life on our multi-award-winning Fashion Design degree course. <br/><br/>Youll develop your innovation, self-awareness, and critical thinking via our teaching approach – which integrates sustainable and ethical design principles, focuses on your unique strengths, and shapes you into a confident and cultured professional. Youll also develop communication, leadership, and collaboration skills through exchange and enterprise projects, and you’ll build a deep knowledge of traditional and digital making skills using industry-level facilities.<br/><br/>Using innovative research methods, you’ll be able to deliver authentic, imaginative work that pushes the boundaries of what fashion and textile design means now and in the future.<br/><br/><strong>Course highlights</strong><br/><br/><br/>• Master traditional and innovative fashion design methods, including pattern-cutting, fashion illustration, silkscreen print, embroidery, and constructed textiles and biomaterials<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Explore sustainable design methods to help you change the fashion industry for the future<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Gain valuable industry experience and entrepreneurship skills by taking an optional placement, either with a company or as self-employed<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Enhance your collaboration and team-working skills by working with other students on other courses in the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Get insight into the fashion industry by attending guest lectures by visiting international professionals—previous visitors include Mohsin Sajid, Niccolo Casas and Shingo Sato<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Showcase your skills by exhibiting your work at the University’s annual graduate show<br/><br/><br/><br/><strong>Careers and opportunities</strong><br/>Our collaborative and project-orientated course will give you the skills to become highly employable.<br/><br/>Graduate areas<br/><br/>Our graduates have worked across design, marketing, communications and commerce in areas such as:<br/><br/><br/>- fashion, textile or accessories design<br/><br/><br/>- trend prediction<br/><br/><br/>- buying<br/><br/><br/>- visual merchandising<br/><br/><br/>- teaching or lecturing<br/><br/><br/>- journalism or writing<br/><br/><br/>Graduate destinations<br/><br/>Our graduates have worked with some of the biggest names in fashion and major retailers, including:<br/><br/><br/>• Ralph Lauren<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Hugo Boss<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Matthew Williamson<br/><br/><br/><br/>• River Island<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Fat Face<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Marks and Spencer<br/><br/><br/><br/>After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.<br/><br/>Graduate startups<br/><br/>Previous students on this course have also set up their own fashion and textile labels. For example:<br/><br/><br/>• Sunny Williams set up his label, House of Sunny, in 2011 and has developed minimal, androgynous aesthetic womenswear, which sells internationally and is stocked by ASOS<br/><br/><br/><br/>• Nikki Strange created her own-name line for Marks and Spencer in 2015 and also works as a freelance textile designer and visiting lecturer.<br/><br/>
Course Information
2 options available
Some courses vary and have tailored teaching options, select a course option below.
Course Details
Information
Study Mode
Full-time
Duration
3 Years
Start Date
21/09/2026
Campus
Main Site
Application Details
Provider Details
Codes/info
Course Code
W231
Institution Code
P80
Points of Entry
Year 1, Year 2, Year 3
Entry Requirements
UCAS Tariff
Scottish Higher
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Access to HE Diploma
106-122 Tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
GCSE/National 4/National 5
2 GCSEs at grade C/4 or above to include English.
Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Scottish Advanced Higher
104-120 Tariff points.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
Cambridge Pre-U score of 44-50.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
A level
T Level
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)
104-120 points from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate including 1 A level, plus the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.
Search Undergraduate Courses at University of Portsmouth
Find more courses from University of Portsmouth with our undergraduate course search.
Upcoming Open Days at University of Portsmouth
6
Sep, 2025

University of Portsmouth6 Sep 2025
Undergraduate Open Day
12
Oct, 2025

University of Portsmouth12 Oct 2025
Undergraduate Open Day
8
Nov, 2025

University of Portsmouth8 Nov 2025
Undergraduate Open Day
Request More Information
Request Information Request Information
Any questions about a specific university or course? Request some information and find out everything you need to know.
Fees and funding
Unfortunately, we're unable to gather fee information for this course.
Order Free Prospectuses
The ideal way to read about detailed course information is with a university prospectus. Request a FREE prospectus and learn more about this course today.