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Introduction
Why choose this course?
Key features
We are recognised as one of the country’s most sustainable fashion and textiles schools (Green Gown Awards, 2021) and one of the best fashion schools in the world for 2022 (CEOWORLD, 2022).
Connect with external Associations and trade organisations such as Association of Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry (ASBCI) and Association for Fashion Business Employability (AFBE) to grow your skills and confidence and your network.
Engage with industry partners to learn exciting insights that could inspire you, feed into your work, and connect you with your future role.
Learn fashion finance – the budgets, trading forecasts, effective sales analysis and planning.
Develop industry-recognised merchandising expertise through an understanding of range building, sales forecasting, critical path management and presentation skills.
Enhance your career prospects by choosing a year-long placement in the UK or overseas. Our students have experienced life at Tommy Hilfiger, O'Neill, Next, Marks & Spencer, Reiss, George, Selfridges, River Island, Joules, G-Star, Mamas & Papas, and at several supply bases. Many go on to work for these big brands, or are now running their own successful businesses.
Take part in our international experience programme, DMU Global. Fashion students have benefited from trips to Porto, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Hong Kong and New York, meeting key influencers at top fashion brands.
Utilise an award-winning design space – the Vijay Patel Building – containing specialist facilities to foster fresh ideas and creativity.
Benefit from Education 2030, where a simplified ‘block learning’ timetable means you will study one subject at a time and have more time to engage with your learning, receive faster feedback and enjoy a better study-life balance.
Overview
The fashion industry is rapidly evolving: technological developments, global influences and shifts in consumer behaviour mean that there has never been a more exciting time to study Fashion Business. You will study fashion business models and strategies, marketing, buying, data analytics, with digital transformation, sustainability and responsible business practice being overarching principles.
Through working on projects and industry case studies, you will develop your fashion business acumen in an industry context. You will have conference opportunities, work experience, visits and trips. You will develop a skill set that combines specialist knowledge with strategic thinking to help you develop an exciting career as a fashion business professional with a wide range of opportunities within the fashion industry.
With access our award-winning facilities, you are able to experience a ‘hands on’ approach to learning about fashion product through our textile labs. This makes our Fashion Business a unique course that also offers an option to transfer to the Fashion Buying with Marketing or Merchandising course after the first year. Expert subject staff are on hand to guide students in their progression through a strong tutoring system and network of opportunity.
Modules
Entry Criteria
ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.
IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.
Entry criteria
Typical entry requirements
We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds.
Art and Design Foundation or
112 points from at least 2 A ‘levels
BTEC Extended Diploma DMM
International Baccalaureate: 26+ Points or
T Levels Merit
Plus five GCSEs grades 9-4 including English Language or Literature, and Maths at grade 4 or above.
Pass Access with 30 Level 3 credits at Merit and GCSE English (Language or Literature) and Maths at grade 4 or above
We will normally require students to have had a break from full time education before undertaking the Access course.
We also accept the BTEC First Diploma plus two GCSEs including English Language, Literature and Maths at grade 4 or above
English language requirements
If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.
English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.
First year
Block 1: Fashion Consumer and Marketplace
Block 2: Fashion Business
Block 3: Fashion Lifecycle
Block 4: Sustainable Futures
Second year
Block 1: Business Models and Fashion Management
Block 2: Design Innovation and Sustainable Futures
Block 3: Fashion Business Analytics
Block 4: Fashion Marketing, Communications and Branding
Third year
Block 1 and 2: Fashion Business Solutions and Fashion Enterprise and Innovation
Block 3 and 4: Major Research Project
Assessment
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview
Teaching and assessment
Structure
You will learn through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, group work and self-directed study. There are regular tutorials and reviews which allow you to reflect on and develop your work.
Assessment is through coursework, presentations, phase-tests, essays and reports. This will include live projects with industry and an option of a research project for your final year.
Contact hours
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, group work and self-directed study. Assessment is through coursework (presentations, essays and reports) Your precise timetable will depend on the optional modules you choose to take, however, in your first year you will normally attend around 10-15 hours of timetabled taught sessions (lectures and tutorials) each week, and we expect you to undertake at least 25 further hours of independent study to complete project work and research.
Each module provides tutorials for individual consultation with the lecturer. You will also have timetabled meetings with your personal tutor and careers and/or subject meetings scheduled throughout the year.
Career Opportunities
Placements
This course gives you the option to enhance and build your professional skills to progress within your chosen career, through a placement. Our dedicated team offers a range of careers resources and opportunities so you can start planning your future.
We have excellent links with the fashion industry, ensuring you work on industry relevant projects and client briefs to gain more experience and build your external reputation before you graduate. This invaluable experience can enrich student capabilities and their final-year projects. Students have gone to big brands including Reiss, Boohoo, ASOS, George at Asda, Ralph Lauren, Timberland, Matalan, and O’Neill (Amsterdam).
DMU Global
Our innovative international experience programme DMU Global aims to enrich studies, broaden cultural horizons and develop key skills valued by employers.
Through DMU Global, we offer an exciting mix of overseas, on-campus and online international experiences, including the opportunity to study or work abroad for up to a year.
Students on this course have recently been to Porto, where they learnt about the fashion manufacturing cycle by visiting spinners, knitters, dye houses and manufacturers – culminating in a simulated design and negotiation task with suppliers. New York trips have involved visits to local museums, colleges, suppliers, product data management head offices, and a tour and talk at Gap’s head office.
Graduate careers
Our graduates go on to work in a variety of areas within fashion. Recent employers include ASOS, Selfridges, Next, Reiss, Marks & Spencer, River Island, and Joules, among many others.
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