This future-oriented course equips graduates with adaptable skills to navigate a changing industry and prioritise ethical responsibility and inclusive design, combining creative thinking and technical skills. Our BA (Hons) Fashion emphasises visual research, conceptual thinking, material exploration, commercial awareness and professional communication within a supportive fashion community.
Our course will encourage you to explore concept development, pattern cutting, 3D digital rendering, tailoring and professional garment construction supported by technical skills and couture levels of craftsmanship. Guest lectures, seminars and workshops with acclaimed practitioners, stylists and academics will give you insight into how the industry works.
You will have access to studio space, specialist fashion design resources and well-equipped workshops run by on-site technical staff. Our Fashion studios and workshops are the right setting to develop your ideas and perfect essential skills such as drawing, digital design and professional presentation. We will help you to develop a professional portfolio to showcase your design identity and profile the quality of your manufactured garments to employers.
Accreditation and memberships
Our course benefits from close industry links and is a member of the British Fashion Colleges Council and the Graduate Fashion Foundation.
Founded in 1993 to create an interface between education and industry, the BFC Colleges Council membership programme represents the leading fashion departments in universities throughout the UK and connects the extensive network of experienced course leaders with the fashion and wider creative industries together in support of arts and fashion education.
Graduate Fashion Foundation is a charitable organisation and an essential part of the fashion industry. It is the springboard for new talent and a bridge between education and employment.
Why study with us
Study a fast-paced and varied curriculum of fundamental fashion in which the individual student voice is developed through personal choice of research topics, client profiles and creative outcomes.
Build an advanced technical skill base in pattern cutting, fabric development and manufacturing to create 3D garments.
Explore professional ways of communicating ideas and essential digital skills and build a strong fashion industry awareness.
Study core topics including contemporary narratives on craft practices and traditional skills, creative cut and digital fashion, as well as international relations, social, cultural and gender identities.
Undertake projects that push you to take creative risks with both ideation and execution. You’ll also gain practical experience through industry-focused projects with brands like John Lewis, Superdry and Ralph Lauren.
Live projects, competitions and industry placements help you engage in and build external networks and opportunities, preparing you to be industry-ready beyond graduation.
Coursedetails
Integrated Foundation Year (optional)
Integrated Foundation Year
Our Integrated Foundation Year is designed to equip students with the necessary skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive in their chosen degree subject. The course provides a comprehensive introduction to various disciplines, blending critical thinking and creative problem-solving with practical hands-on experience. This year serves as a bridge to undergraduate studies, allowing students to explore their interests within a supportive and inspiring environment, while familiarising themselves with the campus, workshops, and tutors.
This first unit focuses on creative experimentation and the development of core technical skills. Throughout the unit you will be introduced to historical and contemporary designers and cultural, sustainable and ethical concepts – encouraging you to question how fundamental aspects of global design practice and theory can be used as research tools to develop design concepts and creative identity. You will gain insight into fibres and fabrics, engage in life drawing, and be introduced to design software. The unit also includes an introduction to flat pattern cutting, 3D manipulation, and fundamental construction and manufacturing techniques. You will be supported to discover the University’s resources and campus, to help you understand the fundamentals of studying at university level.
40 credits
Explore and Experiment (80 credits)
In this unit, you will explore and experiment with techniques and materials to enhance your creative skillset. Using an iterative approach, you will evolve your ideas through the development of your research process book, fabric/textile exploration, and the creation of 3D prototypes. You will further enhance relevant manufacturing techniques and creative pattern-cutting and draping methods, as well as further develop your design software skills to include Clo3D. Throughout this unit you will investigate how to communicate your design ideas in 2D, and 3D forms, with consideration towards ethical and sustainable practices. The unit will help you to strengthen your transferable skills through teamwork, presentation skills, organisation, and project planning. You will collaborate with final-year students across the department, assisting with their collections while gaining insight into a variety of industry sectors and roles to help support your personal career trajectory.
80 credits
Wayfinding Week
The first week of each academic year is called Wayfinding week. It’s an opportunity get your bearings, establish new connections and, after your first year at Norwich, re-establish old ones. Your course team will talk you through the year ahead and explain the expectations for the year. We’ll help you navigate new encounters and identify areas to focus on as you progress through your course.
Make it Manifest(o)
An important element of Wayfinding Week is taking part in our annual ‘Make it Manifest(o)’ project. Your course team will introduce the project in which we’ll ask you to consider your hopes and vision of the year ahead at Norwich and work with students in other year groups to bring your ideas to life. The project culminates in a celebratory display of work across the campus. The project will help you to develop your critical creativity through different approaches, concepts, and mediums. You’ll encounter diverse perspectives and build friendships and networks within our university community.
Interchange Week
Interchange weeks are opportunities to step away from your disciplinary studies and engage in projects, workshops, visits and talks that extend your knowledge and understanding of the world. Whether you learn a new skill or take part in a global challenge project with students from other courses, you will come away with new insights to take back to your course. Interchange is part of the schedule for all Norwich students with sessions held across and beyond the campus led by university staff, visiting lecturers and students.
Year 2
Core Units
Global Contexts (80 credits)
In this unit, you will explore and experiment with techniques, materials, and media. Through industry-based projects and workshops, you will apply your creative design ideas to practical and creative fashion design skills and problem-solving through 2D and 3D experimentation. You will explore a range of manufacturing and finishing techniques and alternative methods of pattern-cutting and draping, as well as develop your design software skills, including Clo3D. Using an iterative approach, you’ll evaluate your work by developing research process books and 3D prototyping and sample development, with an emphasis on ethical and sustainable practices. The unit will introduce you to fashion sectors and career paths and increase your knowledge of teamwork, presentation skills, organisation and project planning.
80 credits
Collaboration (40 credits)
This unit focuses on helping you understand your practice in a broader context through collaboration and working together in mixed teams on projects, where you will use your creative ideas to generate solutions to a challenge or brief. Understanding and utilising different perspectives and practices the projects will allow you to explore how creativity can make an impact in society by understanding the client’s needs, problem solving, experimentation, and risk-taking. This collaborative learning experience will expose you to a range of new processes and approaches that will develop your creative thinking.
40 credits
Core Projects
Wayfinding Week
The first week of each academic year is called Wayfinding week. It’s an opportunity get your bearings, establish new connections and, after your first year at Norwich, re-establish old ones. Your course team will talk you through the year ahead and explain the expectations for the year. We’ll help you navigate new encounters and identify areas to focus on as you progress through your course.
Make it Manifest(o)
An important element of Wayfinding Week is taking part in our annual ‘Make it Manifest(o)’ project. Your course team will introduce the project in which we’ll ask you to consider your hopes and vision of the year ahead at Norwich and work with students in other year groups to bring your ideas to life. The project culminates in a celebratory display of work across the campus. The project will help you to develop your critical creativity through different approaches, concepts, and mediums. You’ll encounter diverse perspectives and build friendships and networks within our university community.
Interchange Week
Interchange weeks are opportunities to step away from your disciplinary studies and engage in projects, workshops, visits and talks that extend your knowledge and understanding of the world. Whether you learn a new skill or take part in a global challenge project with students from other courses, you will come away with new insights to take back to your course. Interchange is part of the schedule for all Norwich students with sessions held across and beyond the campus led by university staff, visiting lecturers and students.
Diploma Year (optional)
Level 5 Diploma (120 credits)
Students have the opportunity to spend a year after the second of their degree (or the third year if studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year) enhancing their employability options through a Level 5 Diploma. They can choose from courses designed to provide:
opportunities to gain industry insight, developing employability skills through a series of supported experiences, expanding professional networks and building confidence in the workplace, or
an introduction to creative computing, building an understanding of how coding skills can be used to advance and complement creative practice.
This is the first and shorter of the two units that make up your final year of undergraduate study. You’ll develop strong conceptual and practical skills through extensive research, design development, original pattern cutting and craftsmanship, technical refresher sessions, campus workshop refreshers, and identifying software for CAD, laser cutting, and practical digital practices. The unit examines future and emerging practices, guiding students to find their creative identity and investigate ideas through live briefs and competitions. You will produce a research report on a topic broadly related to fashion and your practice, expanding on the research ideas developed in your second year. You’ll apply various research methods and methodological approaches, informed by your approach to your creative practice and future career aspirations.
40 credits
Resolution and Career Development (80 credits)
Your final unit allows you to research, conceptualise, and create a self-determined final-year project(s), building on the skills, knowledge and understanding you have gathered throughout the programme. Throughout the unit, you will continue to enhance your creative approaches by engaging in workshops, fostering a critical mindset and mastery of materials, technologies, and processes. The year will include opportunities to engage with industry through live projects, competitions, or professional bodies, including Graduate Fashion Week and the British Fashion Council. The year will culminate in showcasing your collection/product and portfolio for a catwalk show or exhibition to a range of audiences and providing opportunities for your ongoing personal and professional development.
80 credits
Core Projects
Wayfinding Week
The first week of each academic year is called Wayfinding week. It’s an opportunity get your bearings, establish new connections and, after your first year at Norwich, re-establish old ones. Your course team will talk you through the year ahead and explain the expectations for the year. We’ll help you navigate new encounters and identify areas to focus on as you progress through your course.
Make it Manifest(o)
An important element of Wayfinding Week is taking part in our annual ‘Make it Manifest(o)’ project. Your course team will introduce the project in which we’ll ask you to consider your hopes and vision of the year ahead at Norwich and work with students in other year groups to bring your ideas to life. The project culminates in a celebratory display of work across the campus. The project will help you to develop your critical creativity through different approaches, concepts, and mediums. You’ll encounter diverse perspectives and build friendships and networks within our university community.
Interchange Week
Interchange weeks are opportunities to step away from your disciplinary studies and engage in projects, workshops, visits and talks that extend your knowledge and understanding of the world. Whether you learn a new skill or take part in a global challenge project with students from other courses, you will come away with new insights to take back to your course. Interchange is part of the schedule for all Norwich students with sessions held across and beyond the campus led by university staff, visiting lecturers and students.
Assessment for this course is entirely coursework-based, meaning there are no exams. Your progress will be evaluated through the projects and assignments you complete for each unit. Throughout the year, you’ll receive ongoing feedback to help you refine your work and develop your skills. To support your learning and ensure you achieve the course outcomes, we use a variety of assessment methods, including:
Look around our city-centre campus, and you will find studios, media labs, and creative spaces in 13 buildings that sit among the cafés, bars, independent galleries and shops of Norwich’s cultural quarter.
The UK’s creative sector is thriving, contributing £111.7 billion annually to the economy and offering over 2 million jobs.
Employability and career development are integral to every unit of our courses, ensuring students are well-prepared for the industry. Our students go on to secure exciting roles, launch successful businesses, and make a lasting impact in many sectors worldwide.
From day one, you’ll also get specialist career advice from our Business and Employability Team to help support you as you plan your career.
Typical career paths
During the final year of the course, through practical and theoretical research, development, and outcomes, you’ll identify a personal strategy that sets you up for career success.
Our students gain industry recognition through success in competitions with British Fashion Council, Graduate Fashion Week, Anne Tyrrell Student Design Award, Golden Shears and the international Arts of Fashion awards.
Graduates have secured diverse fashion, design and manufacturing-related roles at H&M, Ted Baker, Victoria Beckham, Marks & Spencer, Outfit Arcadia Group, Blakely and Yarmouth Oilskins. Others have progressed to post graduate research, in areas such as bio-material research and creative health for art therapy. Some graduates secure education roles in school and post-16 providers while others establish their own businesses.
Freelance Designer
In-House Designer
Bespoke Tailor
Creative Pattern Cutter
Buyer
Design Consultant
Fashion Illustrator
Garment Technologist
Visual Merchandiser
Fashion Stylist
Other graduates have progressed to postgraduate research, in areas such as bio-material research and creative health for art therapy. Some graduates secure education roles in school and post-16 providers while others establish their own businesses.
92% of our graduates are in employment or further education within six months of graduating”
Graduate Outcomes 2021
Entry requirements
Norwich University of the Arts welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds.
If the qualification that you are studying is not shown, do not worry as we are able to accept other pre-entry qualifications as well as combinations of different qualifications.
GCE A/AS Levels 3 A-level qualifications at grades BCC (104 UCAS Tariff points) or above. Where candidates are not taking 3 A-levels, Norwich University of the Arts will consider combinations of A-level/AS-level and other Level 3 qualifications.
BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction, Merit, Merit in an art, design or media related subject
BTEC Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction*, Distinction* in an art, design or media related subject
T Levels
A T Level in any subject with overall grade A* to C (Pass)
UAL Extended Diploma
Merit
UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass
UAL Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass
Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass
Access to Higher Education Diploma (Art and Design)
Pass
International Baccalaureate Diploma
A minimum of 26 points
Norwich University of the Arts welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds.
If the qualification that you are studying is not shown, do not worry as we are able to accept other pre-entry qualifications as well as combinations of different qualifications.
GCE A/AS Levels 2 A-level qualifications at grades CC (64 UCAS Tariff points) or above.
BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Merit, Merit, Pass in an art, design or media related subject
BTEC Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction*, Merit in an art, design or media related subject
T Levels
Pass (D or E on the core)
UAL Extended Diploma
Pass
UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass
UAL Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass
Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass
International Baccalaureate Diploma
A minimum of 26 points
We accept qualifications from all over the world.
To find our entry requirements from a specific country, please check our dedicated international pages.
English language qualifications
Most international students are required to hold an English language qualification. Applicants are required to have a minimum UKVI approved IELTS exam score of 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each section. Equivalent English language qualifications are acceptable such as, IB English language syllabus A or B/English Literature (Grade 4).
Portfolios should show examples of your work — both finished and work in progress — that demonstrate your interests and skills. Your portfolio should be made up of work that reflects your creativity, personal interests and influences, as well as demonstrating your technical skills and ability. It doesn’t have to be perfect as we can assess your potential from your work in progress.
Your portfolio should be relevant to this course, but you can include a wide range of work that shows your creativity, technical competence and understanding of storytelling.
Integrated Foundation Year (optional): £9,535 per year
Level 5 Diploma Year (optional): £9,535 year
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Fees for subsequent years
Tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation, subject to government regulations. The inflation rate used is expected to be the Retail Price Index excluding mortgage payments (RPIX). We would confirm this in advance to you of each academic year.
Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience.
Additional Costs
Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert employability team, access to workshops and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are also other costs which you may need to consider.
Tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year:
BA course (three year): £18,500
Integrated Foundation Year (optional): £18,500
level 5 Diploma year (optional): £18,500
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Fees for subsequent years
For Overseas students starting in 2025 inflation will be applied to your fees in later years. We will confirm this in advance to you of each academic year, and we will limit the increase to no more than the Office for Students’ recommended inflationary measure.
Please take a look at our International students page for information about fees, scholarships for international students, visas and much more.
Additional Costs
Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert employability team, access to workshops and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are also other costs which you may need to consider.
How to apply
All applications for undergraduate courses will need to be made via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
You’ll need our university UCAS code (N39) as well as your course code which you’ll find on your course page.
When you register with UCAS you will need include your previous and current qualifications information, personal statement, and reference.
Once we receive your application form through UCAS, we will email confirmation that we have received it and will give you access and instructions for logging into the applicant portal. Our decision will be communicated via UCAS.
Full-time Undergraduate International applicants can either apply via UCAS or directly by completing the online application form below or emailing the downloadable form to ioadmissions@norwichuni.ac.uk
