BA Fashion
About this course
BA (Hons) in Fashion, a fashion design degree focused on creative garment creation and industry practice. Core topics include Research Methods, Engineering Design, and Critical & Analytical Thinking. Students can undertake a four-year route that incorporates an advanced graduate collection and specialized professional portfolio development. The first year covers foundational practices through understanding the fashion industry, fashion drawing and communication, creative pattern cutting and garment construction methods, and research methods. The second year progresses with designing for celebrating inclusivity, understanding diverse consumer markets, and Design and Screen Cultures. The third year involves exchange, competitions, live projects, retail, marketing, costing, consumer awareness, and accessory design. The final year culminates in an advanced personal research plan, a graduate collection, and a written dissertation alongside a DesignBook.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A level: ABB (required: no specific A level subjects required) IB: 34 points with 655 at HL
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Admissions (2022 entry, home applicants)
Offer rate 6%: 30 offers from 480 applications, from the university's Freedom of Information return.
What students say
Based on about 20 final-year students who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 92%
- Learning opportunities: 95%
- Assessment and feedback: 93%
- Academic support: 95%
- Organisation and management: 84%
- Learning resources: 97%
- Student voice: 92%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 20 students who started (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Continued on course: 90%
- Left higher education: 5%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 5%
What graduates do next
Based on about 8 graduates who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 85%
- Working and studying: 10%
- Unemployed: 10%
Most common jobs
- Design occupations: 35%
- Administrative occupations: 15%
- Artistic, literary and media occupations: 15%
- Secretarial and related occupations: 10%
- Sales occupations: 10%
- Find their work meaningful: 80%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 55%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 35%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 120 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 3%
- North West: 3%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 1%
- East Midlands: 3%
- West Midlands: 3%
- East of England: 3%
- London: 27%
- South East: 11%
- South West: 2%
- Wales: 1%
- Scotland: 40%
- Northern Ireland: 2%
Who gets in
Based on about 35 students who started
- A levels: 35%
- Access course: 5%
- Other HE qualification: 25%
- No formal qualifications: 35%
Modules
- understanding the fashion industry
- fashion drawing and communication
- creative pattern cutting and garment construction methods
- creative and experimental design methods with a 3D outcome
- research methods
- garment construction
- design and research methods applied through a series of creative project briefs
- designing for celebrating inclusivity
- understanding diverse consumer markets
- design and produce garment work to showcase at the annual fashion shows
- take part in the renowned DesignBook project, introducing computer-based technical drawing and portfolio-building skills
- take courses in Design and Screen Cultures which address the key histories and theories of design
- choose an optional course from the wider college, subject to availability
- exchange
- competitions
- live projects
- retail
- marketing
- costing
- consumer awareness
- innovation in material use in the industry
- tailoring and outerwear
- knitwear
- accessory design
- developing brand identity
- advanced fashion portfolio methods
- critical analysis of the wider fashion industry and your place within it
- an advanced personal research plan
- a personal design signature that allows sustained exploration of a range of collection design methods
- advanced ability in material sourcing, and skills in seeking external sponsorship to reduce costs
- advanced pattern cutting, prototyping and garment manufacture methods
- opportunities to utilise knitwear, printed and constructed textiles for fashion
- advanced portfolio skills, including advanced CAD fashion drawing methods
- a graduate collection that you may showcase at the annual ECA Fashion Shows and exhibit externally
- a written dissertation
- a DesignBook to serve as a professional portfolio for the industry and career development
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Fashion at University of Edinburgh earn?
The median salary is £26,500 after 15 months, £22,500 after 3 years, £27,500 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £21,000 and £37,000. The £27,500 median after five years is £1,500 more than the UK median for Design studies.
What do graduates of BA Fashion at University of Edinburgh do next?
90% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA Fashion at University of Edinburgh?
92% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA Fashion at University of Edinburgh?
The typical offer is ABB at A level, or 34 points in the IB. The average entrant had 154 UCAS points.
What is the offer rate for BA Fashion at University of Edinburgh?
6% of home applicants received an offer for 2022 entry: 30 offers from 480 applications, according to the university's Freedom of Information return.
Does BA Fashion at University of Edinburgh include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional year abroad.
How many students continue on BA Fashion at University of Edinburgh?
90% of students continued into their second year, and 5% left higher education.