BA Fashion Design
About this course
Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design, a fashion design degree centred on creative garment creation and industry practice. Core topics include Critical & Analytical Thinking, and Design & Creative Practice. The course includes a final-year project alongside options for an international year abroad or a professional placement year in industry. The first year covers foundational methods through Embedding Context into Practice, Fashion Design Principles and Materials, Fashion Futures, and Foundations of Fashion, establishing research, material exploration, and contextual theory. The second year progresses into sustainable and societal impacts via Broadening Sustainable Fashion Practice, Fashion Industry, and Integrating Fashion and Society, with optional collaborative briefs available through Collaborate (B), Collaborate (A), and Collaborate (C). The final year culminates in advanced professional preparation and the Final Major Project (Fashion Design), supported by Contemporary Context, Final Project Preparation, Professional Communication, and Professional Planning (Fashion Design). Students may also undertake the WSA Year Abroad or Year in Employment.
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: Our standard offer is BBC at A-level or equivalent qualification, we also consider grades of comparable value and offer on these taking into account the suitability of the portfolio submission for the intended course. IB: Pass, with 28 points overall with 14 points at Higher Level.
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What students say
Based on about 76 final-year students who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Teaching on my course: 92%
- Learning opportunities: 94%
- Assessment and feedback: 89%
- Academic support: 93%
- Organisation and management: 92%
- Learning resources: 87%
- Student voice: 90%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 130 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- Continued on course: 92%
- Left higher education: 8%
What graduates do next
Based on about 20 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 85%
- Working and studying: 10%
- Unemployed: 5%
Most common jobs
- Sales occupations: 20%
- Web and Multimedia Design Professionals: 15%
- Managers, directors and senior officials: 10%
- Science, engineering and technology associate professionals: 10%
- Artistic, literary and media occupations: 10%
- Find their work meaningful: 50%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 55%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 40%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 240 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 1%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 1%
- East Midlands: 2%
- West Midlands: 1%
- East of England: 9%
- London: 20%
- South East: 54%
- South West: 10%
- Wales: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 25 students who started (a small group: a rough guide only)
- A levels: 30%
- Foundation course: 65%
- Other qualifications: 5%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Silver overall, Silver for student experience, Silver for student outcomes.
Modules
- Embedding Context into Practice
- Fashion Design Principles and Materials
- Fashion Futures
- Foundations of Fashion
- Broadening Sustainable Fashion Practice
- Fashion Industry
- Integrating Fashion and Society
- Collaborate (B)
- Collaborate (A)
- Collaborate (C)
- WSA Year Abroad
- Contemporary Context
- Final Major Project (Fashion Design)
- Final Project Preparation
- Professional Communication
- Professional Planning (Fashion Design)
- Year in Employment
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Fashion Design at University of Southampton earn?
The median salary is £24,500 after 15 months, £21,500 after 3 years, £27,500 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £21,000 and £34,000. The £27,500 median after five years is £1,500 more than the UK median for Design studies.
What do graduates of BA Fashion Design at University of Southampton 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 Design at University of Southampton?
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 Design at University of Southampton?
The typical offer is BBC at A level, or 28 points in the IB. The average entrant had 119 UCAS points.
Does BA Fashion Design at University of Southampton include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional placement year.
How many students continue on BA Fashion Design at University of Southampton?
92% of students continued into their second year, and 8% left higher education.