BA (Hons), FHEA
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BA (Hons) Fashion Communication
Behind every successful campaign or publication lies communication. On BA (Hons) Fashion Communication, you'll learn how to keep up with this £26 billion UK industry while creating your own creative visual identity.
- Duration: 3 or 4 years full-time
- Placement year: Optional 1 year
- Course code: W111 (UCAS)
- Institution code: A66 (UCAS)
- Duration: 3 or 4 years full-time
- Placement year: Optional 1 year
- Course code: W111 (UCAS)
- Institution code: A66 (UCAS)
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Overview
Behind every successful fashion campaign or publication is a team of top communicators, working tirelessly across the diverse and rapidly evolving areas of marketing, branding, PR, styling, social media, and trend prediction, which fuels the £26 billion British fashion industry.
Your journey begins right here, right now.
Apply nowBA (Hons) Fashion Communication course information
Our BA (Hons) Fashion Communication course will help you to become part of this rapidly growing and exciting aspect of the fashion industry.
On BA (Hons) Fashion Communication, you’ll gain theoretical and practical skills by exploring the process behind creating effective and responsible fashion communication. You'll create forms of still and moving image and develop visual identities using the latest creative software. The course will help you to understand the theory and thought process behind everything from creating a narrative for an image or campaign, to building a brand identity.
Great fashion communication requires collaborative thinking and teamwork. In AUB’s creative community, you'll be introduced to, and encouraged to work with, students on other BA (Hons) courses, including Fashion, Commercial Photography, Textiles Design, Film Production and Make-up for Media and Performance, so the opportunities to collaborate and apply your skills are limitless. This will also allow you to gain confidence is creatively directing others to realise your own vision.
According to the British Fashion Council, the UK Fashion Industry supports 797,000 jobs. With a degree from AUB, you'll be able to make your own unique mark in this exciting space.
Our teaching and technical staff are exceptional. They're inspiring teachers, industry practitioners, technicians and researchers who are here to support you with your studies and help you to achieve outstanding outcomes.
Placement year
All undergraduate courses at AUB offer an optional placement year, to be taken between your second and third years of study.
If you’re unsure about this optional placement, you don’t need to decide now. Once you’re here and studying with us, the course team will discuss the placement options with you, so when the time comes, you can make a decision that’s right for you.
Level 4 (first year)
Exploration
Through the BA (Hons) Fashion Communication journey, you'll be challenged to problem-solve and explore possibilities to seek innovative and responsible solutions to concept origination, application and final outcomes. On this course, you’ll develop a creative tool kit of skills, knowledge and practice, which will underpin and inform your personal and professional growth to develop your sense of place within the creative industry.
The units will allow you to critically reflect on the study of fashion communication from the beginning of the course by exploring design and fashion theory from the past and present to inform the future. Your first unit unpacks how fashion can be used as a communication tool. Your second unit uses the mediums of photography and styling to consider the meaning behind images that are communicated in fashion. At the end of your first year, you'll create an individual project concept that may involve aspects of collaboration, where you’ll begin to define strengths and specialist choices through the production of a publication that embeds the core skills learned in the first two terms.
By studying three core units across the year that underpin the discipline of fashion communication, you'll investigate and experience the range of possible practices and areas of study you may want to engage with as a fashion communicator during your time on the course.
The Level 4 journey will not only shape your experience through learning new skills and knowledge – it'll also identify your strengths, interests and areas of specialisms, as well as introducing you to relevant and contemporary creative practices. It'll also ensure that you engage with a broad range of experiences, which will support specialist decisions in the future.
Level 5 (second year)
Innovation
During your second year of study, you'll develop a critical understanding of consumer behaviour and market diversity, while also directly informing your approach to focused communication development and market analysis. You'll engage with distinct and challenging research methods and visual communication techniques through problem-solving and live briefs.
You'll be encouraged to question existing practices and look for new and innovative solutions, exploring diversity, ethics, niche market opportunities, and by developing empathic consideration for the local and global fashion industry. You'll develop a portfolio of visual and written communication material to promote yourself in your continued personal and professional development.
The first unit explores moving image through a live client brief by considering how fashion films form a large part of contemporary marketing campaigns, especially via social media. The second unit is a live client brief that requires radical thinking to come up with your own fashion communication campaign and allows you to begin to focus on the communication mediums that you prefer, such as photography, film, graphic design, illustration, or publication. The third unit aims to explore research methods fashion communication practice, allowing you to develop a ‘passion project’ that reflects your creative identity and interests.
At the end of your second year, you'll be able to undertake an optional UK or international work experience placement year to help prepare you for your graduate future by giving you firsthand experience of the expectations around creative industry practice.
Level 6 (third year)
Application
In your final year, you'll undertake a Research Project unit and a Final Major Project that's relevant to your desired graduate future. Your projects will be appropriate for your portfolio and for your graduate show, relevant exhibitions, and related graduate fashion events.
In the first term, you'll produce a research project in which you'll demonstrate an advanced range of research and writing skills. You'll also experiment for your Final Major Project through researching ideas and creating prototypes, culminating in a ‘work in progress’ exhibition at the end of the first term. Your second term is dedicated to the completion of your Final Major Project, which you'll use to showcase your own creative identity.
The third term focuses on preparing you for your graduate future by exploring your personal brand and your portfolio. Whether you're looking to start your career or move into further study, the course will help you to transition to the next steps and showcase your work by working with you as an individual.
Ultimately, the final year requires you to define the final direction of your theory and practice. It encourages you to be focused and innovative. You'll graduate with the knowledge, understanding, skills and creative agility necessary to further develop your specialist practices for your chosen graduate future.
We actively encourage you to form collectives, freelance, start your own business, organise events and exhibitions, complete internships, enter competitions and work collaboratively.
Our BA (Hons) Fashion Communication students and alumni have gone on to win great things:
2024
- Graduate Fashion Week (GFW) – Fashion Styling and Creative Direction Award (Brandon Bolland)
- GFW Portfolio Awards – Jimmy Choo Academy (JCA) MA Scholarship Award (Grace Emerson)
- GFW shortlisted awards: New Business Award, Fashion Marketing Award, Moving Image Award, Terry Mansfield Publication Award, Culture and Heritage Award
- Creative Conscience Award (Kitty King Murrison)
- Size? Syllabus Awards – Research and Development Award (Maddie Rondel); University Partner of the Year Award (AUB BA (Hons) Fashion Communication)
2019–2023
- Graduate Fashion Week (GFW) – New Fashion Media Award (winner), Terry Mansfield Publication Award (winner), Styling and Creative Award (winner), Art Direction Award (winner), Catwalk to High Street Award (winner), Portfolio Award (winner), Menswear Award (winner), New Business Award (shortlisted), Illustration Award (shortlisted)
- Aesthetica Film Festival Student Film Award
- ID: Diversity Now Award
- ASVOFF Fashion Film Award
- Creative Conscience Awards – Bronze, Highly Commended
- Size? Syllabus Awards (various)
Student gallery
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Meet the BA (Hons) Fashion Communication course team
BA, MA RCA
Fashion Communication is all about making content and campaigns for brands. We encourage students to explore a plethora of omni-media content platforms and tools (analogue and digital) to create innovative and responsible campaigns and other communication outcomes. Our students develop a research-led and problem-solving approach to understanding the DNA of fashion brands and consumer behaviour, which encourages students to create relevant and responsible campaign activations.
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Chat on UnibuddyApplication process
Once you've found the perfect Undergraduate course, you can apply to study via UCAS, including direct entry applications to second and third year.
When applying through UCAS, use the institution code A66 for courses taught at Arts University Bournemouth. For courses based at Bournemouth and Poole College, use code B49. We'll then use your completed UCAS form to make decisions about your application. You can find out more on entry requirements in our apply section.
When you apply to one of our courses, it's important that you help us get a good picture of both you and your work – so you'll need a great personal statement. We want to know more about why you're interested in the course, your key influences, and what you hope to do after your studies.
If you're invited for an interview, many of our courses will ask to see a portfolio of your work so we can get more insight into your ideas and abilities. To help you, we've created guidelines outlining what we expect from your portfolio for each course.
The fee that you pay the Arts University Bournemouth provides the necessary equipment and training for you to complete your course.
You may also choose to buy some items of personal equipment such as a laptop or tablet computer, but this is not required; desktop and laptop computers are available for you to use in common study areas, including a loan system in the Library.
If you decide to undertake an optional placement year, the tuition fee is £1,850. This is subject to inflationary increases based on government policy, and providing you progress through the course in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
For the majority of our courses, we'll ask you to digitally submit a portfolio as part of the application process.
Portfolios should show examples of your work – both finished and work in progress – that demonstrate your interests and skills. We expect to see around 10 slides/images in your portfolio that shows your identity as an artist.
If we ask for a digital portfolio then we'll give you 30 days to submit it. Sometimes we'll need a portfolio submitted quickly if there's a UCAS set deadline approaching, but if you need more time, just let us know and we'll try to help.
We've created specific portfolio guidelines for each of our courses, you can take a look at these below.
If you've applied to study an online postgraduate (MA) degree, please refer to the AUB Online portfolio guidelines.
None of our courses currently require an interview.
The only course requiring an audition is BA (Hons) Acting and if you're invited to one you'll have at least 10 days notice.
Studios and resources
Printroom
Our printmaking facilities are a hub of creativity on campus and have been inspiring students since 1964.
Digital Fashion
AUB was one of the first UK Universities to implement and deliver the exciting 3D prototyping technology back in 2005...
The Library
The Library at AUB holds an excellent range of print and online collections
3D Workshop
Our 3D workshops with manual and digital manufacturing equipment and computers
Drawing Studio
Our iconic blue Drawing Studio is used by student from all courses and was designed by alumnus Sir Peter Cook...
Digital Suites
Our Digital Suites offer a digital post-production facility and digital teaching space.
Lecture Theatres and Seminar Rooms
We have a number of lecture theatres and seminar rooms scattered around campus to assist students with their studies.
Central Media Store
The Central Media store houses a diverse array of equipment, offering students the means to craft and capture...
Innovation Studio
The Innovation Studio operates as a lab for creative technologies, a nucleus for start-ups and enterprises and an industry engagement hub.
Letterpress and Bindery
The Letterpress and Bindery studio is a central resource, where students can learn and explore bookbinding and letterpress printing.
Photography Studios
Photography and Commercial Photography students will have access to our seven photographic studios.
Teaching and learning
The course combines both independent learning and taught sessions throughout all levels.
Each unit is assessed separately, and the assessment forms part of the unit. Assessment both provides a measure of your achievement, and also gives you regular feedback on how your learning is developing.
Taught sessions are designed to support, underpin and inform independent learning and are delivered in a variety of styles, including a diverse range of ongoing practical workshops, demonstrations, lectures, group and individual tutorials, seminars, critiques, unit briefings and optional study visits. These are delivered by the course team and supplemented by visiting practitioners from the fashion and related sectors.
The study time allocated to each unit in the course incorporates a balance of formal teaching, tutorial support and independent learning.
The course team has developed a variety of learning and teaching methods which support different learning styles, inclusivity and access to learning. The main focus for the learning and teaching methods is through the assignment(s) undertaken for each unit, which reflect the level of study.
The course team has developed team teaching opportunities, both within the core team and in collaboration with Visiting Tutors and industry professionals, to enhance learning opportunities and to further your knowledge and awareness of industry practices and expectations. The team also regularly attends new and updated training, seminars and conferences in order to keep delivery current and in line with industry requirements.
The course is structured progressively to provide increased opportunities for independent learning as you reach the later stages of the course. The progressive promotion of independent learning and self-reflection encourages anticipated maturity and allows you to direct learning towards individual goals. Emphasis is placed upon reflective practice where you'll be expected to progressively take personal responsibility for your learning.
Teaching is directed at supporting individual engagement in learning, although there are opportunities to work in teams to enable you to learn the value of peer co-operation. As a member of the cohort, you'll be an active participant in learning and teaching and through this, the sharing of good practice is established. Peer learning is facilitated through group critiques and feedback sessions, collaborative projects and more informally within the studio environment.
Contact hours include all scheduled teaching sessions, but also supervised time in the workshop or studio. In line with national guidance, we include in our calculation of contact hours all the time which is scheduled in the studio for independent study which is also supported by staff (either academic staff, or technicians).
The information provided below gives the proportion of your study time which constitutes contact hours. Where there are optional routes through the course, we've used the figures for the most popular option.
For every unit of your course, we'll inform you of what you're expected to learn, what you have to submit, how your work will be assessed, and the deadline for presenting your work for assessment. This is made available through Unit Information, which is on your course blog.
You'll receive a final mark for each unit in the form of a percentage, which will be recorded on your formal record of achievement (transcript). Each component of assessment is graded using a notched marking scale, whereby only certain marks are used within each grade. The only marks available within any ten-point band are *2, *5 and *8 (e.g. 62, 65, 68). These marks correspond to a low, mid, and high level of achievement within each grade band.
All learning outcomes must be passed to successfully complete the unit.
On successful completion of your Honours degree course, you'll be awarded a degree classification based on your unit marks. The final classification is determined using all unit marks at Levels 5 and 6 using two different algorithms, which are detailed in the HE Student Regulations. If the two algorithms produce different results, you'll be awarded the higher class of degree.
If you've joined Level 6 through either the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) route or having completed a Foundation Degree (FdA), the final classification is determined using only your unit marks at Level 6.
For further information on assessment, progression, awards and classifications, please visit viewpoint.aub.ac.uk.
What our BA (Hons) Fashion Communication graduates are doing
Students studying BA (Hons) Fashion Branding and Communication achieve great things, including roles such as:
- Senior Brand Marketing Executive – Kurt Geiger
- Senior Social Media Manager – Social Coast Social
- Graphic Designer – Flannels
- Senior Graphic Designer – The Telegraph
- Freelance Creative Director
- Production Coordinator – Fjallraven
- Senior Events Assistant – British Fashion Council
- Styling Coordinator – Moss
- Stylist Club Assistant – Harvey Nichols
- Designer – Disney
- Senior UX/UI Designer – SoBold
- PR Executive and Fashion Scout – Felicities PR London
- Buying Admin Assistant – Reiss
- Merchandising Assistant – All Saints
Ed Earl – BA (Hons) Fashion Branding and Communication
Ed Earl has earned a great reputation as AUB’s Student Union President for 2023-24. Since being elected for the role, they've secured...
