BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Communication with Foundation Year
- Entry year:
- 2025/26
- Start date:
- September
- Study mode:
- Full-time
- Course duration:
- 4 years
- Campus:
- Mount Pleasant
Why study this course with LJMU?
- The Foundation Year introduces students to contemporary art and design practices, including Art History and drawing, with a focus on the acquisition and development of core academic skills that are needed for successful transition into level 4 and completion of the degree
- The FY supports students' induction and orientation to basic resources and workshops in the John Lennon Art and Design Building, and students will use the workshop areas and resources to develop module outcomes in a safe and appropriate manner, however, no dedicated studio space is provided
- Take a virtual tour of last year's Fashion: Design and Communication degree show
- Students have opportunities to study abroad or apply for art and design travel awards
- Specialise in either Fashion Design or Fashion Communication
- The programme is a member of the FTC (Association of Fashion and Textile Courses) as well as the Ethical Fashion Forum
About your course
The BA (Hons) Fashion: Design and Communication at Liverpool John Moores University offers you the opportunity to study either Fashion Design or Fashion Communication, while interacting within a creative, collaborative fashion environment.
The programme has been developed with two distinct pathways - each pathway benefitting from dedicated, separate studio spaces and teaching. The curriculum is delivered by specialists focused on their disciplines and close to the fashion community. You will be located in the award-winning John Lennon Art and Design Building within the School of Art and Design, which puts creative practice at its heart. During your studies, you will have a wealth of opportunities available to you, from live projects and competitions to developing an industry standard portfolio.
Innovation sits at the heart of our course, and the city of Liverpool is a source of inspiration for our students to grow and prosper as creative and forward thinking individuals. Following from Liverpool's tenure as European Capital of Culture in 2008, the city has flourished to become key destination for fashion and the visual arts. The School of Art and Design sits at the centre of the city's cultural renaissance and has forged close links with key arts organisations including Tate Liverpool, Liverpool Biennial and FACT.
Fashion Design and Communication tutors encourage an experimental individual approach to fashion, allowing you to create your own style within the framework of the course curriculum. This approach will enable you to progress into a wide-range of careers - from commercial and high-end design to self-employment, freelance work and postgraduate study. Students are able to work within their fields of choice building on a firm skillset to prepare them for careers in the industry.
In Fashion Design, students work from concept to final garment construction so they understand the process of design as well as the practical application. Research is essential to innovation and we embed fashion studies to further our students' individual interests. This knowledge is empowering and allows our graduates to work across a wide range of the fashion industry from High Street to Couture.
In Fashion Communication, our students are able to work across the whole syllabus, from branding, PR, marketing, photography and styling. With knowledge from location sourcing to final layout and editorial, they are able to offer specialist companies a whole package of transferable skills to work on a broad range of projects.
You will be able to keep up to date with the activities of students, staff and alumni of the Fashion: Design and Communications (BA Hons) degree by visiting our Instagram page.
Foundation Year
The Foundation Year pathway (level 3) introduces students to core academic skills needed to thrive in High Education, and provides an introduction to art and design principles and practices that are required for students to study on the BA (Hons) programmes at Liverpool School of Art and Design.
This unique Foundation Year is a preparatory year of study shared by Architecture, Fashion: Design & Communication, Fine Art, Graphic Design & Illustration, and Interior Architecture degree programmes. It is ideal if you have the interest and ability to study for a degree, but do not have the qualifications to enter directly onto the first year of a full honours degree. The Foundation Year allows greater access to the undergraduate programmes through a series of general taught modules that gradually build in exposure to discipline-specific practices, to enable students to be ready to take their place on the first year of their chosen full-time HE course.
Students are taught together as a non-discipline specific group in four out of six modules with opportunities to split into discipline-specific groups in the 'Exploring Materials, Process and Practice' and 'Studio Practice Project' modules. This non-disciplinary structure is designed to promote cross-disciplinary thinking and learning experiences. Students are also part of a wider level 3 community within the Faculty of Arts, Professional and Social Studies and study two academic skills modules ('Preparing for Success: Academic Skills', and 'Investigating Liverpool') with foundation students across the faculty.
There is a focus on the attainment of core academic skills, including writing, referencing, computer and research skills.
The Foundation Year aims to:
- Introduce students to contemporary art and design practices, including Art History and drawing
- Introduce core academic and general skills across four modules and introduce discipline specific subjects in two modules
- Foster the development of ideas through introductory 'exposures' and 'encounters' with materials, technologies and processes that replicate and simulate real-world interactions for making and collaborative practice
- Support students' induction and orientation to basic resources and workshops in the John Lennon Art and Design Building, and use key workshop areas and resources associated with their programmes in a safe and appropriate manner
- Acquire and develop the academic skills needed for successful transition into level 4 and completion of the degree
- Engage students to develop a self-directed and independent approach to learning
Students will have access to specialist workshops and technical support in the John Lennon Art and Design Building to develop their practical skills but no dedicated studio space is provided. You will spent a significant amount of time working online in our virtual learning environment, CANVAS.
Once you pass the Foundation Year you will progress directly onto the first year of the BA (Hons) Fashion: Design & Communication degree. If you are a full-time UK student, you will qualify for student financial support for the full duration of your course (subject to eligibility criteria).
Take a guided tour of the School of Art and Design
Course modules
What you will study on this degree
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Core modules
Core modules
Core modules
Optional modules
Core modules
Professional accreditation
The fashion team has a growing number of links with UK design support organisations such as the Fashion & Textile Association, Ethical fashion Forum and Graduate Fashion Week.
We also have strong links with local companies such as Matalan and BooHoo and Shop Direct, as well as national and international companies and designers who contact us directly for placements and live projects.
Your Learning Experience
Excellent facilities and learning resources
We adopt an active blended learning approach, meaning you will experience a combination of face-to-face and online learning during your time at LJMU. This enables you to experience a rich and diverse learning experience and engage fully with your studies. Our approach ensures that you can easily access support from your personal tutor, either by meeting them on-campus or via a video call to suit your needs.
Teaching delivery is a combination of one-to-one tutorials, small seminar groups, online activities and lectures as well as peer review and critiques. These activities are supported by a series of practical workshops. Tutorials may include personal tutoring for personal development planning (PDP) when you can discuss your academic and future career plans with your personal tutor.
Work-related Learning
Throughout the course you will be encouraged to view your work in the context of professional practise and get as much hands-on experience as you can before embarking on your career. This could be in the form of work placements or internships to really get a taste of the fashion industry and practice the skills you have learnt on the course. You will have the opportunity to speak to visiting lecturers from industry to find out more about the business of fashion and what careers are on offer.
In addition to placements we have lots of exciting live projects in house where students can get involved in a variety of opportunities to get first hand experience of fashion design and communication real life projects.
Graduates and current students have had placements with a variety of designers, stylists and retailers including:
- SEVENSTORE
- Christopher Raeburn
- THINK Publicity
- Wallpaper Magazine
- Giles Deacon
- McQ
- Preen
- Jonathan Saunders
- Peter Pilotto
- Pony Step Magazine
- Future Classics
- LOOK Magazine
- Richard Nicoll
- Felder Felder
- London Fashion Agency
- Luella
- Warehouse
- Matalan
- Ottoman Hands
- Chase PR
- Blow PR
- London Fashion Week
The courses engages regularly with competitions and live projects with organisations as diverse as Fashion Awareness Direct, Arts Thread, BooHoo, English National Ballet, Dr Martens, Show Studio and Matalan. These projects enable students to get real life experience and gain an understanding of industry practice whilst studying.
Dedicated personal tutor, plus study skills support
If you decide to pursue this degree course, you will join a supportive and creative environment where talent is nurtured and you are encouraged to really stretch boundaries. You will be expected to work independently and under pressure at times but our specialist staff will be on hand to guide you and give support when needed.
From the moment you begin your studies, you will be allocated a personal tutor, giving you plenty of opportunities to discuss course-related matters and your personal development at any time.
Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.
If you choose the Fashion Design Pathway, you will be expected to produce research and design development including samples, toiles, garments, illustration, photography and blogs. If you opt for Fashion Communication, you will also be expected to produce a body of research linked to a series of projects that could include Branding, Styling, PR, Blogs, Photography, Trends and Magazine editorial/s.
Other forms of assessment include written dissertation and reports, a personal development planning folder or a CV, biography, press release and/or blog.
Constructive feedback, whether formal or informal, is crucial in helping you to improve your performance and your tutors will always be on hand to help you evaluate your own work and assess progress.
Formative and summative feedback is given throughout the year at key points for each module.
Where you will study
What you can expect from your School
Cross-disciplinary learning in art and design subjects takes place in the Liverpool School of Art and Design 's John Lennon Art and Design Building, based in the Mount Pleasant Campus. Here students studying a variety of disciplines, including Architecture, Art in Science, Exhibition Studies, Fashion, Fine Art, Graphic Design, History of Art and Museum Studies and Interior Architecture, will have the opportunity to develop their work in state-of-the-art workspaces and facilities within a stimulating and critically demanding environment.
Course tutors
Andrew Ibi
- Programme leader
I am a versatile and creative visual designer with a broad range of experiences and skills across the fashion industry. I have worked professionally in the fields of Menswear Design, Contemporary Retailing & Buying, Costume Design & Styling and Design Consultation. I have spent the last few years working in academia, developing research around social trend and its impact on Design/Fashion and Sustainability as well as developing tomorrow's crop of young, expressive and professional talent.
I am a versatile and creative visual designer with a broad range of experiences and skills across the fashion industry. I have worked professionally in the fields of Menswear Design, Contemporary Retailing & Buying, Costume Design & Styling and Design Consultation. I have spent the last few years working in academia, developing research around social trend and its impact on Design/Fashion and Sustainability as well as developing tomorrow's crop of young, expressive and professional talent.
Andrew Ibi is a designer, artist and educator. He is currently the programme leader for the BA Fashion: Design & Communication course at Liverpool John Moores University. Awarded Graduate of the Year at Middlesex University in 1996, starting his career at Joe Casely-Hanford, Ibi went on to head up menswear design for Burlington and Club Monaco, before launching his own labels. In 2008, Ibi launched the concept space, The Convenience Fashion Store, stocking high-end, luxury womenswear including Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh and Maison Margiela. In recent years, his work in academia has involved developing research around social trends and its impact on design and has previously explored cultural nostalgia, belonging and displacement. In 2019, Andrew launched the arthouse swimwear brand, E.Macbean with his partner Eleanor, debuting during London Fashion Week 2019 with a presentation that explored the tensions between the female body and the fashion gaze.
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Lecturer/Senior Lecturer -
Lecturer
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Lecturer -
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer
People in the industry are so shocked that I am able to do all technical stuff as well as the creative input. I feel like we really do have the upper hand when we leave, and a lot more opportunities than other graduates.
Career paths
As a Fashion graduate, there are all sorts of careers open to you within the fashion and related industries.
Students from the Fashion degree go on to forge successful careers as designers (Menswear and Womenswear), photographers, stylists, buyers, illustrators, PR officers, events managers and merchandisers, both in the UK, Europe and beyond. We are exceptionally proud of the achievements of our graduates.
Many have gained significant international recognition for their work including, Rosie Davies, founder of the London Fashion Agency; Alena Johnson winner of Who's Next Pret-A-Porter; Phillip Whitehead Ted Baker; Danielle Windsor (Viktor & Rolf and Zara); Kirsty Doyle, winner of Project Catwalk; Andrew Foxall (Neil Barratt and Foxall Associates) ,John Mooney (ASOS), Hannah Smith BooHoo, and Kerry Crone, Matalan. Others have gone on to work with companies such as Erdem, Alexander McQueen, Dazed & Confused, Ted Baker, Adidas, PR companies, Sane Seven and Paul Smith.
The programme provides many opportunities to meet prospective employers in the fashion industry. For instance, you may take an active role in Graduate Fashion Week (GFW) where the programme won the Drapers Award for the best GFW publication.
As well as going directly into employment, some of our students go onto to study at postgraduate level in the UK and abroad. The Liverpool School of Art and Design offers students the opportunity to progress onto a range of Masters degrees including MA Fashion Innovation and Realisation, which provides students with opportunities to explore personal concepts and themes to a higher level.
The MA offers students the opportunity to work collaboratively with students studying Fine Art, Graphics Design and Illustration and Art in Science.
Student Futures - Careers, Employability and Enterprise Service
A wide range of opportunities and support is available to you, within and beyond your course, to ensure our students experience a transformation in their career trajectory. Every undergraduate curriculum includes Future Focus during Level 4, an e-learning resource and workshop designed to help you to develop your talents, passion and purpose.
Every student has access to Careers Zone 24/7, LJMU's suite of online Apps, resources and jobs board via the LJMU Student Futures website.
Tuition fees and funding
- Home full-time per year:
- £9,535
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as library membership and student IT support with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources including programme-appropriate software and on campus Wi-Fi.
Financial Support
The University offers a range of scholarships to support students through their studies. You'll find all the information you need on our specialist funding pages, including details of the Student Support Fund and other activities to support with the cost of living.
Additional Costs
In addition to fees, students should also keep in mind the cost of:
- Accommodation
- Travel costs including those for placements, visas and travel for studying abroad and field trips unless paid for by LJMU
- Stationery, IT equipment, professional body membership and graduation gown hire
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in accordance with any changes to the maximum allowable fees set by the UK Parliament. In the event of such a change, any fee increase will be subject to a maximum cap of 10% of the total course cost as originally stated at the time of your offer.
Entry requirements
Please choose your qualifications below to view requirements
Grades/points required from qualifications: DDD-CDD (72-80)
Work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth by visiting the UCAS Tariff Calculator.
Qualification requirements
How to apply
Securing your place at LJMU
UCAS is the official application route for our full-time undergraduate courses. Further information on the UCAS application process can be found here https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate-students/how-to-apply.
We are looking for students with an enthusiasm for fashion with a keen interest in contemporary style and image. You should be 100% dedicated to research into current and historical fashion cultures, and possess the following essential qualities:
- An enthusiasm for Art & Design based subjects
- Capable of discussing Art & Design issues
- The ability to analyse and reflectively criticise
- Visual awareness and communication
Fashion: Design and Communication is a broad and varied creative discipline. Applicants will be interviewed in groups and are required to bring a portfolio of work. A portfolio is simply a collection of drawings, images and documents that represent your work. It could include photographic content, film, written text, graphics, illustrations and other communication mediums. It should contain a well-presented collection of work that is creative and imaginative. Applicants may also present work on social media or relevant platforms.
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