Undertake experimental and progressive approaches to Fashion Design and develop your design potential in a highly creative environment.
Explore innovative technologies and sustainable fashion design systems for the future 
Investigate current global fashion systems and create individual design responses
Build confidence in a creative community and engage with real-world experiences beyond the University
Direct your own personal growth and future with a hybrid of traditional and virtual tools
Create a unique portfolio, take part in live projects and showcase your designs at industry-recognised events

This course gives you the skills and design acumen to thrive in the exciting world of fashion. Through practical and applied projects, you’ll experience a diverse range of sectors, in preparation for finding your individual focus.

This course also allows you to specialise in and receive a different named award – BA Fashion Design (Digital) – which includes emerging fields such as avatar and games design.

Work placements

You’ll have the opportunity to arrange work placements between your second and third years. Previously, students have worked with Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Reiss and ASOS. You may also be able to work or study abroad with the possibility of funding through the Erasmus+ programme (until 2023) or the Turing Scheme. 

Enterprise year

Brilliant business ideas can be developed between your second and third years. There’s plenty of support to draw on, including the University’s business support network, the Hallam i-Lab business incubator, a start-up advisor, workshops and funding opportunities.

Real-world projects

You’ll work on live briefs set by commercial organisations, presenting you with real-world challenges and giving you invaluable insights into industry life. Previously, students have worked with teams at Ted Baker, Amanda Wakeley, Adidas and Vivienne Westwood, with awards including cash prizes or industry work placements. Our students also often take part in high-profile events like the British Fashion Council and Graduate Fashion Week – superb opportunities to gain the industry’s attention.

Field trips

Study trips within the UK and abroad take you out of the studio and immerse you in new environments, from workshops and conferences to galleries and special collections. Where mandatory trips are arranged, travel and accommodation are free. You can also enhance your studies with optional trips, though these incur additional costs. In the past we’ve organised study trips to Burberry’s HQ, exclusive talks from global companies such as Tommy Hilfiger, and visits to leading fashion, textile and design museums.

Competitions

We encourage you to enter national and international competitions such as those organised by the British Fashion Council and the RSA Student Design Awards. Our students are regular finalists and winners of international competitions, giving them the chance to showcase work online and at prestigious events such as Graduate Fashion Week – a golden opportunity to be seen by the industry.

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

We give you the space to explore all aspects of fashion design, learning vital core skills and unleashing your own creative spirit. Through challenging projects and personal discovery, you create your own learning journey, experimenting with ideas and approaches as you find your unique voice. Throughout the course you work alongside the best in the industry, tackling live briefs and engaging with the wider fashion world as you develop your personal practice.

You learn through a combination of in-person teaching, online methods, practical activities, work-based projects and independent study, including

• lectures and seminars
• group and individual tutorials
• demonstrations
• work review sessions
• live streamed teaching
• digital learning materials
• practical projects
• collaborative activities
• creative thinking workshops
• studio-based projects
• applied industry projects
• placements and internships
• study trips
• independent study

You’ll research your ideas and concepts in depth, and understand how your work connects to global audiences and evolving trends. Key skills such as fashion illustration, construction and manufacturing methods, and computer-aided design and manufacturing are at the heart of the course, along with the advanced techniques you need to transform two-dimensional ideas into 3D and 4D. You’ll also learn to source materials sustainably and ethically – crucial skills for building your future career.

We nurture your growth throughout the course, supporting your development as an exciting, culturally-connected and highly employable fashion designer.

• Module tutors support your project work, helping you explore your creativity.
• Our dedicated technical services team supports you in the studio, helping you get the most from our specialist machinery.

Take a look at the department's Instagram and TikTok to see what innovations and creations our students have been working on. For content directly from our BA Fashion Design students, please visit the Sheffield Hallam Fashion Collective on Instagram. 

This course unlocks your fashion career, opening up a wide range of opportunities including further study and careers in

• womenswear design
• menswear design
• print design
• production management
• fashion illustration
• styling
• creative pattern cutting
• garment technology
• product development

Many of our graduates launch their own businesses, while others win roles with some of the fashion industry’s biggest names including Barbour, Adidas, H&M, Amanda Wakeley and Zara.

Within 15 months of completing the course, 100% of our graduates are either in work or engaged in further study (2017-18 Graduate Outcomes Survey).

 

UCAS points

• 112

This must include at least 64 points from two A levels, or equivalent BTEC National qualifications (to include a relevant subject such as Art, Design and Technology, Textiles, or Graphics). For example:

• BBC at A Level.
• DMM in BTEC Extended Diploma.
• A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies.

You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.

GCSE

• English Language or literature at grade C or 4 or equivalent

• Access - an Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 15 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above, in an art or media-related programme from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate

If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.

We welcome applications from people of any age. We may be flexible in our normal offer if you can show a commitment to succeed and have the relevant skills and experience. This must show that you will benefit from and finish the course successfully.

Portfolio review

If your application is successful, you will be invited to attend a portfolio review, this is where you can showcase your relevant work and highlight any pieces you are particularly proud of.

In light of the updated advice from the Government about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we are not currently offering face to face portfolio reviews but are instead accepting portfolios through digital submission. Find out about what happens at a portfolio review and how you can prepare to produce a strong portfolio.

Please note the University will only admit students who are aged 18 or over at the point of enrolment.

Important notice:

The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

 

Year 1 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Fashion Practice: Design Realisation & Portfolio	60	Coursework
Fashion Practice: Research & Design Principles	60	Coursework

 

 

Year 2 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Advanced Fashion Practice & Production	60	Coursework
Digital Fashion Futures	40	Coursework
Future Now: Collaboration In Action	20	Coursework

 

Year 3 Optional modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Placement Year

 

Final Year Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Independent Fashion Project: Graduate Portfolio	60	Coursework
Independent Fashion Project: Research & Design Ideation	60	Coursework