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Art Direction For Fashion (Accelerated Degree)

Course details
  • BA (Hons)
  • 2 Years
  • Full-time
  • 09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Fashion Retail Academy
Awarded by:
Falmouth University

Course summary

This degree will build your understanding of fashion imagery and photography, teaching you the essential skills, knowledge and techniques to excel in industry. You’ll discover the impact of art on fashion, learn about fashion communication and storytelling, and draw on cultural influences to create inspiring visual media.
Through lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops and projects, you’ll develop the essential skills to succeed in the fashion industry as a photographer, editor, illustrator or art director.

You will:
• Understand the theories of fashion imagery and storytelling
• Be assigned a personal industry mentor to work with throughout the course
• Learn the technical skills needed to create engaging imagery for fashion
• Develop the technical, research, creative and analytical skills needed for a fashion imagery role
• Understand how to draw on cultural influences to create inspiring visual media
• Learn about zine culture and independent publishing
• Experiment with areas such as photography, moving image/film, 3D design, digital platforms, illustrations, art direction and graphic design
• Work on live projects and complete work placements with our industry partners
• Complete a self-directed Personal Professional Project that allows you to show your skills and knowledge, and contextualise these in alignment with your career goals

Modules

Throughout the course you’ll develop the technical, analytical and creative skills needed for a successful start to your career in fashion photography and image making. You’ll learn through a mix of classes and lectures, individual study, creative projects and industry enrichment that is integrated throughout the course in the form of masterclasses, live projects, one on one industry mentoring and work placements.

Year One
The first year of degree study will introduce you to the fundamentals of fashion image making roles. You’ll learn about fashion imagery and storytelling, develop your theoretical awareness and widen your understanding of how fashion intersects with art and commerce.
Modules:
• Fashion Image – 40 Credits
• The Culture Now – 40 Credits
• The Art & Fashion – 40 Credits
• Study & Research Skills – 20 Credits
• The Fashion Industry – 20 Credits
• Fashion Storytelling – 20 Credits

Year Two
In your second year, you’ll develop your knowledge and skills in zine generation (learning about the zeitgeist of independent publishing) and develop your own specialism. You’ll undertake an individualised project that allows you to showcase your professional knowledge and skills.
Modules:
• Zine Generation – 40 Credits
• Personal Professional Project – 40 Credits
• Live Project & Industry Experience: Concept Development – 40 Credits
• The Client – 20 Credits
• Global Markets – 20 Credits
• Entrepreneurial Practice – 20 Credits

Course structures and modules can change as part of our curriculum enhancement and review processes.
*This course is subject to validation. Modules may change during the approvals process.
20 credit modules: total study time 200 hours, taught: 50 hours
40 credit modules: total study time 400 hours, taught: 100 hours

Assessment method

Our courses are assessed via 100% coursework. The assessment tools include, but aren’t limited to, professionally relevant projects, essays and presentations. You will complete work placements as part of the course.

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
ADF1
Institution code:
F70
Campus name:
Fashion Retail Academy
Campus Code:
F

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff

104 - 120 points
A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points for entry to undergraduate courses, primarily from Level 3 equivalent qualifications such as A levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma or a Foundation Diploma. You can check how many points your qualifications are worth using the online UCAS Tariff Calculator. Due to the creative nature of our courses, you will be considered on your own individual merit and potential to succeed. We encourage you to get in touch if you are predicted points below this range, thinking about transferring from another institution, or if you have other qualifications or professional experience as we may be able to consider you. If English is not your first language, we accept a range of recognised language qualifications that are equivalent to the IELTS Academic minimum score of 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. If you require a Tier 4 student visa to study in the UK, you must take an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) to fulfil government visa requirements.

A level

We welcome A Levels in a wide range of subjects, especially in those relevant to the course for which you apply.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

Access to HE Diploma

60 credits (with a minimum of 45 credits achieved at level 3) in a relevant subject.

Scottish Higher

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

AS

We may consider a standalone AS in a relevant subject, if it is taken along with other A Levels and if an A Level has not been taken in the same subject. However, you will not be disadvantaged if you do not have a standalone AS subject as we will not ordinarily use them in our offers.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

Scottish Advanced Higher

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

24 points

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

A minimum of 40 UCAS tariff points, when combined with a minimum of 64 UCAS tariff points from the Supporting Qualifications

Extended Project

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

Leaving Certificate - Ordinary Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

A typical offer is between 104 and 120 UCAS points

If you are able to demonstrate relevant, current, equivalent experience instead of formal qualifications, we encourage you to apply

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
EU£11440Year 1
England£11440Year 1
Northern Ireland£11440Year 1
Scotland£11440Year 1
Wales£11440Year 1
Channel Islands£11440Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Each academic year, you might need to pay one-off costs between £50 and £200 for day trips, final portfolios or shows etc. You might also need to pay up to £300 a year for optional study trips and placements. (Costs are approximate)

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