MA Design (Fashion)
Attendance
Full-time, Part-time
Full time – 12 months or 16 months including summer
Part-time – typically two to three years
Starts September
When studying part-time, you follow a similar study pattern to full-time. You share some teaching with full-time students, as well as attending evening seminars.
At a glance
Study fashion design at an advanced level and develop your talent for designing solutions that respond to the needs of our rapidly changing society. You will be challenged to think differently about design and creatively push the boundaries of your discipline whilst developing the skills needed to become an imaginative and versatile designer who can operate independently, or as a member of a design team. Your projects are supported by lecturers who are design specialists in areas as diverse as innovative pattern cutting, CAD and fashion technology, fashion marketing, fashion entrepreneurship, fashion craft and sustainability.
Key points
• Develop your skills and aspirations to undertake lead roles in the wide area of fashion design.
• Give your design understanding the edge by applying the findings of specialist research conducted by our staff.
• Work on live research and practice based projects that may be undertaken in conjunction with user communities, international and regional business.
• If available, take advantage of industrial sponsorship schemes.
About this course
Develop your existing knowledge and experience as a designer, exploiting our significant research expertise to enhance your own design and research skills to a new level. You study fashion design at one of the oldest established art and design institutions in the UK, renowned for producing internationally recognised research.
The course is project based. You use your creative, practical and theoretical skills to investigate and propose new solutions in response to problems such as economic and environmental issues. In this way, you learn to design in response to the needs of our rapidly changing society.
The department has professionally equipped design studios and fashion workshops that house digital garment manufacturing equipment, pattern-cutting software and flat-bed cutting equipment. You can also use the University’s wider creative facilities including professional photography studios, printing facilities, and laser cutting technology. Critical theory underpins studio-based projects throughout.
You also have access to our award-winning learning centre featuring a specialist art, design and media library and extensive online resources.
You can pursue a wide area of investigation when developing your designs. Your course tutors include fashion specialists who help you to identify and shape your future career direction.
Fashion design covers a wide and diverse field, so our aim is to help you to become a creative, imaginative and versatile designer who can operate independently or as a member of a design team.
You choose your own project content and this is supported by lectures and seminars dealing with professional practice issues and reviewing your progress. You also take part in regular group and individual tutorials.
Your project is the culmination of your research and studio-based design practice. It demonstrates that you can deal with difficult contemporary questions and take a leading role as a design professional.
You benefit from a strong relationship between the masters design programme and the University’s Art and Design Research Centre which has gained international recognition for its work in both practice-based and strategic research.
During the course you regularly take part in constructive critical debates about your own work and that of your peers. You need to communicate your research, ideas and designs in ways that are appropriate to professional leadership.
There are also residential study trips at home and abroad, complemented by visits to design conferences and debates.
Industrial sponsorship
Sometimes we are able to obtain sponsorship from an industrial company. Usually this is linked to a particular design problem that the company would like to investigate.
We are normally asked to shortlist applicants before recommending a small number to apply. If this happens, we consider your interview, portfolio of work, academic qualifications and learning aims. We aim to pick people whose abilities and aims are relevant for the company and who are most likely to be successful in a competitive interview.
Associated careers
There are many opportunities for employment or self-employment in fashion design. This course encourages you to take an enterprising approach and to strengthen your ability to develop your own business practice. Some of our graduates find employment in the University.
An increasing number of our design graduates are undertaking more advanced further study through research degrees (PhD) in our Art and Design Research Centre, which has a leading position in the advancement of creative practice in design.
Sheffield is home to the largest concentration of creative production in Yorkshire and Humberside. Support for creative industries in the city has encouraged a talent base from home grown talent as well as practitioners relocating here.
Course content
You mainly focus on individual project work. You propose an area for investigation and complete practical, theoretical and creative work around this area.
Research project
You complete a research and design project on a theme set by your academic tutors. The theme is either a live brief or chosen for its significance or relevance to contemporary focussed design practice. You work to the same themed brief as other MA Design students, attending lectures and seminars that support the project, but you complete the project in your chosen discipline.
Live research and practice
You work on live research and practice based projects that may be undertaken in conjunction with user communities, international and regional business, third sector, institutions and organisations or carried out in close cooperation with the Art and Design Research Centre, research active teaching staff, the commercial consulting centres within Design Futures or the Research Innovation Office (Knowledge Transfer Partnerships).
You also study two modules in • research methods for art and design • creativity, innovation and professionalism.
Assessment
Assessment and feedback are vital parts of the learning process in creative disciplines. Most assessment is through individual project work which combines research and creative practice. Assessment calls for both excellent creative work and well-documented research.
Entry requirements
Normally you need
• a 2.2 degree or equivalent in an appropriate subject or significant relevant experience
• appropriate study plans, including an indication of possible project topics and clear, appropriate and realistic learning aims
• a high level of creative ability, as evidenced by a portfolio of work
• ability to discuss design issues critically and confidently
Overseas applicants from countries whose first language is not English must normally produce evidence of competence in English. An IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills (or equivalent) is the standard for non-native speakers of English. If your English language skill is currently below an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English level.
Fees
Home and EU students
2013/14 academic year
Typically £4,590 for the course
Part-time study should be calculated pro rata
International students
2013/14 academic year
Typically £10,980 for the course
2014/15 academic year
Typically £11,250 for the course
How to apply
Complete the application form available at www.shu.ac.uk/study/form.
For information on applying, the interview process and your portfolio, open the application support media box.
Contact details
For further information please contact the Faculty of Arts, Computing, Engineering and Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, Sheffield S1 1WB. Phone +44 (0)114 225 5179 or email aces-helpdesk@shu.ac.uk