Year 0

FOUNDATION (YEAR O) DESIGN & CREATIVE BUSINESS

This 30-week course is designed to equip students with the academic skills and subject knowledge needed to progress on to study at undergraduate level. You’ll develop a unique portfolio of work throughout the course, helping you to progress onto a degree in any creative subject.

Stage 1
The first stage covers the key areas of related to your degree programme and will focus on either creative design or business. You’ll learn the theoretical knowledge and debates surrounding these disciplines and the historical and international contexts which underpin them. You will also will also being to build the foundations for studying at degree level.

Stage 2
This stage builds on the key research, analytical and reflective skills built in Stage 1. Students will also have the opportunity to explore specialist areas of study and focus on your chosen path within the creative arts or business.

Stage 3
Students undertake a self-directed, specialist project which will synthesise and conclude their newly learned knowledge. The Final Major Project consists of three units which include advanced language and study skills needed for progression onto an LCCA design or creative business undergraduate degree.

Modules include:

• Introduction to Design (pathway dependent)
• English for Academic Purposes, Research & Study Skills
• Visual Culture
• Final Major Project

YEAR 1 (LEVEL 4)

Throughout Year 1 of this course, students will be introduced to a range of contemporary design practices used to encourage innovative creativity during the design process.

Introduction to Design

To ease you into your first year, you’ll use your problem-solving skills on a range of project briefs. You’ll use them to create 2D and 3D designs and think innovatively about the products you’re creating. This is an excellent starting point for understanding the fashion industry and engaging with your unique fashion identity.

Visual Communication

Research and contemporary fashion illustration will be integral to this module. Using life drawing, design sketching fashion illustration and technical drawings, you’ll build on your drawing skills, bring your ideas to life and begin to grow a portfolio of work that can be utilised when applying for roles within the fashion industry. The course will be led by creative workshops, giving you the opportunity to merge theory with practice.

Creative Cutting and Construction

These modules are dedicated to developing your skills in pattern cutting and sewing as well as other more complex cutting and garment construction techniques. University-level study is about self-guided research which you’ll be encouraged to do in this course to help you learn more about historical practices and how these have influenced the work of contemporary designers.

Introduction to Fashion History and Theory

Develop your understanding of where designs and trends have come from by studying the basic framework of historical fashion. You’ll analyse texts and visual products in order to build your understanding of the relationship between theory and fashion practice.

YEAR 2 (LEVEL 5)

This year covers the techniques of tailoring, draping and designing in more detail whilst building on students’ knowledge of the fashion world. Year 2 also includes work experience where students are able to apply their classroom knowledge to the real world.

Innovative Design Practice

Building on your first-year skills, you’ll learn how to create a half-tailored jacket, thinking about how your own ideas can be incorporated into the garment. You’ll also extend your creative practices and consider further design concepts related to 2D and 3D practices.

Creative Drape Practices

Extend your knowledge of contemporary design practices and build on what you’ve learned in the previous course. You’ll work with a mannequin to bring your ideas to life and create an outfit by applying historical and modern cutting and drape practices.

Professional Practice

This module will prepare you for working in the creative industries. You’ll undertake a minimum 5 -week work experience placement to gain essential transferable skills and get your first taste of working in the fashion industry.

Theories of Culture, Identity and Communication

Discover the contemporary debates surrounding design culture and contribute towards them. You’ll do this through discussions with your peers and by engaging with a range of theories and methods for analysis.

YEAR 3 (LEVEL 6)

The final years allows students to demonstrate everything they have learnt throughout the course via a major project and dissertation.

Final Major Project

Your final year is about combining all your newly learned skills to create a body of work that represents your fashion identity.

By now, you should have decided on a design discipline. You’ll prepare a pre-collection and a final collection, both of which you’ll have to conduct significant research for in order to design and present your best possible work. Once you’ve completed your pre-collection, you’ll undertake analysis to decide whether you extend the successful aspects of the piece or whether you’ll produce a new body of work.

Professional Portfolio

In order to prepare you for the fashion industry, you’ll develop a professional portfolio which will contain self-assessment, career planning, design portfolio, self-promotion and a personal website. You’ll critically analyse your skills, goals and what the next stage of your career is going to be. This portfolio should be a reflection of what you’ve learned throughout your three years and of your aspirations for the future.

Dissertation

Your dissertation is an opportunity to reflect not just on what you’ve learned for the past three years, but what you think you’d like to do in the future. You’ll conduct research, develop a perspective on a specific subject and produce an argument on this.