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LOCATION
Docklands Campus
Location Fees and Funding
Here's the fees and funding information for each year of this course
Overview
BA (Hons) Fashion Product Management and Innovation will offer a focused curriculum of study that allows you to research and explore the development of materials and apparel created for utilisation within the fashion industry. Referencing a variety of module structures that explore garment shape, textile fibre composition and fabric performance, the curriculum will also reflect upon the challenges faced by an ever-changing industry that needs a focus on materials and fit development (State of Fashion 2020), facilitating you in offering innovative and dynamic solutions to relevant industry challenges.
The aim of the course is to introduce you to theoretical and practical based studies that explore materials design and apparel product analysis. The course will deliver a curriculum that draws on the fashion department’s knowledge and expertise in materials and fabrication. It will utilise existing resources in textile development and apparel construction. It will also utilise the University's provision of 3D technologies, workshops and laboratories to offer experiential learning environments for you throughout your study.
The course will reflect industry practice in the field of textiles and apparel product development. With a focus on gaining skills relevant to product lifecycles, professional material and garment technologist roles.
The course will offer a placement provision that will be recommended due to the value of learning in the workplace and the highlighted industry need to direct graduates towards a career path in technology.
This course has been pushed back to a September 2023 start, links will be updated for this soon.
Foundation year course
If you don't meet the entry requirements for a BA, you can study this course as an extended, four-year programme. You'll begin by taking a foundation year which prepares you for a successful transition to the BA degree. This means it will take you four years to complete the course full-time, and eight years to complete the course part-time.
What makes this course different
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Our Fashion Product Management and Innovation course will give you the tools you need to develop innovative product solutions for the fashion industry.
You will be taught and utilise fundamental skills, such as:
- 3D technology and sustainable production processes
- Production development from sample to the final product
- Management processes to support the product life cycle
- Data, analysis and forecasting
- Innovative techniques in launching a product
- Product innovation for industry 4.0: Exploring beyond the product
- Enterprise and co-design
The course will share a series of modules with five other BA (Hons) courses within the Fashion subject area in order to offer insight to students with regards to the synergies between different disciplines.
Key to many careers and employers - you will also develop thinking skills, including ideas and concept generation for Fashion, individual and collaborative responses to set fashion projects, critical thinking, and appreciation of multiple perspectives and approaches. Other skills for life and work include effective management and organisation of time, communication, computer literacy (Adobe suite: Illustrator, 3D rendering software and Microsoft Office, particularly Excel), interpersonal and group skills.
We consistently review our courses to ensure we are up to date with industry changes and requirements from our graduates. As a result, our modules are subject to change.
DOWNLOAD COURSE SPECIFICATIONS
This course is subject to validation. You can still apply for this course while it is being approved.
MODULES
- Core Modules
Technical Skills & Innovation CloseTechnical Skills & Innovation
This module provides students with the foundational knowledge of understanding technical/ theoretical skills and innovation within their relevant discipline. The module will prepare students with the skills to begin their development journey as professionals, introducing them to core study skills and practice within their fields. The module seeks to instil in students the understanding of beginning the processes conceptualisation through to development and finally realisation.
Through a series of workshops and lectures students explore a wide range of techniques and methodologies relevant to their chosen subject specialism. With the use of CAD, students will utilise programmes in Adobe suite, notably Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
Students will have the opportunity to utilise knowledge expertise from this and other modules to develop their projects, providing holistic learning.
Fashion Contexts and Research CloseFashion Contexts and Research
The aim of this module is to introduce students to collaborative projects and design creative solutions as a team by working alongside other creatives within the fashion cluster. This module will focus on how to develop best practice and fully utilise individual skillsets to deliver specific project outcomes. Students learn to work in a team to develop project plans, research and development and design production and delivery.
This module will look to explore techniques and research methodologies in ensuring that students have a good understanding on how context and theory apply to practice in relation to Fashion. Students will understand how the wide variety of media and cultural, social and political influences form our contemporary perceptions of fashion.
Mental Wealth: Professional Life - Business of Fashion 1 CloseMental Wealth: Professional Life - Business of Fashion 1
This module focuses on an introduction to fashion and the creative industries offering insight through guest lectures and workshops designed to develop your professional skills. Students gain key visual communication and written skills to better understand industry expectations and standards. Digital skills and graphic identity are explored in the production of subject specific publications and portfolio development.
This module will give students the basic understanding of business operations by being actively engaged with level 5 students in producing collaborative works that can be effectively marketed and translated to a market. This module will relate closely to the Fashion Enterprise module and much more focus on finalised product, service or media.
Students will have the opportunity to build on their community and industry connections via enhanced knowledge on social media and ethical practices within industry, building and developing their confidence towards a future they are passionate and well informed about.
- Core Modules
Technical Applications CloseTechnical Applications
This module utilises subject specific technical and theoretical skills gained in the Technical Skills & Innovation module at level 4.
You are required to further develop your individual skill set and employ this knowledge to create innovative design solutions.
The creative design process from concept through to development and final product, will be appropriately documented. You will also expand and strengthen your digital skills relevant to your subject specialism.
Theory of Fashion CloseTheory of Fashion
This module builds on the skills you will have achieved in level 4 and its primary aims are to further develop your understanding of collaborative projects regarding industry and its working cycle.
You will address the impact of C21st fashion and look towards a more purposeful future by focusing on ideas such as fashion futures, digital technology, cultural globalisation, social media and sustainability.
You will be independent in your reflection and acute in your understanding of design thinking for tomorrow’s fashion.
This module sets out to further challenge the perspectives of fashion that are understood today and give you the opportunity to contest old ideas and be provocative in your outcomes.
Mental Wealth: Professional Life - Business of Fashion 2 CloseMental Wealth: Professional Life - Business of Fashion 2
Building on the work of FT4011, you will further your ability to identify industry related processes and professional skills. Through a series of workshops focused on design presentation and effective visual communication, you will engage with subject specific external competitions alongside building your identity as a designer through the production of individual portfolios.
The module will allow you to contextualise your core discipline learning within specific markets and trends relevant to your discipline within the Fashion and Textiles sector. In addition, you will gain a greater understanding and ability to present your work professionally and articulate your concepts visually alongside a supporting written report.
Fashion Enterprise 2 CloseFashion Enterprise 2
Fashion Enterprise 2 will further expand on the projects developed on the level 4 Fashion Enterprise module via individual and collaborative projects, with a focus on career development.
The module aims to develop enterprise skills for self-promotion in industry as well as technique and strategies in setting up own enterprise.
You will have the opportunity to go on placement and work on live briefs, learning skills in developing your graphic identity through exploration of fonts, art direction and branding, CV and business profile development and portfolio and promotional materials.
Having focused on understanding how the fashion industry operates at different levels and its career opportunities, you will create your personal brand Identity & use of formats to promote yourself.
- Core Modules
Optional placement CloseOptional placement
This course offers the opportunity of year-long placement between years two and three. If you choose to take this option, you’ll spend your third year on a placement with a relevant company or organisation, adding valuable practical experience to your growing academic knowledge.
The extra placement year means it will take four years to complete your studies, instead of three. - Core Modules
Final Major Project: Theoretical Identity CloseFinal Major Project: Theoretical Identity
You will embark upon a self-initiated line of study in order to thoroughly research, develop and experiment with your chosen concept.
Advanced concepts, research and development skills are explored in preparation for your Final Major Project: Realisation module.
Using project guidelines from previous briefs, you will have the opportunity to write your own brief with developing outcomes, based on your personal research and interests.
You will either create a collection of products, initiate a business plan or propose alternate fashion outputs.
Mental Wealth: Professional Life - Business of Fashion 3 CloseMental Wealth: Professional Life - Business of Fashion 3
You will develop your ability to produce industry standard portfolios reflecting your skills and expertise, ready for graduate level jobs.
You will be able to develop your professional identity by demonstrating your entrepreneurial thinking into your exit portfolio which will provide insight into the complexity of the fashion industry with consumer behaviour, business models, business funding and different career alternatives.
Further insight on business strategy such as investment capital and start up campaigns will be delivered.
Fashion Enterprise 3 CloseFashion Enterprise 3
This module allows you to work directly with industry to define and execute creative solutions and develop a creative portfolio of work within the creative industries.
You will learn how to freelance and set up your own businesses by examining and understanding future roles within the creative industries.
You will collaborate across all fashion titles to plan and organise a showcase of your work at a relevant trade fair or sell designs in a pop-up shop. By utilising professional skills, you will work in teams alongside staff to design and implement creative concepts for a given market sector.
HOW YOU'LL LEARN
The fashion subject area is made up of industry knowledgeable staff, entrepreneurs and business owners, so you can be sure you will be learning in real-time. We believe it is important that your education is consistent with the times and reflects the industry you will progress into.
The course is a technical skills driven, industry-relevant resource for graduate talent.
The curriculum will include introductory projects, live project challenges, industry visits, work placements, group work challenges and autonomous learning via final major projects. You will be required to develop organisation and management skills whilst exploring possibilities in materials and apparel tech development.
Skills for life and work are developed through partnerships with industry, project-management skills, time management and planning, project work and presentations as well as reflection and reviews with your peers and academic advisor.
Students on the BA course will have the opportunity to collaborate and take part in cross and multi-disciplinary activities such as hackathons with other courses within our cluster.
If you opt for the year-long placement, our close industry contacts will be key to helping you find the right opportunity. Previously, our students have worked as fashion journalists, administrators and buyers for world-leading firms. The list includes Ssōne, Very.co.uk, Yoox Net-A-Porter Group, Julien Macdonald and many more.
Even if you decide not to take the placement option, you’ll still have the chance to work on some exciting industry-led projects and companies as we approach key fashion calendar events such as London Fashion Week.
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
HOW YOU'LL BE ASSESSED
We'll assess you with a mixture of coursework, essays and presentations. Coursework includes essays, research files, sample and development portfolios, practical design development, group and seminar presentations and a final-year project.
In your third year, your assessment will be based on research coursework, written reports and a final portfolio outcome. You will have the opportunity to gain feedback from your lecturers, peers and our industry partners.
CAMPUS and FACILITIES

Docklands Campus, Docklands Campus, London, E16 2RD
WHO TEACHES THIS COURSE
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
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What we're researching
At the University of East London we are working on the some of the big issues that will define our future; from sustainable architecture and ethical AI, to health inequality and breaking down barriers in the creative industries.
Our students and academics are more critically engaged and socially conscious than ever before. Discover some of the positive changes our students, alumni and academics are making in the world.
YOUR FUTURE CAREER
Fashion is an industry full of vast opportunities and much-needed skill sets that are continually involving. The great thing about studying fashion and developing core skills is that you can work practically anywhere within the creative industries.
Studying Fashion Product Management and Innovation will give you the opportunity to work in various sectors such as quality control, retail operations, merchandising and sales. Jobs include product developer, product manager, quality controller, garment technologist, merchandiser, product researcher, brand manager, operations and performance managers and much more.
Having a key understanding of merchandising, 3D technology and management, will give students studying this degree a key advantage in the careers market.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.