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LOCATION
Stratford Campus
Location Fees and Funding
Here's the fees and funding information for each year of this course
Overview
This course is subject to validation.
International Fashion Business forms an overarching role that brings together the creative, cultural, global and business sectors in fashion. The emphasis of this course centres on building business innovation, solution development and identifying opportunities within the fashion industry. Learning includes world topics around ethics, operations and management, sustainability and culture in an ever-growing global marketplace.
This course will introduce you to the fashion business, giving you a fundamental knowledge of the industry from varying international perspectives.
Students can look forward to learning business skills such as operations management, cross-cultural management, fashion supply and distribution, financial planning fashion cycles, social and economic developments in fashion and much more.
International Fashion Business is an innovative course that develops critical thinking and learning strategies for the fashion business. You will be encouraged to collaborate across our fashion cluster courses and external partners.
Studying this course will allow you to be creative using innovation to conduct new ways of operating in fashion on a global scale. Prepare to be inspired.
What makes this course different
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Our International Fashion Business degree will give you a broad knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of essential fashion business topics with international context such as:
- Fashion business
- Supply chain management
- Fashion economics
- Strategic design
- Fashion culture and politics
- Fashion business ethics and sustainability
You will have the opportunity to learn new creative processes and skills that could lead to several outputs such as launching a business, developing a consultant deck, launching a campaign and much more.
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 (MS Office & Adobe), interpersonal and group skills.
DOWNLOAD COURSE SPECIFICATIONS
This course is subject to validation. You can still apply for this course while it is being approved.
MODULES
- Core Modules
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.
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.
Fashion Enterprise CloseFashion Enterprise
This module will develop knowledge and understanding of collaborative projects created in the Fashion Theory and Research and Fashion Process modules towards enterprise.
At level 4 students will have the opportunity to engage in the beginnings of business processes that are crucial for their future success.
Knowledge of supply chains both national and international will be crucial to the basic understanding of our students. Where the fashion industry manufactures, produces and finishes in a global economy is integral to the foundation thinking of students.
Profitability and income margins, growth internationally, production cycles, digitisation and sustainable issues all form foundation knowledge of our students to make good future business decisions.
People and Organisations ClosePeople and Organisations
This module will introduce you to the variety of work organizations. You will also understand and explore the psychological, sociological and economic explanations of human behaviour in organisations.
- 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
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.
Final Major Project: Realisation CloseFinal Major Project: Realisation
Building on the work of FT6021, you will realise your ideas through creative production of original and innovative negotiated concept and outcomes that are relevant to your career aspirations and specialism.
You will have the opportunity to produce a final major project that will primarily rely upon negotiated guidance in order to promote and develop your transition into working life.
You will have the opportunity to identify, develop, reflect upon and finalise projects that will create and build a signature for your exit portfolio.
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.
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.
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.
Your knowledge of the area is guided through reading, discussions, seminars, lectures, workshops and collaborative activities.
We will develop your thinking skills through historical theory and conceptual thinking, research processes and investigation and the development of your ideas through outcomes.
Skills for life and work are developed through 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.
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 work with exciting companies as we approach key fashion calendar events such as London Fashion Week.
HOW YOU'LL BE ASSESSED
Coursework will include practical outcomes, e.g. garment construction, technical sewing files, reports and presentations. Coursework includes essays, research files, sample and development portfolios, practical design development, group and seminar presentations and a final-year project.
The approximate percentages for this course are:
- Year 1: 70% coursework, 30% practical, 0% exams
- Year 2: 70% coursework, 30% practical, 0% exams
- Year 3: 70% coursework, 30% practical, 0% exams
You will have the opportunity to gain feedback from your lecturers, peers and our industry partners. We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 15 working days.
CAMPUS and FACILITIES

Stratford Campus, Water Lane, Stratford
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.

Fashion is an international business, so it is important that the creators and innovators of tomorrow are trained to understand its diverse contexts. There is a need for graduates who are theoretical and creative hybrids who will support the needs of an ever changing and growing industry. I believe this course is well placed to do just that."
Beatrice Newman
Head of Department of Fashion
YOUR FUTURE CAREER
Studying our BA International Fashion Business will improve graduate level outcomes because of a mandatory placement, increasing industry connections on this new programme. Together with the changes introduced in the Professional Life strand, our student’s confidence and ability to be successful in the graduate job market will improve.
Destination of leavers from higher education (DLHE) data shows that students who took a placement year are 85.7% more successful at getting a job after graduating.
This programme will support students already in employment to progress with greater knowledge of business and entrepreneurism that can lead to new ideas/ innovation for their own business or career progression onto more management type roles.
Career opportunities following this course include management and senior level fashion and business roles, consultant, freelancer, business owner.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.