Fashion Design (Sustainable and Ethical) MA
1 Year Full-Time | September Start

You will study a series of interconnected modules over three semesters. These modules will equip you with the latest theoretical, practical and professional knowledge, skills and applied thinking, primarily through project-based learning experiences.

Approximately two-thirds of your taught sessions will be studio-based, following a ‘learn, explore further and apply’ structure, encouraging you to take risks and to cross traditional boundaries. The modules have been designed to reflect the realities of the design industry and working environments you will encounter on graduation.

During this programme, you will undertake two 30-credit core modules in the postgraduate design framework. Design Thinking (DE7001) and Design Process (DE7002) will provide you with new ways of thinking and approaching global design challenges in the context of your practice. In addition to this, you will also engage in two 30-credit modules within your subject specialism Fashion Product Lifecycle (DE7010) and Responsible Design (DE7011), which will be your opportunity to really master your area of investigation and inspire you to push subject norms and discipline boundaries. To conclude the programme, you will undertake a 60-credit module (Project/Thesis – DE7003) which will act as a consolidation of your learning and give you the opportunity to explore a particular research question of your choosing.  

On top of this you will have access to extensive digital learning resources, including recorded lectures and seminars, assessment feedback, and opportunities to engage in online discussions with your tutors and peers.

One key feature of that runs throughout the Masters is Personal Development Planning (PDP), which you will craft in close collaboration with your tutors. You’ll use your PDP to record what you’ve done and to plan what you want to achieve, enabling you to recognise your development needs and progress towards your unique goals. You will also develop your skills in reflective practice and collaboration, both of which are key to making an impact in the professional world.

Assessed outcomes will be of an original and innovative nature ensuring findings are at the forefront of the discipline and future zeitgeist.

You will learn from award-winning, research-active academic staff who bring a wealth of professional experience from the world of fashion to Northumbria. They have worked as successful designers globally for some of the world’s biggest brands including Vivienne Tam, Vivienne Westwood, Tommy Hilfiger, Abercrombie & Fitch and Nigel Cabourn.

Our staff have extensive industry experience and engage in world-renowned research to ensure their practice remains contemporary and innovative. You will work with a variety of both academic and technical members of staff here at Northumbria, all of who will help guide you through this journey, ensuring an enjoyable, inspiring and productive experience. The Programme Leader and Modules Tutors will all be accessible and ready to help you reach your full potential. 

You will also learn from our collaborative partners from over 60 years of delivering fashion education we have built up industry links that are second-to-none, including Barbour, H&M, Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch and Pentland. Designers are lining up to work on collaborative projects with students on this course, which we’ve developed specifically to respond to industry needs.

Our collaborative work with industry partners creates a space for future thinking, which enhances the curriculum and enables students to graduate into high profile employment both in the UK and internationally.

Northumbria School of Design has been delivering Fashion education for over 60 years, and the facilities we have invested in are truly exceptional.

As a postgraduate student you will have access to all our state-of-the-art fashion technology. You will work in dedicated studio space where you can take inspiration from postgraduates across all design disciplines.

The MA at Northumbria’s Fashion Laboratory aims to create world-class designers and communicators in fashion, who have a global understanding of technological developments in materials and processes and how these will energise the next phase of Future Fashion Synergies.

Responsible design in either practice or commercial processes evidences a growing need to act in a restorative, regenerative manner beyond the ideology of sustainability. On the course you will have access to a specialist design laboratory to experiment with new processes and understandings for future fashion paradigms. This will support you to understand and reflect on ‘how’ and ‘why’ you design, enabling you to develop greater impact through your professional practice.

By sharing our research expertise in fashion, craft, smart/intelligent materials, sustainability, international development, ethical practice and supply chains, we aim to produce innovative and original designers ready to shape and challenge the future fashion industry.

You will develop research-informed methods of understanding the complexity inherent in real-world situations, to enable you to make better decisions, advance your practice, and add to new knowledge in your field.

You will be inspired by ongoing staff research and industry experience, and you will be aligned to the tutor with the most relevant expertise to support you through your major project.

Your specialism in Sustainable and Ethical Fashion will be underpinned by the generic research-led contextual modules. These will provide you with a grounding in research methods, creative thinking, cross-cultural communication, contemporary influences on design, reflective practice, innovation and entrepreneurship, all through multidisciplinary and team-based collaboration.

You will graduate with the knowledge and expertise required to become a world-class designer, a design change-maker who can inspire and develop products with a high level of integrity and commercial value.

Contemporary design practice is evolving due to new technologies and changing contexts of design innovation. This means there are more opportunities for graduates with advanced masterly understanding of how fashion and industrial design can collaborate in order to respond to future human and planet well-being.

You will hold a critical awareness of current issues, an analytical knowledge of relevant craft skills, processes and technologies, and the entrepreneurial skills to evaluate and commercialise creative opportunities.

You will have the opportunity to collaborate with organisations from across the fashion and creative industries through your project work, allowing you to build your professional skills, your portfolio, and your network of contacts.

Throughout the year, you will have the opportunity to engage in a range of events such as conferences and guest lectures to help further your knowledge and build networks towards your future career aspirations. In addition to working on your personal design projects, you will also have the chance to work on industry-led, collaborative projects within cross-disciplinary teams, reflecting the nature of your future work in the fashion industry. 

As well as supporting those seeking to develop independent fashion labels, this course will prepare you for a wide range of career opportunities within the fashion and creative industries and in roles as diverse as fashion designer, fashion director, stylist, buyer, account manager, visual merchandiser, fashion editor, industry commentator, or trend forecaster.