Overview

Channel your creativity and innovation into fashion design, promotion and production with our BA (Hons) Fashion Design with Business.

Bring your ideas to life through bold design, hands-on making and real-world fashion insight. You won’t just design – you’ll learn how to create, produce and position your work in a fast-moving global industry.

This dynamic course blends creativity with commercial thinking. From your first designs through to finished pieces, you’ll develop a clear understanding of how the fashion industry works and how to position your work within it.

Alongside developing strong creative and technical skills in pattern cutting and garment construction, you’ll build digital expertise in computer-aided design (CAD) and Adobe tools. You’ll also gain insight into branding, marketing and consumer behaviour, building a clear understanding of how collections are shaped, promoted and sold in a global market.

Through live briefs and industry-led projects, you’ll get to test your ideas against real-world challenges. As your concepts evolve, you’ll refine your creative direction and learn how to balance design vision with commercial impact. This helps you understand the full journey from concept to production and promotion, while developing confidence in both creative and commercial decision-making.

Much of your learning takes place in our modern fashion studios, including a purpose-built design and cutting studio. From first sketch to final garment, you’ll develop your craft, build confidence and shape your own creative identity.

Sustainability is central to the future of fashion, and this course prepares you to respond to that shift. Alongside your design work, you’ll build the awareness and skills to design and produce responsibly.

We work with leading fashion companies, giving you direct access to the industry through retailer visits, guest speakers and live briefs that reflect real creative and commercial demands. You’ll graduate as a confident, entrepreneurial designer, ready to succeed in the fashion industry or build your own brand.

Why study Fashion Design with Business at GCU?

Experience the real world of fashion business, with a focus on creating viable collections, brands and commercial outcomes.
Benefit from our strong industry links and expert fashion advisory board, ensuring your learning reflects current practice and industry demand.
Build advanced digital skills using computer-aided design (CAD) and Adobe tools, preparing you for the evolving future of fashion.
Graduate with a broad, transferable skill set that opens a wide range of creative and commercial career pathways.
Develop your craft in our modern fashion studios, including a purpose-built design and cutting studio with full technical support.

What you will study

Please note that full module information is in the process of being finalised for publication and will be made available here shortly.

In the meantime, you can view and download the Programme Specification at the bottom of this page. This document provides an overview of the course structure, including indicative modules, learning content and further key information. The modules listed on the Programme Specification are for the current academic year and are intended to give you an idea of what you may be able to study on this course.

Careers

You’ll graduate with valuable transferrable skills, and be ready to enter roles in:

fashion design
fashion design technology
digital fashion design and development
fashion marketing and promotion
fashion content creation
digital marketing
fashion PR
fashion styling
hybridised design
sustainability.

You’ll also be well positioned to start your own business.

Course information

Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location	UCAS
BA (Hons)	Full time	4 years	Sep 27	Glasgow	8U9N	Enquire Apply
Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location	UCAS
BA (Hons)	Full Time	4 Years	Sep 26	Glasgow	8U9N	Enquire Apply

Please note that admission to GCU is considered on a competitive basis, and the academic entry requirements stated here may be the minimum required to be eligible for an offer.

International students can get information on entry requirements specific to their country in our International Study section.

Year 1

Standard entry requirement

UCAS Tariff: 135

Scottish Higher: BBBBB or equivalent incl Higher in Art, Fashion and Textile Technology, Graphic Communications or Photography

A Level: BCC or equivalent including Art or Textiles

Minimum entry requirement

UCAS Tariff: 90

Scottish Higher: BCCC or equivalent incl Higher in Art, Fashion and Textile Technology, Graphic Communications or Photography

A Level: CCC or equivalent incl A Level in Art or Textiles

Year 3 entry

Standard entry requirement

HND Fashion: Design and Production with Retail or HND Fashion Design and Manufacture with Graded Unit AB. HND Costume for Stage and Screen (GK).

English language

IELTS score of 6.0 with no element below 5.5 (or equivalent)

Additional information for international applicants

Entry requirements by country
Application deadlines
English language tests
Knowledge of English - Applicants from a majority English speaking country may not be required to provide further proof of your English language proficiency. Information about this requirement is available on the Student Visa section of the gov.uk website.

Additional information for all applicants

Relevant experience (Recognition of Prior Learning)

GCU's flexible entry policies exist to allow relevant work experience and prior learning to be considered towards standard entry or advanced entry into a course.

If you do not have the typical academic entry qualifications, but can demonstrate relevant work experience and/or credits from recognised professional bodies, you may be eligible to enter this course via the University's Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) scheme.

Minimum entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements are for widening access students only. If you are from a group that is not currently well-represented in higher education you may qualify as a widening access student. This includes living in a target postcode area, attending a target school or college, attending SWAP, are care-experienced or provide care for someone else, have refugee status or are an asylum seeker.

Teaching methods

Approaches to teaching vary throughout the course, depending on the module you are studying.

A significant part of the course is practical and takes place in studio environments. In the studios, you’ll learn through a mix of demonstrations and one-to-one technical support to help you complete tasks and projects.

Other methods include lectures, seminars and group work, with additional support provided through our virtual learning environment, GCU Learn.

Assessment methods

We use a range of different assessment methods to build your skills and confidence in fashion and business.

Individual and group assessments include:

practical and design portfolios
CAD portfolios
essays, reports and assignments
business simulations
critical analysis of case studies
oral, audiovisual or online presentations
personal development plan and professional portfolio
research project.

Facilities

Our facilities and resources on campus create a real fashion experience, with high-quality, accessible learning. Much of your learning takes place in our modern fashion studios, including a purpose-built design and cutting studio.

As well as the technical fashion environment and equipment, we also provide access to Adobe Creative Cloud, industry-standard software that includes Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator and Premier.

International study

We encourage you to take part in an international exchange to enhance your experience.

We offer exchanges with a growing list of global institutions including:

RMIT University, Australia
Taylors University, Malaysia
LUT University, Finland
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Finland
EFAP Paris.

Download the programme specification

In addition to the core modules that all students must undertake, some courses offer students a choice from a selection of optional modules to shape the focus their degree. Optional modules where available, form part of the overall credit structure of the course.

Download the programme specification for a detailed breakdown of the course structure, including modules, what you'll learn and other useful information.

Terms and Conditions

Details of the University’s terms and conditions are available here.