BA (Hons) Fashion Management Course Brochure

UNDeRgRADUAte COURSe gUiDe 2012 ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL•ROBERT GORDON UNIVERSITY•ABERDEEN

FASHION MANAGEMENT

Fashion Management What and when: course overview …and course detail

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How will I be taught?

14 Key facts 15 What next? 16

Choosing a course isn’t straightforward.

There’s loads of detail you need to know. Where will I study?

What topics are covered?

How will I be assessed?

Plus you also want to gain a ‘feel’ for things – ideally, direct and honest from some current or recent students.

In this brochure we’ve combined both of these: hard facts with real views.

And we’ve tried to keep things short and clear, so you don’t get put off by more information than you need.

Our aim is to give you a quick, genuine and useful insight into our courses. If there’s anything more you’d like to know, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

FASHION MANAGEMENT BA (Hons) UCAS WN22

INTRODUCTION:

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Julie Brander BA (HONS) FASHiON MANAgeMeNt

“The six-week placement in the third year of the course allowed me to take my new and developed skills to New York. This fantastic opportunity meant I could experience, first hand, the fast and exciting world of advertising, working with companies including Maybelline and L’Oreal.

“I was able to put into practice all the knowledge, skills and experience that I had learned from my Fashion Management course, and use it to work in large teams configuring advertisements for the world’s leading make-up companies.”

“Completing the placement prepared me for my future studies and profession, where I can use my new knowledge and skills to make the best out of my career.”

Feedback indicates a need for people with entrepreneurial and marketing skills, and a ‘passion’, for the product. this highly-vocational course helps you develop all those qualities.

You’ll gain the skills and knowledge to open doors to all kinds of careers: > Fashion marketing > Merchandising > Fashion buying > Retail > Product sourcing > Fashion journalism > Market and brand management > Product development > Fashion marketing research > Product planning > Events management > Public relations

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FASHION MANAGEMENT BA (Hons) UCAS WN22

PROSPECTS:

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“By studying different modules all related to the fashion industry, I’ve received an enticing taste of many different career paths.”

Adele Slater BA (HONS) Fashion Management

A highlight of the course for Adele was the student owned Fashion Show event.

“It helped me develop my interpersonal skills and gain valuable hands on experience.”

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FASHION MANAGEMENT BA (Hons) UCAS WN22

what & when: COURSE overview…

KEY SKILLS >> The nature and scale of the fashion industry and its management

Some core modules in first year, for example Marketing, are delivered across Aberdeen Business School.

>> The methods by which fashion goods are promoted and marketed

This gives you an opportunity to engage with students on a variety of courses.

>> The importance of effective communication to fashion (especially fashion writing and photography)

The tutorials in these modules are taught to small groups (typically no more than 20 students) and provide an opportunity to deliver subjectspecific case studies and examples.

You’ll gain an understanding of:

>> Retail methods, visual merchandising and store design >> The design process itself

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FOUNDATION SKILLS

SPECIALISMS Subjects such as The Fashion Business, Managing in the Fashion Industry, Fashion Communication, Financial Merchandising for Fashion, and many others, are delivered to only the BA (Hons) Fashion Management students.

This enables you to engage individually with members of staff, and discuss and study the subject area in more depth.

Year 4 is very much student-led and is your opportunity to undertake an extended piece of work, ie the dissertation. A dedicated member of staff will act as your supervisor.

INDUSTRY EXPOSURE

PROJECT WORK

At every stage of the course, you regularly get the chance to engage with industry professionals, both through visits and a programme of guest speakers and specialist guest lecturers.

In Year 3 you work towards our annual fashion show.

There are other activities in which you’re expected to participate: for example, visits to fashion show events (including London Fashion Weekend).

We recognise the benefit of gaining a practical awareness of fashion catwalk events. In particular, this helps you understand their role and impact on fashion careers.

It also helps you appreciate how shows are used to promote ranges to the general public and enhance retailer branding.

Collaboration with Gray’s School of Art will allow you to liaise with their Fashion Design students, for example, in marketing and promoting some of the capsule collections they’re involved in.

This includes all the planning, event management, styling, press and publicity, print design, market research and evaluation aspects integral to such an event.

It is intended that such practical elements, along with the six week placement in Year 3, will enhance your employability, by incorporating and combining both management and creative skills.

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FASHION MANAGEMENT BA (Hons) UCAS WN22

…& COURSE detail Year 1 Semester One >> Fashion Design Concepts and Communication (30 credits) >> The Fashion Business >> The Retail Environment Semester Two >> Fashion Construction and Technology >> Managing in the Fashion Industry >> Marketing >> Store Design and Visual Merchandising If you left now, you’d have…

Certificate of Higher Education Fashion Management

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Year 2 Semester One >> Advertising Communication >> Fashion Communication (30 credits) >> Retail Loyalty Semester Two >> Consumer Behaviour >> Design for Client (30 credits) >> Public Relations If you left now, you’d have…

Diploma of Higher Education Fashion Management

Year 3 Semester One >> Fashion Branding >> Financial Merchandising for Fashion >> Ethics and the Consumer >> Events Management Or study abroad at an overseas university Semester Two >> Fashion Show Project (30 credits) >> Fieldwork (30 credits) >> Personal Project (30 credits) to be taken if no placement obtained If you left now, you’d have…

BA Fashion Management

Year 4 Semester One >> Fashion Buying and Forecasting >> Research Methods >> Retail Strategy Plus one option from: >> Applied Consumer Psychology >> Postmodern Culture >> Women and the Media Semester Two >> Dissertation (30 credits) >> Fashion Project Plus ONE option from: >> Business Creativity >> Celebrity Culture >> Digital Marketing (e-Business) >> International Marketing >> International Retailing If you left now, you’d have…

BA (Hons) Fashion Management

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FASHION MANAGEMENT BA (Hons) UCAS WN22

PROSPECTS:

CAREERS wITH FLAIR “the course is a balanced mix of fashion specific subjects and transferable management and marketing skills, providing students with a broad knowledge of what is a fascinating, fast-moving and everchanging global industry.”

Karen Cross Fashion Management Course Leader

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Photos by Colin Thom

FASHION MANAGEMENT BA (Hons) UCAS WN22

PLACEMENTS:

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Placements Nothing beats real experience. It makes your studies real, and helps you get an idea of what you might like to do after graduating.

On this course, you have several opportunities to experience fashion as it operates in the real world.

You’ll be involved in every aspect of putting together catwalk shows. You’ll get to visit major events like London Fashion Weekend. And you’ll have the chance to collaborate with Gray’s School of Art students on live projects.

In addition, you get the opportunity of a 6-week work placement in the 3rd year of the course.

“As the course has a varied structure, it’s easy to dabble in different areas of the industry if – like myself – you’re not 100% sure what you’re going to do at the end. As the course progresses, I’m sure it will clarify things for me.”

Stuart Spence BA (Hons) Fashion Management

“All the modules are very different, with Fashion Business a stand-out due to the fact we looked at the history of fashion, then to the future and influences in fashion, which I found particularly interesting. Communication Design was another subject I enjoyed, with its use of computers and Photoshop.”

Images styled and produced by stage 2 BA (Hons) Fashion Management student JoAnn Meikle; photographed

by BA Commercial Photography student Fraser Stephen

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How will I be taught?

You’ll learn in a dynamic variety of ways: lectures, tutorials, seminars, IT lab work…

Everything’s interactive, and aims to build up knowledge as you apply theory to practice and consider a range of problems, issues and case studies, including live client projects.

As your skills and ability develop, the course changes to allow you to lead your own learning and work in teams – both on project work, and individually with tutors on your fourth year dissertation.

How much work is there?

Typical contact hours are 3–4 per module per week, though this varies between modules. You’re expected to devote 15 hours of study to each module – this includes classroom time, reading and research, time in labs, plus studying for assessments.

This course is intensive, yet highly enjoyable and engaging, and most students become highly motivated to develop their skills and knowledge abilities to a high level. You’ll need to attend regularly and engage with every part of the course to achieve a satisfactory level of performance.

Outside the classroom

Other activities

Part of this is extending your learning into wider reading, research and self-directed study. You’re expected to use all available resources, and become increasingly self-motivated and self-supporting – taking greater control of your studies, and setting personal objectives.

Part of the course links with the Fashion Design students at Gray’s School of Art. Joint projects are designed to help you develop an understanding of the design process.

You’ll also be encouraged to reflect critically on your learning, and form a view of your progress and development. This may become the basis of tutorial guidance with staff.

The thesis This is the main vehicle for independent learning.

We’ll train and instruct you in: >> The nature of research >> Writing a research proposal >> Sourcing relevant information >> Data collection, analysis and synthesis >> Research ethics >> Writing up your work

Trips to prominent fashion events such as London Fashion Weekend are also an important parts of the programme.

What support is available?

A range of Learner Support Systems: >> Personal tutors >> Course tutors for academic and professional support (including regular ‘surgeries’ in each module) >> Study Support Centre

Enterprise Skills: The Charles P Skene Enterprise Programme Enterprise skills are critical in every 21st century career; they not only boost your employability, but can also be the key to survival when selfemployed. Which is why, at RGU, we now offer all our students real-life experience and tuition in entrepreneurial skills.

The Enterprise Programme introduces all students to enterprise skills through a series of lectures, workshops and master-classes. In addition, it provides access to many other exciting activities including a unique business incubator designed to help students transform embryonic ideas into fully fledged business opportunities.

To find out more visit www.rgu.ac.uk/business-incubator

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KEY FACTS

Alternative qualiďŹ cations

Placement

Equivalent overseas qualifications and some access programmes will be considered. Entry to year 3 with relevant HND qualifications may be considered.

You will get the opportunity of a 6-week work placement in the 3rd year of the course.

Placements could be local, national or international.

Study options

Study Abroad

Full-time: 4 years

In Year 3, you have the opportunity to study abroad at one of our partner institutions in Europe (as part of the Erasmus programme).

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WHAT NEXT?

The next thing to do is talk to us.

We can answer any questions you may have. Simply call us on 01224 262728 or email UGOffice@rgu.ac.uk We also provide a range of opportunities for you to visit us – so you can see what we can offer you ďŹ rst hand.

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This course guide is intended as a guide for applicants for courses delivered by Robert Gordon University.

In compiling it the University has taken every care to be as accurate as possible, and the information in this course guide is correct at the time of going to print, but the course guide must be read as subject to change at any time and without notice. The University undertakes to make every reasonable effort to provide the teaching and academic facilities necessary for applicants’ programmes of study. However the University reserves the right, if such action is considered to be necessary, to make variations to fees and/or to vary the content or delivery method of any course at any time. In addition, the University may, at its sole discretion, discontinue or amalgamate any course(s). In these rare cases the University will notify applicants as soon as possible and reasonable steps will be taken to provide a suitable alternative to a discontinued course.

Open Day

Applicants’ Day

We organise two annual open days in October and November each year. It’s a perfect opportunity to visit us, meet the academic staff, experience the first-class facilities and talk to current students.

When you apply for any course at ABS, you’ll be invited to one of our course-specific Applicants’ Days.

For full details of dates and times, and to see a full programme please see www.rgu.ac.uk/openday.

We realise there’s a lot involved in making your final choice, so we hope to give you all the insight and information you need.

Visit Afternoons We hold monthly Visit Afternoons.

The visit includes a talk by an Education Liaison Officer, a tour of the facilities and a chance to speak to a lecturer about the course you’re interested in.

Aberdeen Business School Robert Gordon University Garthdee Road Aberdeen AB10 7QE Talk to us.

We can answer any questions or queries you may have.

Simply call us on 01224 262728, email UGOffice@rgu.ac.uk or visit us at rgu.ac.uk

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