TOP 20 in the UK for Fashion and Textiles

 on the Guardian University Guide 2025

Key facts

Entry requirements

112 or DMM

Full entry requirements

UCAS code

WN45

Institution code

D26

Duration

3 yrs full-time

Three years full-time, four years full-time with a placement. Six years part-time.

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition:
£16,250

Additional costs

Entry requirements

UCAS code

WN45

Institution code

D26

Duration

3 yrs full-time

Three years full-time, four years full-time with a placement. Six years part-time.

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition:
£16,250

Additional costs

Develop the practical skills needed to take on the challenges of our rapidly evolving industry, focusing on the shift in consumer demand

Fashion Marketing BA (Hons) at DMU equips you with essential skills to thrive in the dynamic fashion industry. With a strong focus on sustainability, you'll learn to master marketing strategies within a global, circular economy. From small start-ups to luxury brands, our expert-led sessions, industry collaborations, and self-directed projects all drive toward a sustainable fashion future.

In your flexible first year, you’ll access our outstanding facilities when learning about fashion product. You will explore our textile and digital experience labs with expert support in learning how to analyse, create and present. You will also receive guidance in developing your own vision, mission and values.

You will explore our state-of-the-art facilities, including textile and digital experience labs, gaining hands-on experience in analysing, creating, and presenting fashion marketing concepts. With expert guidance, you’ll also develop your own unique vision, mission, and values.

Our course covers a range of diverse topics, including:

  • Digital Marketing: online promotion and customer engagement.
  • User Experience (UX) Design: Learn how to create seamless and intuitive customer journeys.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR): Explore the cutting-edge technologies reshaping the fashion industry.
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Develop strategies to build and maintain strong customer relationships.
  • Fashion Communication: Understand the nuances of branding and communication in fashion.
  • Sustainability: Delve into sustainable practices and their impact on the fashion industry.
  • Design Innovation: Push the boundaries of creativity with innovative design techniques.
  • Creative Brand Strategy: Learn how to create compelling brand narratives.
  • Strategic Planning: Develop the skills to strategically plan and execute marketing campaigns.

DMU is committed to supporting students' professional development. As part of this commitment, we will cover the costs for students to gain a Level 4 Professional and Digital Marketing accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). Additionally, we will fund students’ CIM membership, providing access to exclusive resources on the CIM website, networking opportunities, and the chance to enhance their skills through additional courses. This empowers and prepares students for a thriving career in fashion marketing.

Block teaching designed around you

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That’s why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You’ll benefit from regular assessments – rather than lots of exams at the end of the year – and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you’ll build friendships and a sense of belonging. Read more about block teaching.

The Best Careers Support

DMU’s Careers Team won Employability Team of the Year at the TargetJobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards for helping students reach their ambitions

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Saturday 08 February

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What you will study

Block 1: Fashion Consumer and Marketplace

In this module, you will study the fundamental principles of marketing, covering key concepts such as the marketing mix, segmentation, targeting, and positioning, market research and customer behaviour. This knowledge will enable you to understand the consumer and craft detailed customer personas, aiding in the identification of a brand’s target audience.

You will gain insights into commercial awareness and what is meant by the marketplace, exploring both traditional brick-and-mortar stores and the dynamic realm of e-commerce. You will also examine the future of the fashion retail experience, gaining a comprehensive overview of this evolving landscape.

Additionally, this module will introduce you to the intricacies of fashion roles and responsibilities. You will learn practical skills in computer aided design (CAD). 

Block 2: Fashion Business

This module teaches the fundamental principles of fashion business within a global context. The module will inform at an introductory level the subjects of fashion business innovation, marketing merchandising, strategy, and digital enterprise.

The module will introduce the merchandising subject area with consideration to the development of basic merchandising skills and theoretical concepts. You will be taught the use of software to develop a range plan and critical path. Additionally, you will explore and apply relevant theoretical concepts in the areas of fashion innovation, marketing, and business strategy to underpin their understanding of contemporary issues within these subject areas of fashion business.

This module will equip you with a sound knowledge of new digital technologies within fashion business and how this relates to the future development of the subject area.

Block 3: Fashion Lifecycle

This module explores the buying process within a fashion business; from trend and colour prediction, range planning, product development and the role of sustainable sourcing, through critical path management to sales analysis and trading.

You will communicate and present ideas through Adobe Creative Suite to develop a range of garments, implementing knowledge gained on fabric identification. Adobe skills will be developed enabling you to become CAD proficient, while developing your own Digital portfolio.

The ethos of responsible design and the relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be reflected in this module.

Block 4: Sustainable Futures

This module engages the student in personal reflection and development with consideration to their professionalism and their future impact in the fashion world.

The module content is further underpinned by theoretical studies delivered by the Design Cultures to contextualise current practice within an historical framework. Students will consider origins and influences - how traditions develop and evolve in response to social and political - as well as research methods, visual literacy and the skills for academic writing.

Sessions will promote interaction and analytical thinking with an understanding of inclusive and ethical practice.

The ethos of responsible design and the relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be reflected in this module.

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

Structure

This includes design studio practice, formal lectures, group seminars, tutorials, lab work and practical workshops. There are regular tutorials and reviews which allow you to reflect and develop your work ready for your final presentation at the end of the year.

Contact hours

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, group work and self-directed study. Assessment is through coursework (presentations and reports). Your precise timetable will depend on the optional modules you choose to take, however, in your first year you will normally attend around 12 hours of timetabled taught sessions (lectures and tutorials) each week, and we expect you to undertake at least 25 further hours of independent study to complete project work and research.

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Our facilities

The creative industries require imaginative graduates who can develop new ideas and products. Students use our sophisticated and contemporary workshops, labs and studios to experiment and test in the same way they will in industry.

Vijay Patel Building

Our award-winning Vijay Patel building has been designed to provide the space and facilities where all of our art and design students can develop their ideas and flourish. It is home to a wide range of resources and facilities, including:

  • Fashion studios: The building has a number of fashion studios, where students can design, create, and prototype their garments.
  • Textile workshops: The building has a number of textile workshops, where students can learn how to work with a variety of textiles, including fabrics, yarns, and fibers.
  • Fashion technology labs: The building has a number of fashion technology labs, where students can learn how to use a variety of fashion technology, including CAD software, pattern-making software, and sewing machines.
  • Exhibition spaces: The building has a number of exhibition spaces, where students can showcase their work.

The creative industries require imaginative graduates who can develop new ideas and products. Students use our sophisticated and contemporary workshops, labs and studios to experiment and test in the same way they will in industry, while the open and transparent spaces in the building encourage collaboration between disciplines. In doing so, the building prepares students for industry and helps develop them as future leaders in their respective fields.

The building is striking and innovative, with a large central atrium filled with natural light. It has a variety of teaching and learning spaces, studios, workshops, and exhibition spaces.

It is a major landmark on the De Montfort University campus and provides students and staff with the space and resources they need to thrive.

Awards and memberships

Ranked as one of the best fashion schools in the world for 2022 and 2023 (CEOWORLD, 2023) and in the top 10 in the UK for 'career after 15 months' (The Guardian University Guide 2022), our innovative and widely-respected courses help prepare students for fulfilling futures in this fast-paced industry.

We are also ranked among the Top 20 UK Universities for Fashion and Textiles in the Guardian University League Tables 2025, showcasing our commitment to excellence in teaching, innovation, and student satisfaction.

Green Gown Award logo

Green Gown Award

The School of Fashion and Textiles won the Next Generation Learning and Skills Award in the Green Gowns Awards 2021 and received global recognition in the International Green Gown Awards 2022. These awards are the gold standard for sustainability in universities around the world and this puts DMU at the forefront of sustainable fashion and textiles education in the UK. Sustainability is at the heart of our curriculum and teaching, empowering our students to be agents of change within the industry.

UK Fashion and Textiles Association logo

UK Fashion and Textiles Association

We are members of the UK Fashion and Textiles Association which ensures our teaching stays up to date with the latest developments in the sector and provides valuable industry links that enhance our courses.

AFBE logo

The Association for Fashion Business Employability (AFBE)

The (AFBE) is a collaborative platform uniting top UK fashion business schools with the industry, empowering students through networking and showcasing events.

What makes us special

Education 2030 - Block Learning

Block learning

With block teaching, you’ll learn in a focused format, where you study one subject at a time instead of several at once. As a result, you will receive faster feedback through more regular assessment, have a more simplified timetable, and have a better study-life balance. That means more time to engage with your DMU community and other rewarding aspects of university life.

DMU-global

Global experiences

Our innovative international experience programme DMU Global aims to enrich studies, broaden cultural horizons and develop key skills valued by employers.

Through DMU Global, we offer an exciting mix of overseas, on-campus and online international experiences, including the opportunity to study or work abroad for up to a year.

Students on this course have recently been to Porto, where they learnt about the fashion manufacturing cycle by visiting spinners, knitters, dye houses and manufacturers. New York trips have involved visits to local museums, colleges, suppliers, product data management head offices, and a tour and talk at Gap’s head office.

Where we could take you

MaisieBee_thumb

Placements

This course gives you the option to enhance and build your professional skills to progress within your chosen career through a placement. Our dedicated team offer a range of careers resources and opportunities so you can start planning your future.

We have excellent links with the fashion industry, ensuring you work on industry relevant projects and clients’ briefs to gain more experience and build your external reputation before you graduate. This invaluable experience can enrich student capabilities as well as their projects for their final year. This year some of our students have gone to companies Marks & Spencer, ASOS, George, F&F Tesco, Timberland, Matalan.

Maisie Bee secured a year-long placement at one of Britain’s largest fashion and home retailers, Next, in its online department

RosieHaymes_thumb

Graduate careers

Our graduates go on to a variety of areas within fashion buying. Recent employers include ASOS, Selfridges, Next, Reiss, Marks & Spencer, River Island, and Joules, among many others.

Rosie Haymes won an award from the Ideal Marketing Company (IMC) and landed a full-time job for Simply Be.

Course specifications

Course title

Fashion Marketing

Award

BA (Hons)

UCAS code

WN45

Institution code

D26

Study level

Undergraduate

Study mode

Full-time

Part-time

Start date

September

Duration

Three years full-time, four years full-time with a placement. Six years part-time.

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition:
£16,250

*subject to the government, as is expected, passing legislation to formalise the increase.

Additional costs

Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements

We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds.

  • Art and Design Foundation or
  • 112 points from at least 2 A ‘levels
  • BTEC Extended Diploma DMM
  • International Baccalaureate: 26+ Points or
  • T Levels Merit

Plus five GCSEs grades 9-4 including English Language or Literature at grade 4 or above.

  • Pass Access with 30 Level 3 credits at Merit and GCSE English (Language or Literature) at grade 4 or above

We will normally require students to have had a break from full time education before undertaking the Access course.

  • We also accept the BTEC First Diploma plus two GCSEs including English Language or Literature at grade 4 or above

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Additional costs

Here at DMU we provide excellent learning resources, including the Kimberlin Library and specialist workshops and studios. However, you should be aware that sometimes you may incur additional costs, which for this programme could include the following:

  • Art and Design materials; £50 in your first and second years, increasing to £100 in your third year.
  • Field trips or visits: £30 in your first year, £100-£300 in your second year and £400-600 in your third year.

There will also be a range of optional showcasing activities that will be available to you, the costs of which will vary depending on the opportunities you choose.

Learn more about fees and funding information