Mode of Study
Full-time, Part-timeDuration
1 year full-time, 2 years part-timeStart date
September 2023Overview
Our MA Fashion and Textiles degree course will help you develop the skills and critical awareness you need to pursue your creative talents in research, enterprise, or a creative career or practice.
On this workshop-based course, you'll develop your core practice in a fashion or textile context, unique to Portsmouth. You'll identify and explore your own motivation, be challenged to create designs, and develop your own digital and physical fashion products, using our excellent facilities that are a playground for creatives like you.
You'll also learn and hone transferable skills, gaining the confidence and tools needed to become a successful innovator and leader.
Whatever the focus of your studies, you'll strengthen your creative, critical, and practical abilities to achieve considered, professional results that are commercially viable. Whether you're interested in a leadership or management role, or starting your own business, this course can help you accomplish your goals in a constantly growing industry.
Eligibility
This course accepts UK, EU, and international students.
Course highlights
- Take opportunities to do cross-disciplinary work or collaborate on funded research and innovation projects – past ones include client-set briefs to work with architects, photographers, and scientists
- Get professional experience through work-based learning
- Experiment with traditional skills and techniques and combine them with new digital technologies in our Eldon Production Centre workshops
- Produce a major project based on your own research, and supervised by academic, technical or business mentors
- Hear from inspirational guest speakers from various creative fields through our Enrichment Programme
- Organise individual or group exhibitions or events, like the Portsmouth PostGraduate Showcase
- Go on study visits to cultural and industrial hubs, in the UK and abroad – such as Premiere Vision (Paris) and Future Fabrics Expo (London)
I liked the flexibility to plan my time and work on projects I enjoyed. ...[T]he challenges of Covid ... encouraged me to create a completely digital collection, adapting from not having access to onsite facilities and therefore pushing myself to learn a new skill and software program from scratch.
What you'll study on this MA Fashion and Textiles degree course
Full-time
This year has both core and optional modules.
Core modules
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Articulate key issues related to the debates about research methods for Art, Design and Media and practiceled research.
- Critically evaluate and select appropriate research methods from a range of disciplinary and cross disciplinary models evidencing ethical awareness in research design.
- Demonstrate individual research skills and techniques for developing, recording and analysing research enquiry through their application to a research question.
- Demonstrate a high level of critical engagement with theoretical/historical/contemporary sources.
- Make effective use of appropriate presentation tools for the communication of their research findings and offer personal reflection of the research journey.
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Systematically synthesise exploratory research and practice into a clearly focused project proposal.
- Utilise and critically evaluate techniques and processes by selecting and experimenting with a range of materials and a variety of methods and sources.
- Provide evidence of the theoretical, critical and historical contexts and knowledge frameworks, which inform the proposed research programme and identifies key questions in relation to the proposed research.
- Independently develop a project management strategy, that articulates in a systematic way the proposed research programme and its sources, contextual framework, methodologies and the basis upon which it may be innovative, challenging and extending knowledge.
What you'll learn
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Apply advanced convergent and divergent thinking methods to develop a self-initiated brief/proposal contextualized within contemporary and historical professional practice markets and audiences, technology and ethics in the fashion and textiles discipline.
- Critically evaluate, articulate and synthesise knowledge and understanding, attributes and skills in effective ways in the contexts of creative research and practice.
- Select, test and make appropriate critical decisions on the use of materials, processes and technologies at an advanced level.
- Articulate and present ideas and information in visual, oral and written forms at an advanced level, meeting and setting new standards within the discipline.
- Demonstrate and evaluate autonomous learning and project management, in addition to feedback and critical judgments in order to improve their practice.
Optional modules
Additional content
The learning outcome of this module are:
- Independently use advanced specialist knowledge in relation to specific practice based research
- Articulate evidence of interrogation of the interrelationship of concept and method relating to specific practice based research within the critically reflective report
- Evidence through critical writing: intellectual skills, reflection and critical engagement, that demonstrate and articulate understanding of a related artefact and its position and context in relation to the forefront of the discipline
- Develop and produce critically reflective scholarly writing and document, evidence and articulate a research rationale, methodologies employed, iterative development, testing, and conclusion in relation to a designed artefact developed through sustained independent research in response to a project proposal
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Creatively respond to a given project or theme to formulate a multidisciplinary solution.
- Collaborate on interdisciplinary team projects, demonstrating an ability to argue and defend ideas and positions.
- Articulate responses to current issues within the specified subject areas
- Critically appraise, analyse and evaluate discipline specific methodologies through the analysis and evaluation of available data and representational material and communicate these appropriately to an audience.
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Identify and negotiate professional needs in relation to the practice of the particular subject discipline.
- Develop and sustain a critical understanding of the concepts, theories and principles which underpin current practice.
- Conduct a scholarly project that provides evidence of critical and reflective engagement with subject-specific practice.
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Independently use advanced specialist knowledge in relation to specific practice based research.
- Articulate evidence of interrogation of the interrelationship of concept and method relating to specific practice based research within the critically reflective report.
- Evidence through critical writing: intellectual skills, reflection and critical engagement, that demonstrate and articulate understanding of a related artefact and its position and context in relation to the forefront of the discipline.
- Develop and produce critically reflective scholarly writing and document, evidence and articulate a research rationale, methodologies employed, iterative development, testing, and conclusion in relation to a designed artefact developed through independent research in response to a project proposal.
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Independently use advanced specialist knowledge in relation to specific practice based research.
- Articulate evidence of interrogation of the interrelationship of concept and method relating to specific practice based research within the critically reflective report.
- Evidence through critical writing: intellectual skills, reflection and critical engagement, that demonstrate and articulate understanding of a related artefact and its position and context in relation to the forefront of the discipline.
- Develop and produce critically reflective scholarly writing and document, evidence and articulate a research rationale, methodologies employed, iterative development, testing, and conclusion in relation to a designed artefact developed through independent research in response to a project proposal.
Part-time
Core modules
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Articulate key issues related to the debates about research methods for Art, Design and Media and practiceled research.
- Critically evaluate and select appropriate research methods from a range of disciplinary and cross disciplinary models evidencing ethical awareness in research design.
- Demonstrate individual research skills and techniques for developing, recording and analysing research enquiry through their application to a research question.
- Demonstrate a high level of critical engagement with theoretical/historical/contemporary sources.
- Make effective use of appropriate presentation tools for the communication of their research findings and offer personal reflection of the research journey.
Optional modules
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Creatively respond to a given project or theme to formulate a multidisciplinary solution.
- Collaborate on interdisciplinary team projects, demonstrating an ability to argue and defend ideas and positions.
- Articulate responses to current issues within the specified subject areas
- Critically appraise, analyse and evaluate discipline specific methodologies through the analysis and evaluation of available data and representational material and communicate these appropriately to an audience.
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Identify and negotiate professional needs in relation to the practice of the particular subject discipline.
- Develop and sustain a critical understanding of the concepts, theories and principles which underpin current practice.
- Conduct a scholarly project that provides evidence of critical and reflective engagement with subject-specific practice.
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Independently use advanced specialist knowledge in relation to specific practice based research.
- Articulate evidence of interrogation of the interrelationship of concept and method relating to specific practice based research within the critically reflective report.
- Evidence through critical writing: intellectual skills, reflection and critical engagement, that demonstrate and articulate understanding of a related artefact and its position and context in relation to the forefront of the discipline.
- Develop and produce critically reflective scholarly writing and document, evidence and articulate a research rationale, methodologies employed, iterative development, testing, and conclusion in relation to a designed artefact developed through independent research in response to a project proposal.
This year contains both core and optional modules.
All modules in this year are core.
Core modules
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Independently use advanced specialist knowledge in relation to specific practice based research.
- Articulate evidence of interrogation of the interrelationship of concept and method relating to specific practice based research within the critically reflective report.
- Evidence through critical writing: intellectual skills, reflection and critical engagement, that demonstrate and articulate understanding of a related artefact and its position and context in relation to the forefront of the discipline.
- Develop and produce critically reflective scholarly writing and document, evidence and articulate a research rationale, methodologies employed, iterative development, testing, and conclusion in relation to a designed artefact developed through independent research in response to a project proposal.
Additional content
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Systematically synthesise exploratory research and practice into a clearly focused project proposal.
- Utilise and critically evaluate techniques and processes by selecting and experimenting with a range of materials and a variety of methods and sources.
- Provide evidence of the theoretical, critical and historical contexts and knowledge frameworks, which inform the proposed research programme and identifies key questions in relation to the proposed research.
- Independently develop a project management strategy, that articulates in a systematic way the proposed research programme and its sources, contextual framework, methodologies and the basis upon which it may be innovative, challenging and extending knowledge.
What you'll learn
The learning outcomes of this module are:
- Apply advanced convergent and divergent thinking methods to develop a self-initiated brief/proposal contextualized within contemporary and historical professional practice markets and audiences, technology and ethics in the fashion and textiles discipline.
- Critically evaluate, articulate and synthesise knowledge and understanding, attributes and skills in effective ways in the contexts of creative research and practice.
- Select, test and make appropriate critical decisions on the use of materials, processes and technologies at an advanced level.
- Articulate and present ideas and information in visual, oral and written forms at an advanced level, meeting and setting new standards within the discipline.
- Demonstrate and evaluate autonomous learning and project management, in addition to feedback and critical judgments in order to improve their practice.
Changes to course content
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Careers and opportunities
Careers this Master's prepares you for
This MA Fashion and Textiles degree will prepare you to explore your creative practice or pursue management opportunities within two globally in-demand industries. From design to export, the UK is a rich international source for fashion and textiles. In 2020, it exported almost £6 billion in fashion, and £3 billion in textiles (UKFT, 2020) worldwide, so you'll graduate with best practice and knowledge from a reputable contributor to these industries.
Graduates of this course have gone onto roles such as:
- Assistant designer
- Business owner
- Freelance designer
- Textile artist
- Technician
Graduates of this course have gone to work in areas such as:
- Design
- Start-ups
Career planning
During your course you'll have expert career support from your tutors and from our Careers and Employability Centre, which you can access for 5 years after you graduate.
You'll benefit from:
- Networking events
- 1-to-1 appointments
- CV and cover letter advice
- Interview preparation and practice
- Workshops to enhance your employability skills
- Recruitment events including the Student and Graduate Opportunities Fair
- Support starting your own business
If you're interested in setting up your own business while you study, you can get support on this course from the Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs) programme. Our EIRs are experienced business professionals who work with us to deliver group workshops and 1-to-1 drop-in clinics to help you plan and market your business idea.
How you'll spend your time
We recognise that you'll probably be juggling more demands when you do your Master's degree, as you may be working or you may have family responsibilities.
We'll give you as much indication here as we can of how much time you'll need to be on campus and how many hours you can expect to spend in self-directed study, but please note that these indications are always subject to change. You should receive your full timetable several weeks before you start with us.
Course structure
This Master's will take you:
- 1 year (full-time)
- 2 years (part-time)
You can expect:
- 1 day minimum face-to-face teaching
- Independent study time, depending on your mode of study:
- Full-time: 38 hours per week (approx.)
- Part-time: 19 hours per week (approx.)
- Regular tutorials, online or face-to-face
As part of your directed study and independent study (depending on what your project involves), you'll also be expected to spend at least one day per week on campus meeting your tutors and attending workshops.
Teaching
Master's study is deeper and more specialised than an undergraduate degree. This means you'll focus on something that really matters to you and your career as you work closely with academics committed to the subject.
You'll spend more time in independent study and research than you did for your undergraduate degree, but the majority of your teaching time will be in-person and face-to-face.
Teaching on this course includes:
- lectures
- seminars
- guest lectures
- one-to-one tutorials
- group tutorials
- peer assessment review and feedback
- presentations
- workshops
Your final stage of study will be more independent, making your timetable more flexible.
Assessment
You'll be assessed through coursework.
Mr Tom Clulee
Term dates
September start
The Master's academic year runs from September to the following September. There are breaks at Christmas and Easter. Over the summer you'll be writing your project/dissertation.
Joining us as an international student
You'll feel at home in our international community and our diverse city. You'll be joining over 5,000 international students from more than 150 countries who are studying with us.
Learn more about international student life and how we can help you with visas, applications, arrival and settling in.
Facilities and specialist equipment
Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality (CCIXR)
Create stunning works for film, TV, music, gaming and immersive reality in the UK's first integrated facility of its kind.
3D Workshops
Our Workshops are ideal for model-making, with high-grade kit for crafting wood, metal, plastics, polyurethane, concrete and plaster works.
Print workshops
Use our screen printing and screen coating rooms for your graphic materials, artwork, and fabric printing, with a host of traditional and digital equipment.
Traditional printmaking and letterpress facilities
Use our traditional lino-printing, wood-cutting and monoprinting equipment for all your design and print needs.
Supporting your learning
Master's study is more focused on independent learning than undergraduate study, but you'll get lots of support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed. You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:
Types of support
Your personal tutor helps you make the transition to postgraduate study and gives you academic and personal support throughout your time at university.
You'll have regular contact with your personal tutor in learning activities or scheduled meetings. You can also make an appointment with them if you need extra support.
In addition to the support you get from your personal tutor, you'll also have access to a Faculty student support advisor. They can give you confidential, impartial advice on anything to do with your studies and personal wellbeing and refer you to specialist support services.
If you need support with software and equipment or you want to learn additional skills (including skills not covered on your course), our creative skills tutors provide free workshops, activities and one-on-one tutorials. Skills you can learn include life drawing, film camera operation and video production.
You'll have help from a team of faculty academic skills tutors. They can help you improve and develop your academic skills and support you in any area of your study.
They can help with:
- Improving your academic writing (for example, essays, reports, dissertations)
- Delivering presentations (including observing and filming presentations)
- Understanding and using assignment feedback
- Managing your time and workload
- Revision and exam techniques
Computing support staff are always available to give technical support in the Faculty's computer suites during normal working hours. There's also some support available from 5.00pm to midnight at busy times of the year.
As well as support from faculty staff and your personal tutor, you can use the University's Academic Skills Unit (ASK).
ASK provides one-to-one support in areas such as:
- Academic writing
- Note taking
- Time management
- Critical thinking
- Presentation skills
- Referencing
- Working in groups
- Revision, memory and exam techniques
Our online Learning Well mini-course will help you plan for managing the challenges of learning and student life, so you can fulfil your potential and have a great student experience.
You can get personal, emotional and mental health support from our Student Wellbeing Service, in person and online. This includes 1-2-1 support as well as courses and workshops that help you better manage stress, anxiety or depression.
If you require extra support because of a disability or additional learning need our specialist team can help you.
They'll help you to
- discuss and agree on reasonable adjustments
- liaise with other University services and facilities, such as the library
- access specialist study skills and strategies tutors, and assistive technology tutors, on a 1-to-1 basis or in groups
- liaise with external services
Library staff are available in person or by email, phone or online chat to help you make the most of the University's library resources. You can also request one-to-one appointments and get support from a librarian who specialises in your subject area.
The library is open 24 hours a day, every day, in term time.
If English isn't your first language, you can do one of our English language courses to improve your written and spoken English language skills before starting your degree. Once you're here, you can take part in our free In-Sessional English (ISE) programme to improve your English further.
Course costs and funding
Tuition fees (September 2023 start)
- Full-time: £8,500
- Part-time: £4,250 per year
(including Transition Scholarship)
- Full-time: £8,500
- Part-time: £4,250 per year
- Full-time: £17,200
- Part-time: £8,600 per year
Funding your studies
Explore how to fund your studies, including available scholarships and bursaries.
If you're a UK student, you may be eligible for a Government Postgraduate Master's Loan, which you can use to help with course fees and living costs.
If you're a UK student who achieved a first in your undergraduate degree you may be eligible for a £3,000 University of Portsmouth scholarship.
Loans, scholarships and bursaries
Browse funding such as the Government Postgraduate Loan, our scholarships for new and returning students, and subject specific loans.
Funding for international students
Learn more about sponsorships, scholarships and loans for students applying from outside of the UK.
Fees and funding for Master's courses
Discover how you can fund your Master's study at Portsmouth – including loans, scholarships and bursaries – and read our guidance on topics like how to budget, and how to get support if you're disabled or have dependents.
Entry requirements
Eligibility
This course accepts UK, EU, and International students.
September 2023
- A minimum of a second-class honours degree in a related subject, or equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications.
-
Please get in touch if you're not sure if your undergraduate subject is relevant to this degree.
Equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications will also be considered, such as previous study, employment, voluntary work and training courses, including courses and qualifications you didn't complete. Learn more about our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
If you're applying as an international student with a non-UK degree, you’ll need to show you meet the UK entry requirements listed above.
To find out if your non-UK degree or other qualification is accepted, please visit our page for your country and view the UK equivalent of your qualification.
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 (or equivalent) with no component score below 6.0.
-
You do not need an IELTS or equivalent certification if:
- you have a UK degree
- you have a degree from a majority English speaking country (not taught by Distance Learning)
- you are a national of a majority English speaking country
-
Degrees taught solely in English from non-majority English speaking countries will be considered on a case by case basis. Find out more about our English language requirements.
If you do not meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
As part of the selection process, you'll be asked to attend an interview or provide an online portfolio.
For more information on how to put together a portfolio, read our MA Fashion and Textiles portfolio guide.
How to apply
Unlike undergraduate applications, which go through UCAS, applications for this Master's course are made directly to us.
There's no deadline for applications to this course. We accept applications right up until the start dates in September and January, as long as there are places available. If you wait until your start month to apply, you may find that the course is full.
If you're applying as an international student, remember that you'll need to leave plenty of time to get your visa organised.
You can find more advice about applying in our Master's application checklist. International students and current students and recent graduates of the University of Portsmouth also have some different application options, which are detailed below.
Extra information for international students
If you're an international student, you can apply directly to us using the same application form as UK students.
You could also get an agent to help with your application. Check your country page for details of agents in your region. To find out what to include in your application, head to the how to apply page of our international students section.
If you don’t meet the English language requirements for this course yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
Standard applications
Start this course in September 2023
I'm a current Portsmouth student, or a recent Portsmouth graduate
If you're currently in your final year of study at Portsmouth, or you graduated since July 2021, you're eligible to make a fast track application. You'll have:
- a shorter application form to complete
- access to the 20% Alumni fee discount
- a guaranteed conditional offer, for most Master's courses
After you apply
Once we receive your application, we may ask you for further information. We will then either make you an offer or suggest alternatives if your application is unsuccessful.
You'll usually get a decision within 10 working days, so you shouldn't have to wait too long. Some courses have an interview stage – we'll let you know if you need to prepare for one.
Learn more about how we assess your application.
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.