| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-09-19 | - |
| 2024-01-09 | 2023-11-04 |
| 2024-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
The Fashion Buying with Marketing BA (Hons) at De Montfort University is a versatile program that equips students with the skills and knowledge to navigate the evolving fashion industry. It emphasizes buying, business, and marketing, with a focus on sustainability and social responsibility. Graduates are prepared for careers as buyers, merchandisers, marketing executives, and more. The program offers a year-long placement option, industry guest speakers, and opportunities for live projects.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
This versatile and dynamic program, with its emphasis on buying, business, and marketing, will equip you for a range of careers in the fast-paced fashion industry. The course aims to develop your practical skills and knowledge to tackle the challenges of the ever-evolving industry, focusing on the shift in consumer demand from high street to online shopping. Sustainability and social responsibility are key elements of the program, ensuring you have the tools to drive innovation at all stages of the buying process.
Objectives:
- Develop strong commercial understanding and theoretical knowledge of fashion buying.
- Analyze consumer behavior to create targeted marketing campaigns.
- Gain practical skills in design concept, marketing, and branding.
- Communicate and present ideas through Adobe Creative Suite.
- Learn sustainable sourcing and supply management practices.
- Understand the global fashion retail environment and its future.
Program Description:
The program utilizes a block teaching approach, where you focus on one subject at a time. This allows for regular assessments and a simplified timetable, promoting a healthy study-life balance. You will have access to industry-standard facilities, including fashion studios, textile workshops, technology labs, and exhibition spaces. The curriculum emphasizes:
- Buying: Product development, range planning, trend prediction, forecasting, critical path management, sales analysis, and trading.
- Business: Marketing, branding, communication, social media, PR, and digital platforms.
- Sustainability: Sustainable design, sourcing, and ethical practices.
Outline:
Year 1:
- Block 1: Fashion Consumer and Marketplace, introduction to marketing principles, segmentation, targeting, and positioning.
- Block 2: Fashion Business, fundamental principles of fashion business, innovation, marketing, merchandising, strategy, and digital enterprise.
- Block 3: Fashion Lifecycle, buying process, trend prediction, product development, sustainable sourcing, critical path management, sales analysis, and trading.
- Block 4: Sustainable Futures, professionalism, future impact in the fashion world, historical context, design cultures, research methods, visual literacy, and academic writing.
Year 2:
- Block 1: Buying and Professional Practice, further exploration of the buying process, range planning, product development, sustainable sourcing, critical path management, sales analysis, and trading.
- Block 2: Design Innovation and Sustainable Futures, sustainable design innovation, future of fashion, circular economy, cost versus planet considerations, and theoretical concepts in design innovation, sustainability, and fashion business.
- Block 3: Introduction to Global Sourcing Skills, global fashion buying principles, key tasks, open costings, negotiation, key fabrics, fabric testing, garment production, buying cycle, global sourcing environment, logistics, legal implications, and supplier management.
- Block 4: Marketing, Communications and Branding, fashion marketing, market research, consumer behavior, digital marketing, marketing strategies, PR, editorials, promotional techniques, branding, brand extensions, and persuasive communication.
Year 3:
- Block 1 and 2: Sustainable Sourcing and Supply Management, sourcing of textile products, global supply issues, country-of-origin, flexibility of supply, quality management, international distribution, supply chains, international political legislation, and sustainability.
- Block 1 and 2: Strategic Fashion Marketing, global retailing, visual merchandising, promotional techniques, new directions in consumer demand, research, strategy for a retailer or brand relaunch, market positioning, new consumer directions, and in-store/digital concepts.
- Block 3 and 4: Major Research Project, dissertation, entrepreneurial project with a business plan, or a work-based project focusing on a specific need with justified solutions.
Assessment:
Assessment methods vary depending on the module and include:
- Reports (100%)
- Digital portfolios (100%)
- Assignments (50%, 100%)
- Presentations (50%, 15%)
- Coursework (100%)
Teaching:
The program utilizes a variety of teaching methods, including:
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Seminars
- Group work
- Self-directed study
- Practical workshops
- Design studio practice The program also features guest speakers from the industry and opportunities for live projects with industry partners.
Careers:
Graduates of this program are prepared for a range of careers in the fashion industry, including:
- Buyer
- Merchandiser
- Product Developer
- Marketing Executive
- Brand Manager
- PR and Communications Specialist
- Sustainability Consultant
Other:
- The program offers the option of a year-long placement to gain industry experience.
- Students have access to a dedicated careers team and opportunities for networking and showcasing events.
- The program has received recognition for its excellence in teaching and sustainability practices.
Please note:
- This information is based on the current academic session and may be subject to change.
2024/25 UK tuition fees:£9,250 2024/25 international tuition:£15,750 Additional costs
