MA International Fashion Brand Management: Fashion Visual Merchandising

Program Overview

The MA International Fashion Brand Management: Fashion Visual Merchandising program at UWL prepares students for careers in visual merchandising and retail space design. It covers the entire fashion chain from product development to sustainable strategies, focusing on equipping students with professional skills, creativity, and critical thinking abilities. The program offers industry exposure through visits to fashion hubs, collaborations with fellow students, and potential study trips. Graduates are qualified for various roles in fashion visual merchandising, including design, management, and branding.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The MA International Fashion Brand Management: Fashion Visual Merchandising is a postgraduate program designed for individuals passionate about fashion who want to pursue a career in visual merchandising and retail space design. It focuses on fashion product management, encompassing the entire fashion chain from development and range planning to brand management, sourcing, visual merchandising, store layout, PR and communication, omnichannel strategy, consumer promotion, digital developments, and sustainable strategies. The program aims to equip students with the high-level professional skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the global fashion industry. It emphasizes developing interpersonal, creative, technical, and critical abilities to make informed decisions while gaining a solid academic foundation in the processes and elements of the fashion industry. The program offers access to resources in London, such as retailers, suppliers, museums, prominent shows, and world-famous fashion and retail events. It welcomes applications from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, including mature students.

Outline:

Level 7

• Compulsory Modules:
• Research Methods for Creative Industries (20 credits):
This module develops academic and research skills/tools, teaches the latest research methodologies and strategies used in creative industries' research, and underpins the creation and critical reflection expected in all other course modules.
• Strategic Fashion Brand Management (20 credits): This module incorporates the latest thinking and developments from academia and the fashion industry, providing an interconnected understanding of fashion branding and business strategies.
• Fashion Visual Merchandising and Retail Space Design (40 credits): This module focuses on creating fashion retail experiences that balance brand values and identity with the location, retail space, windows, and execution feasibility.
It emphasizes digital developments and sustainable strategies for fashion visual merchandising.
• Professional Fashion Contexts (40 credits): This module introduces students to current social, economic, political, environmental, technological, cultural, and artistic issues and contexts influencing the fashion industry.
Students gain professional creative and technical skills through seminars and practical workshops, exploring the working life of a professional, fashion industry narratives, and historical approaches to the field. Visits to companies/exhibitions/events, and guest speaker presentations are included in this module.
• MA Project/Dissertation (60 credits): This module provides students with the opportunity to develop a personally relevant topic and translate the research ideas and concepts developed throughout the MA course.
Students achieve a resolution to their Project/Dissertation Proposals and key research questions by demonstrating evidence of advanced conceptual and theoretical capability over an extended period of self-directed study.

Live Project Briefs:

• Briefs are prepared jointly by UWL staff and industry consultants to satisfy academic and professional learning outcomes.
• Includes an option to collaborate with fellow students from other MA pathways within UWL.

Industry Exposure:

• The program's experimental and collaborative approach is reinforced by the "Professional Fashion Contexts" meta-module, designed to provide the highest level of industry exposure and accelerate employability.
• Includes visits to companies, exhibitions, events, and talks by guest speakers.

Optional Study Trip:

• A possibility of an optional study trip to one of the key fashion cities, like Paris.

Placement:

• There is an option to undertake a placement within the "Professional Fashion Contexts" module in the third semester or undertake an industry research project.

ArtsFest:

• Students have the opportunity to present their work at the annual ArtsFest, showcasing highlights from UWL students' portfolios, showreels, and performances.

Careers:

Upon graduation, students may be qualified for a broad range of careers, including:

• Fashion visual merchandising manager/consultant
• Fashion digital visual merchandising manager/consultant
• Fashion experiential visual design manager/consultant
• Fashion retail space designer
• Fashion visual communication manager
• Fashion visual branding manager
• Fashion brand visual development manager
• Fashion set-designer
• Fashion trade show designer
• Fashion pop-up store designer
• Catwalk designer
Students may also work with international fashion and luxury brands or progress to study a PhD at UWL.

• UK: £9,750 per year
• International: £17,250 per year