Textile Design BA (Hons)

In the first year, you'll learn new design and technical skills which enable you to create original textiles from scratch. Practical skills include a series of workshops and inductions in drawing and mark-making, colour origination, materials, processes, techniques in print/surface and weave/constructed. Sustainable practice will be introduced and continued throughout each stage of the course. Complemented by contextual studies units introducing you to the theory side of art, crafts and design. 

Textile Practice Process 1
You’ll also be introduced to fundamental skills and knowledge that provides the subject learning foundation to inform your design and making process. You’ll be introduced to the act of making as a key skill and means of experimental research through the exploration of materials and processes. 

Contextual Studies 1
Through a series of illustrated lectures and seminars, the unit will explore a range of theoretical and practice-based positions in order to demonstrate the rich diversity of existing approaches to crafts and design, and to consider specific aesthetic decisions in relation to their contexts.

Textile Practice Process 2
The purpose of this unit is to extend existing and develop new material knowledge and process skills, covering research, idea generation, conceptualisation, iterative exploration, design development, documentation, evaluation, resolution and communication through your individual responses to project briefs.

Textile Practice Process 3
Consolidating competency in the range of skills previously developed, and acquiring new skills that support increasingly confident and accomplished responses to more complex project briefs, is the aim of this unit in preparation for your second year of study. You'll extend your understanding of the subject context for your work and begin to explore a relevant textile focus. 

In your second year, you'll continue to develop your practical and design skills through further exploration. You'll start to discover your style and establish your own creative vocabulary and individual design identity. To stretch your concepts and enhance your skills and professional development, you'll have the opportunity to take part in industry live competitions, a work placement and a study abroad year.

Textile Practice Exploration 1
The purpose of this unit is for you to start developing and exploring your individual design identity and interest. This is undertaken through engagement with conceptually-led textile project brief(s) including where possible, live projects, collaborations, competitions and placement to link with industry.

Contextual Studies 2
Objects and environments are fundamental to our understanding of the world. The purpose of this unit is to introduce a range of contexts demonstrating the importance of meaning, and the ways this meaning can be used to create and express value within crafts and design practices. The things we make and use have ‘lives’ - they are conceived, designed and produced through chosen materials and processes before being mediated in public and often experienced and consumed privately.

Textile Practice Exploration 2
You’ll extend and further develop individual design identity and interest through briefs which incorporate all stages of the design process from beginning to resolution and include live projects, collaborations, competitions and placement where possible. You are encouraged to actively explore contrasts of approach to test your individual identity and project outcome/s.

Textile Practice Exploration 3
You’ll be encouraged to develop and refine your individual practice approaches to research, designing and making and refining your outcome as you begin to identify potential areas of interest for further pursuit in third year study. 

Students in the School of Crafts and Design have the unique opportunity within UCA to add an additional year of study at an overseas institution (either at a higher education establishment or workplace).

International Year
This optional year is designed to broaden your educational experience and deepen your understanding of cultural diversity, enabling you to study within a different cultural context and gain fresh perspectives. 

Studying abroad can be a life-changing experience. Living in another country, you'll experience new places, people, cultures and possibilities. You'll develop initiative, independence, motivation and, depending on where you go, a working knowledge of another language – all qualities employers are looking for. You will return to complete your degree with all the benefits of the International Year experience behind you.

To find out more about studying abroad as part of your course please see the Study Abroad section:

• Study abroad information

In your final year, we will support you to self-direct your own research. You'll develop, edit and curate a substantial body of textile work for your portfolio, while establishing an individual practice towards your future career/profession. You will finish the year by managing and participating in a public exhibition.

Textile Practice Portfolio
Our Professional Practice unit primes you in readiness for constructive engagement with your future prospects upon graduation. You’ll have a series of informative talks, seminars and lectures delivered from careers and industry specialists and professional practitioners. This unit helps to facilitate the transition from student to early stage professional practitioner or your career destination. You’ll be required to curate a bespoke, purposeful and future-facing portfolio that reflects your individual interest towards your future career/profession.

Textile Practice Position 1
The purpose of this unit is for you to commence framing an individual textile practice position, via one of two routes – research/exploratory prototyping, or testing research to resolution.

Contextual Studies 3
You’ll conceive, develop and construct a personally meaningful portfolio of contextual research. This research will informs, augments and reflect upon your practice, will critically engage with a range of contextual and theoretical frameworks and will serve to support the positioning of your practice in relation to past, present and possible future endeavours.

Textile Practice Position 2
You’ll initiate your own individual final major project for your portfolio and Graduate Show and an optional public exhibition (New Designers).

We have strong industry connections with many leading names in the sector – our students have undertaken work placements and/or secured rewarding careers with, for example:

• Ben Sherman Design
• Courtaulds Textiles
• Colefax and Fowler
• David Linley
• Debenhams Design Department
• Dedar
• Esquel Apparel Ltd
• Ivo Prints
• Jaeger
• John Lewis Design Studio
• Ratti Spa Design Studio Italy
• Sandersons UK Designer Fabric and Wallpaper
• Sacho Hesslein Museum
• Savoir Beds, Mayfair
• Zoffany Fabrics
• Royal Opera House
• Textile and Fashion Museum
• Zandra Rhodes
• Mirjam Rouden
• Paul Smith
• Margo Selby Designers
• Christopher Farr Design Studio
• Keeler Gordan Design Studio
• LK Bennett Design Studio
• Westcott Design Studio
• V&A Museum
• The Contemporary Arts Gallery, London.

Our Textile Design degree offers you a springboard into a diverse range of career paths. Recent graduates have secured roles as:

• Print designers
• Fabric technologists
• Public art practitioners
• Weave interior fabric designers
• Fabric and accessories coordinators
• Designer-makers
• Textile designers and stylists
• Textile conservators and curators
• Art educators and teachers
• Fashion buyers and retailers
• Arts administrators
• Gallery directors.