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In the UK for Fashion and textiles in The Guardian University Guide 2022

Fashion and Creative Pattern Cutting MA

Start date

  • Level(s) of Study: Postgraduate taught
  • Start Date(s): September 2024
  • Duration: 45 weeks
  • Study Mode(s): Full-time
  • Campus: City Campus
  • Entry Requirements:
    More information
Information for 2024/25

Introduction:

This practice-led MA in Fashion and Creative Pattern Cutting will encourage creative thinking, experimentation and problem-solving to develop practical skills and innovative approaches to pattern cutting and garment design. While exploring and advancing knowledge of historical and traditional cutting techniques, you will become conversant with specialist digital technologies and incorporate it within practice.

This specialist course is designed to enable the advancement of creative and technical knowledge and skills that are essential in industry, whether for a chosen career within pattern cutting, design, designer/maker or a practice-led research path.

  • Work with Illustrator, InDesign and LECTRA in our Computer Aided Design (CAD) suite
  • Have the opportunity to go on study visits to costume archives, museums and design exhibitions and take part in a wide range of workshops and demonstrations
  • Work in our extensive fashion design studios with industry-standard equipment and our expert teaching team
  • Choose to collaborate with industry for your personal project. Recent student-led collaborations include Berghaus and Mountain Equipment

What you’ll study

This MA Fashion and Creative Pattern Cutting course provides a series of research and practical based modules in which you will build upon existing skills that will support the development and realisation of an individual final project that demonstrates new knowledge, skills and abilities. The aims and objectives of the personally negotiated project will be clearly identified within a project proposal and projects may be inspired by personal aspiration or links with industry.

This course requires you to complete a total of 5 modules with varying credit points awarded, providing an accumulative total of 180-credits.

Term one

Practice-Led Research Methods  (20 credit points)

In this module you will focus on advancing your knowledge and understanding of varied research methods and methodologies, reflective practice, and ethics where you will engage with the postgraduate Fashion, Textiles and Knitwear community with shared teaching and learning opportunities.

Innovative Pattern Cutting Methods (40 credit points)

In this module you will explore traditional and contemporary techniques, building upon your existing pattern cutting knowledge through a series of demonstrations and tasks. This module encourages an advanced and experimental methodology to support the development of a more innovative and experimental approach to pattern cutting. You will also investigate modern research-led practice and explore how advances in technology can transform pattern cutting techniques and outcomes.

Term two

Creative Design Solutions (40 credit points)

This module incorporates both group working and working individually. Innovative problem-solving, creative thinking and advanced technical skills are required to explore and resolve a real-life design issue for a specific market. Extensive experimentation, sampling and testing will be required to prove the appropriateness of design and technical decisions, fabric choices, manufacture and finish. The project brief will be generated from industry case studies.

You can choose one optional module from below:

Advanced Practice-led Research (20 credit points)

This module enables you to demonstrate a personal body of research into contemporary pattern cutting researchers and practitioners who promote sustainability and design responsibility. Through the development of experimental samples, you will analyse their methods and techniques and develop your own outcomes that demonstrate sustainable and responsible approaches and considerations.

Advanced Art and Design Research (20 credit points)

This module is aimed at students who are interested in a deeper and more thorough understanding of research methodologies and philosophy in relation to your subject area, with the possibility of undertaking a research degree in the future. If you select this module, you will study with students from across the School’s postgraduate courses, attending a series of lectures, seminars and presentations and complete a written assignment.

Term three

Design Realisation (60 credit points)

Your final major project will be an in-depth body of work that will evidence creative and theoretical research, extensive experimentation with cutting, design, fit, fabric, manufacture and finish as you demonstrate innovative and highly creative outcomes that consider design responsibility. It is expected that the project will support your future career/further educational study plans.

Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves

Student Profiles

Joanne Mills

When applying for my role at Private White VC it was my PG Cert that separated me from other applicants.

Video Gallery

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How you’re taught

Teaching and learning experiences will include:

  • induction
  • lectures
  • seminars
  • workshops
  • team working
  • tutorials
  • personal project
  • subject specialist tutorials
  • presentations

Find out when our postgraduate term dates for the Nottingham School of Art & Design are. Please note that these are slightly different to other Schools within the University.

Staff Profiles

Maria Stafford - Senior Lecturer

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Maria Stafford is a Lecturer / Senior Lecturer and is responsible for the delivery and management of the PGC Creative Pattern Cutting course including pattern cutting workshop.

How you’re assessed

Assessment is 91% coursework and 9% practical assessments. This involves an exhibition of your coursework and project outcomes, including your Reflective Journal / sketchbook.

Careers and employability

Career Prospects

This course leads to a wide range of career opportunities including:

  • creative pattern cutter
  • Pattern technologist
  • Garment technologist
  • CAD/CAM specialist
  • Grader
  • Designer / maker
  • Production manager.

Some graduates also use this course to support careers in teaching, lecturing and progression to MPhil or PhD study.

YouFirst – working with our Employability Team

Our friendly, experienced careers consultants will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice you won't find in a book or on the internet. You can benefit from this at any time during your studies and up to three years after completing your course.

Showcase

Explore our showcase ‘We Are Creatives’ - celebrating the work of the Nottingham School of Art & Design students. You will find a sneak peak of some of our students’ work and gain a real insight into what it’s like to be part of the NTU creative community at wearecreativesntu.art

Re:search Re:imagined

To us, research is about more than writing papers and proposing new ideas. By daring to think differently, we’re disrupting the research landscape and finding the answers to the questions that really matter. From electronic textiles to the history of lace, we’re inspiring the brightest minds to rise up and find solutions to some of the most significant global challenges facing society.

Find out more: ntu.ac.uk/research

Campus and facilities

Our dedicated postgraduate Fashion Design studio is a lively, highly creative environment based in the Bonington building, a dedicated art and design hub. You can view all of our Fashion facilities on the Nottingham School of Art & Design Facilities page.

Entry requirements

What are we looking for?

  • 2.2 honours degree in a related subject.
  • Applicants with non-standard entry qualifications and / or relevant work experience will be considered on an individual basis.

Other requirements:

NTU may admit a student with advanced standing beyond the beginning of a course, through an assessment of that student's prior learning, whether it is certificated or uncertificated. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available to these prospective students, such as recognising experiential learning or transferring to a similar course at another institution, otherwise known as credit transfer.

All prospective students who wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning should initially contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form

You will need one of the following:

  • Bachelors degree grade 2.2 or equivalent qualification.

International qualifications 

We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:

Postgraduate preparation courses (Pre-Masters)

If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Pre-Masters courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:

English language entry requirements 

You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:

Would you like some advice on your study plans? 

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

Fees and funding

Mode of study

Home tuition fee

Student fee

£9,700

Alumni Loyalty Scheme - 20% fee discount

We're happy to be able to offer a 20% fee discount to most current NTU students and recent NTU graduates.
See if you're eligible.

Postgraduate loans

The government introduced a new postgraduate loans scheme in the 2016/17 academic year for Masters degrees. The loan will be a contribution towards the costs of study and it will be at the student's discretion to use the loan towards fees, maintenance costs or other costs.

Scholarships

We are offering a number of scholarships for Masters study.

Getting in touch

For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service on
+44 (0)115 848 2494.

Find out more about our terms and conditions of study for this course.

Mode of study

International tuition fee

Student fee

£17,500

Alumni Loyalty Scheme - 20% fee discount

We're happy to be able to offer a 20% fee discount to most current NTU students and recent NTU graduates.
See if you're eligible.

International scholarships

You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to international students who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion and dedication to their studies.

Please take a look at our International students page for information about fees, scholarships for international students, visas and much more.

Getting in touch

For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.

Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494

How to apply

Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying.

Application deadline

You can apply for this course throughout the year, but we'd recommend that applications should be received by the end of July for entry in September.

Writing your application

Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. Make sure you include as much information as possible, including uploading evidence of results already achieve, as well as a personal statement.

Keeping up to date

After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU in our postgraduates' guide. Here you'll find advice about how to write a good personal statement and much more.

Getting in touch

If you need any more help or information, please email our Admissions Team or call on +44 (0)115 848 4200.

Apply online through our NTU applicant portal.

Application advice

Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example.  After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

Writing your personal statement

Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:

Your portfolio 

If your initial application is successful, you may be asked to upload a portfolio of your work and you may also be asked to attend an interview.

Portfolio advice

Would you like some advice on your study plans? 

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

The University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.