Fashion Business Analytics BSc (Hons)
- Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
- UCAS Code(s): W237; W238
- Start Date(s): September 2024
- Duration: 3 / 4 year(s)
- Study Mode(s): Full-time / Sandwich
- Campus: City Campus
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Entry Requirements:
More information
Introduction:
If you're a creative thinker who loves analysing things, enjoys problem-solving, and has an entrepreneurial spirit, this course is the perfect meeting ground for you to excel. Here, you'll learn how to shape the fashion world both in physical stores and online by interpreting product and consumer data. Data is the core of all fashion organisations, helping to boost sales, understand consumers better, and provide personalised shopping experiences.
You'll use your analytical mindset and knowledge of fashion consumers to make better decisions and set effective strategies for fashion companies. With this knowledge, you'll gain customer-focused insights to tackle current and future challenges using cool tools like Excel, Tableau, and Google Analytics.
In this course, you'll be the bridge between art and science, gaining confidence in collaborative work and acquiring the skills to lead in this fast-paced global industry.
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You have the option to complete an optional year-long work placement, in the UK or abroad, gaining a certificate or diploma in professional practice. -
With an emphasis on work-based learning, we encourage you to participate in live collaborative projects and attend teaching sessions with global brands and industry experts such as Farfetch, Next, Microsoft, John Lewis, Fraser Group, ASOS and SMEs. -
Build your personal professional portfolio and profile by attending networking events and seminars, as well as working closely with industry mentors. -
Learn how to interpret and visualise data using industry relevant software such as Excel, Tableau, Google/Adobe Analytics, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Clo3d
What you’ll study
The course aims to provide you with a strong understanding of the sustainable global retail business environment and fashion industry roles. You will gain the knowledge and ability to extract and manipulate a variety of fashion related data across different industry specific software. Interacting collaboratively, you will be provided with the necessary skills to strategically interpret and provide visionary and meaningful insights, communicating and visualising relevant data for departments and roles.
As students will be entering the course from different backgrounds the curriculum will allow you the necessary academic and technical skills to progress at each level and onwards into your chosen career.
The course aims to foster an entrepreneurial mindset, allowing individuals to work independently, but also add value through future thinking within a team, generating opportunities for creative and reflective problem solving.
Global Markets and the Fashion Consumer
(40 credits) full year
In this module you will research global consumer trends, considering issues such as inclusivity, diversity, sustainability, and community. Your learning will be underpinned with key marketing principles to allow you to contextualise the fashion business environment. Marketing models and theories provide you with the tools to understand the modern fashion consumer. Distinctive features of this module include a live team project opportunities and collaboration. You will visually realise your work through industry standard software such as Adobe InDesign and Illustrator.
Introduction to Fashion Industry
In this module you will gain an awareness of global fashion business practices, focusing on the range of job roles within the industry and business structures. You will explore organisational behaviour and people management, discussing areas such as business ethics and sustainability, financial and operational processes. There will be a commercial work like experience focus, supplemented with guest lecturers and industry experts. Your learning will be underpinned by academic principles, models, and theories.
Data Analytics
(20 credits) half year
In this module you will be introduced to the foundations of data management. This will include an introduction to web, digital, merchandising and product analytics, with a focus on the key metrics and how this relates to the customer experience. Data literacy will be explored through statistical analysis and trends, using industry relevant software such as Excel. Mini practical workshops and video outputs will allow you to build your commercial knowledge to help inform industry practice.
Professional Practice & Networking
(20 credits) half year
In this module you will develop and promote your professional portfolio in preparation for future employability and career aspirations within the fashion industry. You will recognise your strengths, skills, and competencies to ensure you have the relevant techniques to prepare for work experience or your own entrepreneurial venture. There will be an emphasis on start-ups, assessment centres, interviews, and digital practice. Continued self-reflection, supplemented with networking events, alumni, and industry mentoring, will allow you to maximise your future opportunities.
Data Modelling & Business Forecasting
In this module you will continue to build on your knowledge of data management and global business practices. Exploring product and lifestyle merchandising you will develop skills and knowledge of planning, budgeting, trading, and business operations. There will be a focus on sustainability and lean management, within the analysis of the distribution and supply chain network. You will investigate and evaluate relevant data to provide business solutions, using models and theories and relevant industry software tools such as advanced Excel, WSSI and SQL.
Customer Experience
(40 credits) half year
This module will immerse you in the future innovation and technology being explored within the fashion industry to enhance the customer experience. You will investigate new experiential areas such as the metaverse, gaming, artificial intelligence/reality and how these impacts on the consumer journey. Quantifying the effectiveness of digital activity and customer insights, you will analyse data touchpoints and provide visual solutions to improve content and performance marketing. There will be a focus on industry software such as Google/Adobe analytics and visualisation tools such as tableau, to interpret and maximise opportunities in the fashion environment.
Optional Module:
(20 credits) half year
You will choose one module from a selection such as:
- Digital Marketing and Communication
- Buying, Merchandising and Product Fundamentals
- Motion Graphics
- The Art of the Video Interview
- Responding to the Visual World
- 3D Materials and Explorations
CoLab: Research, Exploration and Risk-taking
(20 credits) half year
Optional Placement Year
We have an option for all of our students to undertake a placement year and allow you to decide whether this is right for you once you have completed years 1 and 2 of your course. This time spent working in industry provides our students with crucial work experience, which is highly prized and much sought after by employers upon graduation. If you are successful in securing a placement you will have the chance to gain an additional Certificate or Diploma in Professional Practice, dependent on duration.
Strategic Customer Insights & Analytics
(40 credits) full year
This module allows you to consolidate your learning by investigating strategic customer insights, business developments and improvements, underpinning with relevant models, theories, and techniques applicable to the context of the global fashion environment. You will have the opportunity to project manage and participate within a live interdisciplinary group project, exploring innovation and demonstrating intrapreneurship, by the extraction and interpretation of data to provide meaningful solutions. Analysing and optimising digital performance will allow you to visualise your results and enhance customer engagement and conversion.
Final Major Project
You will have an opportunity to undertake an investigative study on a self-selected, specialist subject relating to the Fashion Business Analytics course and the global industry, thus enabling you to personalise your learnings towards future career aspirations. You can develop either a research-based topic or business plan to enable you to realise any entrepreneurial ambitions. The focus is on self-directed research, analysis, and evaluation, to allow you to strategically develop solutions and insights. This will be tailored with academic support and the NTU Enterprise hub.
Graduate Portfolio
(20 Credits) full year
This module will continue to build on your professional portfolio journey. It will ensure you are graduate ready to promote ‘your brand’ within the wider fashion industry to realise your career ambitions. You will reflect on and consolidate your learning, recognising your qualities and attributes within your personal development plan, to successfully position yourself within this innovative and progressive industry. You will have the opportunity to collaborate and showcase your talent through experiential fashion technology, such as Clo3d.
Further information on what you'll study
- Personalise learning through developing either a research-based investigative topic or business plan to enable you to realise any entrepreneurial ambitions.
- Attend optional study trips to international fashion capitals such as New York, Shanghai, and Tokyo.
- Visit global brand head offices, conferences, trade shows, experiential retail, digital innovation labs and VR studios to gain contemporary industry insight.
Video Gallery
How you’re taught
You will be taught through a variety of teaching and learning experiences which will include:
- Active collaborative learning
- Learning through research
- Online or Blended learning
- Lecture
- Networking
- Peer learning
- Practical
- Professional practice
- Reflection
- Self-assessment
- Seminar
- Simulation
- Small group tutoring
- IT Workshops
- Verbal and visual presentations
- Study trips, conferences, trade fairs and events
20% of your final degree mark will be based on your work in Year 2, and 80% from your work in your final year.
Co Lab
Want real-world experience alongside your degree? Co Lab is your opportunity to work with peers from different disciplines on live projects set by industry partners. Embrace collaborative practice as you explore how creativity can make an impact in society and develop the skills employers want to see in the creative industries.
Exchange opportunities
If you’re thinking about studying part of your degree abroad, the course has exchange agreements with a number of institutions around the world.
Exchanges take place in Year Two of the course. You’ll receive guidance from the University about where you can study, and help in completing your application and arranging your exchange.
Showcase
You will be given the opportunity to exhibit your work during your time at NTU to members of the creative industries. Visit our ‘We Are Creatives’ showcase to take a look at the work of this year's graduating students’.
Contact hours
- Year 1 lectures/seminars/workshops (21%), independent study (79%)
- Year 2 lectures/seminars/workshops (20%), independent study (80%)
- Year 3 lectures/seminars/workshops (20%), independent study (80%)
Further information
NTU is in the UK’s Top 15 for Art & Design in the Complete University Guide 2023 (Ranked 15th).
How you’re assessed
- Year 1 coursework (67%), practical exams (33%)
- Year 2 coursework (100%)
- Year 3 coursework (77%), practical exams (23%)
Careers and employability
Brands and retailers are seeking employees confident to work with data to inform decisions on marketing, customer, and product development. Graduates from this course are well placed to fill the growing fashion and technology skills gap; with the ability to be flexible, adaptable, and responding innovatively to the changing needs of the industry. Graduates have also started their own businesses.
Graduates can enter careers such as merchandising, data analytics and customer insights, roles including:
- Entrepreneur/ Business Owner/ Transformation Leader
- Consumer Insights & Analytics
- Customer Experience Manager
- Digital Marketing & E-Commerce
- Merchandiser/Merchandiser & Trading Analyst
- Logistics/ PLM
- Strategy Analyst
- Digital Retail Analyst
- Business Analyst
Connecting with industry and work placement opportunities
Industry professionals will visit the course to guest lecture and share their experiences. Live projects and competitions will help you to gain real experience of the industry, make contacts, and build your portfolio and CV.
You’ll be encouraged to undertake short periods of work experience alongside your studies. You will normally complete these placements during holiday periods, but you will have the option of taking up to two weeks out of term time, which you can negotiate with your tutor.
In addition, you’ll also have the opportunity to complete a longer work experience or placement, with the chance to gain an additional Diploma or Certificate in Professional Practice, dependent on duration. Course tutors and our Employability team are on hand to support you in applying for placement and professional practice opportunities.
YouFirst – working with our Employability team
Studying a creative degree in a large university has many benefits, none more so than having access to a large 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 for up to three years after completing your course.
Creative Industries Federation
We are members of the Creative Industries Federation (CIF), which means students in the Nottingham School of Art & Design have the opportunity to sign up to free student membership. Creative Industries Federation are an organisation that represents, champions and supports the UK’s creative industries and membership grants students exclusive access to their selection of resources and events to help advance your career and connect with industry.
What our students are doing now
Fashion Management students host International Women's Day Event
To celebrate International Women’s Day, our Final Year Fashion Management students hosted a community event with inspirational industry experts.
Fashion students attend design brief workshop with iconic Nottingham designer
NTU alumnae becomes first UK winner of Cannes Young PR Lions competition
Campus and facilities
You will be based in the Barnes Wallis building at the heart of the City Campus, with its modern teaching rooms, collaborative working spaces and Mac suites. View our Nottingham School of Art & Design Facilities Hub here.
Entry requirements
120 UCAS Tariff points
What are we looking for?
- 112 - 120 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications (two of which must be A-level equivalent).
- GCSE English and Maths grade C / 4.
To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.
Other qualifications and experience
We may also consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning.
This may be for year one entry, or beyond the beginning of a course where applicable, for example, into year 2. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route.
Contextual offers
A lower offer may be made based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer and we get data from UCAS to make these decisions. NTU offers a student experience like no other and this approach helps us to find students who have the potential to succeed here but who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Find out how we assess your application.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
Undergraduate preparation courses (Foundation)
If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Foundation 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:
Advanced standing (starting your undergraduate degree in year 2 or 3)
You may be able to start your undergraduate course in year 2 or 3 based on what you have studied before. This decision would be made in accordance with our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy.
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.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
Fees and funding
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there's no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
What's included in the course fees?
The School will cover the costs of any mandatory study trips.
In Final Year, the Nottingham School of Art & Design will provide infrastructure costs for your Degree Showcase, including course catalogue and exhibition set-up costs. If you’re selected to showcase your work at Graduate Fashion Week in London, the School will cover the cost of transporting your work and the exhibition stand.
Additional costs
Print and copy costs
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
Depending on the materials you choose to work with, you should budget a minimum of £100 - £200 in each year to cover printing costs.
Stationery and reading materials
Most study modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary between courses and further information is available in the University’s bookshop, Blackwell’s.
A good supply of these essential textbooks are available in the University libraries, which students can easily borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library. You should budget £110 in Year One and £220 in Year Two for stationery and reading materials. In Final Year, you should budget around £500, to include dissertation printing and binding.
Other module costs, you’ll need to budget £100 - £200 (minimum) in Year One (to include essential books, and 2nd hand garments), £130 (minimum) in Year Two, and £150 (minimum) in Final Year.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
If you choose to join optional study trips, you’ll need to budget:
- £300 – optional European trip
- £1,200 – optional New York trip
- £400 – optional European trip
- £200 – self-funded research trips
- £1,600 - optional Asian trip
- £150 – optional field trips
Placements
You will have the opportunity to gain an extra qualification – a Certificate in Professional Practice on the Full-Time route. Or you may decide to switch to the Sandwich route, which includes a one-year Placement. Whether pursuing the Full Time or the Sandwich route you will need to budget for accommodation, travel and living costs whilst on Placement.
Costs will vary depending on whether the Placement is paid or unpaid, local or global. If you are working overseas, you will need to factor in the cost of setting up a bank account and visa applications; some companies pay for the visa as part of the Placement offer.
You should also budget £500 for interview/assessment centres in preparation for your Placement year.
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there's no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to those 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
What's included in the course fees?
The School will cover the costs of any mandatory study trips.
In Final Year, the Nottingham School of Art & Design will provide infrastructure costs for your Degree Showcase, inc
luding course catalogue and exhibition set-up costs. If you’re selected to showcase your work at Graduate Fashion Week in London, the School will cover the cost of transporting your work and the exhibition stand.
Additional costs
Print and copy costs
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
Depending on the materials you choose to work with, you should budget a minimum of £100 - £200 in each year to cover printing costs.
Stationery and reading materials
Most study modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary between courses and further information is available in the University’s bookshop, Blackwell’s.
A good supply of these essential textbooks are available in the University libraries, which students can easily borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library. You should budget £110 in Year One and £220 in Year Two for stationery and reading materials. In Final Year, you should budget around £500, to include dissertation printing and binding.
Other module costs, you’ll need to budget £100 - £200 (minimum) in Year One (to include essential books, and 2nd hand garments), £130 (minimum) in Year Two, and £150 (minimum) in Final Year.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
If you choose to join optional study trips, you’ll need to budget:
- £300 – optional European trip
- £1,200 – optional New York trip
- £400 – optional European trip
- £200 – self-funded research trips
- £1,600 - optional Asian trip
- £150 – optional field trips
Placements
You will have the opportunity to gain an extra qualification – a Certificate in Professional Practice on the Full-Time route. Or you may decide to switch to the Sandwich route, which includes a one-year Placement. Whether pursuing the Full Time or the Sandwich route you will need to budget for accommodation, travel and living costs whilst on Placement.
Costs will vary depending on whether the Placement is paid or unpaid, local or global. If you are working overseas, you will need to factor in the cost of setting up a bank account and visa applications; some companies pay for the visa as part of the Placement offer.
You should also budget £500 for interview/assessment centres in preparation for your Placement year.
How to apply
Apply through UCAS.
Getting in touch
If you need any more help or information, please email our Admissions team or call +44 (0)115 848 4200.
You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on 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:
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.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.