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In the UK for Art and Design in Complete University Guide 2024

Textile Design BA (Hons)

Start date

  • Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
  • Typical Offer: 104 - 112 UCAS tariff points
  • UCAS Code(s): W221
  • Start Date(s): September 2024
  • Duration: 3 / 4 year(s)
  • Study Mode(s): Full-time / Sandwich
  • Campus: City Campus
Information for 2024

Introduction:

Fashion and Textiles at NTU is internationally recognised for the quality of its creative, industry-ready graduates.

This textile design course is unique in the UK, allowing you to explore the different areas of textile design before specialising in the creative areas of textile print, embroidery, weave and knit, as your work develops.

As a young, ambitious designer, we'll introduce you to all aspects of textile design, investigating fundamental principles in colour, form, scale, pattern and composition. Supported by our expert academic and technical staff, you’ll learn traditional and digital techniques with access to our industry-standard facilities.

The course has excellent links with industry, and students will get the chance to take part in live projects and competitions, gain work experience, and have the opportunity to visit fashion and textiles events overseas, such as Première Vision in Paris.

  • You’ll have the opportunity to complete a work experience placement of up to a year in length. Dependent on the duration of your placement, you could gain an additional Diploma or Certificate in Professional Practice.
  • Take part in industry competitions with professional bodies such as PV NextGen, RSA, the Society of Dyers and Colourists, i-dott and Bradford Textile Society. There is also an opportunity to apply for sponsorship with The Worshipful Company of Weavers.
  • Apply for a European or international exchange to one of our partner institutions, such as RMIT in Australia.
  • NTU is the only university in the UK to have a Chartered Society of Designers (CSD) accreditation for Textile Design.

Course accreditation

  • Chartered Society of Designers logo

What you’ll study

This course is one of the few textile design degrees in the UK that allows you to explore the different areas of textile design before specialising in the creative areas of textile print, embroidery, weave and knit, as your work develops.

Curiosity: Creative Exploration and Research

(40 credit points, full year)

Working with students from fashion, textiles and knitwear, explore core design components such as concept, drawing, materials, colour and future thinkingQuestion how fundamental aspects of design practice can be used as both research tools and a means to develop your design philosophy or identity in a creative, playful and hands-on way. Begin to see the future as something you can shape, rather than something that just happens.

Curiosity: Creative Development and Application for Textile Design

(80 credit points, full year)

Develop your creative design ideas and apply fundamentals of textile design practice including, pattern, repeat and composition, through a series of workshop rotations in print, weave, knit, embroidery and multimedia. A pathways project at the end of the year will consolidate your strengths and choice of textile specialism for Year Two. There is the option to transfer to Fashion Knitwear Design and Knitted Textiles for those that love knit.

Directions: Industry and Context for Textile Design

(40 credit points, first half of the year)

Develop awareness of the practice of design within the international textile industry. Advance creative design and technical skills in your specialised area of print, weave, embroidery or multimedia. Deepen your research skills and knowledge of emerging cultural issues including responsible design practice, trends, markets and professional communication, and engage with industry through live projects, work experience and an optional overseas trip to an international trade fair.

Directions: Innovation and Transition for Textile Design

(40 credit points, second half of the year)

This module supports your transition to your final year, enhancing your ability to develop individual research proposals that reflect personal design interests and building on theory and practice. You will extend and test innovative approaches to your specialist textile area, working beyond discipline boundaries where appropriate.

Co Lab: Research, Exploration and Risk-taking

(20 credit points, second half of the year)

Through active participation with team-based problem solving, you will work together in mixed teams on a project where you will use your creative ideas to generate solutions to a challenge or brief. Your project will allow you to explore how creativity can make an impact in society, as you choose a theme of sustainability, social justice, enterprise and innovation or community. This collaborative learning experience will expose you to a range of new processes and approaches that will develop your creative thinking.

Optional module

You will also choose one 20-credit module from:

  • Slow Making and Craftmanship
  • 3D Materials and Exploration
  • Trend Forecasting
  • Buying, Merchandising and Product Fundamentals
  • Emerging Textile Technologies
  • Creative Entrepreneurship
  • Made to Last: Clothing Longevity for Circularity
  • Web3 & Creative Autonomy

Optional Placement Year (Sandwich)*

We have an option for all of our students to undertake a placement year (Sandwich) 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.

* If you choose to take the sandwich route option, you will still need to apply for this course with the full-time UCAS code: W221

Resolutions: Culture and Context

(20 / 40 credit points, full year)

Develop an individual research concept established at the end of second year that advances your knowledge of contextual issues, cultural theories and debates. You will present this as a dissertation or in the alternative format of a visual product. Students choosing the 40-credit option will complete an extended body of research work for exhibition or publication.

Resolutions: Practice and Context for Textile Design

(100 / 80 credit points, full year)

Write your own design brief that enables you to produce an extensive body of work, relating to your career aspirations and reflecting responsible design practices. You will be encouraged to use theories explored in your individual research project to inform your final design collections. You will have opportunities to engage with live projects, competitions and professional bodies to broaden your portfolio and strategically enhance career directions. Students choosing the 80-credit option will produce a smaller design portfolio to reflect the balance of work suitable for alternative career directions.

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

Student Profiles

Anna Myson

The purpose of my trip was to experience another culture whilst acquiring essential design skills to take forward in my career in textile design.

Yuxi Shen

My tutors have great patience and give me useful advice every time. The technical staff are also very friendly and always help me solve my technical problems.”

Sophie Clifford

I would recommend Textile Design to others because it is a lively and exciting course that has a real sense of community with everyone making you feel welcome.

Anna Hull

NTU is in a lovely city with a good sense of community among students.

Mollie French

Whilst in Shanghai, I helped set up the show and worked on both the Harvest Gold and NTU alumni stands. It was an amazing feeling to exhibit my own work to designers who had come from all over the world.

Liam Clair

As a student here you’re very lucky to have access to industry-standard of facilities. This course really prepares you for a career in industry.

Mikey Womack

You have the opportunity to work in a lovely environment with course staff that are extremely loving and caring. The staff here truly nurture you and you’re listened to as a student which I don’t think is something you find everywhere.

Textile Design, BA - Anna Hague

This course offers you all of the ingredients to become a professional designer. I came out of university with a fantastic portfolio or work, a positive attitude to gaining a career in design and an ambitious mind.

Video Gallery

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How you’re taught

You’ll spend most of your time in a creative studio environment. Teaching and learning experiences will include:

  • briefings
  • lectures
  • studio workshops
  • textile demonstrations and workshops
  • tutorials
  • study visits
  • seminars
  • presentations
  • self-directed study.

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.

Find out more

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.

Assessment

Assessment is predominantly through coursework. You will experience award-winning teaching, learning and assessment methods that integrate theory and practice. You will receive feedback throughout each module and will be awarded a grade. Depending on the module, you may be assessed through a portfolio, sketchbooks, presented and resolved projects, technical and contextual research, a reflective learning journal, essays, presentations, and an individual research project.

Your final degree mark will be based 100% on your final year work.

International exchanges and study trips

In Year One, you’ll visit a UK destination such as Manchester or London. In Year Two, you’ll have the option to visit an international trade fair such as Première Vision in Paris.

In recent years, our final year students have had the opportunity to be sponsored to travel to the SPINEXPO tradeshow in Shanghai, where some students have worked with their marketing team to help present the show.

This course has exchange agreements with a number of institutions around the world, including RMIT in Australia. You can apply to go on exchange in Year Two for one semester.

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’.

You’ll also have the opportunity to be selected to showcase your work to industry at New Designers in London, one of the UK’s most important graduate exhibitions.

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%).

Staff Profiles

Tina Downes - Deputy Head of Department

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Tina Downes is a principal lecturer in the department of Fashion, Textiles and Knitwear Design at Nottingham Trent University. This includes the disciplines of print, embroidery, knit, weave and multi-media.…

Amy Twigger Holroyd - Associate Professor

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Dr Amy Twigger Holroyd is Associate Professor of Fashion and Sustainability in the School of Art & Design.

Angharad McLaren - Senior Lecturer

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Angharad McLaren

Georgie Worker - Senior Lecturer

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Georgie is a printed textile/ surface design specialist who has worked within the interiors sector since she graduated from NTU in 2011. Georgie has a background in industry. Georgie has…

Klaire Elton - Senior Lecturer

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Klaire is a printed textile/ surface design specialist who has worked within the fast-paced fashion sector for over a decade before joining NTU in January 2017. Klaire calls upon her…

Kandy Diamond - Senior Lecturer

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Senior lecturer specialising in knitted textiles, teaching machine and hand knitting with specific interest in craft processes and applications. Module leader for first year fashion knitwear design and knitted textiles.…

Anna Piper - Senior Lecturer

School of Art & Design

Anna is a lecturer textile design, and is Second Year Module Leader on the BA (Hons) Textile Design Course. She specialises in woven textiles and Computer Aided Design (CAD). She…

Debbie Gonet - Senior Lecturer

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Debbie is the Course leader for MA Textile Design Innovation and MA Fashion & Textile Design PT and a senior lecturer in the BA (Hons) textile Design course .

Theodora Prassa - Technical Specialist

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Dora is a technician in printed textiles and paper printing.

How you’re assessed

  • Year 1 coursework (100%).
  • Year 2 coursework (90%), practical exams (10%).
  • Year 3 coursework (100%).

Careers and employability

Employability is a key focus, with modules including initiatives to help enhance your future career. This includes live projects, visiting professionals, work experience, exhibition opportunities, and competitions.

Graduates go into a variety of roles, including designing, buying and merchandising, global sourcing, textiles product development, styling and trend prediction, marketing and teaching.

Recent graduate destinations include:

  • Amtico
  • Anstey Wallpaper
  • Boden
  • Dazed & Confused
  • Edinburgh Woollen Mill
  • French Connection
  • John Smedley
  • Laura Ashley
  • Liberty London
  • Margo Selby
  • Mary Benson London
  • Next
  • Paul Smith
  • Romo
  • Ted Baker
  • Tom Cody Design
  • Whiston & Wright.

Work placements and internship opportunities

You’ll have the opportunity to complete work experience or longer 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. We’ll also give you tips on how best to approach companies and designers, and get the most from your experience.

Our Textile Design students have recently gained work experience with companies such as:

  • ANN INC (Read our students' story)
  • Anstey Wallpaper
  • Whiston & Wright
  • Kit Miles Studio
  • Boden
  • Liberty London
  • House of Holland
  • Baxter Fawcett
  • Graham & Brown
  • Hand & Lock
  • Joules
  • Margo Selby
  • Paul Smith
  • Romo

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.

Connecting with industry

We continue to develop strong links with industry through our alumni and staff contacts. Live projects, competitions and professional bodies are central to the course, giving you exposure to current practices within industry.

Working on live projects with industry can often lead to opportunities for work placements, and the chance to see your designs go into production. Sometimes these experiences lead to graduate employment with companies like Next, DFS, and Romo. A project with South African Mohair led to an international study trip to South Africa to see sustainable mohair farming.

Our students have also received yarn sponsorship and had the opportunity to exhibit their work at Donghua University in Shanghai.

Other recent live projects include Romo and Next. Final year students have recently undertaken sponsored projects, in collaboration with SPINEXPO, to design and produce trend-leading work to be exhibited at the spring / summer show in Shanghai, Paris and New York.

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.

Hear from our Textile Design alumni

Competitions

You will have the opportunity to enter or be nominated for a variety of industry competitions. These have recently included:

  • Society of Dyers and Colourists' Colour Award
  • Bradford Textile Society Design Competition
  • i-dott
  • Texprint.

Campus and facilities

Our Textile Design students are based in the Bonington building, a dedicated art and design hub. View our Nottingham School of Art & Design Facilities page here.

Entry requirements

BA (Hons) Textile Design

  • Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
  • Contextual offer: 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications

Other requirements

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.

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.

Meeting our entry requirements

Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS tariff points attached to specific grades, including A levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.

Getting in touch

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

BA (Hons) Textile Design

  • 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications

Other requirements

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.

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 Showcase.

If you’re selected to exhibit your work at a graduate show in London, the School will cover the cost of transporting your work, the exhibition stand and event set-up.

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.

We advise you to budget between £150 - £360 per year for printing costs.

Material costs

Depending on the materials you choose to work with, you should budget a minimum of £500 (Year One), £800 (Year Two), and £1000 (Final Year) to cover the production costs associated to your course, including things like your final year project.

Student feedback suggest final year costs range from £650-£1800 depending on your collection. There are opportunities for material sponsorship with some projects.

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 text books are available in the University libraries, which students can easily view digitally, borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library.

You should budget between £150 - £220 per year (minimum) for stationery and reading materials.

Field trips

All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may also be an opportunity to take part in an optional field trip to a European destination that will be tailored to suit your course.

Placements

If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.

If you undertake work experience or a longer placement, you will have the chance to gain an additional Certificate or Diploma in Professional Practice, dependent on duration.  The Diploma in Professional Practice incurs a fee for the additional 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 Showcase.

If you’re selected to exhibit your work at a graduate show in London, the School will cover the cost of transporting your work, the exhibition stand and event set-up.

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.

We advise you to budget between £150 - £360 per year for printing costs.

Material costs

Depending on the materials you choose to work with, you should budget a minimum of £500 (Year One), £800 (Year Two), and £1000 (Final Year) to cover the production costs associated to your course, including things like your final year project.

Student feedback suggest final year costs range from £650-£1800 depending on your collection. There are opportunities for material sponsorship with some projects.

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 text books are available in the University libraries, which students can easily view digitally, borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library.

You should budget between £150 - £220 per year (minimum) for stationery and reading materials.

Field trips

All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may also be an opportunity to take part in optional field trip to a European destination that will be tailored to suit your course.

Placements

If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.

If you undertake work experience or a longer placement, you will have the chance to gain an additional Certificate or Diploma in Professional Practice, dependent on duration.  The Diploma in Professional Practice incurs a fee for the additional placement year.

How to apply

Apply through UCAS.

We will ask you to provide a digital portfolio. Visit our webpage which has some advice on what to include to help make your portfolio stand out. After you have submitted your portfolio, we may also invite you to an online interview to help us make our final decision.

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:

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.