The FdA Fashion Retail Management course is designed to prepare students for a career in fashion retail as managers. The industry requires well-informed, commercially-minded fashion retail managers who have learnt the skills to increase profitability, reduce waste and shrinkage, and increase productivity whilst providing better customer service and increasing staff morale. The fashion industry is highly competitive with a constantly changing set of business challenges, including retail internationalisation. This course seeks to produce graduates who will be top quality retail managers who can maximise productivity in the face of international competition, demanding customers and changing shopping patterns. These managers will be creative and forward-looking individuals with a global perspective, who are equipped to use their skills in any size or kind of retail outlet, whether virtual or physical. The course balances practical and creative skills with theoretically based studies, together with broader academic studies which allow you to see the context of your particular study in the wider perspectives of fashion, society and the environment. Work experience opportunities and industry-led projects and collaborations are features of the course. In the second year students undertake a ten-week work placement in store. High-achieving graduates from this course have the opportunity to do a third year of specialist studies to gain a BA Honours degree at the London College of Fashion.

FdA Fashion Retail Management is based at the Fashion Retail Academy, a new building designed for purpose, in the heart of London’s fashion retail district between Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road. The Head Offices of many fashion retailers are adjacent, as are the many flagship fashion and department stores of Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street. 

This course is part of the portfolio of courses in the School of Management and Science at the London College of Fashion, and the University of the Arts, London is the Awarding Body.  The majority of the study for this course takes place at the Fashion Retail Academy with access to the facilities of the FRA and LCF.

Course Units

Year One     Stage One     Level 4     120 credits 

Term One: Introduction to Study in Higher Education (20 credits); Fashion Retail Principles (20 credits)

Term Two: Introduction to Cultural and Historical Studies (20 credits); Fashion Retail Skills (20 credits);

Term Three: Collaborative Project (WBL) (40 credits)

Year Two     Stage Two     Level 5     120 credits

Term One: Cultural and Historical Studies (20 credits); Fashion Retail Operations (20 credits);

Term Two: Work Experience (WBL) (20 credits); Fashion Retail Management Practice (20 credits);

Term Three: Individual Major Project (40 credits);

Course Outline

Year One

In the first term you will study two units.

Introduction to Study in Higher Education gives you an understanding of your personal and professional development at university, with three core purposes: to introduce you to the necessary learning skills for undergraduate study; to show you where you are situated within the College and the University; and to help you understand what you will learn on your course and how you will develop your skills. This unit is delivered at LCF.

Fashion Retail Principles introduces you to the knowledge of the fashion retail industry that you will need to operate as an effective manager. You will explore the different ways in which fashion consumers can be understood, segmented and targeted by different fashion retail brands. You will become familiar with the various organisations found in the ‘typical’ fashion supply chain and you will gain an understanding of the main drivers in supply chain management. You will develop your ability to apply the knowledge you have acquired to different retailers in the fashion sector. This unit is delivered at FRA.

In the second term you will study two units.

Introduction to Cultural and Historical Studies introduces you to key concepts and ways of thinking about fashion and its context in society and culture. You will attend lectures, seminars and workshops, and do a significant amount of reading of academic texts in order to complete a formal academic essay for assessment.  Completion of this unit will allow you to make an informed choice of subject for study in the second year Cultural and Historical Studies unit. This unit is delivered at LCF.

Fashion Retail Skills introduces you to a diverse range of skills, some of which are related to retail and some of which are related to management. These skills will help you to be an effective fashion retail manager. You will be introduced to retail information and communication management systems and the interpretation of data in various formats. You will also develop personal skills relating to the fashion retail environment and the interaction with customers. This unit is delivered at FRA.

In the third term you will undertake the Collaborative Project unit. This gives you the opportunity to work collaboratively with other students. This mirrors the real-world challenges faced by fashion enterprises that depend on close working relationships between departments. You will consolidate the knowledge and skills that you have already acquired, and the project will give you opportunities for fieldwork and research, as well as increasing your teamwork and presentation skills. The project will be concerned with the development and expression of brands in the marketplace, will have an operational focus, and will address key themes such as sustainability, ethics, entrepreneurship and globalisation. You will begin to look at the industry from a managerial viewpoint. This unit is delivered at FRA.

Year Two

In the first term you will be able to study a Cultural and Historical Studies unit of your choice that will broaden or deepen your learning of areas relating to your interests in your chosen field. You will have the opportunity to participate in lectures, seminars and workshops with students from other courses within your School, and will read relevant academic texts and complete a formal academic essay for assessment. This unit is delivered at LCF.

Also in the first term, the Fashion Retail Operations unit introduces you to the various aspects of operational management that blend together in the running of a fashion retail outlet. You will acquire the knowledge and understanding that a fashion retail manager needs to operate a retail business productively in a competitive industry. You will develop your understanding of management in the consumer-facing aspects of retailing, as well as developing your ability to motivate a team, manage finances and work towards sustainability. You will appreciate the interconnectivity of all aspects of the retail operation. This unit is taught at FRA.

The second term is spent in store as part of the Work Experience unit, on an extended work placement, giving you the experience of developing your management skills whilst working in a fashion retail environment. You will develop your understanding of the retail manager’s role and the career options open to you. This unit is delivered in store and online.

As you are on your extended work placement you will also study online, and the Fashion Retail Management Practice unit builds of the skills acquired in the first year and develops your awareness of commercial practice in the fashion retail sector in a vocational setting. Whilst in store you will look in more detail at the processes and practices that underpin the efficient management of fashion retail operations, and you will increase your knowledge of the analysis and interpretation of data. This unit is delivered online.

In the third term you will undertake the Individual Major Project, which will give you the opportunity to undertake a self-directed project that consolidates and extends your knowledge and skills. Your project will include planning, research, ideas development and recommendations, and will include elements of both practice and theory. You will negotiate the specific topic and detail of the project with your course tutor. Your project brief will allow you to demonstrate creativity and entrepreneurship, at the same time as producing an outcome with a feasible and realistic commercial application. This unit is delivered at FRA.

Learning and Teaching at UAL

Courses in UAL span a broad range of art, design, communication, business, media, science and communication subjects. So the ways in which you learn and how your time is used will vary according to the specific course you are studying; this may be in studios, labs, classes, involve working alone, learning from peers in pairs or groups, or with external partners. Most importantly, no matter which course you enrol on, you will learn not only about your subject but also about how you learn and how to increase your knowledge base.

Our courses will guide you to take increasing responsibility and ownership of your work and your learning. We do this so that you will be ready and able to take full advantage of the full range of opportunities offered by the creative industries in the global economy.

Assessment Methods at UAL

Assessment always sounds austere and foreboding, but it is not. We see assessment as a very real part of learning, rather than just a means of looking back at past work and measuring achievement; we believe that assessment helps you plan future work and develop new ideas.

Your work will be assessed through projects or portfolios, with written papers or research journals, and, on some courses, examinations.  You will be graded according to a set of marking criteria that relate to such things as research, subject knowledge, methodology, and your capacity to analyse and reflect on your achievements. So don’t be afraid of assessment - it is the way to progress. 

Developing your skills

All our undergraduate courses are concerned with the development of your personal and professional skills. On your course you will evolve from learning basic skills in your discipline through to a position where you are an independent creative thinker capable of making an effective contribution to the relevant sector of the fashion industry. PPD (Personal and Professional Development) skills are embedded in all units on every course. Speaker programmes with contributions from alumni, members of industry and others are a part of many courses, as are work placement opportunities in industry. Where relevant, students have the chance to attend trade fairs, enter industry competitions, visit exhibitions and go on field trips and visits. The central position of our John Prince’s Street site in the West End affords students easy access to all sectors of the fashion retail market. In addition, our position as a constituent College in the University of the Arts London means that our students have access to the wide range of activities and events that occur in all the Colleges and at the University’s centre. Last but not least, being in London gives every student opportunities to explore and be inspired by the cultural, intellectual and social life of one of the great capital cities of the world.

Resources

Excellent resources for educating our students are found at both the Fashion Retail Academy and the London College of Fashion. The FRA has purpose-built rooms for simulating the environment that a retail merchandiser will work in, spacious study rooms and a lecture theatre equipped with the latest technology, and a library specialising in retail. LCF at John Prince’s Street houses one of the best fashion libraries in the UK, including specialist archives, and new lecture theatres and seminar rooms at our High Holborn site.

Angie Lench is the Course Leader and has extensive experience in buying, merchandising, international retail and fashion retail business development with companies including Selfridges, Mexx, Miss Selfridge, Adams Childrenswear and TK Maxx.

Future Careers and Graduate Prospects

High-achieving graduates from this course have the opportunity to do a third year of specialist studies to gain a BA Honours degree at the London College of Fashion.

This course leads to employment in the fashion retail management sector. Recent graduates have gained employment as junior managers with, for example, Zara, Levi’s, Dorothy Perkins, L. K. Bennett and Dune.

Enterprise and Employability at UAL

We know what it takes to be successful in your chosen field. Your tutors are professionals in their own right and understand what you need to help you establish your career. Staff in our dedicated Centre for Student Enterprise and Employability Service (SEE) are specialists at supporting you onto the right career path and at helping you to build up work‐relevant skills, knowledge and experience throughout your time here. You will also benefit from our many relationships with industry, which give our students exclusive opportunities and access to networks and funding.

Artists and designers tell us they value UAL’s informed engagement with their career development concerns across a whole spectrum of activities and practice interests and our ability to offer them practical advice, guidance and opportunities across the possible pathways open to them - as entrepreneurs and employees. Staff value the resources and skills UAL makes available to help them deliver effective professional and career development through the curriculum.

Showing your work

All final year students are given the opportunity to profile their work online via Showtime. London College of Fashion can make no guarantee that your work (either in sum or in part) will be shown, exhibited or profiled in any way as part of your course. All student work appearing in College organised events, catwalk shows, exhibitions and other forms of showcase, is selected by a panel of senior staff and, in some instances, external industry judges.

For details of the wide range of careers support provided for students, please visit our Careers Support page.

Opportunities for All

We are committed to making university education an achievable option for a wider range of people and seek to recruit students from diverse socio-economic, cultural and educational backgrounds. We are committed to supporting all our students in achieving their potential both during and after their courses.

Course Entry Requirements

Entry to this course is highly competitive: applicants are expected to achieve, or already have, the course entry requirements detailed below.

One ‘A’ level pass (80 UCAS tariff points required) PLUS three GCSE passes in other subjects at grade C or above (including English and Maths) 

OR

BTEC National Diploma in a fashion related subject

OR

NVQ level 3 in a related subject

OR

A one year Foundation Diploma in Art and Design PLUS five GCSE passes at grade C or above

OR

Access course in a relevant subject

OR equivalent awards

Preferred subjects include Art, Maths, English and/or Business.

This course requires a minimum 80 UCAS tariff points.

Exceptionally, applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered if the course team judges the application demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by: related academic or work experience; the quality of the personal statement; a strong academic or other professional reference; or a combination of these factors.

If the application indicates suitability for the course, applicants will be invited for interview. At interview each applicant will be asked to give a five minute presentation on his/her views on fashion retail on the high street.

English Language Requirements

All classes are conducted in English. If English is not your first language you will be asked to provide evidence of your English language ability when you enrol.

The level required by the University for this course is IELTS 5.5 with a minimum of 4.5 in any one skill.

Please go to: http://www.arts.ac.uk/international/apply/englishlanguagerequirements/

read carefully and look at the relevant documents.

Student Selection Criteria

What We Look For

The course team seeks to recruit students who can demonstrate:

• knowledge of and enthusiasm for retail management in the fashion industry
• a potential to achieve a high standard in the strategic, functional and operational aspects of fashion retail management
• a potential to achieve a multi-disciplinary approach to retail management functions in a fashion retail business

This might, for example, be demonstrated by: related academic or work experience; the quality of the personal statement, a strong academic or other professional reference; or a combination of these factors.

Interview Advice

Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the following at interview: an understanding of retail management for the fashion industry; relevant work experience; the ability and motivation to succeed on the course; and a vocational focus towards fashion retail management. At interview each applicant will be asked to give a five minute presentation on his/her views on fashion retail on the high street. 

* Please note: this course will not be recruiting students for entry in 2014, therefore the final first year of this course will run in 2013-2014, the final second year will run in 2014-2015, and the final Top-up Year will run in 2015-2016.

Home/EU Applicants

You apply online through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) at   http://www.ucas.com 

Go to ‘Apply’ from the UCAS home page, where you will be able to register and create a password that gives you unique access as you complete your application form.

The University code is U65.

The UCAS code for this course is WN2F.

The deadline for equal consideration of your application is 15 January 2013.

Contact us on:

• Telephone: +44 (0)20 7514 7563 / 7582 / 7344
• Course enquiry form

Fashion Retail Academy http://www.fashionretailacademy.ac.uk 

International Applicants

For specific details on how to apply as an international applicant please click on the following link:

http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/lcf-international.htm

The International Recruitment Office at the London College of Fashion will help to guide you through the application process and answer any specific questions that you may have regarding our courses. This may include portfolio advice, the application process and fee advice. We offer a ‘drop-in’ facility for applicants who may be in London and wish to obtain further course and admissions information. Please contact us for further information on this facility. We can also arrange a tour of our facilities if we are given prior notice.

Our contact details are: International Recruitment Office London College of Fashion 20 John Prince’s Street London W1G 0BJ.

• T +44 (0)20 7514 7656/7678/7629
• Course enquiry form

Deferred Entry

Deferred Entry is normally only allowed in exceptional circumstances. Please contact us before you submit your application if you are considering applying for deferred entry.

What Happens Next?

All application forms, personal statements and references are read and considered by the course team against the selection criteria listed under What We Look For. If the course team wish to consider your application further, you will be invited to an interview with the course team. If you are successful at the interview stage you will be offered a place. Applicants are not guaranteed an interview.

Please note that if you are unable to attend the Academy may not be able to re-schedule.

If you applied through UCAS the result of your application will be communicated to you via UCAS through ucastrack. You will only receive further communication directly from the Academy and LCF if your application has been successful. This will be in the form of a full offer pack including details of accommodation, fees, and other important information. 

Applicants have the right to ask for feedback if their application is unsuccessful. Requests must be made in writing to the Student Administrator, and we will respond within 20 working days. 

Additional Information

Additional Costs

There may be opportunities for industrial visits in the UK or Europe, and you will need to consider budgeting costs. Further details will be supplied at a later date.