MA Fashion Entrepreneurship
| Course Director | |
|---|---|
| Course Location | |
| Study Level | Postgraduate |
| Study Mode | Full Time or Part Time |
| Course Length | 15 months (Full time) or 27 months (Part time) |
| IELTS level | 7.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in any one paper |
| Home/EU Fee | £7,500 (Full Time)
£3,750 per year (Part Time) |
| International Fee | £13,800 (Full Time) |
| Start Date | September |
| Autumn Term Dates | 17 Sept 2012 - 07 Dec 2012; 23 Sept 2013 - 06 Dec 2013 |
| Spring Term Dates | 07 Jan 2013 - 22 March 2013 |
| Summer Term Dates | 15 April 2013 - 28 June 2013 |
| Application Route | Direct to College |
| Application Deadline | Home/EU: Applications are accepted, and offers made, throughout the year with a deadline of 1 March for applicants who wish to apply for AHRC funding. Early application is advised. International: Please check the International Apply Page |
MA Fashion Entrepreneurship aims to begin to address the need for entrepreneurs who can build and capitalise on the existing strengths in the UK and international fashion industries to ensure that the sector has the influx of creative entrepreneurial talent it needs to sustain growth of new fashion businesses.
The ethos that entrepreneurship serves as a catalyst for economic development underpins the course philosophy. Strengthened by London College of Fashion’s unparalleled external and internal industry networks, the programme aims to facilitate your development of innovative fashion related concepts through to commercialisation. This development is supported through collaborative relationships between education and industry that are aligned to both 21st century business and new market challenges for the global fashion industry.
Course Structure
Full Time mode
Part Time Mode
Year One
Year Two
Outline of the course
Master’s Project Proposal
This unit supports the development of your project proposal. You will be able to work on your initial ideas discussed at interview, through reviewing and revising your focus in line with developing interests synthesised from your work within the specialist units of your MA course. A staged process of development and review culminates in the presentation of the proposal for assessment. Individual and original results must be underpinned by sound research methodologies, and you will be expected to consult a wide range of specialist resources. You will be introduced to a broad range of research methodologies and skills, including presentations, workshops and practitioner case studies. This unit will support you in the completion of your coursework assignments and will prepare you for the development of your Master’s Project.
Contextual Studies
The contemporary fashion and creative industries require multi-skilled and flexible individuals who understand the complexities of the global fashion industry. This unit enables you to appreciate the perspectives of both your own and other disciplines at work in fashion today, and to understand and analyse the complex economic, technical, ethical and business issues that affect the future of the creative industries. The unit is a focal point for all MA students, both full and part time, from all courses. It underpins your specialist studies by providing a common forum for debate on issues arising from the study of fashion. Aspects of design, technology, communication, marketing and the cultural industries are explored, and a programme of visiting speakers from industry and leading researchers supports the unit.
Globalisation and Entrepreneurship
Businesses are turning increasingly to innovation to achieve competitive advantage in order to protect the home market and participate in an expanding international arena. You will examine the concept of entrepreneurship and opportunity identification in the context of internationalism and global economics, and will look at the factors which facilitate the entrepreneurial process within small and medium enterprises. Assuming entrepreneurship is a catalyst for economic development, the unit will interrogate the role of innovation and its relationship with strategic business in the global fashion economy. The consequences of achieving a global reach through innovation will be examined with issues such as finance, supply chain, cross cultural leadership and marketing.
Creating Fashion Business Concepts
In this unit you will identify and explore the role of management and strategy within ideas creation in the context of an increasingly demanding, highly saturated, fashion market. You will look at opportunity analysis, branding and strategic planning in order to achieve a holistic understanding of innovation. You will consider the consequences of innovation which will encourage an evaluative approach to decision making and develop start-up entrepreneurial skills. Risk identification and assessment techniques, along with methodologies for measuring success and return on investment, will be considered. Contemporary themes in innovation such as sustainability, ethics and social entrepreneurship will be addressed, and there may be opportunities for collaborative working with peers.
Managing Creative Enterprise
This unit investigates the capabilities, conditions and organisational environments that support the development of entrepreneurial thinking and innovative activity. The inter-relationships between entrepreneurship, enterprise and innovation with business and management strategy are examined through an integrative and interpretive framework. You will begin to build your knowledge and understanding of diverse creative enterprise business models, and will identify the organisational and funding models for enterprise creation that are particular to the sector.
Value and Venture Creation
You will explore the commercial parameters, techniques and tools of business planning in this unit. You will achieve a focused understanding of an innovation within a particular fashion industry context or environment. You will look at the concept of feasibility and the role of the business environment, and will create a plan to put the new fashion concept into operation. Sales forecasting, return on investment, risk analysis, risk management, and start-up financing requirements to create new ventures are addressed.
Master’s Project
This unit is the culmination of your work on the course and provides you with the opportunity to undertake a rigorous piece of work that synthesises the practical and academic issues addressed during the course. You may choose to produce a theoretical dissertation on an appropriate aspect of fashion entrepreneurship or to produce a negotiated practice-based project with an in depth report. The dissertation may focus on local or global issues and will contribute to the knowledge or understanding of entrepreneurship in the fashion industry. The negotiated project gives you the opportunity to develop or construct an entrepreneurial venture. You may collaborate with a specific organisation and negotiate a final piece of work that fulfils the requirement for the MA and has practical outcomes for the selected organisation.What next?
Examples of Expected Graduate Destinations:
- A role within a creative service based industry both real and virtual; start up or mature
- An entrepreneurial role in an existing organisation
- A business development role using entrepreneurial thinking to develop and extend business through innovation. This could be in retail, design, production or media.
- Working in Research and Development in a leadership/management role within service and design-led industries
- A leadership/management role within an existing business or group
- Establishing a new business venture
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.
Student Selection Criteria
The course seeks to recruit students from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, and welcomes applications from mature students.
Entry to this course is highly competitive: applicants are expected to achieve, or already have, the course entry requirements detailed below.
- An Honours degree at 2.1 or above in a related discipline. Applicants with a degree in another subject may be considered, depending on the strength of the application.
OR
- Equivalent qualifications
OR
- Relevant and quantitative industrial experience for a minimum of three years
Selection for interview will be made on the basis of your application, including the personal statement, the reference, and the supporting written statement. If you are selected for interview you will be asked to bring examples of previous written work and to undertake a written aptitude test.
What We Look For
The course seeks to recruit students who can demonstrate:
- Clear academic interest in the study of fashion opportunities within fashion through entrepreneurship and a multidisciplinary approach
- Awareness and relevant experience of fashion and the fashion industry at large
- Appropriate knowledge and skills commensurate with planned entry into the course.
English language requirements
All classes are conducted in English. The level required by the University for this course is IELTS 7.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in any one skill.
For more information, read the University's English Language requirements page.
International Applicants
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.
To find out more about studying in London, please visit the International students section of the London College of Fashion website.
Home/EU Applicants
Applications to study for a Postgraduate course should be made directly to the College using the Postgraduate Application Form, accompanied by two references (one of which should be academic) and a copy of your highest qualification to date.
Most postgraduate courses require you to submit a detailed study proposal and / or essay. Please read the specific guidance notes before applying to this course.
- Download Graduate School Application Form [PDF - 502kb]
- Download Graduate School Application Form [Word doc - 152kb]
- Download MA Fashion Entrepreneurship Guidance Notes [PDF - 81kb]
Alternatively, you can request an application form by calling +44 (0)20 7514 7563 / 7582 / 7344. If you have a question, you can ask us through our Course enquiry form.
Please send your completed application form to one of the following addresses:
International Applicants
Please apply directly to the College using the International Application Form, accompanied by contact details of two referees (one of which should be academic) and a copy of your highest qualification to date. We will write to your referees and obtain your references. You must also complete and send the Tier 4 Student Visa: UK Immigration History Form Guidance Notes for Students to the LCF International Recruitment Office with your portfolio (if required) and supporting documents.
Most postgraduate courses require you to submit a detailed study proposal and / or essay. Please read the specific guidance notes before applying to this course.
- Download Postgraduate International Application Form [PDF - 200kb]
- Download Postgraduate International Application Form [Word doc - 234kb]
- Download MA Fashion Entrepreneurship Guidance Notes [PDF - 81kb]
- Download Tier 4 Student Visa: UK Immigration History Form Guidance Notes for Students [PDF - 63kb]
Please send your completed application form to one of the following addresses:
If you have a question, you can contact our International Recruitment Office by calling +44 (0)20 7514 7656 / 7678 / 7629 or completing our Course enquiry form.
Selection Process
The course team will review your application and you may be called to interview. If you are selected for interview you will be asked to bring examples of previous written work and to undertake a written aptitude test. From this work, the test and the interview the course team will decide if you are to be offered a place on the course.
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.