MA Fashion Retail
| Course Director | Bethan Alexander |
|---|---|
| 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)
Two Rector’s Scholarships worth £5,000 each are available to UK and EU students on this course – click here for more information. |
| 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. Early application is advised. International: Please check the International Apply Page |
MA Fashion Retail is a creatively focused course designed for students who wish to make a career in an aspect of fashion retail. It bridges the gap between retail disciplines and reflects the fashion industry’s demand for an innovative, multi-skilled workforce. The course will equip you with the creative, critical and professional skills necessary to develop creative solutions for multi-channel fashion retailing, from start-up businesses to multi-national fashion retailers and luxury brands. It incorporates retail disciplines such as design, marketing management, and information and communication technologies which allow the use of cutting edge media to produce ground breaking methodologies and visual strategies for fashion retail.
We recruit students and professionals who have a particular interest in fashion retail, from either a theoretical or practice-based standpoint, and can demonstrate an interest in the aesthetic and creative aspects of the industry.
The course is industry-facing, and opportunities exist for sponsorship and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.
The course is based at High Holborn and John Prince’s Street at Oxford Circus. The nationally renowned fashion library is at Oxford Circus. Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street make up one of the world’s finest retail areas, renowned for department stores including Selfridges, Liberty and John Lewis, and flagship stores for luxury and high street brands.
Dr Lynne Hammond is the Programme Director for the Business and Management courses in the School of Graduate Studies.
Course Structure
Full Time Mode
Part Time Mode
Year One
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.
Retail Landscape
This unit provides you with an introduction to, and a contextualisation of, multidisciplinary approaches to fashion retailing, the promotion of international retail fashion and how it is rapidly evolving in the 21st century. Firstly, you will examine the contemporary retail environment, including an overview of fashion consumers and trends in consumption, the broader societal, economic and regulatory changes, and technological development. Secondly, you will survey the variety of retail formats and their application to fashion retailing. In this unit you will investigate the discourses concerning the influence of lifestyle retailing, locations, including out of town and re-use of buildings, and multi-channel retailing.
Visual and Sensory Strategies
This unit builds on Retail Landscape through providing a blend of theoretical and practice-based knowledge and skills for a variety of visual strategies that can be applied to the retail environment. It will consider how the use of 2D (including online and virtual environments) and 3D design can be used to present and communicate fashion. This will allow you to explore and develop the concept of customer experience with experiential and sensory design in a multi-channel environment, through designing and implementing creative technologies to fit with the retail brand, and examining the convergence of the physical and virtual store. As well as practice-based learning underpinned with theoretical knowledge, the process and leadership of the management of retail projects in independents, high street and luxury markets will be addressed through the established discipline of project management.
Retail Branding and Identity
This unit explores the importance of branding and identity as a form of differentiation that adds value and competitive advantage for retail fashion brands and multi-channel retail environments. It will introduce current issues in product-led and co-created branding, and consider the influence of symbolic and experiential branding in retailing. You will be able to evaluate the fundamental elements of brand strategies in the global context of fashion retailing, through relating awareness, effect, reputation and loyalty to innovative and heritage-based retailer strategies. The main focus will be on the processes of retail brand creation and their values. Additional analysis of brand identity, corporate and visual approaches, and retail brand communication will also be addressed. You will acquire a practical and theoretical understanding of branding for specific audiences, and will be able to create and manage successful strategies for entering online and physical stores, museums, galleries, hotels and spa salons.
Master’s Project
This unit allows you to focus on producing your own major work, which can take one of two forms, either a theoretical dissertation on an appropriate aspect of the Fashion Retail environment, or a negotiated practice-based project with an in depth report with appropriate visual documentation of all stages of the project. The project will be a rigorous piece of work that will synthesise practical and academic issues addressed on the course, and which will contribute to the growth of knowledge and approaches for the retail environment. It is underpinned by the units studied in the first part of the course.
On successful completion of the MA in Fashion Retail, graduates will actively contribute to the development of new retail environments. They will be equipped with the critical, professional and creative skills required to flourish in a range of different sectors within the retail industry from start-up businesses to multi-national fashion retailers and luxury brands.
The course is a creative, postgraduate course that will value strong research and practice enabling some graduates to develop and further their academic lives through Research Degrees.
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.
What We Look For
English language requirements
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.
- Download Graduate School Application Form [PDF - 502kb]
- Download Graduate School Application Form [Word doc - 152kb]
- Download MA Fashion Retail Guidance Notes [PDF - 94kb]
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 the following address:
International Applicants
Please apply directly to the College using the International Application Form and send your completed application form including the completed Tier 4 Student Visa: UK Immigration History Form Guidance Notes for Students to the LCF International Recruitment Office with your portfolio and supporting documents.
Most graduate courses require you to submit a detailed study proposal and / or essay. Please read the specific guidance notes before applying to the course.
- Download Postgraduate International Application Form [PDF - 200kb]
- Download Postgraduate International Application Form [Word doc - 234kb]
- Download MA Fashion Retail Guidance Notes [PDF - 94kb]
- Download Tier 4 Student Visa: UK Immigration History Form Guidance Notes for Students [PDF - 63kb]
Please send your completed application form to the following address:
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
An admissions tutor will review your application and you may be called to interview. Selection is based initially on academic qualifications and/or previous experience, the reference, essay and your personal statement. From the interview the course team will decide if you are to be selected onto 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.