Postgraduate Certificate Fashion: Fashion and Lifestyle Journalism
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| Course Director | Glenn Waldron |
|---|---|
| Course Location | |
| Study Level | Postgraduate |
| Study Mode | Full Time |
| Course Length | 15 weeks |
| IELTS level | 7.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in any one paper |
| Home/EU Fee | £2,500 |
| International Fee | £4,435 |
| Start Date | October or February |
| Autumn Term Dates | October start: 01 Oct 2012 - 08 Feb 2013; |
| Spring Term Dates | February start: 11 Feb 2013 - 21 June 2013; |
| Application Route | Direct to College |
| Application Deadline | Applications are accepted throughout the year with a deadline of 9 July 2012 for applicants who wish to start in October 2012, and a deadline of 8 October 2012 for applicants who wish to start in February 2013. Early application is advised. |
This course aims to give students a working knowledge of fashion and lifestyle media, as well as a professional practical foundation in writing skills developing vocational skills and analytical thinking.
The course is designed for graduates and those with appropriate industry experience who wish to develop their career prospects in the highly competitive fashion industry. It is also a suitable preparation for higher level postgraduate study. This dynamic course cultivates both a practical and theoretical understanding of fashion and lifestyle journalism in the UK. With a close eye on changing trends in contemporary lifestyle media, emphasis is placed on developing an analytical understanding of the commercial marketplace as well as the rigours of practical journalism. You will develop an enhanced commercial awareness, enabling you to produce editorial material for this specialist area.
What the Industry say
"I've found the students from the Post Graduate Certificate in Fashion & Lifestyle Journalism at the London College of Fashion, to be some of the best, well-rounded graduates I've seen. They have a clear idea of what is expected of them, seem to relish all the challenges and responsibilities offered to them and by the time they leave, are well prepared for working in the magazine world"
Rebecca Lowthorpe, Fashion Features Director, ELLE magazine
"The PG Cert graduates are our first port of call when looking for new talent to join our magazine. It's not just that their writing skills are great; they're also well-organised, pro-active, and have minds and opinions of their own, which we love."
Catherine Handcock, publisher, Creative HEAD magazine
Teaching Staff
The Course Director, Glenn Waldron, is an award-winning freelance journalist writing on fashion, style and popular culture. A former Editor of i-D magazine, he has contributed to publications including The New York Times, W, *wallpaper, Vogue, The Guardian, The Independent, Another, Fantastic Man, Nylon and 10 Magazine, as well as writing for the Taschen books Fashion Now, Fashion Now 2 and Smile i-D.
The programme is supported by a series of guest speakers from the fashion and lifestyle media industry, from publications including Time Out, The Guardian, Elle, Net-A-Porter, i-D, Harper’s Bazaar, 10 Magazine and Telegraph Weekend magazine.
The Fashion & Lifestyle Journalism Techniques and Terminologies unit introduces you to the practical requirements of Fashion and Lifestyle Journalism. You will be guided through the key principles of journalism from researching stories, developing ideas and writing in a range of styles and formats, right through to pitching and selling feature ideas.
Fashion and Lifestyle, Media Contemporary Trends and Current Issues looks at contemporary fashion and lifestyle media. A range of guest lecturers and practitioners will give insight into their specialist markets from mainstream publications to niche, consumer and specialist, providing a contextual working knowledge of fashion and lifestyle media and its changing trends. A research assignment gives you the opportunity to explore and analyse a chosen area of the lifestyle market. Practical skills and theoretical knowledge acquired in units one and two are put into practice in the Major Project. This provides an opportunity to produce a portfolio of journalistic work responding to your own professional advancement.
Time Required - work/study balance
Postgraduate study is based on a balance between tutor contact in seminars, lectures and tutorials and time spent on independent research and study. The course is full time over a period of 15 weeks and can be started in February or October.
Graduates will be in a position to gain employment as fashion and feature writers for a wide range of fashion, lifestyle and general interest publications including daily newspapers, weekend supplements, monthly fashion magazines and industry trade journals. They will also be in a strong position to launch themselves as freelance journalists.
Recent Graduates have gone onto work for the following publications:
- How To Spend It
- British Fashion Council
- Net A Porter
- WGSN
- Elle (Great Britain, Turkey)
- Heat
- Sunday Herald (Scotland)
- Coloures magazine
- Evening Standard magazine
- Shiny Media
- Momentum PR
- Reveal
- Harvey Nichols
- Redwood Publishing
- MTV
- Flare (Canada)
- Grazia (Holland)
- Viva (Holland)
- Marie Claire (Taiwan, Ukraine)
Course Entry Requirements
- a degree (2:1 or above) in English, media, cultural studies, fashion studies, visual communications, PR, design theory or visual arts.
- alternatively, students should have relevant and qualitative experience in any of the following industries: fashion, interior design, architecture, art, visual communications, music or the journalism industry.
Good IT skills are also advantageous including knowledge of Adobe In Design software. Consideration may be made toward applicants who have practical/work experience which can be shown to be equivalent to formal qualifications. We welcome applications from mature students.
English language requirements
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 - 64kb]
- Download PG Cert FLJ Guidance Notes [PDF -57kb]
Alternatively, you can request an application form by calling +44 (0)20 7514 7563 / 7344.
Please send your completed application form to the following address:
If you have a question, you can ask us through our Online Enquiry Form.
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 PG Cert FLJ Guidance Notes [PDF - 57kb]
- 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:
Selection
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 references and your personal statement. Selected interviewees will be asked to take short written and numeracy tests. From the interview the course team will decide if you are to be selected onto the course.
"Every skill that I learned on the Postgraduate Certificate in Fashion & Lifestyle Journalism has been relied on to secure my position as Creative Director at Cosmetic Alchemy, a beauty company based in the States. From writing and design to a knowledge of the magazine industry, the course has been an invaluable tool to aid my career. I now do everything from writing packaging, web content and editing our freelance copy through to producing promotional e-mails and marketing material. Thank you for giving me the opportunity
Kendra Ford, Graduated 2009, Creative Director, Cosmetic Alchemy, USA
"The PG Cert. in Fashion and Lifestyle Journalism gave me the confidence to pitch ideas to commissioning editors and one piece I wrote for the course was published in The Guardian travel section. I am now at Elle magazine and look after the Health News page every month, and write features. I really couldn't have done it without the knowledge, experience and contacts of the PG Cert."
Alison Taylor, Contributing Editor, Elle
"Having industry contacts come in to talk to us offered a huge insight into the profession and also the opportunity to make valuable contacts and arrange work placements (this is how I got my foot in the door at WGSN). I found the course is well respected with employers and certainly made my CV stand out"
Jo Marshall, Travel & Arts Editor, WGSN
"On the PG Cert Fashion & Lifestyle Journalism, we worked a lot on research and information gathering. It was both practical and theoretical and the tutors were a great help. Now when I am in a brainstorming meeting, I can easily find good, relevant stories and sincerely thank this course for helping me to gain my firm position at Marie Claire"
Ching Lin, Managing Editor, Marie Claire Taiwan
"When I moved to London, I had no previous work experience on a magazine or paper and a very academic style of writing. I received extensive one-to-one tuition, which enabled me to develop a good, journalistic style of writing. The most important thing I got from the course was a belief in my own ability as a writer and the confidence to go out and attempt to carve a career in the media industry"
Carrie McAdam, Editorial Assistant, Sunday Herald
"I recall sitting in the Fashion and Lifestyle Journalism, PG Cert class at LCF, wondering how I was ever going to make it in such a competitive industry. A year later, I am interviewing every hip rock band and fashion designer in New York for Nylon Magazine. I can't imagine a better catalyst for my career."
Luke Crisell, Senior Features Editor, Nylon, New York
"LCF equips its students with the skills they need to make it, in one of the most competetive industries in the world. The ex-LCF students that we have worked with have all become invaluable assets to our team, and have moved seamlessly from students to valuable employees"
Taryn Ross, Editorial Director, Urban Junkies
"The course, guided by professionals from the industry, helped me fall in love with journalism all over again. The whole experience was one I would never trade and has sent me sailing into the office of Cosmopolitan Singapore, where I will begin my career as editorial assistant to the magazine as they launch their first issue. The course moulds you brilliantly to cater to the professional world, and although it targets a very specific industry, I felt my options grow much wider. I can honestly claim that my time at LCF has been the most fulfilling part of my professional life to date."
Anjali D’Mello, Cosmopolitan Singapore