Fashion Management with Marketing MA

Modules

Term one

Research Methods (Compulsory)
Teaches you a range of conceptual and practical research skills, such as questionnaire design and interview techniques. As part of this module, you will formulate your major project proposal, specifying your aims, objectives, research methods and expected outcomes. You will also learn how to undertake the literature review for your major project.

Global Markets: Designing businesses for international growth
Examines the key issues involved in developing new international markets and the role of the design manager and entrepreneur in enabling design and creative businesses to compete effectively in the global economy.

Fashion Promotion and Marketing
The module reviews both theoretical concepts & current approaches to communication and commerce in global fashion markets. Exploring key aspects of fashion marketing and promotion via case studies of retailers, brands and designers, to enable you to develop creative strategies and commercial solutions to real-life industry challenges.

Global Fashion Management 1
This module focuses upon the management of the various activities involved within the product development process, from concept to production. Exploring sourcing strategies, critical path management and customer analysis along with practical elements to develop an understanding of the processes to develop products to commercial quality standards. A contemporary vision of the global fashion industry is also gained through reflecting on future market and industry trends. 

Term two

Global Fashion Management 2
This module builds on Global Fashion Management 1 and focuses upon the supply of products from production to consumption. You will explore a range of global supply chain activities, including the management of all of the processes to ensure that the products are produced at the right time, in the correct quantities and are available by specified deadlines while working to tight budget constraints and maintaining the expected quality standards. 

Critical Perspectives in Ethical and Sustainable Fashion
Investigates the impact of ethical and environmental considerations on designed products, garment production and business ideology. It will enable those looking to work in fashion manufacturing or retail to provide future designers and buyers with a clear overview of the major sustainability issues within the industry.

You will select one modules from the following term two optional modules:

Business Planning for the Creative Entrepreneur
Develops your business knowledge and planning skills enabling you to identify the potential for a new product or service. You will study the key issues in starting a business and covers topics such as business plans, leadership, investment and risk management.

Design for Retail
Covers all aspects of in-store retail design, including product, environment, technology, communication and service. You will also examine brand perception, buyer behaviour and engagement with the retail experience.

Term three

Final Project: Dissertation
The course culminates in a Dissertation; a research project allowing you to focus on a specific subject area of your choice often focused upon a topic associated with future career objectives. This is an opportunity to deepen your knowledge and understanding to demonstrate critical understanding of your chosen area of investigation.

OR

Work based project/Live-Project
This work-based/live-project module allows you to use the skills developed during your course and enables you to undertake a negotiated investigative project in a real-world setting. You will be expected to demonstrate that you can exercise initiative, take personal responsibility, embrace complex decision-making processes and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional level. As part of the project, you will be required to produce a project proposal, 10,000 word report and a 30-minute presentation. (Note that students are responsible for securing their own suitable work experience)

Overview

The programme is delivered primarily through lectures and seminars as well as tutorial guidance. Lectures deliver a discourse on a particular subject followed by seminars which are used for holding discussions or for the exchanging of information in a smaller group. Tutorials are provided usually to discuss a subject on a one to one basis between the tutor and yourself; however you may find yourself in a small tutorial group to benefit from the contribution of others.

The Fashion Management with Marketing MA is a theoretical programme and assessments are mostly by the submission of fully referenced and structured reports. Presentations are also fundamental as an opportunity for you to present your work to others either for assessment or within a scheduled class activity. One module also includes the formulation of a weekly blog for you to keep abreast of topical issues and sometimes to provide a framework for seminar discussions, as well as being an assessed module component. You will be required to submit a project proposal which will act as your plan for future research, especially for the dissertation. 

As a postgraduate student you will be expected to conduct a substantial amount of self-directed learning. This is important for you to contextualise your studies and to broaden your knowledge. It is the breadth and depth that will add so much to your work and your studies.

Through receiving feedback on your work, you will be able to reflect on aspects of your learning and develop an action plan that will help you to progress.

The fashion and textile business is highly competitive and we encourage you to develop networking opportunities by becoming a student member of trade associations and to engage in conferences and seminars delivered by industry members. We expect you to be proactive and attend presentations provided by visitors from the fashion and textiles business to the university, as extra curricular activity.

Throughout the programme the curriculum is enhanced by visiting lectures from a variety of business experiences, where appropriate to the module curriculum.

Contact hours
In your first two terms you will normally attend around 12 hours of timetabled taught sessions including lectures, tutorials and workshop and studio sessions each week, and be expected to undertake at least 23 hours of independent study each week. Your third term will be pre-dominantly self-directed (including meetings with your supervisor), during which you can expect to undertake 35 hours of independent study each week.

Ranked as one of the best fashion schools in the world for 2022 (CEOWORLD, 2022) and in the top 10 in the UK for 'career after 15 months' (The Guardian University Guide 2022), our innovative and widely-respected courses help prepare students for fulfilling futures in this fast-paced industry.

Green Gown Award

The School of Fashion and Textiles won the Next Generation Learning and Skills Award in the Green Gowns Awards 2021 and received global recognition in the International Green Gown Awards 2022. These awards are the gold standard for sustainability in universities around the world and this puts DMU at the forefront of sustainable fashion and textiles education in the UK. Sustainability is at the heart of our curriculum and teaching, empowering our students to be agents of change within the industry.

UK Fashion and Textiles Association

We are members of the UK Fashion and Textile Association which ensures our teaching stays up to date with the latest developments in the sector and provides valuable industry links that enhance our courses.