BA (Hons) Design for Textiles (Fashion, Interior, Art)
The course
- UCAS code
- W232
- Duration
- 4 years
- Location
- Scottish Borders
- Delivery type
- Full-time
This highly creative textiles course is designed to offer a balance between theory and practice – particularly when it comes to fabric design methodology and fabric production techniques.
Contact
Got questions about this programme?
Contact our enquiries team.
Overview
Learn practical and academic skills working with some of the finest printing, weaving and knitting facilities anywhere in the UK. Our studios and workshops provide a professional creative space, where you’ll benefit from the real hands-on learning opportunities that come with access to our industry-standard facilities, equipment and space.
This highly creative course covers fashion and furnishing fabrics, accessories, wall coverings, gallery pieces, greeting cards, gift wrap and stationery products. It aims to encourage independent learning and development towards your selected pathways in printed and constructed woven, printed and knitted textiles. The combination of general textile lectures with those covering innovation will boost your knowledge in both traditional and cutting-edge approaches.
We place an emphasis on fabric making that responds to a brief. Many of the projects you’ll work on will involve recognised design studios and companies like leading colour forecast company Trend Bible and leading USA fabric producers Cotton Inc. Our students even have the opportunity to work with Old Navy to design prints for a specific sector, in a competition where the winner can secure a three-month paid placement in San Francisco as part of their internship scheme.
The way the course underpins your design skills with technology and marketing expertise means you’ll develop the highly sought-after skillset that employers are looking for, particularly in the woven and knitted textile industry. Many of our graduates have gone on to work for companies in Scotland, UK and the USA, such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Paul Smith and Gap. 95% of our graduates reported in the National Student Survey that they were satisfied overall with their Design for Textiles degree.
The course is taught in our Scottish Borders Campus, which sits close to the heart of Scotland’s luxury textile industry. This is your chance to study in an area that’s home to some of the UK’s top design and production facilities for textiles and fashion. Find out more about what this award-winning course has to offer on our School pages.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way.
You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
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European Exchange
This Exchange Programme enables you to study or work in Europe as part of your degree programme, usually for a full academic year.
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Non-European Exchange
This Exchange Programme enables you to study outside of Europe as part of your degree programme, usually for a full academic year.
Course content
Year 1
Build a foundation for your future development with a combination of lectures and practical classes designed to help you choose your specialism. Practical projects in printed, woven and knitted textiles and CAD are underpinned by design development projects covering areas such as drawing, painting and material manipulation. We encourage you to explore sampling and mixing techniques to discover a wealth of fabric outcomes.
Year 2
Choose either printed or constructed textiles (knit and weave) and explore a range of both fashion and interior textile projects. Study tours are organised to help you make contacts with studios and attend London Design Week and you’ll have the opportunity to visit exhibitions and museums as a vital part of visual and market research. We also take a trip to London in second year to take a closer look at some working textile design studios. The school use personal contacts to secure visits that would be hard to arrange independently. Many students have even secured internships off the back of these visits.
Year 3
Now you really show your skills. We’ll encourage you to enter national and international competitions and work on live briefs from external companies. During third year there’s a real emphasis on getting career ready, with a specific focus on developing your portfolio, so you’re ready to apply for internships over the summer period.
Working in this environment helps you evaluate your work critically and present professionally. Student exchanges are available, and a foreign study tour allows students to experience trade fairs Premiere Vision and Indigo in Paris.
Year 4
After three years of design work and textile innovation you’ll be ready to embark on a personal project. This is accompanied by the choice of lecture series that provides either an in-depth context analysis or forming a marketing strategy for you work. After the completion of everyone’s projects, a number of stand-out students are chosen to exhibit their final collection of designs at the New Designers exhibition where the course has been recognised by constantly winning awards from companies such as The Worshipful Company of Weavers, John Lewis and the Clothworkers company.
Discover Uni course data
Discover Uni provides data on each university's degree courses across a range of measures including student satisfaction, graduate jobs and salaries.
Employability
Work and study
This is what our BA (Hons) Design for Textiles (Fashion, Interior, Art) students are doing 15 months after graduating:
- 70% are working
- 10% are studying
- 10% are working and studying.
Salary
- The average salary of students 15 months after graduating: £19000
- The average UK salary of students 15 months after graduating from a similar course: £21000
Jobs
These are the most common high skilled jobs students go into 15 months after graduating:
- Design occupations
- Information Technology Professionals
- Artistic, literary and media occupations
Entry requirements
Year 1
Standard entry requirements
- Highers ABBB (including English)
- A-Levels BCC
- Int. Baccalaureate 29 points
- BTEC DMM (in a relevant area)
Minimum entry requirements*
- Highers BBBC (including English)
- A-Levels BCC
* Minimum: under our Fair Access Policy, we will relax our standard entry requirements for some Scottish students depending on their circumstances. Our minimum requirements will apply if you:
- live in an area within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation lowest 20% (SIMD20), or
- are care experienced.
We can also make exceptions for some Scottish students with grades above minimum but below standard. Read more about our Minimum and standard entry requirements
Year 2
- HNC B in graded unit (in a relevant HNC)
- BTEC DMM (in relevant subject)
Level 2 entrants are specialists in printed, woven and knitted textiles.
Year 3
- HND BB in graded unit (in relevant HND)
Level 3 entrants are specialists in printed, woven and knitted textiles.
Additional information
- This degree is also available through a partnership route at Glasgow Clyde College. For more information, please contact studentrecruitment@hw.ac.uk
- For all years, applications are welcomed from holders of non-school qualifications, mature candidates and overseas students.
- If you do not see your qualifications here please contact us at wp@hw.ac.uk
- Please check that you meet our University-wide National 5/GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths requirements.
Portfolio and interview
Selection is normally by application and submission of a portfolio, which should show your aptitude to textiles through use of colour, texture, rhythmic pattern-making and a logical design process. The ability to produce observational work in the form of both controlled and gestural drawing, painting and relief work should also be demonstrated. Our portfolio requirements are explained in the Digital Portfolio Guidelines.
Successful applicants will be asked to submit their digital portfolio and invited to discuss it at interview.
English language requirements
- If English is not your first language, you have to show that your English is good enough to succeed on your course. Please see our English language requirements.
Fees
| Status* | Scotland | England / Wales / N Ireland / Rep of Ireland | International** |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee | Paid by SAAS | £9,250 | £17,320 |
* Your residency 'status' is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course. Find out more about tuition fees.
** 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above). Read more about the application process for EU nationals.
Additional costs
You may incur additional costs in the course of your studies at Heriot-Watt over and above tuition fees in an academic year. Depending on your programme of study, these may include: protective equipment, field trips, professional memberships, studio fees, required course texts or other study resources.
Please note that there is an additional consumable fee, charged per year of study.
Scholarships and bursaries
Bursaries for students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales
In addition to government loans and grants towards the costs of fees and living costs, we are offering generous financial support to attract and support eligible undergraduate students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales:
- Heriot-Watt University Bursary (up to £3,100 per year)
View our full range of undergraduate scholarships.