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Undergraduate

BA (Hons) 3D Effects for Performance and Fashion

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Student work by Stephanie Shaw | BA (Hons) 3D Effects for Performance and Fashion | London College of Fashion | University of Arts London
College
London College of Fashion
Start date
Course length
3 years

BA (Hons) 3D Effects for Performance and Fashion will prepare you for a career in a variety of creative roles for TV, film, performance and fashion.

You will acquire specialised design and craft skills for a performance context. This course teaches design for theatre, film, music and television, as well as more specialised performances, such as circus and carnival. The course incorporates teaching by industry practitioners, professional workshops and work placement opportunities.

Applications suspended 2022/23

Recruitment has been suspended for 2022/23. View courses at London College of Fashion.

Why choose this course at London College of Fashion

  • Varied career options – the course provides a broad overview of 3D Effects which gives graduates a wide choice of career options including: film, television, art installations and fashion.
  • Where graduates have gone on to work – previous graduates have found employment with the National Theatre, English National Opera, Madame Tussauds and on many film and television productions including Game of Thrones, Netflix’s Dark Crystal, Justice League, Star Wars and Ridley Scott’s Alien Covenant.
  • Facilities – students will be given access to excellent, industry-standard facilities.

Scholarships, bursaries and awards

Course overview

Introduction 

BA (Hons) 3D Effects for Performance and Fashion will equip students with specialised skills. The course will cover a variety of performance areas to provide the breadth and depth of knowledge students need for a successful career as a costumier or prop designer.  

What to expect 

  • Lectures and seminars 

  • Critical analysis 

  • Briefings and tutorials 

  • Design, text analysis and context 

  • Critiques, peer-evaluation and self-evaluation 

  • Workshops and demonstrations 

  • Presentations 

  • Assessment feedback 

  • Collaborative group work 

  • Creation of sketchbooks and design and research portfolio 

Work experience and opportunities 

Students will take part in an industry project and placement during the second year to situate their practice. This helps students develop their professional identity and work with industry partners to develop personal and professional skills.  

Mode of study 

BA (Hons) 3D Effects for Performance and Fashion runs for 90 weeks in full time mode. It is divided into 3 stages over 3 academic years. Each stage lasts 31 weeks. 

Climate, Social and Racial Justice 

We are committed to ensuring that your skills are set within an ethical framework and are working to embed UAL’s Principles for Climate, Social and Racial Justice into the course.

Course units

The academic year for this course is divided into Block 1 and Block 2. Block 1 is of 15 weeks’ duration from late September to February. In accordance with the University timetable, there will be a 4-week holiday in December. Block 2 is also of 15 weeks’ duration from mid-February to the end of June with a 4-week holiday for Easter. 

Year one 

Year one will introduce the fundamentals of 3D Effects for Performance and Fashion, outlining the key skills and techniques as a grounding for your practice.  

Introduction to Design for Performance  

This unit aims to introduce you to your discipline in the context of study at Higher Education level; learning skills and the requirements of effective studentship at undergraduate level; and to orientate you within your course, the College and the University.  

Introduction to 3D and Modified Forms 

This unit will introduce you to some of the fundamental principles and techniques used by 3D effects practitioners. You will be required to research and record processes and the exploration of techniques and approaches in a visually appropriate and informative way.   

The unit encourages your development in technical areas underpinned by an understanding of the principles of specialist subject processes as well as exploring creative three-dimensional approaches to modifying, altering or adapting the performing body. You will develop an understanding of how basic techniques can be used creatively and will be encouraged to develop an enquiring approach to the development of 3D effects for performance. 

Fashion Cultures and Histories

This unit introduces the Cultural and Historical Studies approach to fashion and related areas. The unit provides a broad overview of the subject and introduces key concepts and ways of thinking that will form the basis of subsequent study. 

Better Lives 

This unit will provide you with a solid understanding of London College of Fashion’s core values and how they connect to your practice. As part of this unit, you will explore diversity, social responsibility and sustainability, themes which you will then apply to a selected project. At this stage, the emphasis is on how you apply your thinking across these important themes to your practice. Fashion can change lives. We want you to use fashion to examine the past, build a sustainable future and improve the way we live. That’s why we call this unit ‘Better Lives’. 

Collaboration one: Design and Production 

This unit will enable you to integrate the research practices and principles of design, learned in the Introduction to Design for Performance Unit, into a series of collaborative and / or personal projects. It will also extend your knowledge of other areas of design.

You will undertake research, design development and presentation principles within a collaborative project, working with students from across the Performance Programme. Further project work will introduce you to the approaches, terminologies and processes of your specialist subject. 

You will be encouraged to take an innovative approach to the design of your work using both experimental and traditional methods within a contemporary performance context.  

Year two 

Year two provides the opportunity to explore new areas of 3D Effects for Performance and Fashion such as digital technology and working collaboratively with industry.  

Critical Issues in Fashion Research

The Cultural and Historical Studies unit Critical Issues in Fashion Research will broaden or deepen your learning of areas relating to your chosen field. You will be able to learn alongside students from other courses and will read relevant academic texts and complete a formal academic essay for assessment.  

Core skill: 3D Innovation and Design 

Responding to a given text, this unit will develop your awareness of the relationship between research, design and technical processes within your specialist subject area. You will develop an understanding of how techniques can be used creatively and will be encouraged to develop an enquiring approach to technical development and experimentation within your work. 

Situating your Practice: Industry project 

This unit aims to develop your practitioner identity and consider your personal manifesto for performance, by completing a performance proposal for a performance event around a location, and stimulus of your choosing. It will allow you to expand your understanding of the work of practitioners who you find useful, inspiring, and interesting, before then applying that knowledge in the creation of your own performance event. 

Situating your Practice: Industry placement 

This unit aims to develop your professional skills within an industry environment. On your placement, you will be able to experience the pace, atmosphere and discipline of working in the industry. This will give you practical experience of the roles, functions and operations within the industry. The unit requires a minimum of 60 work placement hours. 
 
Collaboration two: Interdisciplinary and Experimental  

During this unit, you will collaborate with other students to design and realise characters for a narrative. Working in a small group you will choose a context for the performance, you are encouraged to look at a context you may not have designer for previously, and to collaborate with performers and students from other disciplines. 

Optional Diploma Year

CCI Creative Computing

Between years 2 and 3, you can undertake the year-long Diploma in Creative Computing. This will develop your skills in creative computing alongside your degree. After successfully completing the diploma and your undergraduate degree, you’ll graduate with an enhanced degree: [add course title] (with Creative Computing).

CCI Apple Diploma 

Between years 2 and 3, you can undertake the year-long Diploma in Apple Development. This will give you an opportunity to become an accredited apple developer alongside your degree. After successfully completing the diploma and your undergraduate degree, you’ll graduate with an enhanced degree: [add course title] (with Apple Development).

Year three 

Year three will give the opportunity to showcase your progress and skill development through creative and academic work across three units.  

Innovation and Design  

This unit requires you to identify an area of personal interest and then to investigate, research and experiment to develop your concept and designs for realisation in the final unit. You will demonstrate your skills in the creation of an extensive body of work to show development and experimentation. You should consider theoretical and professional contexts of your project, and the surrounding industries, to develop your chosen narrative and performance context. You may choose to focus on one line of enquiry, or produce a series of small test projects, or explore a range of research avenues and methods. 

Cultural and Historical Studies Dissertation 

The overall aim of the dissertation is to provide an opportunity for you to demonstrate your understanding of the critical and analytical perspectives developed within cultural and historical theory and your ability to apply those perspectives in a specific study.  You will undertake a substantial piece of structured primary and secondary research that critically engages with cultural issues relating to fashion, the body, performance, or the media and communications industries and which reflects on the critical debates and concerns addressed in your course. 

Personal Performance Project 

Building on your previous design portfolio created for Innovation and Design unit, you will now realise your ideas. This unit will enable you to realise a personal response to your concept. The structure and outcome of your project will be determined by you. You will identify and construct individually negotiated outcomes to communicate your concept towards your chosen audience. 

 

Learning and teaching methods

The following teaching and learning methods are employed to support the integrated achivement of the course outcomes.

  • Lectures. 
  • Demonstrations. 
  • Group-discussions. 
  • Practical workshops.
  • Seminars.
  • Critiques.
  • Design workshops. 
  • Peer assessment.
  • Briefings.
  • Student-directed study. 
  • Video screenings. 
  • Presentations.
  • Visiting speakers.
  • Performance project. 

Graduate Showcase

Explore work by our recent students on the UAL Showcase

Student and graduate work

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The Performance Programme

Course leaders and students discuss what goes on behind the scenes on three courses at LCF dedicated to the world of performing arts.

BA (Hons) 3D Effects for Performance and Fashion

BA (Hons) 3D Effects for Performance and Fashion students discuss the course and facilities at Lime Grove.

Latest news from this course

Staff

Caroline Gardener has been course leader (previously pathway leader) for 18 years. Graduating in 1985 from Croydon College having studied Theatre Design, Caroline has a wealth of industry experience working in the fields of film, television and theatre. These include many major West End productions including Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables, and companies such as The Royal Ballet, English National Opera, Glyndebourne Opera and Jim Henson’s Creature shop. She has worked both as a freelancer practitioner and as a company director.  Her teaching experience is both in the UK and Japan and she is currently an Associate of Kyoto University of Art and Design. Caroline also has a PGCert from UAL.

Jessica Curtis trained at the Motley Theatre Design Course after training as an illustrator at the University of Brighton. She has designed for film, opera, dance and theatre both here and in Scandinavia over the last 20 years. She is currently designing the Premier of Genesis inc. at Hampstead Theatre. Recent work includes Uncle Vanya (The Almeida) Villette (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Holy Rosenbergs (National Theatre), Hotel Cerise (Theatre Royal, Stratford East) Another Door Closed (Theatre Royal Bath), Endgame (Liverpool Everyman), Dangerous Corner (West Yorkshire Playhouse and West End), Frankenstein (Frantic Assembly, Northampton), Burial at Thebes (Nottingham Playhouse/Barbican/US Tour) and Rhapsody (Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House). She has also designed the Grosvenor Park Open Air Season 2013- 2016 and the opening season at the new cultural centre Storyhouse, as well as bar interiors for Underbelly at the South Bank and Hyde Park and Leicester Square. She has taught and designed at Central School of Speech and Drama, RADA, Guildhall, Trinity College of Music, Birkbeck and RSMAD.

Nadia Malik is the Programme Director for the Performance Courses at London College of Fashion, UAL. She has previously been Course Leader for BA Costume Design and Making at Nottingham Trent University and Costume With Textiles at the University of Huddersfield, Head of Wardrobe at the University of Essex and lectured at various other universities.

Nadia is the Reviews Editor (Exhibitions and Events) for the journal Studies in Costume and Performance, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a committee member of the Society of British Theatre Designersand a PhD candidate at Aalto University, Helsinki. Her research work focuses on Knowledge Exchange between academia and industry through experimental pedagogical practice in costume. She holds a BA in Textile Design from Nottingham Trent University and an MA in Costume Design for Performance from London College of Fashion, UAL.

Nadia’s design work has encompassed new and classic writing, opera, folk and contemporary dance, experimental site-specific devised work and live art, including international festivals. With a collaborative approach to performance devising, her work explores the human body, movement, and how costume-led design practice can engage audiences with performance. She has also curated and produced costume events.

Fees and funding

Home fee

£9,250 per year

This fee is correct for entry in autumn 2024 and is subject to change for entry in autumn 2025.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

International fee

£28,570 per year

This fee is correct for entry in autumn 2024 and is subject to change for entry in autumn 2025.

Tuition fees for international students may increase by up to 5% in each future year of your course.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

Scholarship search

Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirements for this course are:

One or a combination of the following accepted full level 3 qualifications.

  • 112 UCAS tariff points from two or more A Levels (preferred subjects include Art, Design, English, Drama and Film Studies);
  • a Distinction - Foundation Diploma in Art & Design (Level 3 or 4) with a total of at least 112 tariff points to include at least one A-level pass;
  • Distinction, Merit, Merit at BTEC Extended Diploma preferred subjects Art & Design;
  • a Merit at UAL Extended Diploma;
  • an Access Diploma with at least 45 credits at Merit level or 112 tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma;
  • 112 new UCAS tariff points from a combination of the above qualifications or an equivalent full Level 3 qualification;
  • or equivalent EU or non-EU qualifications, such as International Baccalaureate Diploma at 25 points minimum; 
  • And three GCSE passes at grades A*-C or grades 9-4.

Entry to this course will also be determined by assessment of your portfolio.

APEL (Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning)

Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:

  • Related academic or work experience
  • The quality of the personal statement
  • A strong academic or other professional reference
  • OR a combination of these factors

Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English Language Requirements

IELTS level 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Please check our main English Language Requirements .

Selection criteria

The course team seeks to recruit students who can demonstrate:

  • A strong interest in design and the performing arts
  • The potential for creative problem solving
  • An approach suited to the demands of the course and the projected career pathways in the chosen field of studies, i.e. 3D Effects.

Apply now

Applications closed 2021/22

Recruitment has been suspended for 2021/22.

Applications closed 2021/22

Recruitment has been suspended for 2021/22.

After you apply

After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We’ll use this Portal to contact you to request any additional information, including inviting you to upload documents or book an interview, so please check it regularly.

Once we’ve reviewed and assessed your application, we’ll contact you via UCAS Track or the UAL Portal to let you know whether your application has been successful

Potential changes to course structure

Please note: the information outlined is an indicative structure of the course. Whilst we will aim to deliver the course as described on this page, there may be situations where it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, for example because of regulatory requirements or operational efficiencies, before or after enrolment. If this occurs, we will communicate all major changes to all applicants and students who have either applied or enrolled on the course. Please note that due to staff research agreements or availability, not all of the optional modules listed may be available every year. In addition, the provision of course options which depend upon the availability of specialist teaching, or on a placement at another institution, cannot be guaranteed. Please check this element of the course with the course team before making a decision to apply.

Webpage updates

We will update this webpage from time to time with new information as it becomes available. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please use the register your interest form above.

Careers

All of our undergraduate courses offer career development, so that you become a creative thinker, making effective contributions to your relevant sector of the fashion industry.

LCF offers students the opportunity to develop Personal and Professional Development (PPD) skills while studying through:

  • An on-course work experience or placement year. Please note, this is not available on every course; please see the Course Details section for information about work placement opportunities.
  • Access to to speaker programmes and events featuring alumni and industry.
  • Access to careers activities, such as CV clinics and one-to-one advice sessions.
  • Access to a graduate careers service
  • Access to a live jobsboard for all years.
  • Advice on setting up your own brand or company.

Graduates who wish to continue their education at postgraduate level can progress to suitable courses within the College, the University or elsewhere.

Alumni Career Paths

Recent graduates from this course have found employment working on projects including: Game of Thrones, Netflix's Dark Crystal, Justice League film, The new Star Wars franchise, Ridley Scott's: Alien Covenant, English National Opera and Spy in the Wild for the BBC.

Prior to that, Graduates have worked for Madame Tussauds and the Tussauds studios, and on many film productions, including the Harry Potter films, Hellboy and Hellboy II, Batman Begins, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox, and Tim Burton's Corpse Bride and Dark Shadows.

Graduates have also worked with the artists Ron Mueck and Damien Hirst and the fashion designer Hussein Chalayan.

Alumni Profiles