Skip to main content
Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery

Female model with gold jewellery on her wrist
Project by BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery student, Matilda Ji.| London College of Fashion | University of Arts London
College
London College of Fashion
UCAS code
W700
Start date
September 2024
Course length
3 years

BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery is founded on four key principles: craft and technology, sustainable practice, performance, and identity; these principles inform all teaching on this course.

Why choose this course at London College of Fashion

    • Unique: this is the only jewellery course embedded in a fashion-dedicated college. This allows for cross-pollination and collaboration that mimics industry practice and the collaborative nature of the fashion industry. This makes BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery the start of a student’s global professional network.
    • Industry links: The course is supported by guest lectures with industry partners which have included designers Noel Stewart, Michelle Lowe-Holder and Melanie Georgacopoulos, as well as live briefs and competitions.
    • Personalisation: several taught units on the course allow students to choose a direction that best suits their interests, personal development and career goals, allowing students to tailor their studies to their needs.
    • Facilities: students have access to a range of different workshops and technologies, from traditional benchwork studios to casting rooms and digital fabrication studios such as the Digital Learning Laboratory. Teaching focuses on how traditional and digital making can work hand-in-hand.
    • Skills: the course focuses on globally recognised industry skills in jewellery design. The focus is on personal vision as well as quality product design, supported by transferable skills that enable students to navigate and adapt to the ever-changing creative industries.

Open days

There are currently no Open Days scheduled for this course, please check back at a later date.

Scholarships, bursaries and awards

Course overview

Introduction 

BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery is an idea-led design course that uses fashion jewellery as a medium for students to find their voice and develop their vision. We support you to become an informed and inspirational fashion jewellery designer who can innovate and challenge industry through a unique approach to your practice. 

We teach a wide range of approaches to manufacture that includes traditional and new technologies as well as digital approaches. Design thinking, cultural and contextual awareness and professional communication and presentation skills support you to become a designer who is able to respond to the demands and challenges of our times.

We offer an experiential and transformative curriculum that is grounded in dialogue and uses jewellery as a medium to express ideas. We place value on the cultural capital and lived experience of our students and we support our students to develop their unique design identity. We teach transferrable skills that are of value in the wider creative industry.

What to expect 

  • Students will take part in Design and Studio sessions where they will be introduced to different design methodologies and to research and development processes. This supports students in developing methods that work for them.  
  • Technical and Digital Core Skills classes from a dedicated technical team support students to materialise ideas into jewellery pieces. 
  • Outside of taught sessions students are expected to make the most of supervised studio time in workshops, IT facilities and the libraries. 
  • Students will learn from experts in the field as the academic team is made up of active practicioners and researchers who work at the forefront of their disciplines. This includes jewellery and sustainable practices and digital approaches to jewellery and ensures that the curriculum evolves in line with relevant and current industry developments. 
  • Situated in the wider creative and fashion industry you can expect involvement from a range of external industry guests through lectures and workshops.
  • We encourage and support students with internal and external competitions as well as progression to MA level study.
  • Several units on the course allow students to choose a direction which best suits their interests, personal development and career goals so students can tailor their studies to their needs. 
  • Critical thinking and cultural and contextual awareness are supported by the academic team and the Fashion Cultures and Histories Research Centre enabling students to appreciate the bigger narrative of the subject area and the impact of their practice.  

Work experience and opportunities 

Students will be given the opportunity to undertake a short work experience placement during their second year of study. This provides increased industry awareness as well as crucial experience and valuable contacts within the industry. Students have previously worked at a wide range of companies including Shaun Leane, Michelle Lowe Holder, Simone Rocha, Ùna Burke, Jing He, Simpson Ma, and The Unseen.  

Studies will also be supported by visits to galleries, museums, manufacturers and studios, alongside optional study trips outside of London and abroad.  

Mode of study 

BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery runs for 90 weeks in full time mode. It is divided into 3 stages over 3 academic years. Each stage lasts 30 weeks. 

Climate, Social and Racial Justice

We are committed to developing ethical fashion jewellery practices. To achieve this, we are working to embed UAL’s Principles for Climate, Social and Racial Justice into the course.

Course units

Introduction

The BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery is founded on 4 key principles that inform the teaching on the Course: 

  • Craft and Technology centres around the development of technical expertise from traditional jewellery benchwork to digital design and fabrication techniques as well as outsourced manufacture.  
  • Sustainable Futures approaches sustainability in a broad sense; from social, cultural, economical and environmental perspectives. Through individual and collaborative practice students are challenged to develop meaningful proposals.
  • Performance requires you to consider the social impact of your work and explore the potential of jewellery to change narratives and communicate ideas in a changing cultural landscape. Emphasis will be placed on contextually aware approaches to design, considering the relation between jewellery and audience.
  • Identity; is about defining who you are as a designer developing your unique vision for fashion jewellery that builds on personal strengths and interests while developing new expertise. 

Year one block one

  • Introduction to Fashion Jewellery introduces you to your discipline, design and studio practice and foundational technical skills.  The project focusses on research, development and presentation skills for fashion jewellery design. 
  • Jewellery Design and Technology focuses on concept led design approaches. It connects technical skills with research and development and builds on documentation and presentation methods.  

Year one block two 

  • Sustainable Futures is a collaborative project that encourages future thinking to respond to changing societies and aspirations. It encourages the development of proposals for a fashion jewellery collection that challenges existing systems and ideas surrounding materials.
  • Fashion Cultures and Histories acquaints you to fashion theory through critical research and analysis skills through the writing of an essay. 

Year two block one

  • Concept, Context & Performance Unit asks you to consider fashion jewellery in relation to different industry and cultural contexts and develop a statement piece as well as a collection of refined batch-produced products. 
  • Critical Issues in Fashion Research unit allows you to choose an option covering a current cultural theme in fashion studies to write an essay about. It is supported by lectures and seminars. 

Year two block two 

  • Work Experience is a 10 weeks placement in a fashion jewellery or related company to give you real-life experience of an aspect of the industry. 
  • Identity, Innovation and Impact asks you to select one of 3 pathways to enhance and direct your studies towards your personal interests. The briefs are directed by external researchers or practitioners and approach fashion jewellery from different perspectives.

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: BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery (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: BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery (with Apple Development).

Final year 

  • Contextualising Practice allows you to build on your historical and theoretical understanding of fashion through a research-led extended essay that is related to your design ethos and interests. This theoretical unit supports your development for your final year design project. 
  • Concept Development Unit informs and prepares you for your Final Major Project. You will be expected to negotiate a project brief that will allow for a full and in-depth investigation into areas of interest to you. 
  • Final Major Project is the culmination of your degree in which you will extend your innovative approach and deeper engagement, analysis and conclusions to develop a major body of work. You will leave the course with a professionally presented fashion jewellery project that showcases your vision, your creative direction and your technical abilities through a negotiated body of fashion jewellery work.

Learning and teaching methods

The following teaching and learning methods are employed to support the integrated achievement of the course outcomes using a blended learning mode of delivery: 

  • lectures
  • seminars
  • workshops 
  • demonstrations and technical workshops
  • tutorials (group and individual)
  • critiques

Graduate Showcase

Explore work by our recent students on the UAL Showcase

Student and graduate work

  • Suinan-Li-5.jpg
    Work by Suinan Li
  • Simpson-Ma-1.jpg
    Work by Simpson Ma
  • Emily-Xitong-He.jpg
  • Dayana-Pinaeva.jpg
    Work by Dayana Pinaeva
  • Emily-Xitong-He1.jpg
  • Elisha-Easterbrook-2.jpg
    Work by Elisha Easterbrook

BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery

Graduate work from the LCF summer series 2021

Latest news from this course

  • LCF Undergraduate Class of 2023 – Fashion Communication Spotlight at Protein Studios. Photography by Eilwen Jones

    LCF23: Exhibition highlights

    Recapping LCF23's exhibition spotlight, showcasing objects and pieces from our Textiles (Embroidery, Knit, and Print), Accessories, Footwear, and Jewellery courses.

  • LCF x London Craft Week at Golden Lane. May 2023.

    LCF x London Craft Week 2023

    London College of Fashion, UAL hosted a public facing LCF x LCW exhibition of footwear, accessories, jewellery, tailoring and fashion artefacts in the home of craft, Golden Lane.

  • 'Lets Get Phygital' Exhibition. Erin Xie BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery graduate 2022.

    Meet Global Pathways recipient Erin Xie

    We caught up with some of the most recent participants of the LCF Global: Global Pathways scheme to discuss their travels and how the opportunity has impacted their studies and professional prospects.

  • LCFMA22 at Victoria House Basement - Photography by Eilwen Jones @eilijonesphotography

    Reflecting on our recent postgraduate showcases

    With LCF Postgraduate Class of 2023 around the corner, we reflect on some of LCF’s previous postgraduate shows.

Staff

Course Leader, Bernadette Deddens holds an MA in Design Products from Royal College of Art under Ron Arad. She runs a design and curatorial practice with a keen interest in object culture, the origins of things and the environment that creates them. In her multi material practice medium, form and method are subject to the idea. This is reflected in her teaching. Her practice and approach to designing rely on transferable skills. Her design practice won the 2014 Icon Award for Emerging Design Studio and the 2018 Swarovski/Design Miami Designers of the Future Award. Her work has been published and exhibited internationally.

Lecture,r Husam El-Odeh, has a background in Fine Art and Jewellery, graduating from Middlesex University under Caroline Broadhead in 2005. His eponymous jewellery label works on projects and collaborations for Acne, Mihara Yasuhiro, Tasaki, Topman, Topshop, Pringle and Swarovski. His collaboration with Acne was endorsed by the likes of Kylie Minogue and Chloe Sevigny and customers of his own work include Karl Lagerfeld, Rhianna and Chloe Moretz.He developed Atelier Swarovski's best-selling Core Collection for Nadja Swarovski in 2015. His latest collaborations include work with Vogue Fashion Fund winners Palmer//Harding and and fellow academic, NewGen menswear designer Per Gotesson.

Associate Lecturer Carol Wiseman holds a BA in Silversmithing & Jewellery from Glasgow School of Art and an MA Fashion at CSM, specialising in jewellery for fashion. She runs her jewellery practice and design consultancy and works across the fashion, jewellery, lingerie, media and music industries, collaborating and designing for catwalk, editorial & advertising, and press or stage pieces for musicians. She has worked with Danielle Scutt, Julien Macdonald, new menswear brand - Parc London and Phoebe English. She has also created catwalk collections for one of fashion’s most innovative and ground-breaking designers, Hussein Chalayan. Her work has appeared in ID, Another man, Purple, Elle, Dazed, Chinese Vogue and other renowned publications.

Lecturer, Mala Siamptani obtained a degree in 3D Design, an MA Creative Thinking, an MA Fashion Artefact and currently conducting a PhD research. As a design practitioner she runs her studio specializing in the research, development and delivery of creative projects in Fashion, Design and Art sector. Following extensive material research, her work attempts to connect traditional craft with digital technology. As an insider researcher, she conducts studies on experimental processes and the future of material culture, in order to advance knowledge regarding the jewellery design practice and the outcomes of this practice while integrating digital technologies. She has recently presented her findings at the 6th Global Fashion Conference, the 2nd and 3rd Creativity Researchers Conference (UK) and the 1st World Symposium for Fashion, Jewellery and accessories (Shanghai).

Associate Lecturer, Sabine Roth holds a BA in jewellery and combines this knowledge with Textiles and Technology since graduating from MA Textiles and Mixed Media at Royal College of Art. She worked with jewellery designers Scott Wilson and Saskia Diez and the innovative London based design consultancy Hirsch&Mann whilst running her own jewellery line.  Her strengths and interests lie in combining traditional materials with contemporary techniques in future-facing production and material making. Through Peut-Porter Platformshe explores the body in the digital age developing materials, textiles and artefacts using digital and bespoke manufacturing skills. One of their last projects included costumes & stage for Julie Cunningham's - Reckonings at Sadler’s Wells.

Jessica Saunders is the programme director for the Fashion Design Programme, which includes BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Menswear, BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear and BA (Hons) Fashion Jewellery. Read Jessica Saunders' full profile here.

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, Maths);
  • Distinction Foundation Diploma in Art and Design;
  • Distinction, Merit, Merit at BTEC Extended Diploma in Art & Design;
  • Merit at UAL Extended Diploma;
  • Access Diploma or 112 new UCAS 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 grade A*-C or grade 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 6.0 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:

  • The ability to work in 3D and have the aptitude to develop skills for manipulation of materials
  • A range of drawing skills and a commitment to using drawing and colour as a communication tool
  • An understanding of research and how it underpins the design process
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, linked with an enquiring and innovative approach to study
  • An interest in fashion jewellery and commitment to professional self-development, including independent learning

Apply now

Application deadline

31 January 2024 at 18:00 (UK time)

If there are places available after this date, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Apply to UAL

Home students can apply to this course through UCAS with the following codes:

University code:

U65

UCAS code:

W700

Start your application

Apply now

Application deadline

31 January 2024 at 18:00 (UK time)

If there are places available after this date, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Apply to UAL

International students can apply to this course through UCAS with the following codes:

University code:

U65

UCAS code:

W700

Start your application
or

Apply with a UAL Representative

Based across the world, our local UAL representatives can support you with your application from your home country. Check to see if there is a representative available in your country currently.

Find your representative

How to apply

Follow this step-by-step guide to apply for this course

Step 1: Initial application

You will need to submit an initial application including your personal statement.

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement should be maximum 4,000 characters and cover the following:

  • Why have you chosen this course? What excites you about the subject?
  • How does your previous or current study relate to the course?
  • Have you got any work experience that might help you?
  • Have any life experiences influenced your decision to apply for this course?
  • What skills do you have that make you perfect for this course?
  • What plans and ambitions do you have for your future career?

Visit the UCAS advice page and our personal statement advice page for more support.

Step 2: Digital portfolio

We will review your initial application. If you have met the standard entry requirements, we will ask you to submit a digital portfolio.

You’ll need to submit this via PebblePad, our online portfolio tool.

Digital portfolio advice

Your portfolio should consist of recent work that reflects your creative strengths.

It should:

  • be maximum 30 pages
  • showcase your technical skills in drawing and construction
  • demonstrate your ability to think and work in 3D
  • illustrate your knowledge of different fabrics and materials
  • include work in progress to illustrate how you experiment and develop ideas from initial concepts to final outcomes
  • include research to highlight your knowledge and awareness of the cultural contexts behind the contemporary fashion industry
  • demonstrate your ability to effectively present ideas in a visual context.

For more support, see our Portfolio advice and PebblePad advice.

Step 3: Interview

You may be invited to an interview following our review of your application. All interviews are held online and last 15 to 20 minutes.

For top tips, see our Interview advice.

You also need to know

Communicating with you

Once you have submitted your initial application, we will email you with your login details for our Applicant portal.

Requests for supplementary documents like qualifications and English language tests will be made through the applicant portal. You can also use it to ask questions regarding your application. Visit our After you apply page for more information.

Visas and immigration history check

All non-UK nationals must complete an immigration history check. Your application may be considered by our course teams before this check takes place. This means that we may request your portfolio and/or video task before we identify any issues arising from your immigration history check. Sometimes your history may mean that we are not able to continue considering your application. Visit our Immigration and visas advice page for more information.

External student transfer policy

UAL accepts transfers from other institutions on a case-by-case basis. Read our Student transfer policy for more information.

Alternative offers

If your application is really strong, but we believe your strengths and skillset are better suited to a different course, we may make you an alternative offer. This means you will be offered a place on a different course or at a different UAL College.

Deferring your place

You must apply in the year that you intend to start your course. If you are made an offer and your circumstances change, you can submit a deferral request to defer your place by 1 academic year. You must have met your conditions by 31 August 2024. If you need an English language test in order to meet the entry requirements, the test must be valid on the deferred start date of your course. If not, you will need to reapply. Requests are granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Contextual Admissions

This course is part of the Contextual Admissions scheme.

This scheme helps us better understand your personal circumstances so that we can assess your application fairly and in context. This ensures that your individual merit and creative potential can shine through, no matter what opportunities and experiences you have received.

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.

Career paths

Many graduates prefer to seek employment as soon as they have completed their undergraduate studies. Graduates are now working for a number of companies, including Bogara, ASOS, WGSN, Tatty Devine, Alex Monroe, Fannie Schiavoni, Alexander McQueen, Mercury Designs Ltd, and IPR London. Others have gone on to establish their own brands and design studios or are working educating others in jewellery design.

Simpson Ma developed his label Sweet Lime Juice and works with high profile concept boutiques, fashion designers and stylists.

Yue Zhou launched her brand Yuesphere recently in Shanghai.

Industry projects and collaborations

In 2016/17 we launched the Swarovski Innovator Award competition for Final Year Students and this has been running annually since. Last year Sofia Azevedo won the competition (there’s an interview with her linked to the course page)

In 2019-20 our first year students created images and GIFs for a competition run by TOUS, a Barcelona based lifestyle brand. They were asked to redesign their iconic bear logo to celebrate its 100 years anniversary. An exhibition with the results is to launch this September.