Our short courses can be a great way of getting into a full-time degree at UAL.
We caught up with Sarah Robson, who after joining our Introduction to the Fashion Industry short course, has been accepted into a full-time BA at LCF...
Can you give us an introduction to yourself, your background and what attracted you to come study at LCF?
I grew up in Rome, so I have always been exposed to art, creativity and self-expression. I have always been drawn to fashion, however, when it came to the sixth form and choosing what I wanted to study, I was at a loss. A friend of mine recommended that I look at summer courses to find out what I was interested in. After a thorough browse on the UAL website, I found an “Introduction to the Fashion Industry for 16 to 18 year olds”, a 5-day intensive course that covered the basics of the industry including promotion, journalism, sales distribution and event management.
Why did you decide to take a short course, and what did you enjoy most about it?
I was unsure about what I wanted to study at university, and it helped me secure my path of study. My favourite aspect of the course was the group work as well as the lectures. Meeting and interacting with people of my age with similar passions from across the world was very fulfilling too. We were introduced to the course through lectures by our highly experienced tutor during the first few days. We were then given a project brief to work on in groups which were very challenging but rewarding.
How did taking the short course influence your decision to apply for a full-time programme at LCF?
I felt more secure in terms of what course I wanted to pursue at university. I also felt more comfortable and familiar with LCF after spending 5 days there. Although there weren’t many students around in summer, I still got a sense of diversity and creativity from the few individuals we saw/met.
Tell us a bit about the course you will be starting in September and why you chose that particular programme?
In September I will be starting Fashion Management which is a course that applies the principles of business to the fashion industry, for example; the supply chain, analytics and finance. I knew I wanted to follow a course which promotes creativity, however, I still wanted to put my business skills (that I acquired in the sixth form) to use.
Are you doing anything to prepare for your time at University?
I’m trying to network as much as possible, meeting as many people as I can, both in London and abroad. I have also been trying to keep up to date with fashion week as well as graduate shows in order to stay in the loop and keep an eye out for emerging designers.
What advice would you give to others thinking of applying?
If you are applying to UAL, I would strongly recommend you do a short course or some kind of experience within the industry as it will make you realise how many careers and jobs there are, as well as the amount of work that goes into this ever-evolving industry. By doing the short course (and later volunteering at LQFS 2018 thanks to our course leader), I was able to immerse myself into the industry and view it first-hand. Going into the course I felt so secure about following fashion photography, however, I found I was drawn to the managerial and business side. I would also recommend reading a lot of publications (online and in print) such as Dazed and I-D to broaden your knowledge about the industry.
Sarah Robson
