Year one

The Introduction to Fashion Management unit introduces you to your course and its subject specialism as to effective learning and studentship at undergraduate level. It will orientate you to the practices and knowledge-base needed to understand your discipline and help you to develop your skills for independent & collaborative learning, reflection and your own self development. Students come from many diverse educational backgrounds and a part of this unit will enable you to reflect on your own background and on how that shapes the way you approach your course.

The Principles of Business unit will provide an introduction to the business environment of the global fashion industry. You will be introduced to a wide range of technological, consumer, legal and ethical factors alongside the opportunity to study in depth fundamental micro and macro-economic concepts. A range of analytical techniques and skills will also be introduced to underpin your later studies.

The Marketing Management unit provides you with the opportunity to explore marketing principles and management in a world where customers’ needs and behaviours are constantly evolving, the economy is unpredictable, competitive pressure is a constant factor and technology is continually developing and advancing. You will evaluate the current market position of a specific fashion business and present viable marketing and communication strategies in the form of a marketing plan.

The Financial Management unit serves to introduce you to the financial environment and the operations of financial markets relevant to global fashion businesses. It explores how fashion managers can effectively use different sources of finance. You will learn the basic principles of financial accounts and how the accounts of small businesses are prepared to support your learning on other units. You will also learn to apply this knowledge to the analysis of the financial statements of public companies. You will be introduced to the principles of management accounting and the application of costing, pricing and investment appraisal techniques in making decisions and controlling fashion businesses.

The Product Management unit will examine the breadth and complexity of fashion production management within a modern global supply chain environment by reviewing the activities and processes involved in the creation of a product range. The unit identifies via a linear process map, the journey from the creation of fibres to the presentation and promotion of product to the consumer and includes the demonstration of theoretical and practical approaches to the subject. The unit will contribute to future study, by developing your knowledge and understanding of the forms and functions of product management within the context of different fashion organisations.

Better Lives

London College of Fashion, UAL (LCF) is a leader in fashion design, media and business education. We have been nurturing creative talent for over a century, offering courses in all things fashion. We encourage students to examine the past and challenge the present. To have inventive, assertive ideas that challenge social and political agendas. We give students the skills, opportunities – and above all, the freedom – to put those ideas into practice. By leading the way in fashion design, business, and the media, we influence culture, economics and our society.

This unit will provide you with a solid understanding of LCF’ 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. Your thinking is more important than a finished piece of work at this point.

Fashion can change lives. Through teaching, specialist research, and collaborative work, this unit will get you thinking differently. 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’.

Year two

The Business Analytics unit continues the investigation of a sustainable global supply chain and trading fashion product using business analytics in multiple business environments both online and offline. You will review the activities and processes involved in the trading of a product range and consider the levers available within different business models to optimise trading.

The People Management unit will introduce you to key theoretical approaches to organisational behaviour, corporate culture and people management. You will develop your knowledge and understanding of approaches to people management practice in the context of the competitive environment in which fashion companies operate. You will develop an appreciation of the importance of managing human resources as a key competence to support sustainable competitive advantage. You will also be given the opportunity to apply this theory to your own career goals and learn how to operate as a fashion industry professional. This practical element will support you in securing an internship opportunity for the following Period.

Language and Culture for Business unit will provide you with a broad overview of differences in working practices across global cultures by introducing key concepts that apply to international fashion, business and employment. This will include practical development of your communication skills in a second language appropriate to a fashion business context. The language study will support your preparation for optional internationally recognised language examinations. The opportunity to familiarise yourself with a foreign language has become increasingly important in the context of the global economy. Many jobs will require you to visit different parts of the world, whether it is to attend a conference, supervise production, source materials, or to evaluate potential markets. Even a working knowledge of the essential differences in culture and language and the ability to recognise key words will give you clear advantage in the workplace.

The Industry Experience Project unit gives you the opportunity to put into practice the operational theory and business principles you have covered in your studies to date. In this unit you will operate in the professional environment. You will be supported to pro-actively secure a fashion company with which to undertake a period of work experience. Prior to the start of this work experience period you will negotiate with them an appropriate brief for your project. You will need to ascertain the business needs and objectives of your client in order to provide actionable recommendations. Execution of the project while working in the business will allow you to relate academic theory to practical business operations.

The Digital Skills for Fashion Business unit will give you the chance to experiment with several types of digital media. You will be able to choose those which suit your communication style. The content of this unit largely comprises of reflection on your personal skills development during this period of practical experience in the fashion industry. You will be supported to develop your presentation skills with a variety of media.

Diploma in Professional Studies (optional professional placement year)

The Diploma in Professional Studies (the Diploma) is a University of the Arts London Award for a period of professional placement of at least 30 weeks duration. The placement is undertaken after successful completion of stage 2 of the four-year Bachelor’s degree or a five-year integrated Master’s degree. The 30 weeks must be completed in full.

The Diploma in Professional Studies aims to:

• develop an appreciation of the culture and practice of the work place;
• put course content and study into perspective;
• develop transferable skills;enhance students' opportunities for career or academic progression.

There is flexibility to combine a placement in industry either in the United Kingdom or overseas (of at least 20 weeks) with a period of studying abroad (of at least 10 weeks). It is recommended that the placement in industry be with one organisation for a minimum of 30 weeks (if you are not undertaking a period of studying abroad) to benefit fully from your placement experience. In exceptional circumstances more than one placement in industry can occur to meet the minimum requirements for the award of the Diploma. During the placement, your academic studies continue through the compilation of a written report and reflection, which focuses on the opportunities and challenges relating to the professional placement. This not only continues the development of your study skills but also allows the ongoing development of your research, analytical and evaluative skills.

Year three/four

The Researching Consumer Behaviour unit will introduce you to theoretical concepts of consumer behaviour, investigating how cultural, social, personal and psychological factors affect buyer behaviour. You will have the opportunity to develop your practical research skills by conducting a research project exploring an aspect of consumer behaviour. Specifically you will learn how to interrogate secondary sources, how to select and design a range of primary research methods, and how to analyse research findings to unearth consumer insights for managerial implications. This unit will support the development of your practical skills of research which gain increasing importance as you progress through your degree.

The Luxury Brand Management unit is focussed on the luxury fashion industry. With the increasing globalisation of fashion brands, a knowledge and understanding of international market structures, including entry, distribution and development strategies is essential for fashion managers. This unit will enhance your analytical and planning abilities in developing appropriate brand management strategies.

This unit aims to explore traditional and contemporary models and theories in corporate strategy and apply these in the context of the global fashion industry. In a constantly changing business environment, market conditions, business structures and culture are important considerations.

The Corporate Finance & Risk Management unit provides the opportunity to gain a sound theoretical and practical appreciation of risk management concepts from a global business perspective. You will gain in depth knowledge of the management challenges of risk evaluation and mitigation in the global fashion industry. This unit will take a traditional perspective giving you an understanding of corporate finance risk management but you will also consider wider definitions of risk from environmental disaster and its impact on supply chains to reputational risks of brand damage.

Building on Fashion Product Management, the Advanced Operations Management unit will require you to use your business skills and knowledge to respond to a challenging operational brief set in the global fashion industry. The unit will provide you with the necessary professional tools of project management, analysis, problem solving, negotiation and decision making. The challenge will encourage you to use these tools to provide innovative and creative solutions to business scenarios based on limited and dynamic information. An important philosophy underpinning the unit is the need for you to make a significant individual contribution to an overall team effort which reflects the operations of many global fashion businesses.

Year four/five

The Advanced Research Methods unit is designed to support the design of the research proposal for your MSc Final Major Project. This unit develops advanced research skills and enhances your skills of quantitative and qualitative analysis acquired in prior units. In order to achieve individual and original results by the end of the course, your studies must be underpinned by sound research methodologies. You will be expected to consult a wide range of specialist resources. From initial ideas discussed at preliminary workshops, you are able to review and revise your focus in line with developing interests synthesised from your work within the specialist units of your MSc course. A staged process of development and review culminates in the presentation of a research proposal for assessment.

The Strategy, Innovation & Disruption unit looks at contemporary issues of innovation and disruption affecting the global fashion industry. It will provide you with an opportunity to study in detail current issues which may inform areas of further investigation of relevance to the writing of your MSc Final Major Project. This unit aims to develop your understanding of change within the fashion industry from a global perspective and the resulting business models and areas of focus emerging in response to changing socio-economic trends, innovative technologies and disruptive economic and management priorities.

The MSc Final Major Project is an important piece of work central to achieving the course aims, which will provide an opportunity for you to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and application of strategic management in the global fashion industry. The project will afford you the opportunity to undertake a rigorous piece of work that will synthesise practical and academic issues addressed during the course and which are important considerations for global fashion managers. The development of the major project is supported by the Advanced Research Methods unit and the other specialist units you have studied. Project topics are expected to be wide-ranging and concerned with issues that focus on strategic and operational management implications for international fashion businesses. For those students who wish to collaborate with a specific organisation, a project can be negotiated that has practical outcomes for the organisation whilst meeting the requirements for the MSc.

Showing your work

All students are advised to set up a profile on portfolio.arts.ac.uk, UAL’s new portfolio platform, which can be done at any point during your time at LCF and will last for up to 12 months after graduation. This platform is often used to source student work for promotional use on the website, social media and for print and can be a great way of getting your work seen. You may also be asked to have a portfolio profile for the selection process when it comes to degree shows.

Learning and teaching methods

• Lectures and Seminars
• Practical Workshops
• Briefings, tutorials and feedback sessions
• Collaborative project work
• Presentations
• Online learning
• Academic skills workshops
• Library and induction sessions

Assessments methods

• Business Reports
• Essays
• Reflective reports
• Portfolio Work
• Presentations
• Exams
• Live Negotiations
• Dissertation or Practice-based project as final major project