Year one

Introduction to Fashion Management aims to introduce 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 to reflect on your own background and how that shapes the way you approach your course.

Principles of Business 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.

Marketing Management 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.

Product Management 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.

Financial Management 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.

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

Business Analytics 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.

People Management will introduce you to key theoretical approaches to organisational behaviour, corporate culture and people management relevant to the effective contemporary global fashion business. 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 human resources management as a key competence for achieving sustainable competitive advantage in the contemporary fashion business. 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.

Fashion Futures as prospective employers expect graduates to be able to understand the complexities of digital business models this unit will develop your knowledge and understanding of how consumers operate on digital platforms and how they use digital technologies and devices to interact with fashion brands and purchase fashion products. The unit will also examine the associated managerial implications of technology and innovation.

In the second period of delivery you will study two units:

Consumer Insights In order for fashion organisations to achieve their business and marketing objectives, they must understand the buying behaviour of consumers. This 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 uncover consumer insights pertinent to managerial decision- making.

Consultancy Project brings together the theoretical and operational fashion business management principles previously studied. It provides a bridge between the teamwork in Stage 1 and the independent study required to complete the final year. The unit allows you to relate academic theory to practical business operations and highlights different approaches to fashion management. You will work collaboratively in a small team on a specific negotiated project as business consultants to a fashion company, which you will source.

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.

Final year

Project Proposal will give you the opportunity to construct and visually present an appropriate research design around a self-developed fashion management research topic. This will develop your communication skills and understanding of the proposed context of your Final Major Project. In order to realise a robust project, your research must be underpinned by sound methodologies. You will be expected to consult and develop 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 the interests you have developed during the earlier years of the course. A staged process of development and review culminates in the presentation of a project proposal for assessment.

Strategic Management provides the opportunity to gain a sound theoretical and practical understanding of the principles and practice of strategic management. You will have the opportunity to explore a range of different topics including:

• Corporate Governance, Risk Management and Leadership;
• Strategic Financial Resource Management;
• Strategic Brand Management;
• Entrepreneurship and small business management.

You will gain in depth knowledge of the management challenges in that particular area of fashion management. You will develop relevant skills and acquire knowledge of the systems and processes that impact contemporary management practice.

In the first and second period of delivery you will undertake Final Major Project. The Final Major Project represents the culmination of your degree. This unit will provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of management theories and practices and your ability to apply and contextualise these when developing a substantial piece of individual work. You are expected to conduct rigorous primary and secondary research and to synthesise theoretical and operational issues relevant to current debates within the fashion industry. Your Final Major Project is an independent and self-directed piece of work undertaken with the guidance of a supervisor. You may choose between an empirical dissertation or a practice based project focusing on issues relevant to fashion management.

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.