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Postgraduate

MA Fashion Communication: Fashion Journalism


College
Central Saint Martins
Start date
January 2024
Course length
One year full-time (45 weeks)

MA Fashion Communication: Fashion Journalism is for writers and editors who want to shape the future of their field.

MA Fashion Communication is for dynamic students looking to thrive within the industry at the highest level. The course offers three pathways: Fashion Image, Fashion Journalism and Fashion Critical Studies.

This course is part of the Fashion Programme.

Why choose this course at Central Saint Martins

  • Joint projects: The course has opportunities for joint projects with other programmes across the College as well as with international media and fashion brands.
  • Expert teaching: The course team is made up of high-profile academics and industry professionals.
  • Established networks: MA Fashion Communication has extensive links with industry both in the UK and on a global stage.
  • Design in process: As part of the Fashion programme, you will have access to students on MA and BA Fashion, providing first-hand experience of how fashion designers work.

Course overview

Over the last three decades, fashion has broadened its influence across the creative industries and many art forms. In parallel, new technologies have transformed how the fashion sector communicates with consumers. With the industry in a state of transition, it's more important than ever to analyse the impact of emergent media and to explore the needs of new consumers.  

MA Fashion Communication at Central Saint Martins embodies these paradigm changes.  

  • Explore the discipline through new digital platforms and media as well as more traditional modes of communication. The course helps you to develop the professional skills to join the next generation of fashion theorists, analysts, writers, journalists, image-makers and visual communicators. We invite you to apply a creative approach to the platforms through which you produce your work and help you to anticipate and respond to fluid, fluctuating global communication channels.   
  • MA Fashion Communication offers three pathways. Fashion Image is for innovative image-makers, while Fashion Histories and Theories offers an academic approach to the study of fashion. Fashion Journalism is aimed primarily at writers and editors. It offers the opportunity to focus on fashion writing for different media and markets. You will explore writing for traditional magazines and newspapers, alongside digital publishing including newsletters, websites, e-commerce and social media.  
  • While the majority of time and teaching is concentrated on your pathway study, there are opportunities to work with colleagues from other pathways and courses. This structure reflects the collaborative approach of the fashion industry. Across all pathways, the curriculum focuses on the realities of the modern industry as well as fashion theory, ensuring your work is informed by current knowledge and debates in your specialist area.   

In the Central Saint Martins Fashion Programme, we work to be at the heart of debate about the future of fashion. Our students are designers, communicators and academics. Teaching is our core purpose and our research and, industry and external relationships enrich our approach. We are committed to developing ethical fashion practices. To achieve this, we are working to embed UAL's Principles for Climate, Social and Racial Justice into the course. Our outlook is international, inclusive and diverse, reflecting the global nature of our community. We believe we must constantly challenge ourselves to shape fair and ethical opportunities in fashion. We believe in the power of cooperation, collaboration and partnerships through both analogue and digital experiences.

Contact us

Register your interest to receive information and updates about studying at UAL.

Contact us to make an enquiry.

Course units

MA Fashion Communication is designed to further progress your specialist skills. The course equips you with the skills needed for employment in the fashion communication industry at the highest level. Strong emphasis is placed on personal and professional development. The curriculum is enhanced by the energy that derives from the fusion of students across three pathways; as such, some (shared) units are delivered to all pathways on the course.  

You will interact with students from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. As part of this, you will be expected to learn and problem-solve from their experience as well as your own. You will be expected to build your own relationships and networks externally to the college with the wider industry, taking advantage of the resources within the Kings Cross Knowledge Quarter and those further afield.  

At an early point in the course, you will interact with students on the MA Fashion course, learning about the design process and developing your collaborative skills.  You will also collaborate with students from the Grad Dip Fashion course and with other Central Saint Martins courses (which may vary from year to year). 

Unit 1: Investigation  

Unit 1 is devised to challenge your assumptions and broaden your thinking. It will encourage you to develop a greater knowledge of your specialist subject, as well as the international aspects of the fashion communication industry. You will also study fashion and its histories within the context of art and design theory and practice. This will deepen your understanding of the impact of the social, economic and cultural role of fashion in society. You will explore the disciplines, rigour, operational aspects and the inter-disciplinary nature of the fashion industry. You will acquire a commercial and market awareness in order to gain an international perspective. This is complemented by first-hand observation of how fashion collections are created and how fashion designers work. A project in this unit gives you the opportunity to work collaboratively with MA Fashion designers as they prepare for their show during London Fashion Week or their course-end exhibition. This mutually beneficial project involves analysis of the designers’ collections and the creation of visual or written content as a creative response to their collections.  

Unit 2: Collaborative Practices for Common Good  

Unit 2 runs alongside Unit 1 and provides opportunities for inter- and cross- disciplinary research and practice co-operation with other postgraduate courses at Central Saint Martins. 

You will undertake this college-wide collaborative unit during the Spring term. This unit is designed to offer a robust framework for developing practice across the College in relation to the University’s social purpose ‘to change society through our knowledge and creativity’.  

Unit 3: Specialist Major Project – Planning, Preparation and Negotiated Phase  

The skills, knowledge and new approaches you acquire during the first three units will support and inform your direction in the planning, preparation and negotiation of your self-initiated Major Project in Unit 4.   

Unit 4: Specialist Major Project – Realisation and Presentation Phase   

Having completed Unit 3, during the final unit of the course you fully realise and present your Major Project.   

Important note concerning academic progression through your course:

If you are required to retake a unit you will need to cease further study on the course until you have passed the unit concerned. Once you have successfully passed this unit, you will be able to proceed onto the next unit. Retaking a unit might require you to take time out of study, which could affect other things such as student loans or the visa status for international students. 

Mode of study  

MA Fashion Communication is offered in full-time mode that runs for 45 weeks over 12 months. You will be expected to commit 40 hours per week to study, which includes teaching time and independent study.  

Credit and award requirements  

The course is credit-rated at 180 credits.   

On successfully completing the course, you will gain a Master of Arts (MA degree).   

Under the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, an MA is Level 7. All units must be passed in order to achieve the MA but the classification of the award is derived from the mark for the final unit only.   

If you are unable to continue on the course, a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) will normally be offered following the successful completion of 60 credits, or a Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) following the successful completion of 120 credits. 

Learning and teaching methods

The learning and teaching methods devised for this course include: 

  • Student-centred learning 
  • Critiques 
  • Peer learning 
  • Individual studio tutorials 
  • Group tutorials 
  • Research sessions 

Student Perspectives: MA Fashion Communication Journalism

Fashion Communication stories

Facilities

Fees and funding

Home fee

£13,910

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 entry. Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

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

£29,330

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 entry. Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

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.

Scholarship search

Entry requirements

The standard entry requirements for this course are as follows:

  • First-class or upper second-class honours degree from similar BA courses in Fashion Journalism or Communication but more typically from humanities subjects at university
  • Or an equivalent EU / international qualification

AP(E)L – Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning

Exceptionally applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered. 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 cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English language requirements

IELTS level 7.0 or above, with at least 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking (please check our main English language requirements webpage).

Selection criteria

We select applicants according to potential and current ability in the following areas:

  • High quality written English
  • Evidence of an original, enquiring mind
  • Excellent research and analytical skills
  • Awareness of different audiences
  • Evidence of genuine interest and engagement with fashion journalism.

What we are looking for

We are looking for students who may have graduated from similar BA courses in Fashion Journalism or Communication, but more typically will have studied humanities subjects at university. The pathway also recognises the benefits of recruiting students who have studied fashion design as undergraduates, which provides them with significant core skills for analysing fashion.

Apply now

You should apply by clicking on the link to the direct form below. The application form can be saved as you fill it out, so you do not need to complete it all at once. You will also have the chance to review all the information and make any necessary amendments before you submit the application form.

Start your application now

Deferring your place

This course does not allow offer holders to defer. If you want to start later, please re-apply when applications open for that academic year.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units and modules on your current postgraduate course and wish to continue your studies at Central Saint Martins, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible.

Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and unit transcripts.

You will need to provide an official document (translated into English) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Before you apply, please take time to read the guidance below. You will be asked to provide the following information when completing the online application form:

General information

  • Personal details (including legal full name, date of birth, nationality, addresses)
  • Current English language level
  • Current and/or previous education and qualification details
  • Employment history

Personal statement

Your personal statement should give us information about yourself and why you want to join the course. (Write between 300-500 words)

  • What are you doing at the moment educationally, professionally, personally?
  • Why do you wish to study on this course?
  • What is your relevant experience?
  • Do you have any relevant skills?
  • Why do you think you are a suitable candidate for acceptance?

Written assignment

Students are required to write 800 to 1000 words on any aspect of the modern fashion world that interests them. This should be a lively, interesting and thoughtful piece of journalism – rather than an academic essay. Sources for all quotes should be clearly listed at the end of the piece.

We cannot consider your application if you do not provide all the information above.

Communicating with you

After you have successfully submitted your application, you will receive an email confirming we have successfully received your application and providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal.  We will request any additional information from you, including inviting you to upload documents / portfolio / book an interview, through the portal.  You should check your UAL Portal regularly for any important updates and requests.

Please add csm.ukeu@arts.ac.uk to your contacts to ensure that you do not miss any important updates re: your application to UAL.  Also consider altering your spam or junk mail filter to ensure that emails from @arts.ac.uk get through to you.

Application deadline

25 October 2023

We encourage you to apply for this course by 25 October 2023 and all applications received at this point will be considered equally. If there are places available after this date, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled. We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to resolve any initial queries about your application as quickly as possible.

When you'll hear from us

If this course requires a digital portfolio as part of the application process, you will be invited to submit this through UAL’s online submission tool, PebblePad. We will request this separately after initial processing of your application is complete. Once we request your portfolio, you will have 7 days to submit it.

Once you’ve sent in your application, this will be sent through to our course teams for review. Find out more about what happens after you apply.

We are no longer accepting applications for 2022/23 entry. Applications for 2023/24 will open in April 2023.

There are two ways international students can apply:

If you are applying directly you click on the link to the direct form below. The application form can be saved as you fill it out, so you do not need to complete it all at once. You will also have the chance to review all the information and make any necessary amendments before you submit the application form.

Start your application now

Deferring your place

This course does not allow offer holders to defer. If you want to start later, please re-apply when applications open for that academic year.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units and modules on your current postgraduate course and wish to continue your studies at Central Saint Martins, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible.

Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and unit transcripts.

You will need to provide an official document (translated into English) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Before you apply, please take time to read the guidance below. You will be asked to provide the following information when completing the online application form:

General information

  • Personal details (including legal full name, date of birth, nationality, addresses)
  • Current English language level
  • Current and/or previous education and qualification details
  • Employment history

Personal statement

Your personal statement should give us information about yourself and why you want to join the course. (Write between 300-500 words)

  • What are you doing at the moment educationally, professionally, personally?
  • Why do you wish to study on this course?
  • What is your relevant experience?
  • Do you have any relevant skills?
  • Why do you think you are a suitable candidate for acceptance?

Written assignment

Students are required to write 800 to 1000 words on any aspect of the modern fashion world that interests them. This should be a lively, interesting and thoughtful piece of journalism – rather than an academic essay. Sources for all quotes should be clearly listed at the end of the piece.

We cannot consider your application if you do not provide all of the information above.

Immigration history check

Whether you are applying online or through a UAL representative you will need to complete an immigration history check to establish whether you are eligible to study at UAL.  If you do not complete the check we will not be able to proceed with your application.

We cannot consider your application if you do not provide all the information above.

Communicating with you

After you have successfully submitted your application, you will receive an email confirming we have successfully received your application and providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal.  We will request any additional information from you, including inviting you to upload documents / portfolio / book an interview, through the portal.  You should check your UAL Portal regularly for any important updates and requests.

Please add csm.international@arts.ac.uk to your contacts to ensure that you do not miss any important updates re: your application to UAL.  Also consider altering your spam or junk mail filter to ensure that emails from @arts.ac.uk get through to you.

Application deadline

25 October 2023 

When you'll hear from us

Once you’ve sent in your application, this will be sent through to our course teams for review. Find out more about what happens after you apply.

After you apply

What happens next

Initial application check

We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course.  Following a review of the application documents, successful applicants will be invited to an interview.

Interview

We normally interview applicants online.  The interview focuses on your background and interests.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

You will receive the outcome of your application through the UAL Portal.

Careers

Students from the Fashion Journalism pathway typically move on to careers in fashion media worldwide, ranging from Vogue (UK, US, China, India) and The Times to Net-a-Porter and a variety of internet startups.