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London College of Fashion

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BA (Hons) Critical Practice in Fashion Media

College
LCF
Start date
September 2021
Course length
3 years
UCAS code
P205
Apply View open days

On BA (Hons) Critical Practice in Fashion Media, you will study the disciplines of fashion media and communication from a critical, practice-based perspective.

The emphasis of the course is on developing a critical practice of its students through an engagement with the social, cultural and political nature of fashion communication. On the course, you will develop skills in critical writing, moving image, image-making, curation, editorial, socially engaged practice, strategy, prototyping, experiential design, and speculative design. You will also explore intellectual property, law, sustainability, corporate social responsibility, the impact of technology, ethics and the politics of fashion so that you develop a broad social, environmental and cultural awareness.

Why choose this course at London College of Fashion

  • Interdisciplinary Curriculum:  The course strategically integrates multiple disciplines into its programme in order to nurture a holistic and critical understanding of the complex ideas and issues within the fashion communication industry today.
  • Career diversity: graduates are suited for roles in visual communication, strategy, corporate social responsibility, education, policy or innovation.
  • Contribution to critical practices: the course aims to broaden the remit of fashion communication by addressing practices such as criticism, curation, publishing, experiential and speculative design and activism. This means that students have the opportunity to directly influence practice for Centre for Sustainable Fashion and Better Lives initiatives at LCF.

Location

This course is based at Lime Grove in Shepherd’s Bush. Find out about the local area, including Holland Park and Notting Hill in our local area guides on the Student Life pages.

London College of Fashion is planning to move to a new single campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2023. This is part of a new development for London, prioritising culture, education and innovation, known as East Bank. Some students studying this course from September 2021 may start their studies in Lime Grove and transfer to LCF’s new site in East London to complete them. Please see LCF’s move to the Olympic Park for more information about the College’s relocation.

Student and graduate work

  • Clara Finnigan and Aylin Delmen
  • Capitalism sign
    Work by Ana Viktoria - 'dieinternet.org'
  • Photograph of a student work book
    Work by Ana Viktoria - 'dieinternet.org'
  • Photograph of a student work book
    Work by Cassandra Seidel - 'Unframed'
  • Photograph of a student work book
    Work by Elea Nora Kamil Izuddin - 'Sites of Intimacy: A Podcast on the Taboo of Sex in Malaysian Communities'
  • Photograph of a student work book
    Work by Hollie Williamson - 'Dis-tinkt'
  • Mock-up of an Instagram post
    Work by Yi Luo & Urja Bajimaya - ‘Cocobaby: The Study of Authenticity on Instagram’
  • Jasmine Bee Emily Boni-Ball
  • 2 Elle x Ruby Bell
  • Veronica Blagoeva
  • Anastasia Baker
Ana Viktoria - dieinternet.org website
Damara Silva Ingles - We are Burning Out of Time
Daisy Riley - The I
Clara Finnigan and Jessica Wrigglesworth - hookjournal.com
Damara Silva Ingles - Plethora: Bio Avatar

Latest news from this course

Facilities

Library, John Princes Street
Library, John Princes Street Photography by: Ideal Insight

LCF archives and library

Take a tour of LCF's world renowned fashion library, ideal for research and study.

Photo Studio, Lime Grove

Media facilities at Lime Grove

Take a tour of Lime Grove's media facilities from photographic studios to darkrooms.

Mare Street Canteen

LCF's social spaces

Explore our social spaces, for collaborative study and breaks, across our six sites in London.

Course overview

BA Fashion Media Practice & Criticism is an experimental, inter-disciplinary and practice-led course that positions fashion media and communication as a potent tool through which to critically engage, confront and intervene in the most pressing issues facing us today.

At the heart of this critical practice course is the challenge of the climate crisis. The world in which we live, communicate and interact with each other is becoming increasingly unstable. Accordingly, the course understands critical practice to mean a practice that actively integrates itself in the world in order to transform it. As change-makers of the future, you will develop new forms of critical, creative, and technical skills, enabling you to not only navigate this uncertain terrain but also identify and implement emergent opportunities so as to bring about meaningful change. 

In the first year of the course, you will be introduced to the core skills of critical practice: storytelling and collaboration. The second-year builds on these core skills by inviting you to situate them within an applied context: strategic thinking and speculative design, designing of spatial experiences, and the mobilising and communicating of climate activism. The third-year consolidates these skills and expands them further by enabling you to identify, develop, and realise your own critical practice through an extended practice-led, research-driven project. Finally, you will bring your body of work together as you build your own portfolio.

Working with internal and external partners, the course is delivered through workshops, seminars, lectures and live projects. You will experiment with established and emerging disciplines and media including moving image, photography, writing, AR/VR, audio, strategic and speculative design, spatial and experiential design, collaborative practice, and activism. 

Through this integrated, experimental, and inter-disciplinary approach you will develop your own critical and creative voice that you will be used to push boundaries, and opening up new possibilities for the future of fashion media and communication.

Course units

You will be required to complete 360 credits at levels 4, 5, and 6 to be awarded the BA (Hons) Fashion Media Practice & Criticism.

After achieving 120 credits at level 4 you can opt to be awarded CertHE.

After achieving 240 credits (to incl. minimum of 120 at level 5) you can opt to be awarded DipHE.

After achieving 360 credits (to incl. minimum of 120 at level 5 and 120 at Level 6) you will be awarded BA (Hons).

Stage 1 (Level 4)

The units you will study in Year 1, Stage 1, Level 4 are as follows:

  • Introduction to Fashion Communication (20 Credits);
  • Hybrid Narratives (40 Credits);
  • Fashion Cultures and Histories (20 Credits);
  • Better Lives (20 Credits);
  • Critical Collaboration (20 Credits).

Stage 2 (Level 5)

The units you will study in Year 2, Stage 2, Level 5 are as follows:

  • Critical Issues in Fashion Research (20 Credits);
  • Speculative Futures (20 Credits);
  • Inside the Industry (20 Credits);
  • Situating Your Practice (20 Credits);
  • Critical Climate (20 Credits);
  • Spaces of Experience (20 Credits).

Stage 3 (Level 6)

The units you will study in Year 3, Stage 3, Level 6 are as follows:

  • Research and Development for Critical Practice (20 Credits);
  • Cultural and Historical Studies Dissertation (40 Credits).
  • Critical Practice (40 Credits);
  • Portfolio (20 Credits).

A 20‐credit unit is approximately equivalent to 200 hours of learning time, which includes a mixture of taught time, independent study and assessment.

All students are entitled to a tutorial package that consists of:

  • three personal tutorials per year for the duration for their course of study at LCF;
  • unit tutorials as required;
  • unit group tutorials as required;
  • an appropriate level of confidentiality. 

Learning and teaching methods

The assessment programme is designed to follow the learning and teaching methods which are employed to support the integrated achievement of the course outcomes:

  • Demonstrations, workshop practices;
  • Technical workshops;
  • Lectures;
  • Group discussions and team working;
  • Self‐directed study simulations and work study placements;
  • Group and individual tutorials;
  • Seminars;
  • Critiques;
  • Panel discussions

Assessment methods

The following assessment methods are employed to assess the achievement of learning outcomes in an integrated approach:

  • Set projects, external or simulated projects;
  • Research development;
  • Portfolio developments;
  • Written reports;
  • Peer and self‐evaluation;
  • Essays and written evaluations;
  • Presentations;
  • Dissertation.

Staff

Dr. Daniel Felstead is the course leader of BA (Hons) Critical Practice in Fashion Media. As an experiential designer and strategist with over 20 years of industry experience, Daniel's practice encompasses a wide range of contemporary formats and media—from exhibitions, installations, and live works, to digital interfaces, platforms, wearables as well as writing. Working independently and collectively he has exhibited internationally and produced works for BBC, BFI, The British Museum, Google, Nike, Nokia, Science Museum, Serpentine Galleries, Siemens, and V&A Museum. He has taught at the Institute of Applied Arts (Taiwan), Nottingham Trent University, Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, and Wimbledon School of Art. He has contributed numerous essays for publications including Art Selector, British Computer Society, Literary Platform, Revolver Publishing, Skiro Editore, The Swedish Dance History, and Tate Publishing. As well as holding a BA (Hons) in Visual Communication (Ravensbourne College), Daniel holds a Ph.D., which he carried out at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama (University of London). In his thesis, ‘What Can We Do With These Associations? Production, Organisation and Materiality in the Work of Tino Sehgal’ Daniel examined the artistic practice of Tino Sehgal in relation to contemporary art theory and the dynamic social, cultural, and political conditions of neoliberalism.

Sophie Barr is an associate lecturer teaching across the Fashion Communication Programme and the Cultural and Historical Studies department at LCF. She is a practising artist and researcher who uses photography, drawing, print, video, audio, web and installation to explore the aesthetics of the globalised city, identity in the digital age and the relationships between material and digital cultures. She regularly exhibits her work in London and beyond. Sophie holds a master’s in Fine Art with Learning and Teaching in HE as well as a master’s in Cultural and Critical Studies and is a fellow of the HEA. Sophie is currently studying for a professional doctorate in Fine Art at the University of east London where she also teaches Contextual Studies for Photography.

Kelly Dearsley is the programme director for the Fashion Communication courses, which include BA (hons) Creative Direction for Fashion, BA (hons) Fashion Public Relations and Communication and BA (Hons) Critical Practice in Fashion Media. Kelly began her career as an advertising executive in the 1980s working with clients in the film and entertainment industries. She returned to study Fashion Photography at the London College of Fashion and has worked as a freelance photographer for publications including Guardian, Vogue Pelle and ID magazine. She has made a number of short films which have been shown at film festivals across the world, including Leeds, Liverpool, Greece, Sweden, London, Slovakia, Croatia and Brazil. Her most recent new work ‘I’ve a Feeling We’re not in Kansas any more’, a fine art installation/performance was devised and performed in Glasgow at the New Territories International Festival of Live Art in March 2011. Kelly is currently studying for a PhD at LCF. Her research, a comparative study of the reading practices and reception of fashion media in print and digital formats, will be a wholly written thesis that uses phenomenology as a methodology to explore the reception of fashion media paying particular attention to the role of new media in this process.

How to apply

Opportunities for all

We are committed to making university education an achievable option for a wider range of people and to supporting all of our students in achieving their potential both during and after their courses.

We welcome applications from people with disabilities. If you have a disability (e.g. mobility difficulties, sensory impairments, medical or mental health conditions or Asperger’s syndrome) we strongly encourage you to contact us on disability@arts.ac.uk or +44 (0)20 7514 6156 so that we can plan the right support for you. All enquiries are treated confidentially. To find out more, visit our Disability & Dyslexia webpages.

Entry requirements

One or a combination of the following accepted full level 3 qualifications.

  • 96 tariff points from A Level Passes at Grade C or above (preferred subjects include English, a foreign language and Media Studies);
  • Merit at Foundation Diploma in Art and Design;
  • Merit, Merit, Merit at BTEC Extended Diploma (preferred subjects Art & Design);
  • 96 tariff points from UAL Extended Diploma;
  • Access Diploma or 96 new UCAS tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma;
  • 96 new UCAS tariff points (equivalent to 240 old 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;
  • and Five GCSE passes at grade A*-C or grade 9-4, with grade C (grade 4) or above in English.

Exceptionally, applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered if the course team judges the application 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. 

All classes are conducted in English. The level required by the University for this course is IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Selection criteria

The course team seeks to recruit students who can demonstrate:

  • a broad interest in fashion, visual culture, and social issues, as well an awareness of technology;
  • an understanding of the need for a critical and analytical approach to the area of study;
  • an intellectually open approach suited to the demands of the course and projected career futures.

Making your application

You should apply though UCAS – Universities and Colleges Admissions Service – and you will need the following information:

University code:          U65

UCAS Code:                 P205

Transfers

If you are currently studying somewhere else on a course in an equivalent subject area and would like to transfer to this course, you can transfer to:

  • Year 2 - if you’ve completed 120 credits in Year 1.
  • Year 3 - if you’ve completely 240 credits in Years 1 and 2.

Apply via UCAS and choose Year 2 or 3 for your POE (Point of Entry)

Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and Year 1/Year 2 unit transcripts.

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

Application deadline

We recommend you apply by 15th January for equal consideration. However this course will consider applications after that date, subject to places being available.

Deferring your place

This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.

If you are an EU offer holder, it is important to consider that, from 2021-22, you may be charged International fees, which are higher. Read our Coronavirus guidance for prospective students for details.

After you apply

What happens next

All application forms, personal statements and references are read and considered by the course team against the selection criteria listed in the Entry requirements and Selection Criteria sections.

If you have achieved or expect to achieve the standard entry requirements we will invite you to submit a portfolio via PebblePad, our online submission tool, which should include a number of images of your work. You can upload a maximum of 30 images which best shows your work – please note however that you do not have to provide this exact number. PebblePad refers to ‘images’ when you upload your work - think of each 'image' as a page in your physical portfolio.

For this course your portfolio should show evidence of work that reflects your interest in critical practice in fashion media. The portfolio is assessed by Academic Reviewers who will select applicants to attend an online interview. If you are selected to attend an online interview the Academic Reviewer will discuss your portfolio that you submitted in PebblePad.  You will be able to show more of your work during the interview but it is easier to see your portfolio in PebblePad.

Please note that not all applicants are invited to attend interview.

LCF Interview week

If you are selected for interview, these will take place online using Teams from Microsoft – please ensure that you download this software prior to the interview date; this is available as a free download from the Microsoft website. We will send you further details at a later point about how we will connect with you for your interview. 

Our interview week is due to take place between the 15th and the 19th of February 2021. If you have a complete portfolio and application, you may be granted an early interview ahead of these dates, please email lcf.ukeu@arts.ac.uk for more information.

Should you be unable to attend your interview, you must notify us as soon as you can. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to reschedule so you should make every effort to attend the scheduled interview.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

If you applied through UCAS the result of your application will be communicated to you via UCAS through UCAS Track. You will only receive further communication directly from the College if your application has been successful. This will be in the form of a full offer pack including details of accommodation, fees, and other important information.

How we assess your application

Your application form is reviewed when you apply to the University. If you have achieved or expect to achieve the standard entry requirements you will be invited to submit a portfolio of no more than 45 images. Your portfolio is assessed by our academic team who will select applicants to attend an interview. Please note that not all applicants are invited to attend interview. When you have attended your interview we will advise you of your outcome.

There are three ways international students can apply to an undergraduate course at London College of Fashion:

You should apply though UCAS – Universities and Colleges Admissions Service – and you will need the following information:

University code:          U65

UCAS Code:                 P205

You can only apply to the same course once per year whether you are applying via UCAS, UAL Representative or using the UAL online application system. Any duplicate application will be withdrawn.

For further advice on how to apply please visit the UAL International Application page.

Transfers

If you are currently studying somewhere else on a course in an equivalent subject area and would like to transfer to this course, you can transfer to:

  • Year 2 - if you’ve completed 120 credits in Year 1.
  • Year 3 - if you’ve completely 240 credits in Years 1 and 2.

Apply via UCAS and choose Year 2 or 3 for your POE (Point of Entry)

Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and Year 1/Year 2 unit transcripts.

If you are an International applicant and studying outside the UK, please complete your Direct application and then contact us via your UAL Portal to ask to be considered for Year 2/Year 3.

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

Application deadline

We recommend you apply by 15th January for equal consideration. However this course will consider applications after that date, subject to places being available.

Deferring your place

This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.

After you apply

What happens next

Immigration History Check

Whether you are applying online via UCAS or through a UAL representative or direct application you will need to complete an Immigration History Check to identify whether you are eligible to study at UAL. Do be aware, if you do not complete the Immigration History Check we will not be able to proceed with your application.

Initial application check

All application forms, personal statements and references are read and considered by the course team against the selection criteria listed in the Entry Requirements and Selection Criteria sections.

Depending on the quality of your application, you may be asked to submit a number of images of your work. For this course you should show evidence of work that reflects your interest in critical practice in fashion media.

If the academic team wish to consider your application further, you will be invited to attend an interview - these will take place online using Teams from Microsoft – please ensure that you download this software prior to the interview date; this is available as a free download from the Microsoft website. We will send you further details at a later point about how we will connect with you for your interview. At interview an international academic will look at your portfolio and ask questions to establish your suitability for the course. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the following at interview: why you want to come on the course and what you will bring to the course; an awareness of some of the important practitioners in fashion media and why their contribution is significant; and analytical and critical skills through a piece of recent writing.

If you are successful at the interview stage you will be offered a place. Applicants are not guaranteed to be asked to upload work, nor are they guaranteed an interview.

Please note that if you are unable to attend, the College may not be able to re-schedule.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

If you applied through UCAS the result of your application will be communicated to you via UCAS through UCAS Track. If you have applied directly or through an agent, we will notify you through the UAL portal. You will only receive further communication directly from the College if your application has been successful. This will be in the form of a full offer pack including details of accommodation, fees, and other important information.


After you apply

After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We’ll use this Portal to contact you to request any additional information, including inviting you to upload documents or book an interview, so please check it regularly.

Once we’ve reviewed and assessed your application, we’ll contact you via UCAS Track or the UAL Portal to let you know whether your application has been successful.

Potential changes to course structure

Please note: the information outlined is an indicative structure of the course. Whilst we will aim to deliver the course as described on this page, there may be situations where it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, for example because of regulatory requirements or operational efficiencies, before or after enrolment. If this occurs, we will communicate all major changes to all applicants and students who have either applied or enrolled on the course. Please note that due to staff research agreements or availability, not all of the optional modules listed may be available every year. In addition, the provision of course options which depend upon the availability of specialist teaching, or on a placement at another institution, cannot be guaranteed. Please check this element of the course with the course team before making a decision to apply.

Webpage updates

We will update this webpage from time to time with new information as it becomes available. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact a member of the course team.

Fees and funding

Home fee

£9,250 per year

This fee is correct for 2021/22 entry and is subject to change for 2022/23 entry. Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students.

Home fees are currently charged to UK resident nationals . However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees.

From 2021/22 entry, most EU students will be charged the International tuition fee rate, depending on your individual circumstances. If you started your course in October 2020 or earlier, you’ll continue to pay Home (UK) fees for the duration of your course. Read more advice for EU students.

International fee

£22,920 per year

This fee is correct for 2021/22 entry and is subject to change for 2022/23 entry. 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 are currently charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about our tuition fees.

From 2021/22 entry, most EU students will be charged the International tuition fee rate, depending on your individual circumstances. If you started your course in October 2020 or earlier, you’ll continue to pay Home (UK) fees for the duration of your course. Read more advice for EU students.

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Careers and alumni

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.

Alumni

London College of Fashion

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Contact

Telephone

+44 (0)20 7514 7400
Address
20 John Prince's Street
London

W1G 0BJ