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Postgraduate

Graduate Diploma Textile Design

Contemporary hanging textile sculpture in a muted warm earthy colour consisting of a central panel with knotted fabric strands. By Mila Harris-Mussi.
Mila Harris-Mussi.,
Graduate Diploma Textile Design, Chelsea College of Arts, UAL
College
Chelsea College of Arts Start date
September 2023 Course length
1 year (full time)

Graduate Diploma in Textile Design at Chelsea College of Arts is a one year pre-masters course which prepares you for further study in this area of practice.

Course overview

The course is for students who have a BA but perhaps not necessarily in this subject area and wish to progress to MA level. It is designed to help support the development of your textile design knowledge and skills underpinned by an ethos of sustainable and ethical design practices. You will learn how to apply and adapt your current creative methods of practice in this context.

What to expect

  • You will develop and locate your practice within the context of textile design
  • Look at social, sustainable and responsible design approaches and strategies 
  • Take an integrated approach to theory and practice, ideas and making, concept and process through enquiry, dialogue and debate
  • Work within a dynamic learning environment that encourages peer learning which will enable you to develop as an independent thinker and proactive designer
  • Develop your critical and analytical skills within a culturally diverse environment that fosters curiosity, experimentation and dialogue
  • Lectures on contemporary and historical contexts and applications for textiles
  • Develop your personal and professional skills relevant to further study at MA level
  • Have access to on campus self-directed learning time and teaching including workshops and community building activities

Mode of study

Graduate Diploma Textile Design is offered in full-time mode and consists of 30 teaching weeks over 1 academic year. You will be expected to commit an average of 40 hours per week to your course, including teaching hours and independent study.

Contact us

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

Contact us to make an enquiry.

Course units

Unit 1 - Research and risk-taking: exploring your practice

This unit is an introduction to your course, the college and the university.

  • An overview of key textile areas including weave, knit, stitch and print
  • Online inductions to learning resources and workshops at Chelsea
  • Online lectures introducing you to a variety of applications for textiles within different contexts
  • A discovery project that encourages you to locate your practice interests within textile design
  • An introduction to textile-specific design principles and research methodologies
  • You will write a design statement and sustainable design evaluation of 500-800 words
  • Produce a portfolio of project work
  • Write a design proposal for your Unit 2 final design project that is underpinned by sustainable, social and repsonsible design research methodologies and practices. 

Unit 2 - Critical and professional contexts: development and realisation

This unit will focus on your future ambitions within textile design.

  • You will produce a critical research paper contextualising your practice of 2000 words
  • Develop your design identity and how this connects to a wider external context
  • Produce a portfolio of project work including your design development, prototypes and solutions
  • Write a designers’ statement of 500 words
  • Present work in the college event

Learning and teaching methods

  • Briefings, cross-level lectures and seminars
  • Collaborative projects
  • Group presentations and peer learning
  • Group tutorials and termly 1:1 tutorial support
  • Independent museum and gallery visits, physical and/or virtual with study tasks
  • Introduction to the resources that will support your studies
  • Research methodologies for textile design

Staff

Claire Anderson - Course Leader

Fees and funding

Home fee

£12,700

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

£25,970

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.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

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Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirements for this course are:

  • BA (Hons) degree or equivalent academic qualifications
  • Evidence of ability in art or design
  • Alternative qualifications and experience will also be taken into consideration
  • Personal statement
  • Portfolio of work

Entry to this course will also be determined by the quality of your application, looking primarily at your portfolio of work and personal statement.

APEL - Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning

Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. 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
  • A combination of these factors

Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English language requirements

All classes are taught in English. If English isn't your first language you must provide evidence at enrolment of the following:

Selection criteria

We look for:

  • Evidence of an interest in surfaces, textural qualities and mixed media
  • A clear commitment to the chosen field of textile design
  • Ability to benefit from the learning environment and experience
  • Awareness of contemporary context and ideas
  • Some understanding of the role that contemporary critical thought and historical study can play in the development of personal creative work
  • Ability to communicate and discuss issues and ideas both verbally and in written form in English
  • Awareness of how to communicate with an audience
  • Ability to manage your own time and initiate projects

Apply now

Home International

Apply

Home students apply by direct application.

Apply

Personal statement

This should be about 500 words long and include:

  • Your reasons for choosing the course.
  • Your current creative practice and how this course will help you achieve your future plans.
  • Any relevant education and experience, especially if you do not have any formal academic qualifications.

Portfolio advice

  • A maximum of 30 pages showing visual research including drawing, photography and collage.
  • Clear documentation of large work.
  • Self-initiated as well as project or course work.
  • Evidence of research and development of ideas.
  • Evidence of recent written work - where relevant to your practice.

For more support, please visit our Portfolio advice page and PebblePad advice page.

Video task

  • We'd like you to submit a 2-3 minute video to help us learn more about you
  • Please speak clearly in English and face the camera
  • Your video task is submitted along with your portfolio. Read our guidance for how to submit your video task and which file types we accept

As part of your video task please respond to the following question:

We would like you to identify 1 project from your portfolio which challenged you and your understanding of sustainable Textile Design. Explain how this experience has inspired you to apply to Graduate Diploma Textile Design at Chelsea College of Arts.

What happens next

Communicating with you

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.

Initial application check and selection

We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course. If you do, you will be invited to submit a digital portfolio through UAL’s online portfolio review system. These will be reviewed by the academic team.

Following the review of the digital portfolio, a small number of applicants will progress to the interview stage. All interviews are held online and last 15 to 20 minutes. For support with your interview, visit our Interview tips page.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

You will receive the final outcome of your application through the UAL portal.

Applicants for this course may be given an alternative offer. This decision will be based on our assessment of your creative and potential interests.

Feedback requests:

If you would like to request feedback please contact us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

Deferring your place

Read our Admissions Policy for details, and request your deferral by contacting us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

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 graduate diploma course and wish to continue your studies at Chelsea College of Arts, 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. Further information can be found in our UAL External Student Transfer Policy.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 2023

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.

Apply

There are 2 ways international students can apply to a graduate diploma course:

Apply

Read our immigration and visa information to find out if you need a visa to study at UAL.

You can only apply to the same course once per year. Any duplicate applications will be withdrawn. Read the UAL international application advice for further information on how to apply.

Personal statement

This should be about 500 words long and include:

  • Your reasons for choosing the course.
  • Your current creative practice and how this course will help you achieve your future plans.
  • Any relevant education and experience, especially if you do not have any formal academic qualifications.

Portfolio advice

  • A maximum of 30 pages showing visual research including drawing, photography and collage.
  • Clear documentation of large work.
  • Self-initiated as well as project or course work.
  • Evidence of research and development of ideas.
  • Evidence of recent written work - where relevant to your practice.

For more support, please visit our Portfolio advice page and PebblePad advice page.

What happens next

Communicating with you

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.

Immigration history check

Whether you’re applying online via UCAS, through a UAL representative or by direct application you will need to complete an Immigration History Check to establish whether you are eligible to study at UAL. If you don’t complete the check we won’t be able to proceed with your application.

Initial application check and selection

We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course. If you do, you will be invited to submit a digital portfolio through UAL’s online portfolio review system. These will be reviewed by the academic team.

Following the review of the digital portfolio, a small number of applicants will progress to the interview stage. All interviews are held online and last 15 to 20 minutes. For support with your interview, visit our Interview tips page.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

You will receive the final outcome of your application through the UAL portal.

Applicants for this course may be given an alternative offer. This decision will be based on our assessment of your creative and potential interests.

Feedback requests:

If you would like to request feedback please contact us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

Deferring your place

Read our Admissions Policy for details, and request your deferral by contacting us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

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 graduate diploma course and wish to continue your studies at Chelsea College of Arts, 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. Further information can be found in our UAL External Student Transfer Policy.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 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.

Careers

Students will have gained the skills, knowledge and experience required for further study at MA level.

Find out how careers and employability helps our students and graduates start their careers.

Chelsea College of Arts

Contact

Telephone

+44 (0)20 7514 7751
Address
Chelsea College of Arts
16 John Islip Street
London
SW1P 4JU