Intro

If you have a keen interest in fashion and design in a global context, this course will develop your understanding of the changing significance of what we wear and use, from designer items to everyday objects.

Taught by experts in fashion and design history, you will learn about the making and use of clothing and design in the past and present. Engaging with a range of images, objects and texts, you will explore how fashion and design relate to social, political and cultural identities and meanings.

You will be encouraged to work individually and in groups, and will graduate equipped with a wide range of written, oral and exhibition-based presentation skills. You will develop as a critical thinker, researcher and communicator ready for work in fashion, the museum sector or any number of industries.

You will have access to resources including our Teaching Collection, as well as our world-renowned Design Archives and Screen Archive South East, all based at the university.

You will work with important local collections at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery and Worthing Museum, and there will be opportunities for field trips beyond Brighton.

Key facts

Location Brighton: City campus

UCAS code V371

Full-time 3 years

Book your place: Brighton City campus open day

See all of our upcoming events

Apply now with UCAS for 2022

Course content

Year 1

In the first year of study, you will learn about the ways in which the movement of people, materials, and ideas across geographies, spaces and time periods have an impact on the production, reproduction, and appropriation of fashion and design.

You will learn about how designers and makers produce design and fashion in a global context and how their use is shaped by and reflects the social and cultural issues of the time. Most of your teaching will take place in small groups. The first year familiarises you with good study practices and introduces you to the different kinds of assessment used on the course, including essays, seminar presentations, display projects and exams.

Modules

  • Local and Global: Cross Cultural Histories of Art and Design

    This module introduces key concepts of creative encounters and exchanges across cultures in the history of art and design, fashion and visual culture. You will learn about the ways in which the movement of people, materials and ideas across geographies, spaces and periods have an impact on the production, reproduction and appropriation of art and design.

  • Art and Design History in Brighton: Places and Processes

    In this module you will explore aspects of Brighton and Hove that are significant to the history of art and design locally and in some cases more broadly, through the introduction of key sites, themes and resources, for example, the Royal Pavilion and Museums; the historical development of local identities in subcultures and sexualities and Brighton on film. The topics are complemented by a seminar series that will equip you with the skills and tools needed to study history of art and design at degree level.

  • Artist, Designer and the Prosumer

    This module introduces concepts and trans-historical studies in art and design. You'll explore themes within key historical and theoretical ideas and approaches in art, design, fashion and visual culture, such as: artist curator, cultures of craft, professionalisation, feminist art, DIY fashion, the photographer and the prosumer.

  • Material Matters

    Material Matters is an opportunity to explore the characteristics, histories and values associated with different types of materials that are used in the creation of studio-produced or manufactured objects. You will develop an appreciation of the qualities of different materials and the cultural and environmental implications of their use. You'll have an opportunity to focus on particular types of materials such as cotton in the creation of clothing; nitrate in the use of photography and film, and clay and porcelain in the production of domestic kitchenware. The module introduces the UN Sustainable Development Goal for Responsible Production and Consumption (SDG12)

Our courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis in order to make sure that what you learn with us is relevant and that your course enables you to develop appropriate skills. When you apply to study with us, we will inform you of any new developments in your chosen programme through Student View.

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Fashion students

Year 2

In year 2, you’ll build up core knowledge of fashion and design history through course specific modules, and develop your own specialist areas of interest. You will also have the opportunity to choose from option modules, including a creative making option, which will help you expand your interests, skills and specialism.

You can apply to spend the first semester of your second year at the University of Oslo.

In semester two, you have the opportunity to take a 40-hour placement, working in a museum, gallery, archive or the creative services. Assessment is through a logbook, presentation and essay. Previous placement destinations include: Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Design Archives, Worthing Museum, Ditchling Arts and Crafts Museum, The Keep, Phoenix Gallery. Placements are unpaid but travel costs on public transport are paid by the university.

Modules

  • Spaces and Bodies
  • Reading Fashion and Design
  • Cultural Politics of Fashion and Design
  • Constructing Histories: Research Methods and Professional Practice in History of Art and Design

Options*

  • Creating Exhibitions and Making Displays
  • Reconstruct, Recreate, Remake
  • I Click Therefore I Am: Self and Selfies
  • Behind the Scenes: Arts and Heritage Placements
  • Staging and Screening Fashion and Design
  • Words and Pictures: Experiments in Art Writing
  • A Trip to Europe: Visual Culture, Art and Design in a European Country
  • Museums, Material Culture and Representation
  • Cold War Cultures: Art, Design and Fashion Across the Iron Curtain 1946–1989

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

FDH_final_year

Final year

The final year sees you execute independent but closely supervised research projects, including your own dissertation, a group display project and a visual display of your dissertation research, which is shown as part of the graduate show. In these projects you are supported by one-to-one or small group supervision as well as peer support.

Modules

  • Framing Fashion: Theory and Interpretation in Fashion Studies
  • Dissertation in History of Art and Design
  • Communicating Research

Options*

  • Real World Research in Art and Design History
  • Professional Paths in Art and Design History
  • Participation, Performance and Politics
  • The Past in the Present: Vintage, Retro, Revival
  • Fashion Contexts
  • Contemporary Art and Design in Asia
  • Making the Modern Home

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Fashion and dress history montage

Original poster designs produced for dissertation projects by final-year students.

Resources 

  • We are proud to have a world-class Design Archives based on campus
  • The university's excellent art and design library is nearby
  • Screen Archives South East, a moving image archive, is based on campus
  • Our Teaching Collection gives you the chance to closely examine and photograph historical and world fabrics, garments and designed objects

The university has close relationships with local festivals and organisations such as CineCity, the Brighton Photo Biennial, Brighton Festival, Brighton Festival Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Fabrica and Lighthouse. These connections provide a range of opportunities for students.

Students at the design archives

Students have access to the world-class Design Archives.

Meet the team

The University of Brighton was one of the founding institutions for research in design history and our teaching team are world authorities in both design and dress history and the culture of photography, integrating their own research with their teaching.

Charlotte Nicklas, course leader

Charlotte is interested in all aspects of the history of dress and textiles as well as material culture and the history of design. The focus of her research to date has been dress in Britain and the United States in the 19th century. At the centre of her research is the way in which dress and fashion both influence and reflect the cultural concerns of a particular historical period.

Staff who teach on the course include: Dr Harriet Atkinson, Dr Verity Clarkson, Dr Angelica Groom, Dr Anna Vaughan Kett, Dr Yunah Lee, Dr Charlotte Nicklas, Dr Annebella Pollen, Dr Louise Purbrick, Dr Megha Rajguru, Dr Cheryl Roberts, Dr Glenn Ward.

Charlotte Nicklas

Student work 

Please enable functional cookies in order to view our history of art and design student work brochure on our website, or you can view the publication on Issuu.

History of Art and Design programme dissertation catalogues 2021. View catalogues from previous years on Issuu.

How this course is delivered

How will my course be taught?
For the academic year that starts in September 2022 we’re planning for all students to be taught face-to-face on campus, enhanced by some online learning.

Students who started their course with us in 2021 are on campus for some face-to-face learning including tutorials, workshops, laboratory classes and studio sessions. They are also taking part in off-campus learning activities such as placements, field trips and study visits. And all of our campus facilities – libraries, learning spaces, restaurants, gyms and more are open.

Like all universities we are following government guidance and we are monitoring the pandemic very closely. Should Public Health advise it we have robust plans in place for additional safety measures to be introduced to enable everyone to continue learning on campus, and, as a last resort, for students to continue their learning remotely.

We will update you regularly on our teaching plans for the next academic year as you progress your application with us.

When does my course start?
The 2022 academic year begins on Monday 26 September 2022. Teaching for most courses starts the following week.

Many education courses, some health science courses including Medicine, and some postgraduate business courses have an earlier start date. Check your offer letter for the start date of your course.

Careers

Prepare for your career 

In your career you need a combination of knowledge, skills, personal qualities and relevant experiences – and you’ll get all of this from your degree. 

  • You’ll develop your capacity for critical inquiry and hone your research skills.
  • You’ll learn to analyse objects and source materials which will equip you for careers in archives, galleries, museums, heritage sites and auction houses.
  • You have the chance to undertake a work placement and gain experience for your CV.
  • There are opportunities for activity outside of the curriculum including conferences with world-leading experts and publication in the student blogs.
  • Your final major project will be displayed at the graduate show.

Placements 

The optional placement in year 2 enables you to work with artefacts in the context of an archive, museum or public collection and gain valuable, relevant experience.

You will work closely with professionals on focused tasks including curating, cataloguing, collections management, publications and other areas of cultural practice.

The placement option module provides direct experience and insight into aspects of museum, gallery and archival working practices, deepening your understanding of cultural institutions. It also enables you to explore career options, make contacts and provide topics for your final year research projects.

Arts student in professional placement

Students can choose from a range of exciting places to gain insight into professional life.

Showcasing your talent 

At the end of your degree you will exhibit your dissertation and accompanying poster in the annual graduate show, one of the most important events in our calendar, when graduating arts, design, architecture and media students stage their final-year shows.  

Every year in early June, our City and Moulsecoomb campuses become huge exhibition spaces. You will be invited to exhibit your work as a showcase to thousands of visitors, an ideal springboard to embark on your career. 

Graduate destinations 

Students move into positions in commercial and cultural organisations, as well as teaching and journalism. Graduates from the History of Art and Design programme hold senior appointments at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada and the Edinburgh College of Art and many take up careers in museums, galleries, heritage sites, arts administration and auction houses.

Royal academy images

A view from the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition, 2021.

Further study 

This degree also opens up postgraduate study options. At Brighton, for example, you could progress to:

You could also choose to complete your PhD at Brighton alongside our team of world-leading researchers.

Professional advice and support 

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

  • Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
  • Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
  • Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
  • Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
  • Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
  • Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more...

Coloured background with the words Be More, Connected, Skilled, Emlployable

Employment demand for humanities graduates

The British Academy has compiled a report (May 2020) quantifying the demand for arts, humanities and social science (AHSS) skills in the workplace. It helps to answer the legitimate question of what the economic return is on undertaking a degree, both in time and money. 

According to the report:

  • As arts, humanities and social science (AHSS) graduates progress through the first ten years of their career they are able make strong progress up the career ladder into roles attracting higher salaries
  • Arts, humanities and social science (AHSS) graduates are employed in some of the fastest growing sectors including financial services, education, social work, the media and creative industries
  • Of the ten fastest growing sectors, eight employ more graduates from AHSS than other disciplines

This makes AHSS graduates at the heart of some of the most exciting, productive, largest and fastest-growing sectors of the UK economy.

Future skills demand

According to the report:

  • With the challenges the world is facing – climate change, global pandemics, the growth of populism – the UK needs the insights of the arts, humanities and social sciences (AHSS) as much as those from science, technology and engineering (STEM)
  • Evidence within the report shows that Arts, humanities and social science (AHSS) graduates are central to these challenges and changes – they will be vital in giving us the tools to examine and explain human behaviour, understand how society functions, learn from the past and apply those lessons to the present, and analyse the drivers and implications of a changing world and how different countries, places and cultures interact.

Entry criteria

Flexible admissions

When you apply to Brighton we want to hear about who you are. Grades are never the whole picture; we're interested in things like creativity, resourcefulness, persistence and the capacity to think big and find new ways of doing things. And we recognise that not everyone has the same background. That's why we treat everyone who applies as an individual. We recognise many qualifications and we care about all of your achievements and the experiences you've had that set you apart.

Find out more

Students on a field trip

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBB–BCC (120–104 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DMM–MMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range.

International Baccalaureate
26 points, with three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. Humanities, history or politics courses preferred. At least 45 credits at level 3.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. 

English language requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Fees

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 13,842 GBP

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Humanities and Social Science in the 2021–22 academic year are listed here.

  • For some assessments you may be required to print large format posters for presentations at a cost of £5–£10 per poster.
  • Most coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget up to £100 for printing.
  • Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £200 to buy your own copies.
  • Some courses include an optional placement module for which students will need to cover the costs of travel to and from the placement and DBS checks as required.
  • For the Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counselling PGDip and Psychotherapeutic Psychodynamic Counselling PGDip, the following course-related costs are not included in the tuition fee:
    • Supervision fees: £1,170 for each full year. Estimated based on £45 per hour with fortnightly meetings. In some agencies, supervision will be provided at no cost. Where students have to pay, the cost will only begin when supervision begins.
    • Personal counselling/therapy: £2,000–£2,800 over the course. Estimated based on £40 per hour.
  • For a number of courses you will have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits. These are optional and are not required to pass your course but under normal circumstances we would expect a budget of approximately £150 per year will cover the costs of particular trips. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2022–23.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location

Campus where this course is taught

City campus

City campus is located at the heart of central Brighton.

The facilities for making and designing, the theatre, galleries, workshops, studios, archives and the independent arts organisations based on site provide a unique and inspiring environment where creativity thrives.

St Peter’s House library and Phoenix halls of residence are close to the exhibition and learning facilities in the Grand Parade main building where you will also find the student centre with careers, counselling, student advice service and disability and dyslexia support. Edward Street provides extensive teaching and gallery space for media, photography and film.

Also on site are Photoworks, Screen Archive South East and University of Brighton Design Archives. Leading visual arts agency Photoworks runs the Brighton Photo Biennial and a national programme which frequently features the work of our graduates, staff and students. 

Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, the iconic pier and beach are a very short walk away. The independent shops and businesses of the North Laine and Kemptown, and Brighton main line station, with frequent express services to London, are 10 minutes walk.


Grand Parade exhibition space

Accommodation

Brighton: City campus

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students who apply by 30 June.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer. All rooms are self-catered.

  • You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
  • City campus is linked to Phoenix halls, Mithras halls and Moulsecoomb Place.
    • Phoenix halls are a short walk from City campus in the centre of Brighton.
    • Mithras hall and Moulsecoomb Place are located on the Moulsecoomb campus, around two miles from City campus. Public transport in the city is excellent.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting.

Phoenix Brewery Halls Accommodation

Accommodation for City campus is in the nearby Phoenix Halls

Student kitchen in Phoenix Halls

Student kitchen in Phoenix Halls

Relaxing in nearby Pavilion Gardens

Relaxing in nearby Pavilion Gardens

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city’s reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year. Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements, live briefs and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

We provide support and venues for key events in the city’s arts calendar including the Brighton Festival, the Festival Fringe, the Great Escape, the Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Photo Biennial and the CineCity Brighton Film Festival. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate Show transforms our campus into the largest exhibition space in the South East as we celebrate the outstanding talent and creativity of our students.

As a student you’ll get lots of opportunities to experience these events at first hand and to develop your skills through the volunteering and other opportunities they offer.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

City campus map

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Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Cricket Academy

New for September 2023, our Cricket Academy offers aspiring players the opportunity to continue their cricket development alongside studying for a degree. The programme offers a world-class training environment with the highest quality coaching.

Find out more about the Cricket Academy.

Students playing frisbee

Stay in touch

Book your place: Brighton City campus open day

See all of our upcoming events

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

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Statistics

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked below). You can find out also about the support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Course and module descriptions on this page were accurate when first published and are the basis of the course. Detailed information on any changes we make to modules and learning and assessment activities will be sent to all students by email before enrolment, so that you have all the information before you come to Brighton.

Discover Uni

Discover Uni enables you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Discover Uni data on their website.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course, and are updated following course changes.

Programme specification

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