Fashion and Dress History BA(Hons)

Course in brief

If you have a keen interest in contemporary fashion or historical dress, studying Fashion and Dress History at Brighton will develop your understanding of its changing significance from the late eighteenth century until the present day.

You will focus on ways in which different social, national, cultural and gender groups construct and project their identities through their dress, considering dress in broader design, historical and visual culture contexts. At the same time you will assess the importance of fashion in stimulating consumption and its effects on marketing and retailing.

Taught by inspirational tutors of international standing, you will get inside the thoughts and actions of past societies as evidenced by what they wore, designed and made. You’ll benefit from access to our unique Dress and Textiles Teaching Collection and local collections at Brighton and Worthing Museums.

Through this course, you will develop as a critical thinker, researcher and communicator ready for work in fashion or any number of industries.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Grand Parade

UCAS code V371

Full-time 3 years

Brighton is ranked 3rd in the Guardian University Guide 2016 for fashion and textiles

Apply now with UCAS

Applying for 2017

Places are available on this course for UK, other EU and international students.

Apply now with UCAS

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BCC–CCC (104–96 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DMM–MMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range.

We will generally make you an offer if your predicted grades are at the top of this range. If your predicted grades are towards the lower end of this range we may still make you an offer if you have a good GCSE (or equivalent) profile or relevant non-academic achievements.

International Baccalaureate
27 points.

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

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
At least English language and maths.

For non-native speakers of English
IELTS 6.0 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

International equivalencies

International equivalencies by country

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 institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For academic preparation courses.

Course in detail

Why study with us?

Our Fashion and Dress History degree was one of the first to be developed in the UK. From Beau Brummel in the Regency era to the mods portrayed in the film Quadrophenia, Brighton has a rich association with the UK's fashion history.

You’ll be immersed in a city where vintage clothing shops are commonplace and an ‘anything goes’ cultural scene brings its own opportunities to observe and be a part of the changing world of fashion.

You’ll acquire an in-depth knowledge about fashion and dress history, but have the freedom to follow your passions whether you are interested in the work of particular designers, eras, social contexts or the nature of fashion itself.

This is a hands-on history course where you’ll discover what archive films, photographs and prints can teach us about societies’ attitudes through the way people dressed for work, sport and leisure.

On-site at the university, you will have access to the Dress and Textiles Teaching collection, founded by Professor Lou Taylor, our world-class Design Archives, an excellent art and design library and the Screen Archive South East. You can view the Design Archives blog for insight into our conservation work.

You will benefit from our productive relationships with local and national museums, including the Victoria and Albert Museum. Work placements will give you a competitive edge when you graduate.

You’ll be part of our lively student community studying History of Art and Design courses at Brighton. Check out the History of Art and Design blog and Twitter feed for an insight.

African Printed Outfit. University of Brighton, Dress and Textile Teaching Collection.

Year 1

In the first year of study, you will learn about the history of art and design from 1750–1900, covering topics such as ‘exotic’ goods in eighteenth century society, the emergence of the department store, and the depiction of fashionable dress in Impressionist painting.

Most of your teaching will take place in small groups with one tutor. 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

Art, Culture and Commerce
Art and Design History in Brighton
Critical Approaches
Art, Design and Modern Life
Interpreting Objects
Introducing Themes in History of Art and Design

Year 2

In the second year you choose two option modules from a range of subjects that reflect staff research interests, as well as a module from one of our other arts and humanities courses. Modules could include fashion design drawing, a European language, or textile weaving.

You can apply to spend the first semester studying at the University of Oslo, which offers teaching in English on subjects related to fashion and dress history. The exchange is organised through the EU Erasmus programme.

Alternatively, you can go on a five-day trip to a European city to study art, design and visual culture in context, with possible destinations including Paris and Berlin. The trip is optional and costs around £300.

Modules

Modernism, Ideology and the Avant-garde in the Twentieth Century
After Modernism: Postmodernism and Beyond
Constructing Histories: Research Methods and Professional Practice in History of Art and Design

Options* include:

Image Object Text
A Trip to Europe: Visual Culture, Art and Design in a European City
College Option
Considering Debates
Reflections: Fashion and Film in Britain and America
Women's Dress in Britain and France, 1740–1914
Behind the Scenes

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

Final year

The final year sees you execute independent but closely supervised research projects. In these projects you are supported by close one-to-one or small group supervision as well as peer support.

You will also develop your subject knowledge in an option module, and in a special module covering the interpretation of fashion and dress.

Modules

Framing Fashion: Theory and Interpretation in Fashion Studies
Case Study
Dissertation in History of Art and Design
Communicating Research
Special Subject

Facilities

World-class Design Archives
Excellent art and design library
Screen Archive South East
Dress and Textiles Teaching Collection

Poster by HA Rothholz for Ministry of Labour and National Service, 1940. University of Brighton Design Archives.

Staff profiles

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. From 1998 to 2002, Nicklas worked in the Department of Textile and Fashion Arts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, managing departmental projects and helping with curatorial work.

Find out about our other staff: Harriet Atkinson, Verity Clarkson, Angelica Groom, Paul Jobling, Anna Vaughan Kett, Yunah Lee, Annebella Pollen, Louise Purbrick, Megha Rajguru, Cheryl Roberts, Dr Glenn Ward.

Student views

Wendy Lowe Second year student

"I chose to study Fashion and Dress History at the University of Brighton as I’m really interested in art and fashion as well as social history; I wanted to learn about not just the rich and famous, but also the everyday people, what they wore and how they lived. I found that this course combined these interests perfectly. I completed an Art Foundation course after my A Levels and realised that I really enjoyed the process of researching, something which is key to this course.

"Brighton is a great place to live, particularly as a student. There’s always something to do, but it has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. I’m really happy I found this course, I can’t imagine studying anything else. I like that I am able to learn more about things I am already familiar with, such as William Morris, but also discover new things that I wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to know about. For example we recently had a seminar on Sonia Delaunay and I fell in love with her beautiful geometric textile designs and use of colour.

"As a Fashion and Dress History student, I also love the Dress History Teaching Collection that we are luckily enough to have access too. This is a great resource as it allows us to really study garments, by being able to touch them and understand the construction and fabric.

"If I was to give advice to someone coming to study this course I’d advise them to make good use of all of the great resources that the university has, such as the Dress History Teaching Collection as well as the great collection of books and periodicals at the library, which holds old issues of Vogue, Picture Post magazine and Liberties catalogues, all of which I have found very useful.

"In the future my dream is to work at the V&A, but I’d also love to work in costume, or as an archivist for a fashion or textiles brand. I feel the course has given me such great core design history knowledge that there are lots of opportunities to pursue."

Placements

Overview

The placement option module is intended to provide direct experience and insight into aspects of museum, gallery and archival working practices, both for those students who may be considering pursuing a career in this field, and for those who wish to deepen their understanding of cultural institutions.

The module is based around student placements in a range of local museums, galleries, archives and creative services. Students work closely with professionals on focused tasks such as curating, cataloguing, collections management, publications and other areas of cultural practice.

FAQs

When will I do my placement?
Year 2, semester 2.

Can I choose where to go?
Students and placements are paired up carefully depending on individual interests.

How long is it?
40 hours split over an agreed number of weeks.

How will it count towards my degree?
It is an assessed module and directly contributes to your degree award. Assessment includes a logbook, presentation and essay.

Will I get paid?
It is not salaried but the university pay for train travel.

Where will I go?
To a museum, gallery, archive or other creative service within the Sussex area.

What kind of companies can I go to?
Placements undertaken include: Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Design Archives, Worthing Museum, Ditchling Arts and Crafts Museum, The Keep, Phoenix Gallery.

Hear from a placement student

Rachel McCarthy-Yardley

My placement at the museum allowed me a unique opportunity to experience the realities of working in a museum environment. I took part in a range of day-to-day activities and was also given my own project to undertake. One of the key aspects of managing a collection is the accessioning of objects and I was able to see and help complete the full accessioning process from the donation of a dress to it being catalogued as part of the museum’s collection. Working alongside the curator of Fashion and Textiles was hugely rewarding as I was able to ask countless questions and was offered lots of advice about museum work. I found the placement hugely rewarding and since leaving university have undertaken a more permanent voluntary role in the department. I was involved in the realisation of the museum’s Biba and Beyond exhibition and later hope to use all of my experience to complete a Masters Degree in Curatorial Practice.

Careers and employability

Our graduates are equipped with a range of historical, visual, interpretative and problem-solving skills which provide a good foundation for a wide variety of careers including work with fashion designers, on fashion magazines and as fashion historians through museum and gallery work.

Others choose to study for further professional qualifications or postgraduate degrees, including our own History of Design and Material Culture MA.

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 12,660 GBP

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2017–18. Tuition fees are payable for each year that you study with us.

Where UK/EU students are subject to regulated fees, the annual fee increase cannot exceed the UK government’s maximum regulated tuition fee limit set for the relevant year. For all other students, ie those not subject to regulated fees, tuition fees are subject to a maximum annual increase of the higher of 5% or RPI.

You can find out more about our fees in the 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- 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.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. 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. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Brighton has been called the happiest place in the UK, and it’s easy to see why. With five miles of pebble beach, more than 300 pubs and a packed festival calendar, Brighton is the ideal place to spend your student years.

Arts and culture: The Royal Pavilion is the most famous landmark in Brighton, opening its doors to around 400,000 tourists every year. Right next door is the Brighton Dome, the south coast’s premier multi-arts venue, and the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, which holds a diverse collection of decorative arts, textiles and archaeological artefacts.

Festivals: The Brighton Festival is now the largest arts festival in England and a major milestone in the international cultural calendar. Meanwhile, The Great Escape has been established as the UK’s leading event for new music, with over 300 bands playing 30 venues across the city over three days.

Nightlife: Aside from the many nightclubs that line the city’s seafront, student favourites include The Haunt, Concorde 2 and Patterns, which attract leading bands and DJs from around the world. If you don’t feel like dancing, you can take your pick from the many hundreds of pubs and bars that dot the city centre.

Shopping: The quirky North Laine district houses Brighton’s finest collection of boutique shops and independent cafes, while the narrow, winding streets of the South Lanes house collections of jewellery and antiques. Churchill Square is the city’s main shopping centre and serves all of your high street needs.

Sports: Brighton’s seaside location offers the perfect opportunity to try paddle boarding, kayaking and windsurfing. Further into the city, The Level has a skate park for skateboarders and BMX riders to practise their skills.

Campus where this course is taught

Grand Parade campus

Our Grand Parade campus is in the heart of Brighton, across the road from the Royal Pavilion and a five-minute walk from the beach. After your lectures you’ll be right in the city centre, close to all the best pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes that Brighton has to offer.

The campus is home to a creative community of arts and humanities students, specialising in everything from fashion and textiles to politics and philosophy. It is also the location of the University of Brighton Gallery and Sallis Benney Theatre, which host events throughout the festival season and beyond.

The world-renowned University of Brighton Design Archives are in the basement of Grand Parade and offer extensive resources for the study of British design in the twentieth century. St Peters House, the campus library, is also nearby and houses a specialist collection of arts books and journals.

Accommodation

Brighton

Our Brighton halls of residence are located across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

Our Grand Parade campus is in central Brighton and has one hall of residence, Phoenix Brewery, within walking distance. We have around 300 rooms available in Phoenix Brewery, which are all ensuite and self-catered.

Moulsecoomb is two miles from the city centre and also has one hall of residence, Moulsecoomb Place, on campus. All accommodation in Moulsecoomb Place is catered, offering breakfast and an evening meal during term time. There are more than 150 rooms available here, with six to eight rooms per flat.

Varley Park offers the biggest choice of student accommodation with ten halls of residence. The site is four miles from Brighton centre but within walking distance of Falmer train station.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence: Great Wilkins and Paddock Field. Great Wilkins offers 150+ self-catered single rooms and one-bed couples flats, while Paddock Field offers 450+ catered and self-catered single rooms only. All rooms in Falmer are en-suite.

Aside from halls, you have the option of Unihomes, which we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. The rent covers all utilities and includes £5,000 of contents insurance for your personal belongings.

You can also choose to join the many students who live away from campus in private rented accommodation. We have a list of high-quality, university-endorsed private sector accommodation and can help you find housemates to move in with.

Find out more on our Brighton accommodation webpages and if you have any questions, our accommodation team will be happy to help. You can contact them by email at accommodation@brighton.ac.uk or by telephone on 01273 644100.

Paddock Field

Moulsecoomb Place

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Grand Parade campus map

Unistats

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats is an organisation that collects specific data about university courses in the UK which enables you to compare information that is important in your decision-making when choosing a university. All universities publish Unistats data on their online course pages.

Wherever we can we have provided extra information here to help put the data into context so that it is as useful as possible when you are making decisions.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the official university document for each course. They are updated each year, and give a very detailed breakdown of what your course might look like.

Programme specification