BA (Hons) Fashion (4 years) Bachelor's degree at London College of Contemporary Arts Ltd
BA (Hons) Fashion (4 years) at LCCAL. You'll work across core theory, research methods, applied practice and specialist options, developing both critical understanding and the hands-on skills required to work as a practising designer or creative professional.
About this course
BA (Hons) Fashion (4 years) is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at LCCAL, based in London College of Contemporary Arts. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Design studies graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £24,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Art & Design, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 50% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 (Level 4) 4 modules
- Introduction to Design
Module details
You'll learn to think innovatively about the products you're creating. You'll undertake a range of project briefs to develop your 2D and 3D design skills, as well as design problem solving.
- Visual Communication
Module details
You'll use life drawing, design sketching, fashion illustration and technical drawings to gain the skills needed to bring your ideas to life and begin growing an industry-ready portfolio.
- Creative Cutting and Construction
Module details
You'll develop core skills in pattern cutting and sewing, alongside more advanced techniques in garment construction. Through practical workshops, you'll learn how to translate your design ideas into well-crafted pieces with technical precision.
- Introduction to Fashion History and Theory
Module details
You'll explore the origins of designs and trends by studying the foundations of historical fashion. Through analysing texts and visual material, you'll gain insight into how theory shapes practice and begin to connect past influences with contemporary fashion.
Year 2 (Level 5) 4 modules
- Innovative Design Practice
Module details
You'll learn how to create a half-tailored jacket, thinking about how your own ideas can be incorporated into the garment. You'll also extend your creative practices and consider further design concepts related to 2D and 3D practices.
- Creative Drape Practices
Module details
You'll extend your existing knowledge of contemporary design practices. Working with a mannequin, you'll bring your ideas to life using both historical and modern cutting and draping techniques.
- Professional Practice
Module details
You'll undertake a 5 week work experience placement to put the skills you've learned into practice among real fashion professionals in industry.
- Theories of Culture, Identity and Communication
Module details
You'll explore contemporary debates surrounding design culture and begin contributing to them through peer discussions. By engaging with a range of theories and methods for analysis, you'll deepen your understanding of the issues shaping the field.
Year 3 (Level 6) 3 modules
- Final Major Project
Module details
You'll combine all your skills to create a body of work that represents your fashion identity via your chosen discipline. You'll prepare both a pre-collection and a final collection, carrying out significant research to design and present your best possible work.
- Professional Portfolio
Module details
You'll develop a professional portfolio including self-assessment, career planning, a design portfolio, self-promotion and a personal website. This portfolio will reflect what you've achieved in study and your aspirations for the future.
- Dissertation
Module details
You'll investigate an area of fashion that inspires you. You'll conduct in-depth research, analyse sources, and develop a clear argument that demonstrates your ability to connect theory with practice.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You will study visual communication and practical making across media, grounded in design thinking and art history. In your first year, you'll develop foundational skills in colour, composition and form, learn materials and processes from textiles to digital fabrication, and explore the historical contexts of contemporary practice. Year 2 moves to sustained studio work where you develop a personal direction, engage with digital tools and emerging media, and tackle live client briefs with real deadlines. From year 3 onwards, you'll specialise deeply in an area such as fashion & textiles, graphic design, illustration, fine art, or UX & digital, build professional practice skills and portfolio work, and culminate in a self-directed major project exhibited in a degree show.
Who it's for
You're drawn to fashion design and want to understand how ideas translate into garments, collections and commercial work. You're curious about both the craft and the context, cultural, historical, critical, that shapes contemporary fashion. You'll thrive if you're self-directed, comfortable with critique and open to experimenting across materials, processes and digital tools. Studying here means working alongside peers in a London-based creative community, with access to studio facilities and professional mentoring. You should expect consistent studio practice, written assignments and collaborative projects, balanced against solo research and personal project development.
Careers & job market
Nationally, 87% of Art & Design graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Half of working graduates move into highly skilled roles or continue studying. Graduate earnings across the field vary: starting salaries typically fall between £22,000 and £27,000; after five years, earnings range from £20,825 to £29,400 (Graduate Outcomes and LEO data). Career paths in fashion include design roles in commercial and independent labels, freelance practice, brand development, pattern-making, and creative roles in related industries.
University & format
This is a 4-year full-time BA (Hons) degree studied at London College of Contemporary Arts, a recognised UK degree-awarding body. Instruction is in English. The university also offers bursaries and scholarships; check their funding pages for details.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 56% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 36% |
| another higher-education qualification | 4% |
| Other | 4% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
The cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at LCCAL →Check the finance route that applies to you
Support depends on ordinary residence, assessed fee status, course and provider nation. The provider nation is unresolved here, so no national cap or loan amount is being guessed.
Find your official student-finance route →Paying for it
- Tuition fee loan: applied for through the student-finance body for the UK nation you live in.
- Living-cost support: means-tested on household income, from your nation's student-finance body.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold set by your nation's student-finance system.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Each UK nation runs its own student-finance system; check gov.uk for the rates that apply to you.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Art & Design graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £24,500 | £22,000 – £27,000 | 6460 |
| 3 years after | £21,500 | £16,500 – £26,000 | 840 |
| 5 years after | £26,500 | £21,000 – £32,500 | 870 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 6,460. Cohort 2021-22.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in art & design · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Art & Design nationally
National figures for Art & Design graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
continued or completed
continued into the next year or completed their qualification
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 6,460. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Art & Design courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,698 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Job market & outlook
How Art & Design graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Art & Design graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Design studios & agencies
- In-house brand teams
- Games & media companies
- Freelance & self-employed
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Art & Design graduates.
Fine Art TechnicianFirst Choice StaffPharmacy Technician – Brand New State-of-the-Art HospitalCompass AssociatesArtificial Intelligence Engineering ManagerMBN SolutionsArtificial Intelligence EngineerExperis UKDelivery Driver (Part Time 24 hours) - AndoverOcado LogisticsCompliance Business PartnerNashrock Insurance RecruitmentIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Home tuition is regulated and the cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Eligible students can apply for a tuition fee loan and living-cost support from the student-finance body for the UK nation they live in. Repayment thresholds differ by nation.
Where graduates go
Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £24,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 5.0 out of 10: NSS 50.1% · continued 50%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around London College of Contemporary Arts
6,739 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Art & Design right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to LCCAL from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by LCCAL; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check LCCAL’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with LCCAL and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at LCCAL
Common questions
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What do graduates go on to do?
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