5 reasons to study with us

Here are our top 5 reasons to choose one of our Fashion and Textiles undergraduate degrees.

1. Learn from the best

You will work with award-winning academics and practitioners who have a wealth of industry experience. The jobs you want – they have done! They will share their extensive knowledge and specialist research, helping you towards your ambitions in the fashion and textiles industry. Known for our teaching of craftsmanship, you will be part of a wider community of creative change makers. We prepare students with the skills needed to succeed at the highest level with impact.

Staff experience includes Radio 1, Channel 4, Gucci, l’Oreal Professional, Selfridges, Barneys New York, Libertys, Nike and Robert Cavalli. Many have high-level academic credentials such as doctorates and postgraduate degrees.

2. Industry-standard facilities

Based in the Parkside Building (City Centre Campus) you will have access to state-of-the-art studios, workshops and rooms that are resourced with machinery and technology for all aspects of fashion and textiles production including a print room, weave workshop with computerised looms, digital printing, Growth Garden and embroidery equipment, plus a photographic studio, Green Screen virtual and AR studios and darkrooms. Your studies will also be supported by industry-standard software, including Gerber suite and Clo3D digital fashion software and computer equipment, an extensive library and fashion archive room and an onsite well-stocked art shop. The combination of digital and traditional skills and practice will enable you to develop a professionally relevant portfolio.

We are also the first university in the country, and second in the world, to have Coloreel embroidery technology which allows our Textile Design students to explore modulated colour change within their design work. This opens up new creative possibilities while increasing the efficiency and minimising thread waste.

3. Career success and industry links

Our graduates are employed across the globe, working with brands such as Alexander McQueen, Liberty, Adidas, Dulux, boohoo, Ikea and ASOS.

Our graduates are amongst the UK’s most successful designers and business owners and also find employment in high-end positions throughout the fashion and textiles industry including as Fashion Designers, Textile Designers, Trend Forecasters, Buyers, Event Managers, PR and Communications Agents, Art Directors, Editors, Artists and Educators.

We offer our students live projects and connections to major companies such as Superdry, Epson, Nike, New Balance, Lounge, Harvey Nichols, Size, Jennifer Clair couture house, National Trust and Selfridges.

4. Award winning opportunities

We celebrate our graduate students' work through national and international showcasing opportunities. Past events have included: New Designers, Graduate Fashion Week and British Fashion Council portfolio days – London, Inspired Festival, Harvey Nichols window display, Botanical Gardens – Birmingham, The Great Northern Showcase and Precious Rooms – Paris Couture Fashion Week.

We are proud of our many award winners including the GFW New Media, Marketing, ASOS Communication and Menswear Design awards, as well as the Kingfisher Design Talent Award. Textile Design students have won awards such as the Wilcom Digital Embroidery Award and Prestigious Textiles Award.

5. A creative and collaborative community

We have a rich diverse body of individual creative students and staff. A leading central powerhouse of creativity connected to the leaders in industry. Several fashion and textiles modules include explicit employer and industry engagement. These allow you to collaborate with employers and partners, working to industry-standard practices and facilitating connections with external organisations. You will also team up with students across the department to get a truly rounded experience.

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If you feel comfortable in a creative space, you tend to create your best work. I was vulnerable and insecure at a different institute, but being here, I felt seen and accepted. That has helped build my confidence and made me feel really welcome at BCU.

When I came here, I felt like my voice was heard. There are people who understand, people who want you to succeed, and people who make you feel good about yourself. I think that's because we've all gone through different things or come from different paths, but we've all supported each other.

I'm an international student from Nepal. At first, I didn’t know much about life in the UK, but people were really patient with me. I definitely felt like I fit in—not only with the students but with the staff as well. That first encounter made me feel at home. The sense of community and the support from the lecturers have really helped me settle into BCU.

The fact that I’ve been pushed has helped build my confidence and allowed me to see my potential. People let you be yourself, and there’s a mutual respect between everyone.

Most of us had different experiences in previous education. When I came here, I was so nervous. I wasn’t good at English, but there were many other international students and people from different countries, so I felt like I wasn’t alone.

As a transgender woman, I’ve felt very included. I feel safe and like I’m part of a wider community of unique and individual people who aren’t afraid to express themselves.

BCU is a wonderful place to study. If you get the opportunity to study here, you should appreciate it.

I’ve always struggled with fitting in and adapting to change, but my tutors helped me a lot and were very understanding. The students have been welcoming from the start. We’re like a little family here. We drive each other insane sometimes, but in all the best ways, because we’re all creative people.