BA (Hons) Textile Design Degree

Design Your Future: Unleash Creativity with a Textile Design Degree at Northbrook College. A creative and broad-based degree in textile and surface design that nurtures the future's creative, innovative, and independent designers.

Course Overview

Location: Northbrook College, Worthing, West Sussex, England
UCAS code: W231
Duration: 3 years full-time
Application deadline: 29 May 2026
Start date: September 2026
Fees: £16,500

Entry requirements

2 A-Levels and 3 GCSEs in other subjects grade 9-4 or A-C (or equivalent)
OR
1 A-Level, a Foundation course and 3 GCSEs in other subjects grade 9-4 or A-C (or equivalent)

A portfolio of work or audition to demonstrate ability in the specialist area.

English language requirements

IELTS certificate or equivalent with an overall score of 6.0, 6.0 in the writing element and 5.5 in all other sub-elements.

Your application will be assessed based on grades, interview, portfolio/audition, and experience.

Download Course Sheet

Course Information

This course examines conventional, digital, and innovative techniques in textile design and enhances your capabilities by crafting a unique design influenced by historical, cultural, technical, and sustainable awareness.

Course Content

You will learn fundamental skills and techniques in creative workshops focusing on design development, printed textiles, fabric manipulation, and more. The approach to design is exploratory and experimental, addressing contemporary issues such as sustainability and industry trends. You will create design solutions for various markets and develop skills for employment, freelance opportunities, or further study at the postgraduate level.

Teaching Method

We use a variety of teaching methods, including:

practical and creative studio-based workshops
discussions
lectures/seminars
tutorials
small group study
self-directed study
study trips

Key Features

Tailor your degree to textiles for art, fashion or interiors in year three.
Take part in industry projects and work placements to gain hands-on experience.
Your own studio space to refine your design practice.
Open access to campus-wide facilities, including a textile print room, laser cutter, 3D craft workshop, pattern cutting tables, sewing workshop and photo studios

Course Structure

Year One

The first year of a BA Textile program equips you with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the textile design field. Hands-on workshops teach you how to research trends, translate ideas into designs, and explore textile techniques. The program also covers ethical considerations in the industry and gives you a taste of real-world design through industry simulations. You'll round out the year with a deeper understanding of the theoretical background of design.

Unit 1: Research and Design Processes for Textiles
Unit 2: Materials & Methods
Unit 3: 2D and 3D Textiles
Unit 4: Ethical Values in Design
Unit 5: Industry Design Practice
Unit 6: Cultural and Contextual Studies

Year Two

The course focuses on developing industry-ready skills through project work, cultural studies, and professional development. You'll gain fashion or interior design expertise while exploring new media and sustainable practices. The program culminates in choosing between a work placement or an industry research project, followed by workshops on concept development for your future career.

Unit 7: Industry/Competition Linked Project
Unit 8: Advanced Cultural and Contextual Studies
Unit 10: Optional Unit
Unit 11: Concept Development

Year Three

The third year will prepare you for your culminating project and launch your design career.

You'll develop your final major project by crafting a statement outlining its purpose, target market, and core values. You'll perform technical testing through prototypes and source materials to produce final design samples.

You will conduct a thorough research project on a topic, analysing and presenting your findings in a formal document such as a dissertation, report, or case study.

Finally, the course prepares you for your design career. You'll build a strong portfolio and craft an impactful CV. Explore career opportunities in design, learn interview techniques, and develop self-promotion and personal branding skills to make a smooth transition from student to professional designer.