Sustainable Luxury (Textiles) (BA)

Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

This is a full time course taught over three years. Between your second and third year, you'll have the option to study a semester in a different country or apply for a year in employment to gain valuable industry experience. The year in employment will increase the duration of the full course to four years. 

Each year is made up of core and compulsory modules.

Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.

The learning activities for this course include the following:

• classes and tutorials
• coursework
• individual and group projects
• independent learning (studying on your own)

Course time

How you'll spend your course time:

Course leader

Charlotte Ellis is the course leader.

This degree is designed so you'll gain a strong understanding of what is expected from industry employers, buyers and consumers from the sustainable and luxury marketplace. 

You'll be supported in your professional development to focus on developing your unique identity, talent and creative interests to align with your career aspirations. Whether you aspire to be a sustainable artisan, a luxury designer, a creative entrepreneur, a heritage conservationist, or work for a luxury brand, manufacturer or retailer.

Examples of jobs in the Textile sector:

• designer and maker 
• technician
• buyer/merchandiser
• visual merchandising
• sales
• digital designer/illustrator
• media/website curation
• consultant
• photographer, Stylist, Editor
• research assistant
• education/training
• higher education

In addition, students are supported in their desire to start and develop their own textile business, or to undertake freelance work.  

We are a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you. This support includes:

• work experience schemes
• CV and interview skills and workshops
• networking events
• careers fairs attended by top employers
• a wealth of volunteering opportunities
• study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a vibrant entrepreneurship culture and our dedicated start-up supporter, Futureworlds, is open to every student.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and standard exams.

Find out how to:

• pay your tuition fees
• calculate your student finances

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.

Explore:

• accommodation costs
• living costs
• budgeting advice
• fees, charges, and expenses regulations 

If you're a UK or EU student and your household income is under £25,000 a year, you may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary to help with your living costs. Find out about bursaries and other funding we offer at Southampton.

If you're a care leaver or estranged from your parents, you may be able to get a specific bursary.

Get in touch for advice about student money matters.

You may be able to get a scholarship or grant to help fund your studies.

We award scholarships and grants for travel, academic excellence, or to students from under-represented backgrounds.

The Student Hub offers support and advice on money to students. You may be able to access our Student Support fund and other sources of financial support during your course.

Funding for EU and international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

When you apply use:

• UCAS course code: TD23
• UCAS institution code: S27

Apply for this course

Portfolio guidance

What do you want to see in my portfolio?

Your digital portfolio should demonstrate a well-organised, clear developmental flow and individual approach to the creative development of your given projects and self-directed work. It should show evidence of your research methods, experimentation with different materials, media and processes, and communicate a keen interest in contemporary issues and trends.

You should demonstrate and illustrate how you have developed your original ideas from inspiration to finished pieces. Present your portfolio in a landscape presentation format and include digital images, photographs and supporting text to explain your project work, the storytelling and show your digital skills.

Show us a range of methods, techniques and materials to give us an idea of your interests, style, skills and knowledge of the creative arts. Explain with written notes, the inspirations, meanings, messages and technical details of your work and tell us about what your think worked well and what you want to develop further. 

How many pieces should I include?

Your portfolio should include at least 3 different projects, from concept to potential end use, over a maximum of 25 slides. Your work should have been produced within the last twelve months, and can show your personal development over this time.

Earlier work can be included if it is particularly relevant to your interests and development. 

Information for Mature students

We understand that mature students may not have work that is structured in the same way as A-Level or Foundation students. We are, however, still interested in seeing self-directed work, including sketchbooks, conceptual work and finished pieces.

We also understand that some applicants may have to include work that is over a year old. Work experience and any courses that you may have taken over the last few years will be relevant, but make sure that you include as much recent work as possible in your digital portfolio. 

Will I be expected to include textile related work?

We welcome students from a wide range of creative arts and design backgrounds, including material sciences and digital technologies that may be applied to textiles. Just make sure to include work that demonstrates your ability to understand the creative process from an inspirational concept or idea to a final outcome, evidencing investigation, experimentation, organisation and problem-solving. Show some knowledge of sustainability and materials, and an awareness of the issues and trends around textiles. 

Top tip

Tailor your portfolio to the course you are applying to. Investigate the Sustainable Luxury (Textiles) programme thoroughly before making your selection for your portfolio. Remember that courses with the same name at different universities can vary greatly.

We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.

Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000