Bachelor of Science (BSc)

BSc Fashion Buying and Merchandising

Become a successful fashion buyer by combining creativity and trend-spotting with data analysis, business theory and textile science.

  • Duration: 3 years or 4 years
  • Year of entry: 2025
  • UCAS course code: 6G49 / Institution code: M20
  • Key features:
  • Study abroad
  • Industrial experience
  • Scholarships available
  • Field trips
  • Accredited course

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Fees and funding

Fees

Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £38,000 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

The University of Manchester is committed to attracting and supporting the very best students. We have a focus on nurturing talent and ability and we want to make sure that you have the opportunity to study here, regardless of your financial circumstances. For information about scholarships and bursaries please visit our undergraduate student finance pages and our the Department funding pages .

Course unit details:
Circular Design and Make

Course unit fact file
Unit code MATS22232
Credit rating 10
Unit level Level 5
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

In Commercial Design & Make you will explore the managerial and practical realities of creating commercially viable fashion products inspired by catwalk and street trends and informed by customer needs whilst being strategically aligned with business priorities.

Aims

The unit aims to analyse and challenge the managerial and practical realities of creating commercially viable fashion products whilst being strategically aligned with business priorities. The unit combines theory with practice and students will demonstrate the commercial viability and manufacturability of a fashion product for a chosen brand or retailer.

Learning outcomes

 A greater depth of the learning outcomes will be covered in the following sections:
  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Intellectual skills
  • Practical skills
  • Transferable skills and personal qualities

 

Teaching and learning methods

This unit will make use of a variety of learning and teaching processes including lectures, workshops and independent study. Students will develop their critical understanding of design and make and the relationship to commercial decision making in the fashion business. The unit is split into two stages:

  • In the first stage of the unit, students will consider theoretical dimensions of commercial requirements when designing and making fashion products through the short lecture course. Students will critically engage with these theoretical concepts in the development of a design concept for a commercially viable garment (an important element of formative assessment).
  • In the second stage of the unit, students will engage in studio-based learning where they will participate in the development of a commercially viable garment (applying the theoretical concepts) to a suitable state (full or partial) of completeness to demonstrate their application of theory and problem solving through the generation of an application diary/portfolio.

Further information on the coursework is available in the assessment brief of this unit handbook. Details about progression through the coursework will be delivered in Lecture 1 of the unit and continually in the practice-based sessions.

Blackboard will be used to present lecture notes, guided reading, articles and other information.

 

Knowledge and understanding

  • Select and engineer appropriate manufacturing systems for specific fashion products.
  • Apply relevant theories to cost and design engineer commercially viable fashion products.
  • Explain appropriate planning tools and management approaches to optimise the fashion product creation process.

Intellectual skills

  • Identify and analyse appropriate information from a variety of sources.
  • Analyse technical aspects of fashion products and use the results to make informed decisions in relation to specific products and business contexts.

Practical skills

  • Plan and undertake focused research pertaining to a specific product for a commercial market/context.
  • Select and use relevant software applications, such as spreadsheets, CAD software, business applications, etc., for different tasks, such as data analysis or design communication, within the context of the fashion and textiles industry.

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • Present research ideas in a professional manner to clearly communicate concepts, strategies and factual information using a range of styles and employing various media appropriate to the context.

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Portfolio 100%

Feedback methods

Written and Verbal

 

Recommended reading

  • Aldrich, W. (2015). Metric pattern cutting for women’s wear. 6th edn. Chichester: Wiley.
  • Babu, V.R. (2012). Industrial engineering in apparel production. New Delhi: Woodhead Publishing India.
  • Brown, P. and Rice, J. (2014). Ready-to-wear apparel analysis. 4th edn. Boston: Pearson.
  • Bryant, M.W. and DeMers, D. (2006). The spec manual. 2nd edn. New York: Fairchild Publications.
  • Bubonia, J.E. (2014). Apparel quality: a guide to evaluating sewn products. New York: Fairchild Publications.
  • Carr, H., Latham, B. and Tyler, D.J. (2008). Carr and Latham's technology of clothing manufacture. 4th edn. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
  • Cooklin, G., Hayes, S.G., McLoughlin, J. and Fairclough, D. (2011). Cooklin's garment technology for fashion designers. 2nd edn. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
  • Gersak, J. (2013). Design of clothing manufacturing processes: a systematic approach to planning, scheduling and control. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing.
  • Glock, R.E. and Kunz, G.I. (2005). Apparel manufacturing: sewn product analysis. 4th edn. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall. 
  • Grice, P. 2019. Digital Pattern Cutting for Fashion with Lectra Modaris. London, UK: Bloomsbury.
  • Johnson, M.J. and Moore, E.C. (2001). Apparel product development. 2nd edn. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. 
  • Kanawaty. G. (1992). Introduction to work study. 4th (rev.) edn. Geneva: International Labour Office.
  • Keiser, S. and Garner, M. (2012). Beyond design: The synergy of apparel product development. 3rd edn. New York: Fairchild Publications.
  • Kincade, D.H. (2007). Sewn product quality: a manageme

 

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 12
Independent study hours
Independent study 88

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Steven Hayes Unit coordinator

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